Tukwila Truck Accident Lawyer
Bordering on Seattle, Tukwila is a city with only about 20,000 people. However, Tukwila is a city that’s very much alive with industry, featuring a large industrial center, and even the nearby airport. Flanked by multiple freeways, it’s not uncommon for traffic moving in and out of the city to be heavy, and for large trucks carrying consumer goods and products to be seen on a regular basis.
While, for the most part, Tukwila is a relatively safe place to be, those who drive run the risk of being involved in a motor vehicle accident. Of the motor vehicle accident types that can occur, a collision with a large truck is one of the most devastating. If you have been in a large truck crash in Tukwila or surrounding areas, our Tukwila truck accident lawyers at the Khan Injury Law PLLC can help you.
Proving Liability in a Truck Accident Claim
A truck accident claim can leave a victim with serious injuries, which may be fatal in the most severe of cases. However, before a truck accident victim–or the family of a person who has been killed in a truck accident–can recover compensation for harm, the at-fault party must be identified. It is against the at-fault party that a claim for damages will be filed.
Proving fault and causation–that the accident would not have occurred but the negligence of the defendant–and therefore liability can be challenging, especially because there are multiple potentially-liable parties at play. To be sure, a few of the key players in a truck accident include the truck driver, the trucking company, the shipper or loader of cargo, a truck (part) manufacturer, or a third party driver, to name a few.
In order to prove liability, a plaintiff will need solid evidence that demonstrates that the party against whom a suit is being filed breached the duty of care owed to the plaintiff, and that this breach of duty of care was the proximate cause of the accident. Our lawyers can help you to gather the necessary evidence, including:
- Police reports;
- Eyewitnesses’ testimonies;
- Truck electronic control module–’black box’–data;
- Truck driver’s hours of service logs;
- Vehicle inspection and maintenance records;
- Photos of physical evidence, such as skid marks and damage to vehicles; and
- More.
Because truck accident claims are complicated, our lawyers also hire accident reconstruction experts and other professionals whose job it is to find out exactly how an accident happened and reconstruct it for the purpose of determining fault and liability.
Once we know who should be held liable for your crash and your injuries (and we have calculated the value of your damages), we will issue a demand letter.
Contributory Fault in Washington State
It’s important to remember that Washington maintains contributory fault laws, as found in the Revised Code of Washington Section 4.22.005. The rule holds that in a civil action for damages, any contributory fault apportioned to the claimant will diminish the value of their damages in proportion to the amount of fault, but will not bar the plaintiff from recovery. For example, if it is found that you were 15 percent to blame for your truck accident and the truck driver was 85 percent to blame, you are still permitted to file a claim against the truck driver/trucking company for damages; however, your recoverable damages award will be reduced by 15 percent.
Damages Recoverable After a Tukwila Truck Accident
Our lawyers will work hard to get you your full damages amount, and to fight back against any claims of contributory fault made against you. We know how devastating large truck accidents can be, often having life-changing effects for those involved. To be sure, some of the most common injuries that those involved in a truck accident may suffer include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, loss of limb/amputation injuries, internal injuries, bone fracture injuries, burn injuries (in the event of fire resulting from the crash), and more. These injuries are painful, disabling, and potentially disfiguring. What’s more, they are also closely associated with a number of psychological conditions, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Of course, serious injuries demand medical attention, which even with insurance, can mean hundreds or thousands of dollars spent on hospital stays, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation services, and other treatment and therapy. When a person is incapacitated based on severe injuries, they are prevented from being able to work and earn an income, therefore leading to lost wages and additional financial strain on top of everything else.
When you call our Tukwila truck accident lawyers, we will work hard to calculate the value of your economic and noneconomic losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more, and will aggressively negotiate on your behalf.
Tukwila Truck Accident Statute of Limitations
There are many reasons to act quickly after a truck accident occurs, including the preservation of evidence that may be destroyed if it is not collected immediately after a crash. Additionally, in most cases, the sooner that you file your truck accident claim, the sooner that you can recover the compensation award that you deserve and get back to living the best version of your life as possible.
Another reason to file your claim as soon as possible is to ensure that it is brought within the statute of limitations, which is three years in Washington. If a lawsuit is filed after the statute of limitations has expired, a court will refuse to hear it, and the claimant will be barred from recovery.
Call a Truck Accident Lawyer in Tukwila Today
If you are involved in a truck accident or lose a loved one in a truck accident, our experienced Tukwila truck accident lawyers will be available to help you. To schedule a free consultation with our law firm, please send us a message or call us today. We work on a contingency fee basis, and never ask you for upfront fees.