Cement, Dump & Garbage Truck Accidents in Washington

Heavy trucks like cement mixers, dump trucks, and garbage trucks dominate the roads. Their size and weight can make collisions especially dangerous for people in smaller vehicles. Any collision can leave injured motorists with painful injuries and concerns about whether they can pay their bills.

Accident victims have many questions after a crash, including who is responsible and the monetary value of their claim. Contact Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner today to schedule a free consultation with a dump truck accident lawyer in Washington. Our firm has decades of experience analyzing truck accidents and negotiating for compensation.

What Can Cause a Heavy Truck Accident in Washington?

There are many causes for heavy truck accidents, from negligent truckers to dangerous trucks. An experienced legal team can review the evidence in your crash to identify who may be at fault.

Some of the most common causes of accidents include:

• Negligent driving. One of the drivers involved in the crash could be liable for failing to use reasonable care.
• Reckless or impaired driving. A driver might be more than careless. They could take unnecessary risks, such as driving while drunk or running a red light at high speeds.
• Mechanical defects. A defect could make a truck unmanageable, causing a crash.

Many accidents involve two vehicles: your vehicle and the truck. But some accidents involve multiple vehicles or a chain reaction, so fault for the crash is hard to determine. Let us get to work combing through evidence to investigate who caused the crash.

Who Can I Sue for a Truck Accident?

The correct defendant will depend on the facts of your case. Some common defendants include:

Truck Driver

A truck driver must use reasonable care when behind the wheel. If they fail to do so, they can be held liable for an accident they cause.

Many truckers work under tight deadlines or drive early in the morning or late at night when they may be tired. Common mistakes behind the wheel include:

• Texting and driving,
• Drowsy driving,
• Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol,
• Failing to pay attention to surroundings,
• Running a red light, and
• Going too fast for conditions.

Our office uses various evidence to determine whether the truck driver is liable. The sooner we can get started, the better.

Trucking Company or Business Owner

Commercial trucks are used in many industries, including construction, waste management, and transportation. The company that owns or operates the truck could be liable for the accident for various reasons:

• Failure to maintain the truck in a safe working condition. Parts might be worn out, or the truck might be dangerous to drive. The company can be liable for putting a dangerous truck on the road.
• Negligence in hiring truck drivers. A careful employer should perform background checks and refuse to hire dangerous drivers. A company that overlooks red flags or fails to perform any background check at all might be liable for a crash.
• Failure to supervise truckers. A company might fail to pull a trucker from the road despite reports that the driver is dangerous. The company might be liable for a crash if it fails to respond to those reports.
• Vicarious liability as an employer.Washington law may hold employers liable for accidents caused by their employees in the scope of employment. For this reason, an employer might be liable for the accident by virtue of the employment relationship.

Company records may be difficult to obtain without a formal request or litigation. Our law firm knows how to uncover evidence for use in a commercial work truck accident claim.

City Government

The city owns some trucks. If the city employed the driver or its own conduct contributed to the crash, you might have a claim against it. However, bringing claims against the government is complicated. Potential claims may be subject to different notice and procedural requirements.

Under Washington law, you must submit a standard tort claim form describing the accident and other information to the local government’s designated claims agent. You may not file a lawsuit until 60 calendar days have passed from the date you submitted your claim. Contact a garbage truck accident lawyer for assistance with this type of injury claim.

Other Defendants

Each case is based on its own facts. Sometimes other entities are liable for the crash, either alone or along with one of the other defendants listed above:

• Contractors and subcontractors. The truck company could subcontract work, and these contractors could also have liability for negligence.
• Mechanics. The mechanics who worked on the truck could have done slipshod work or overlooked mechanical defects.
• Equipment manufacturers. Defective parts could have failed, leading to a crash. A manufacturer might be liable if the product was defectively assembled or had design defects.

There is no need to guess who the right defendant is in your case. We can review evidence while you recover from your injuries.

When Can I Bring a Construction Truck Accident Claim?

You may have a claim if someone’s conduct or a defective truck or part caused your injury. Vehicles move in and out of construction sites at all hours. They bring gravel, concrete, and other materials. You might file a claim if you are hurt in a collision with one of these trucks:

• Backing up accidents. Construction trucks back into sites to unload equipment or materials. These trucks can strike workers and members of the public.
• Run-over accidents. Construction trucks can run over pedestrians when they pull out of or enter a job site.
• Tipover accidents. Dump trucks can sometimes tip over when material gets stuck in the box while elevated.
• Cargo spill accidents. Materials or equipment could come spilling out of the truck and strike motorists or pedestrians.

