Semi Truck Accident Attorneys in Portland Oregon
Trucks can cause catastrophic injuries, considering the sheer size and momentum of these large commercial vehicles. If you have suffered an injury in a commercial truck accident in Portland Oregon, you are not alone.
According to the figures published by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), 2,174 accidents involving semi-trucks were reported in 2015 in the state. These accidents resulted in 54 fatalities and at least 880 bodily injuries.
The NHTSA says that although commercial trucks account for just three percent of all automobiles on the road, they are responsible for 12 percent of all fatal crashes.
- Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents
- Things you should know after being involved in a semi-truck accident
- What to Do if You Are Injured in a Truck Accident
- The Difference Between a Truck Accident and a Car Accident
- 5 Factors That Help Determine the Value of Your Settlement
- Oregon Truck Accident Causes
- What You Need to Know About Semi Truck Blind Spots
- Role of a Life Care Planner in an Oregon Truck Accident Injury Claim
- The Importance of Expert Witnesses to Your Truck Accident Lawsuit
- Brain Injuries due to Truck Accidents
Dwyer Williams Cherkoss Attorneys, PC
Causes of Truck Accidents in Oregon
An experienced truck accident law firm in Oregon will conduct an independent investigation to try and determine the cause of the truck accident that resulted in your personal injuries. They may investigate the procedures of the trucking company to see whether any rules were violated.
Driver Fatigue
Commercial truck drivers are often under pressure from the trucking company to deliver their cargo within tight deadlines. Although Oregon regulations are in place to limit the number of hours a truck driver can operate behind the wheel, these limits are sometimes ignored to meet business demands.
This can push a truck driver to the point of fatigue or exhaustion. They could fall asleep behind the wheel, which can have devastating consequences for other drivers on the road. Driving dangerously and driver fatigue are two of the common reasons for truck accidents in Oregon.
Distractions, Recklessness, and Lack of Training
Truckers may sometimes tailgate or drive recklessly, endangering other drivers on the road. Some of the drivers may not have received the appropriate training or may not be licensed to operate large commercial vehicles.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and driving while distracted are other key causes of big truck crashes.
Large Size of the Loaded Truck and Improper Maintenance
Commercial truck accidents in Oregon also occur because these large, lumbering vehicles are not easy to handle. A lengthy 18-wheeler will have some blind spots (usually in the rear, but also in the sides), which the driver is unable to see.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that loaded tractor trailers can take 20 to 40 percent farther than a car to stop. This gap is even more on a wet and slippery road, or when the truckās brakes are poorly maintained.
Vehicle failure is, in fact, often to be blamed, when a large truck swerves after a tire blowout. This blowout could be the result of improper maintenance, an illegal amount of load on the trailer, or a failure to replace overly worn tires.
Tremendous truck accident attorneys at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss in Oregon have a deep understanding of the state and federal laws governing the trucking industry. They will closely investigate the actual causes of the crash to hold the responsible parties accountable to the victim.
Insurance Companyās Role in a Trucking Accident
A trucking accident case in Oregon can be complicated, and it may involve multiple insurance companies.
These accidents often have too much at stake because of the severe injuries caused to the victims, such as spinal and neck injuries, traumatic brain injury, broken bones or fractures, and injuries requiring surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
Therefore, an insurance company in Oregon is likely to use a battery of lawyers, investigators, and adjusters to do everything they can to minimize their compensation to the injured persons. Insurance companies may also deny a personal injury claim in an attempt to protect the driving record of the at-fault truck driver.
Truck accident victims in Oregon should know that they have too much at stake to allow the insurance company to determine what happens next. They should get able legal representation so that there is a level playing field, and the insurance company recognizes that they cannot escape responsibility.
It is crucial to remember that if an injured party chooses to sue the insurance company on their own and lose the case, they do not get a second chance to hire a lawyer and file another lawsuit.
A salient Oregon truck accident attorney is the best option to aggressively and successfully pursue a rightful claim for compensation from the insurer or the at-fault driver and the trucking company.
Typical Injuries in Truck Accidents in Portland Oregon
Your car might weigh 4,000 pounds on average, but a large truck could weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. If overloaded illegally, it may weigh even more (which could contribute to your settlement).
The sheer size and weight of a large truck can potentially cause life-altering injuries in a crash, particularly at highway speeds.
Victims typically suffer broken bones and fractures, internal organ injuries, injuries to the spine, back or neck, paralysis such as paraplegia or quadriplegia, neurological damage or a traumatic brain injury (TBI), leg or arm amputation, disfigurement, severe burns, and even death. Truck accident injuries are often the worst injuries a victim can suffer in a road accident.
Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents
Not with Dwyer Williams Cherkoss. We take all truck accident personal injury cases on a contingency basis, which means that we only get paid if you get paid. You will not have to pay us any attorney fees until we are able to recover money for you. You will pay only a part of the settlement you are awarded, but nothing from your own pocket.
In most cases, a profound truck accident attorney will be able to negotiate a fair settlement out of court with the defendants. Dwyer Williams Cherkoss will not accept a settlement offer unless we first have your approval. We will also ensure that the settlement terms that we negotiate are first agreeable to you.
The time required to resolve your case could vary, depending on whether a satisfactory out of court settlement can be reached or whether you choose to take the case to trial.
Each case is different, so you should not rely on any āaverageā settlement figures that are typical to such cases.
Your case could be unique, and must be evaluated on its individual merit. Generally speaking, settlements in Oregon truck accident personal injury cases could range from thousands of dollars to millions.
You should know that the federal law requires commercial motor vehicles to carry a substantially higher amount of insurance than the private vehicles in Oregon. The attorneys at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss will work with a goal to hold those responsible for your 18-wheeler accident injuries accountable for maximum compensation.
The responsible parties could include the at-fault driver, the trucking company, the manufacturer, the components supplier, and the maintenance company. Negligence of any or all of these parties could have contributed to your injuries.
Oregon is a modified comparative negligence state. Under the Oregon personal injury law, you have a right to recover proportionate compensation, even if you are responsible for up to 50 percent for the truck crash.
However, the extent of your fault in causing the accident will proportionately reduce the amount of your compensation award. For example, if the damages are deemed to be $200,000 and you are found to be 30 percent at fault, you would recover a compensation award of $140,000 (70% of the damages).
If the law determines that you were at fault to the extent of 51 percent or more, you will not recover anything in Oregon.
Contact the Truck Accident Attorneys at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss
When you are a victim in a semi-truck accident it is important that you have a team of insurance adjusters, investigators, and semi-truck accident attorneys looking out for your best interests. Trucking companies have enormous resources and experts at their disposal. The attorneys on our team here at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss Attorneys, PC have extensive knowledge of and experience with trucking regulations, trucking industry practices, and trucking litigation defense strategies. Dwyer Williams Cherkoss Attorneys, PC, handles claims and cases arising from trucks accidents throughout Oregon. Our truck accidents lawyers have produced significant results for many clients through quality legal representation. We measure our success not only by winning in negotiating tables and courtrooms, but also by the number of lives weāve touched. We can do the same for you! If you or a family member has suffered because of a truck accident.