If you’ve been in a collision with a truck, Call Dan Next and let our experienced Olympia truck accident lawyers represent you and lead your case. We encourage you to act quickly to protect your legal rights. And NextLaw’s team is ready to represent you.
With 100 years of combined legal experience, our Olympia personal injury lawyers know exactly how to handle a range of injury claims and lawsuits for clients. We will build your case and fight to recover damages from all liable parties while you focus on getting back on your feet. Call us today for a free consultation.
Why Truck Accidents are More Complex
Truck collisions are often much more complicated than passenger car accidents, which makes working with our Olympia truck crash attorneys even more important. Below are some reasons truck accident cases require more time to resolve:
They’re Bigger and Heavier
Trucks can legally weigh up to 80,000 pounds, meaning that crashes with these massive vehicles tend to be more dangerous. Having something of this size and weight veer out of control and careen into you would be catastrophic.
Various At-Fault Parties
Unlike passenger car accidents, collisions with commercial vehicles can involve multiple liable parties. For example, the truck driver may have been distracted on the phone. Or the company that owns or operates the truck could have been negligent in its supervision. This makes your claim a lot less straightforward.
Complicated State and Federal Safety Regulations
Trucks and 18-wheelers must follow special rules when taking to the roads of Olympia. There are a number of federal guidelines and restrictions on how long a driver can be on the road without rest. But violations of these rules could work in your favor, providing detailed evidence when proving fault.
For a free legal consultation with a truck accident lawyer serving Olympia, call (253) 238-2558
Our Olympia Truck Crash Lawyers Will Build Your Injury Case
After a truck accident, your focus should be on healing, not battling insurance companies or trying to resolve complex legal issues on your own. Our truck collision lawyers in Olympia are dedicated to advocating for your recovery by handling all aspects of your case, such as:
- Assessing what happened:We’ll conduct an independent review of the evidence related to your crash. This allows us to identify whether any traffic laws were broken and what damages may be available.
- Establishing fault: We will fully investigate the accident to determine all parties that had a role in your accident and work to hold each one accountable for your injuries and losses.
- Document management: You shouldn’t be weighed down by all the paperwork coming your way. Instead, we’ll manage every single document and maintain order, so you can meet those all-important deadlines.
- Communicating with insurance companies: All negotiations with the insurance companies will go through us. This allows us to protect you from lowball offers that fall short of your needs.
- Taking your case to court: We will fight for full compensation, but if settlement negotiations fail, we can file a lawsuit on your behalf and fight for your recovery at trial.
With our experienced legal team in your corner, you can focus on your health while we work on your compensation claim. Check out our client testimonials to see what others say about working with us and learn more about our services.
Olympia Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me
Call: (253) 238-2558Recoverable Damages in an Olympia, WA Truck Accident
After a truck accident in Olympia, you can seek various forms of payment to help you cover your financial losses and the emotional toll of the accident. The losses you could be compensated for may include:
- Medical expenses: The cost of a single hospital stay is already a small fortune. With your settlement money, you may be able to alleviate the burden of surgeries, physical therapy, prescription medication, and any ongoing or future medical costs that may come your way.
- Lost income: Injuries after truck accidents can interrupt your entire life. If your recovery kept you from working, you can seek compensation for lost income and any future earnings that may be affected by long-term disabilities.
- Property damage: Chances are your car was wrecked in the crash, or at the very least, it needs repairs. We can help you seek compensation for a variety of personal property damages.
- Pain and suffering: Beyond the financial losses, you can also recover damages for the physical, mental, and emotional pain you experienced from the accident. This category covers post-traumatic stress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other intangible losses.
- Permanent harm: Disability, disfigurement, and scarring can have a lasting effect on your future. You should be compensated, and we’ll help you add this to your claim if applicable.
Learn more about the average truck accident settlement amounts in Washington.
Damages in Fatal Truck Accidents in Olympia, WA
In cases where the accident results in a fatality, wrongful death damages may be available to the victim’s family. If you have lost a loved one in an accident, we are sorry for your loss and want to help your family take action against the party responsible for your relative’s death.
Our Olympia wrongful death lawyers can help you pursue compensation for:
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of companionship
- Other related losses
We can review the accident and advise you of the losses you might be able to recover. We can explain how wrongful death cases work in Washington State when we talk with you during a free consultation.
Click to contact our Olympia Personal Injury Lawyers today
Who is Responsible for Your Truck Accident
There are multiple parties you could look to when trying to determine fault in your truck crash case. Responsibility usually falls on the person whose negligence contributed to or caused your injuries, but that could be any number of people.