Construction truck accidents happen not only in and around job sites but also on the open road. For example, material can fly out of a dump truck due to a failure to secure the load. After an accident with a dump truck, a lawyer in Washington can help you pursue a claim for your damages.

How Do I Pursue a Claim for a Commercial Work Truck Accident?

There are many steps involved in bringing a claim. The key is documenting the crash and your injuries. Armed with that evidence, we can then present a claim to the responsible party’s insurer and negotiate for compensation.

Evidence Collection

To receive compensation, you typically need to prove fault. Various pieces of evidence help us reconstruct what happened:

• Eyewitness testimony—witnesses who saw the accident can tell us what they remember;
• Photographs of the accident scene—if you are physically able, take photographs of the truck and your vehicle; and
• Truck driver statements—write down any statement the trucker makes, such as an admission of fault.

Your lawyer can find other useful evidence, including data from the truck. We use this evidence to try to reconstruct the crash and identify potentially liable parties.

Medical Treatment

Early medical treatment can help identify injuries and promote healing. Seek prompt medical care, and call 911 if anyone needs emergency help. Remember to follow your doctor’s treatment plan. Stopping treatment early could undermine your legal claim.

Consultation with a Lawyer

A lawyer can help you through the process after a crash. At a consultation, you can describe what you remember of the accident. The lawyer can provide a preliminary assessment of the strength of your claim.

If you decide to hire a lawyer, they can handle a case from start to finish and help gather evidence and medical documentation to support your claim. 

Why Should I Hire a Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer?

A garbage truck accident presents unique complications:

• Unusual driving patterns. Garbage trucks make frequent stops, and it isn’t always clear when the trucker is to blame for an accident.
• Few witnesses. Many garbage trucks operate early in the morning. The only people at the scene could be you and the garbage truck operator.
• Government ownership. Some garbage trucks are operated by the city, which means different deadlines and claims procedures may apply. You need to identify who owns and operates the truck very soon after the accident.
• Allegations of contributory negligence.Some drivers attempt to pass a garbage truck out of frustration at how often it stops. The defendant might blame you for contributing to the accident.

You should consult a garbage truck accident lawyer for help with your injury claim. Our office is dedicated to helping build strong injury claims when our clients are hurt in accidents with garbage trucks.

Can I Handle My Own Claim If I Have No Money to Hire a Cement Truck Lawyer?

Yes, you can handle your own claim, but injury claims are complex. You could miss critical deadlines, or you might undervalue a claim and settle for too little. Even if you have no money for upfront legal fees, it is possible to hire an experienced law firm after a heavy truck accident in Washington. 

Our firm represents clients “on contingency,” which means we agree to accept a portion of any settlement or court award as our legal fee. Contact our office so we can describe how these agreements work in more detail.

What Are the First Steps I Should Take After a Crash with a Commercial Truck?

First, focus on safety. Check if anyone in your vehicle needs an ambulance and call 911 if they do. Heavy trucks, such as cement mixers and dump trucks, can destroy a lighter vehicle. Injuries are often severe.

Next, report the accident. Share the location and time of the crash. An officer should come to the scene and file an accident report.

If law enforcement does not file a report, Washington law requires that you file a written collision report within four days of the crash if anyone suffers injury or death, or there is at least $1,000 of apparent property damage to any one person’s property.

You also have a duty to share information with other drivers and anyone who is hurt:

• Name,
• Address,
• Insurance company,
• Insurance policy number,
• Vehicle license number, and
• Driver’s license.

Get this information from other drivers involved, including the trucker, who should also provide their employer’s name. This information is critical for a garbage or construction truck accident claim.

Meet with an Attorney to Discuss Your Case

After an accident with a garbage, dump, or cement truck, a lawyer with Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner is available to discuss your accident and injuries. Do not leave your case to chance. Trucking companies have powerful legal teams fighting day and night to defeat accident claims. You deserve a powerful advocate to fight for a meaningful settlement.

Our team obtained $3 million for a man backed over by a work truck and $2.2 million for a motorcyclist killed by a dump truck. These results can not predict what you may recover because every case turns on its own facts. We will look at your injuries, the evidence, and the available insurance to discuss what may be possible in your case. Call our office to arrange a free consultation.

Contact a Seattle truck accident lawyer today to discuss your case.

Legal References Used to Inform This Page

To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal and other resources during the content development process:

• Revised Code of Washington 4.96.020, submission of claim to a municipality.
• Revised Code of Washington 46.52.020, driver duties after an accident.
• Revised Code of Washington 46.52.030, requirement to file accident reports.
• Washington Administrative Code 446-85-010, $1,000 property-damage threshold for reporting an accident.