Frequently Asked Questions | Tacoma 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyer

• What is the difference between a commercial truck and an ordinary truck?
• What is the difference between a Tacoma truck accident lawyer and a regular car accident lawyer?
• When would I need a Tacoma truck accident lawyer and why is it so important?
• What should I look for in a Tacoma truck accident attorney?
• Do I have to come up with money to pay for an attorney in a truck accident case?
• Why is it so important to conduct an investigation after a Tacoma truck accident?
• Who exactly would be sued if there is a lawsuit resulting from Tacoma truck accident?
• Where should the lawsuit be filed for a truck accident in Tacoma or Pierce County?
• If the suit is filed in Tacoma or Pierce County, in what court will the lawsuit be filed?
• If I am hurt in a semi truck accident, what should I do?
• If I miss work as a result of a truck accident, will I recover any loss of wages?
• If I am involved in a truck accident, what should I do or not do?

What is the difference between a commercial truck and an ordinary truck?

Commercial trucks are large, heavy vehicles used for interstate and intra-state commerce for the transport of commercial goods. A semi truck, big rig, 18-wheeler, tractor-trailer, tanker truck, or dump truck involved in an accident in Tacoma are examples of commercial trucks. These kinds of vehicles are governed by federal, state, and local regulations that do not apply to non-commercial vehicles like pickup trucks or SUVs.

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What is the difference between a Tacoma truck accident lawyer and a regular car accident lawyer?

A Tacoma truck accident lawyer who practices law in Pierce County, Washington, is qualified to handle truck accident law in Washington and is familiar with the various rules and regulations that apply to commercial vehicles. If you become involved in an accident with a semi truck or other commercial vehicle and you suffer property damage or injury, you need to protect your rights. Because of the nature of truck accident law, it is imperative that you select a Tacoma truck accident attorney who is skilled in handling truck accident cases.

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When would I need a Tacoma truck accident lawyer and why is it so important?

There is a big difference between handling legal cases involving commercial vehicles and those involving non-commercial vehicles and passenger cars. A qualified Tacoma truck accident lawyer will be able to protect your rights and will know how to conduct a proper investigation. He or she will be able to check for compliance with the many regulations that apply to commercial vehicles. A good Tacoma truck accident attorney will also know how to select the proper venue, the party against whom the claim should be made, and whether multiple parties may be joined as defendants.

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What should I look for in a Tacoma truck accident attorney?

Select a lawyer who has a track record of being successful in obtaining compensation for clients in truck accident cases. Your attorney should also care about clients, display compassion for your situation, and listen to your concerns. Select a Tacoma truck accident lawyer who is trustworthy and has a good reputation in the community. Also, it is important to select a lawyer or law firm that has the resources to go the distance in a long and involved case.

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Do I have to come up with money to pay for an attorney in a truck accident case?

In most cases, you should be able to retain a truck accident attorney in Tacoma on a contingency basis without having to pay attorney fees out of pocket. Usually, any attorney fees will be paid out of the proceeds of a settlement or court case result. This means that you only pay your Tacoma truck accident lawyer if you win! To be certain, make sure to ask your attorney beforehand.

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Why is it so important to conduct an investigation after a Tacoma truck accident?

It is crucial to collect evidence and do a thorough and competent investigation after an accident with a semi truck or commercial truck. Trucks are bigger and heavier than passenger cars and require greater stopping distance. Commercial trucks are required to have proper maintenance, for example, adequate and fully functioning brakes. Additionally, truck drivers are only permitted to drive a certain number of hours per day and their hours must be properly logged and recorded. Only a complete and accurate investigation, including investigation of all logs and maintenance reports, will reveal the facts necessary to support your case.

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Who exactly would be sued if there is a lawsuit resulting from Tacoma truck accident?

It depends on the circumstances of the case. Sometimes a claim should be filed against the trucking company. In other cases, a claim may be filed against the truck driver. It is also possible that the loading facility where the contents of the trailer were secured could be a responsible party, or even the owner of the trailer's contents. Who should be sued can also depend on whether or not there was negligence involved on the part of the truck driver or the trucking company, or whether any traffic violation occurred and contributed to the accident. Some other factors that may be involved are responsibility for truck maintenance, brakes, driver fatigue, recklessness, improper loads, and drug and alcohol use.

