Spokane Truck Accident Lawyers

Spokane Truck Accident Attorneys Representing Drivers, Passengers, and Their Families

Many aspects of truck accident cases are similar to insurance claims involving other types of vehicle collisions: While victims are entitled to just compensation for their losses (which are often substantial), the insurance companies never pay without a fight, and victims must cope with the consequences of someone else’s mistake unless and until they are able to secure a favorable outcome.

However, there are many aspects of truck accident cases that make them unique as well. For example, rarely can a truck accident be classified as “minor.” Large commercial trucks are extremely dangerous. And when a truck driver loses control, the consequences can be devastating. Likewise, while other types of collisions can have a variety of potential causes, in truck accident cases, there are even more potential factors to examine. Finally, if you think that consumer auto insurance companies put up a fight, you haven’t seen anything until you have dealt with the companies that do everything possible to avoid any shred of liability for commercial trucking collisions. Seek help from the trusted Spokane truck accident attorneys at Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner PLLC. 

Our office in Spokane, WA

• Address: 1312 N Monroe St f179, Spokane, WA 99201
• Open hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm
• Phone number: 509-228-8790
• Map Directions

Over 40 Years of Experience Helping Truck Accident Victims in Spokane and Throughout Washington

Our Spokane truck accident lawyers have been helping injured drivers and passengers and families who have lost loved ones in commercial truck accidents for more than 40 years. Our Spokane truck accident attorneys understand the challenges involved in these cases because we have experienced and overcome them first-hand. We have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for truck accident victims and their families, including some of the largest-ever verdicts in locales throughout Washington.

If you are struggling to cope with the effects of a truck accident, we want to make one thing clear: Recovering your losses will not be easy. Truck accident cases tend to be far more complex than other types of accident claims, and as we mentioned above, trucking companies and their insurers fight vigorously to protect their bottom lines. You will quickly learn that they do not have any sympathy for the losses you have endured (and that you may continue to endure for the rest of your life). This is an unfortunate reality of our profit-driven society. However, while this presents challenges, it does not present an insurmountable burden. Our results show as much, and our attorneys are happy to sit down with you one-on-one to go over exactly how we plan to help you win just compensation.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

There is no single common cause of truck accidents in Spokane, Washington. Truck accidents may occur for any number of reasons. However, the most common causes include the following:

• Malfunctioning brakes. When truck brakes malfunction, these heavy vehicles become a deadly mass of moving steel. Even if a truck driver continuously pumps the brakes as instructed, there may not be enough time for a truck to make a complete stop before colliding with another vehicle. 
• Rollovers. When trucks are driven too fast, a driver can lose control, causing the truck to slide sideways. If the truck hits anything while sliding sideways, a rollover may occur. Truck drivers who take a turn or curve too quickly also risk a rollover. A rollover can cause a truck to hit other vehicles or objects, such as guardrails. 
• Large blindspots. Trucks have large blind spots. Blind spots on large trucks prevent a driver from seeing any vehicle or motorcycle that may be in their way. Trucks have blind spots on both the right and left sides and immediately behind them. 
• Swinging turns. Swinging turns occur when a truck swings out to make a turn. For example, a driver may swing left to make a right turn. In these situations, the driver may hit another vehicle head-on. Additionally, if a driver fails to make a wide enough turn, the truck may clip cars beside it. These accidents commonly occur when a truck is driving through surface streets. 
• Tire damage. Flat tires and blowouts happen all the time. The aftermath can be catastrophic when a tire blowout happens to an oversized, heavy truck. Truck drivers are responsible for maintaining their vehicles and checking the wear and tread on their tires before embarking on long-distance routes.  
• Overloaded cargo. Federal and state laws limit how much weight a truck can carry at one time. When a driver goes above that limit, their truck may become too heavy to manage, making it harder for the driver to operate the vehicle safely. When a driver loses control of a truck carrying an oversized load, the results are often catastrophic. 
• Falling debris. Some commercial trucks carry large loads of goods that are not properly secured. Other trucks may have open beds increasing the risk of items inside the truck bed falling out during travel. A truck driver must secure their load before traveling. If they fail to do so, falling debris can create a substantial risk for other drivers. 

Spokane truck accident lawyers carefully investigate the facts surrounding your accident to determine the cause of the truck accident and liability.

