Oregon Truck Accident Attorneys
For two decades, attorneys at Johnson, Clifton, Larson & Schaller have successfully prosecuted major truck collision and product liability actions throughout the Northwest. We have lawyers licensed to practice law in Oregon, California, and Washington, as well as the resources to litigate cases against large trucking corporations.
If you, or a member of your family, have been seriously injured in a truck accident, we recommend that you do the following:
1. Obtain medical treatment promptly.
2. Immediately notify the police or appropriate investigating agencies.
3. Find out the name and employer of the truck driver, the license on the vehicle(s), and the truck company's insurer.
4. If required by the law in your state, file a report of the truck accident with the appropriate state agency.
5. Notify your own insurance company of the accident.
6. Identify all witnesses.
7. Take steps to preserve the evidence as soon as possible after the accident. This includes inspecting and photographing the scene and the vehicles involved.
8. Contact an attorney without delay.
9. Do not give any statements to the truck driver's insurance company without the advice of your attorney.
The items listed above are not an exhaustive live of the things you may need to do if you are involved in a truck collision. Each case is different. Please be aware that some laws allow the trucking company to destroy key records within a short time after the truck accident. Statutes of limitation typically require that your claim be filed within a limited period of time. In addition, early identification of the possible causes of the accident may be critical. For example, a truck accident involving a defective product, such as a transmission failure, tire blowout, or other mechanical failure, involves different issues than a truck accident caused by driver inattention or the failure to secure the vehicle load.
To see examples of the represntative cases our lawyers handled, click here
Causes of Truck Accidents
Driver Inattention
Truck companies often have tight schedules and sometimes drivers push themselves longer then they should. Lack of sleep, failure to pay attention to highway signs and road restrictions, and the use of drugs or alcohol can all cause serious injury or death.
Loss of Control
Because of the size and weight of trucks on the road today, truck drivers need the skill to maintain control of their rigs. Not only does this include following the special rules concerning speed and braking distances, but it also includes such things as cornering and reacting to unanticipated road conditions in an appropriate and timely manner.
Inadequate Inspections
The law requires truck drivers and companies to inspect their rigs on a routine basis. These inspections should be thorough, comply with the applicable regulations, and should be well documented. Failure to perform such inspections can have catastrophic consequences for other drivers on the road.
Inadequate Maintenance
The law requires that individual trucks and truck fleets be routinely maintained. Truck companies also have internal maintenance schedules that must be followed. Such maintenance is critical to the efficient and safe operation of a truck and its components. For instance, in the photo to the left, failing to replace a truck's wheel resulted in the center plate cracking bolt to bolt, allowing the wheel to come loose from the truck, bounce into the air, and crash into the driver's side of a car.
Inadequately Secure the Load
If a you bought it, it is highly likely that a truck brought it. Trucks carry a wide variety of loads from logs to livestock, rocks to automobiles, and toxic waste to highly flammable substances. It is essential that these loads are secure and do not shift while they are being transported. Failure to follow appropriate load retention practices can have devastating consequences.