Truck Drivers
Your first instinct may be to pursue compensation directly through the truck driver’s insurance. If distracted driving, speeding, unsafe lane changes, texting while driving, intoxication, drowsy driving, or other driver errors caused your auto accident, liability may lie with the driver.
Driver fatigue is a big one for truck drivers, as overly long shifts can make it harder to concentrate and react to any hazards.
Trucking Companies
Truck rental companies and similar employers could be to blame if things like poor training and negligent hiring contributed to the crash. Failing to properly communicate and follow Washington’s hours-of-service regulations could also land them in hot water.
If the collision took place while the employee was on the clock, our attorneys will consider the company’s level of liability when evaluating your claim.
Cargo Loaders
Every truck has a load weight limit. Cargo companies must stick to this limit when loading large commercial vehicles, as improperly distributed weight and overloaded cargo can lead to balance issues. When a truck driver loses control of their 18-wheeler because of this, negligence may fall on the cargo loaders.
Vehicle Manufacturers and Maintenance Providers
Vehicle malfunctions such as faulty brakes or a stiff steering wheel can cause commercial trucks to crash. If you can prove that there was a fault with the vehicle components, you may be able to hold the manufacturer or maintenance provider responsible.
Washington State Government
If poor road conditions or broken traffic signals contributed to your auto accident, there’s a chance you could hold a local government entity accountable for your injuries. This will depend on the circumstances of your case, but our Washington truck accident lawyers can help you file your claim.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Evidence That Could Support Your Claim
When it comes to establishing liability and demonstrating what you should be owed in compensation, you need reliable evidence. To support your personal injury claim, we’d suggest gathering the following information:
- Police reports
- Medical records
- Receipts for medical costs
- Road traffic footage
- Recorded statements from witnesses
- Black box data and trucking logs
- Cell phone records
- Photographs from the crash scene
Some of this evidence is harder to obtain than others. NextLaw already has the resources needed to access many of these reports and records. We’ll work hard to preserve every detail so that you have it available when filing your injury claim.
Why You Should Document Your Injuries
Your medical records and receipts paint a clear picture of how much the crash has cost you, both physically and financially. Asking for copies of these records can help to demonstrate the extent of your injuries, so that there is no doubt about the damages you have suffered.
Even if you’ve come away from the accident with a minor cut or some superficial bruising, you should still seek medical support and document everything. Take photographs and videos of any injuries, and stick to any recovery plans set by your medical practitioner.
Common Injuries After a Truck Collision
It’s unlikely that you’ll come away from a collision with a truck completely unscathed. Chances are, you’ll have at least one of the following injuries:
- Whiplash
- Concussion
- Cuts and bruises
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken or fractured bones
- Burns and lacerations
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
Some of these injuries might not be obvious straight away. That’s why you should always seek medical assistance as soon as possible, as physicians are better equipped to spot anything that might progress later down the line.
Steps to Take After the Crash
While your main focus should be on seeking medical attention and making sure Washington law enforcement has been notified, there are several things you should do after the crash to protect your rights.
Once your health and well-being are secured, you should:
- File an official police report and ask for a copy
- Document the scene by taking photos and videos
- Exchange contact information with other drivers and witnesses
- Save medical records and any receipts or invoices tied to property repairs
- Try not to discuss fault with anyone, including insurance adjusters
- Hire an Olympia truck accident attorney to take care of the claims process for you
Following these steps is the best way to set yourself up for success when it comes to filing for compensation. And the sooner you contact NextLaw, the better off you’ll be.
Filing Deadlines Apply in Olympia Truck Injury Lawsuit Cases
Generally, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit under state law. While there may be some exceptions to this rule, you should consider this time limit when filing.
The same deadline applies to wrongful death cases, but you have three years from the individual’s date of death to file. We encourage you to act now. If you miss the statute of limitations deadline for your case, you will lose your right to file your case with the civil court.
When you book a free consultation with us, we’ll listen to your side of the story and then provide detailed advice based on the facts. Once we get to work on your claim, we’ll make sure it’s filed correctly and in line with Washington’s statute of limitations.
Call Today for Help From Our Olympia Truck Accident Lawyers
Whether your accident involved a semi-truck, delivery truck, or other commercial vehicle, you can Call Dan Next and let our Olympia truck accident lawyers take care of your entire case.
Our attorneys at NextLaw will seek all damages from those who acted negligently and caused your pain and suffering and other losses. We’ve already helped thousands of clients across Washington, and we’re ready to start on your case too.
Injured in a truck accident? Call Dan Next! Call us today for a free consultation. We’re available 24/7 and work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t have to worry about paying any upfront fees.
Call or text (253) 238-2558 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form