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Where should the lawsuit be filed for a truck accident in Tacoma or Pierce County?

When a truck accident occurs and a lawsuit is filed, the selection of where to file that lawsuit is referred to as “choice of venue.” Generally, venue is proper in the following locations:

1. The county wherein the accident occurred;
2. The county wherein the defendant company’s principal place of business is; or,
3. The county wherein the defendant truck driver resides.

Even though the accident may have occurred in Tacoma, the truck company and the truck driver may be from another state. This is because trucking companies often operate in states other than where they are registered. The venue where an ensuing lawsuit could be filed may be the state where the truck accident occurred, the state where the trucking company is located, or even a state where the trucking company regularly does business, if different. For example, the accident may have occurred in Tacoma, Washington, making venue proper in Pierce County, but the claim may be filed against a trucking company from another state. A qualified Tacoma truck accident lawyer is necessary to decide what the best venue would be for your truck accident case.

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If the suit is filed in Tacoma or Pierce County, in what court will the lawsuit be filed?

An experienced Tacoma truck accident attorney will determine what the best court is depending on the circumstances of your case. The lawyer will decide the venue and jurisdiction to use. Some Pierce County Courts are:

Pierce County District Court - Civil and Infraction Division
1902 96th Street South
Tacoma, WA 98444
(253) 798-7487

Pierce County Superior Court
930 Tacoma Avenue South
Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 798-3654

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If I am hurt in a semi truck accident, what should I do?

If you sustain an injury in an accident, the most important thing to do is seek medical care for any pain or discomfort that you may experience. Delaying treatment can often make an injury worse. Many times it takes days for symptoms of soft tissue injuries to appear. Seeing a doctor immediately following the accident is necessary in order to receive a preliminary diagnosis. Extreme injuries such as burns, or neck and spinal cord injuries caused by a big rig truck accident often require immediate paramedic and trauma care unit assistance at the scene. In these cases, the victim must be taken to a hospital for treatment immediately.

Tacoma Hospitals include Madigan Army Medical Center, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, Seattle Children's, St Francis Hospital, St. Joseph Medical Center, Tacoma General-Allenmore Hospital (TG Campus), VA Puget Sound Health Care System. These are some of the most common medical treatment centers where Tacoma truck and automobile accident victims receive emergency medical care after a serious truck accident.

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If I miss work as a result of a truck accident, will I recover any loss of wages?

Wages lost as a result of a truck accident can be recovered as compensation.

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If I am involved in a truck accident, what should I do or not do?

Try to get witnesses to support your case, if you can. If possible, take photographs of the scene of the accident. Do not sign anything or make any statement to the insurer of the other party, or do anything when you feel pressured without consulting a lawyer first. Above all, do not admit any degree of fault.

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Truck Accidents Occur in Tacoma and Surrounding Cities

Truck drivers who operate an 18-wheeler truck or big rig on the busy roads and highways of Tacoma such as I-10, I-45 or I-610, can become injured when a major commercial vehicle collision occurs. Truckers often say, “Ride with me for just one day and you will see what it is like ‘out there’…it’s not always the trucker’s fault…”

It is not uncommon to see a big rig wreck, semi crash or major accident involving semi truck drivers in Tacoma, WA. Tacoma’s freeway system, which is made up of 739.3 miles of freeways and expressways in a ten-county metropolitan area, uses a hub-and-spoke freeway structure which is serviced by multiple loops. The danger of an 18-wheeler truck accident is not just confined to injured people in automobiles, but can end up injuring the truck driver affecting their livelihood and family’s livelihood as well as the automobile driver. So, when a Tacoma 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer is contacted, be it by an automobile driver who has been injured or a truck driver that has been injured at the dangerous hands of another, you will need an expert Tacoma truck injury lawyer to fight for your rights.