What Can You Expect during Your Spokane Truck Accident Case?

With all of this in mind, what can you expect when you hire our highly-skilled Spokane truck accident attorneys to handle your Spokane truck accident case? When you choose our firm to represent you, our legal team will:

• Meet with You One-on-One to Go Over Your Claim – Sitting down one-on-one to discuss your claim is the first step in the process. We will arrange for you to meet with one of our lawyers in Spokane as soon as possible – either at our offices or at your home or health care facility if that is more comfortable for you. Your attorney will explain the Washington truck accident laws that may be relevant to your case.
• Examine the Details of Your Case – What can you remember about the accident? Were any other vehicles involved? Where was your vehicle hit? Based on your current diagnosis, what is your likely prognosis? When you meet with one of our Spokane truck accident lawyers, he or she will begin gathering the details required in order to assess your claim
• Provide a Preliminary Case Assessment – After meeting with you, and perhaps after doing some additional investigation, your lawyer will provide you with a preliminary case assessment. This will include an assessment of (i) who (or what company) is liable for your losses, (ii) whether your recovery may be limited based on the principle of comparative fault, (iii) how much we believe you may be able to recover, and (iv) the challenges we foresee in successfully pursuing a claim for just compensation.
• Provide Legal Advice and Counseling – Once you have this assessment, then you can start making informed decisions about protecting your legal rights. Of course, you are still likely to have lots of questions as well. Your lawyer will be available to you as needed to provide advice and counseling regarding your claim.
• Pursue Maximum Compensation for Your Losses – If you choose to move forward with your claim, we will use our experience to fight for maximum compensation. In most cases, our efforts result in a favorable insurance settlement. However, if necessary, we will prepare your case for trial and argue for just compensation in front of the judge or jury.

Special Considerations for Your Truck Accident Case

Truck Accidents tend to involve very special circumstances. Accordingly, these cases require a number of special considerations from your Spokane truck accident lawyer. A few of these special considerations are as follows:

1)  Which driver was at fault? This can seem like a simple question. But often, the answer is quite complicated in truck accident cases, especially when multiple vehicles are involved.  There are many potential types of truck accidents, with each situation presenting its own unique facts and circumstances. With our expert understanding of truck accident laws, we are able to determine what liability for all parties should be and argue your case accordingly. This can also mean that you can recover damages from multiple defendants.

2)  Was there comparative negligence (also known as “contributory fault”)? Comparative negligence is a fancy term referring to whether or not our client contributed to the accident to any degree. If our client contributed to the accident, to what extent did they contribute? As stated in RCW 4.22.005, “In an action based on fault seeking to recover damages for injury or death to person or harm to property, any contributory fault chargeable to the claimant diminishes proportionately the amount awarded as compensatory damages for an injury attributable to the claimant’s contributory fault, but does not bar recovery.” Therefore, even if you did contribute to your truck accident, it does not bar recovery – it just reduces what damages you can recover based upon your level of contributory fault.

Our experienced truck accident attorneys can examine your case and determine what your level of contributory fault was if any, and fight for you to recover every last bit that you are entitled to recover.

3)  What damages are you entitled to? In Washington, compensatory damages in personal injury cases are classified as economic or noneconomic damages. You might think you are just entitled to economic damages such as payment for your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and future loss of earnings. But you can be entitled to noneconomic damages, including, the following: 

• Pain and suffering, 
• Emotional distress, 
• Permanent disability or disfigurement, 
• Loss of enjoyment of life, and
  
• Loss of consortium.

Loss of consortium is a funny term that basically means that a loved one of yours lost affection and assistance from you because of your injuries from the accident. Our skilled attorneys can examine your case and determine all of the damages that you are entitled to receive. We are prepared to fight for your right to all damages.

Whether your case is simple or complicated, our highly-skilled Spokane truck accident attorney is ready to evaluate your case and get you the compensation that you deserve.

Contact Our Spokane Truck Accident Lawyers Now for a Free Consultation

Are you ready to get started? To speak with our Spokane truck accident attorneys at Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner PLLC in confidence, call us directly or request a free consultation online now.

Our Spokane truck accident lawyers have spent the past four decades working with injured victims to resolve their claims. We represent any injury claim, such as auto vehicle accidents, motor vehicle accidents, medical negligence and malpractice, dog attacks, and wrongful death claim.