Injured in a Head-On Truck Accident? Our Washington Lawyer Will Fight for Your Right to Compensation
The force of this type of collision is so strong that it’s not uncommon to suffer internal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and other catastrophic medical issues. And if this wasn’t enough, there’s also endless paperwork, calls from insurance adjusters, and additional aspects of post-accident details that make you feel overwhelmed.
Getting legal assistance is the only way to focus on healing without worrying about financial ruin. At Max Meyers Law, our team’s vast experience with Washington truck accidents gives us a full understanding of how stressful your life is after a head-on crash. We’re committed to holding the negligent trucker, trucking company, and other liable parties liable to compensate you.
Common Causes of Washington Head-On Truck Collisions
Determining the cause of your truck accident is essential to proving your case, as you’re only entitled to damages for your injuries if evidence points to some type of negligence by another party. .jpg)
Unfortunately, identifying the reason it occurred can be complicated. Although all commercial transportation is regulated by the Federal Motor Safety Administration (FMCSA), it’s still necessary that your case prove that a person or company violated those rules. In addition, the trucking company could have much of the evidence you need—and without legal help, you won’t be able to gain access to it.
Fortunately, we have decades of experience fighting for the rights of victims and determining why their head-on collisions happened. Here are some of the most common causes:
- Speeding. Commercial trucks often need the length of two football fields to slow down and come to a stop. If a truck operator was speeding, this magnifies the force of the crash and makes your injuries more severe.
- Impaired driving. It’s even more dangerous for a truck driver than other motorists to drive when intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. Their judgment, vision, and reaction time are severely reduced, making it more likely that they cannot prevent a head-on truck collision.
- Fatigue. When truckers are too drowsy to drive, it affects their abilities in similar ways to impaired driving. In addition, they may be violating FMCSA rules on how long they can be on the road without taking a rest break—often due to trucking company delivery mandates.
- Trucker inexperience. This is one of the most common causes of truck head-on accidents. The individual—as well as their employer—could be found liable if it’s proven that training was inadequate.
- Mechanical defects. Trucking companies must maintain their fleet well and make necessary repairs. However, they frequently permit drivers to operate vehicles that need new tires or have mechanical problems, such as in the steering column or brakes.
- Bad weather. Truckers can slide over the center line and cause a head-on crash when they don't slow down in or otherwise compensate for dangerous weather conditions.
Steps Max Meyers Law Takes to Protect Your Rights
As soon as you take care of your immediate health needs, you should contact Max Meyers Law and schedule a free initial consultation. At your appointment, we’ll explain your rights, answer your questions, and tell you what you can expect to happen once we file your claim with the trucking and trucker insurance companies. Our legal team also takes the following steps on your behalf:
- Notify the trucking company. One of our first steps is to send the trucking company a spoliation letter. This letter informs them that you have a claim and that it shouldn’t destroy or alter evidence we may need to prove your case.
- Determine the accident's cause. We collect and examine all the evidence to identify why your truck head-on collision occurred. If necessary, we'll hire an accident reconstruction expert witness to help.
- Value your claim. We carefully assess how much you should receive for your medical expenses, wage losses, and pain and suffering to determine how much money you should receive in your settlement.
- File your claim. Our legal team files your claim with the insurer and all the supporting evidence to prove your right to compensation for your injuries.
- Negotiate your settlement. We also take over communicating with the insurance company and attempt to negotiate a fair settlement with an adjuster.
Compensation You May Be Entitled to Under Washington Law
You can seek past and future damages for your injuries related to your head-on truck accident. Types of compensation our legal team fights for include:
- Medical expenses. You should be reimbursed for all necessary health care, such as surgeries, hospitalizations, doctor visits, diagnostic tests, physical therapy, and medications.
- Wage losses. If you have to take time off work because of your injuries, you should receive damages in your settlement for your wages, sick and vacation time, and other income and benefits you lost.
- Lost earning capacity. You can seek lost earning capacity damages for your future lost income if you cannot work due to your injuries or must take a pay cut because you can no longer perform your duties at your former job.
- Pain and suffering. These types of damages can compensate you for the pain and emotional trauma you are enduring due to your injuries and how they affect your quality of life.
- Wrongful death. If a family member was tragically killed in a head-on truck collision, we can help you obtain justice and damages for your funeral and burial expenses, the financial and emotional support you lost, and other vital elements of a wrongful death claim.
- Punitive damages. If the truck driver or trucking company acted with malice or reckless disregard for how their actions would injure you, a judge or jury may decide to award punitive damages.
We understand how frightening this time can be, but you’re not alone. We encourage you to learn all you can about accident cases, and then reach out to us for help.