The Semi Truck Driver is Not Always at Fault

When an 18-wheeler is moving down a Tacoma road or highway, such as I-10, I-45, I-610, SH 99, Hwy 59, Beltway 8, Hardy Toll Road, or I-69 at high speeds, it is nearly unstoppable and can easily turn a motorist’s everyday commute into a lethal situation. Although a passenger car is lightweight, in comparison, and can easily maneuver in and out of lanes on Tacoma highways, it is no match for a big rig truck. If the two vehicles are unable to avoid a collision, wreck or crash, the driver of the passenger car will be lucky to escape with their life.

A driver of a passenger vehicle could easily be killed as a result of  veering out of his lane and then smashing into a tractor trailer truck let’s say on the U.S. 59 Southwest Freeway which is just under the beltway in Tacoma.  If the trucker tried to avoid hitting the passenger car but was unable to avoid the wreck or crash, then this would be a case where the accident was caused by the driver of the passenger vehicle and therefore the trucker would not be at fault.

Truck Driver Facts

• Two of your fellow truck drivers die each day in accidents
• 33,000 people driving large trucks are injured each year
• 6.3% of U.S. truck drivers are injured each year.

Injured Truckers Need Legal Representation

A qualified Tacoma 18-wheeler accident attorney should offer a free case review. If they decide to take on your legal matter, they should not require an up-front fee. Truckers with a trucking injury claim are generally taken on a contingency fee basis. In other words, your Tacoma truck accident attorney is only paid if you receive compensation for your injuries.

Injured Truckers Need to Know Their Rights

As a trucker, you have rights you need to be aware of. It is not uncommon for aggressive insurance companies to contact you shortly after the accident in an effort to try to get you to settle quickly and convince you that you want the matter to go away. In many cases, injuries are not so quick to heal. Many times the injuries can be permanent, long-lasting, and career-threatening. That is why you need a competent Tacoma truck accident lawyer that is not only prepared to mediate a resolution, but also prepared to take your case to court.

When Negligence Changes a Trucker’s Life

Qualified Tacoma truck accident lawyers know exactly how to provide nationwide representation for truckers injured in trucking accidents caused by a variety of negligent acts and mechanical malfunctions, including:

• Rear-end, Head-On Crashes and Jackknives
• Poor Maintenance, including Tires and Brakes
• Driver Fatigue
• Unsecured Loads
• Aggressive Driving
• DWI/Drug Use
• Lack of Reflectors and Poor Visibility

Since trucking laws are governed by hundreds of regulations, litigation can be very complex. Hiring a semi truck accident attorney who specializes in the numerous trucking laws throughout the United States is essential for a successful verdict outcome. For more information about trucking laws or to schedule an appointment with an experienced commercial truck injury lawyer, contact a truck injury attorney today.

When an 18 Wheeler accident occurs, your Tacoma truck accident lawyer will check the truck driver’s credentials to see if he/she attended an accredited Commercial Drivers’ License (CDL) school. In Tacoma, Washington, one truck driving school is Tacoma Community College 555 Community College Dr., Tacoma, WA 77013, although there are many others throughout the country. See the Nationwide List of Accredited CDL Schools for a more comprehensive list.

Truck Accident Attorneys for Injured Truckers Serve Tacoma and Surrounding Cities

Serving clients throughout Western Central Washington, including Artondale, Auburn, Bellevue, Bonney Lake, Bremerton, Burien, Covington, Des Moines, Elk Plain, Enumclaw, Federal Way, Fort Lewis, Issaquah, Kent, Lacey, Lakewood, Lea Hill, Mercer Island, Midland, Olympia, Orting, Pacific, Parkland, Port of Tacoma, Port Orchard, Prarie Ridge, Puyallup, Renton, Seatac, Seattle, Shelton, Shorewood, South Hill, Spanaway, Steilacoom, Tacoma, Thompson Place, University Place, Waller, areas in the vicinity of McChord Air Force Base, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and other communities in Pierce County.

Tacoma truck accident attorneys for injured truckers are experienced in handling serious injury truck collision cases and can help you fight the trucking company or its insurer in order to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact a Tacoma 18 wheeler accident lawyer today for a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION.

Tacoma Truck Accident Lawyers are here to answer your questions. Contact a Tacoma Truck Accident Lawyer today for help from an experienced legal professional.