If you've been involved in a truck crash, you may feel overwhelmed. The injuries caused can be severe, and to get compensation, you'll likely be up against a trucking company, not just another motorist. The stakes are high, and moving forward may seem challenging. There are steps that should be taken immediately to preserve evidence.
That's where we come in. At Richard E. Lewis, P.S., we have vast experience representing motorists who have been hurt and family members who have lost loved ones because of negligent drivers and trucking companies. Some of the cases we've handled involved:
By law, commercial truck drivers are held to higher standards than motorists in general, which should in theory make it easy to show that the trucker was at fault. The reality, though, is that trucking companies – and their insurance carriers – have highly paid attorneys and investigators working around the clock to reduce their own liability. After an accident, you can bet they'll be on the scene right away, collecting the evidence they need to reduce or deny your claim.
You need an experienced advocate to even the odds. You need attorney Richard E. Lewis. The trucking companies and their insurance companies know Richard, and they know how committed he is to seeing each case through for the people he represents. We know how to investigate trucking companies. We prepare every case for trial and make sure the settlements we negotiate cover the full cost of an accident.
Where did your accident happen?
After a truck accident, you need to take immediate action. Contact us right away. Call 509-413-1278 to schedule a free case evaluation.
Fatigued Truckers
Commercial truck drivers work long hours day after day, making them susceptible to drowsiness behind the wheel. There are strict laws in place governing how many hours truckers can work in a week and how frequently they are supposed to take breaks, but some drivers ignore those laws. Worse, some trucking companies put pressure on their drivers to work through those rest breaks in order to meet deadlines. We know that these companies sometimes violate what are known as Hours of Service regulations.
Truckers who fall asleep at the wheel can cause devastating rear-end collisions and other accidents. To prove that the truck driver or his employer was negligent, you need Richard E. Lewis. We'll conduct a full investigation to see whether those mandatory breaks were taken and show that the trucker was negligently fatigued.
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Texting Truckers
Distracted driving is a huge problem for truck drivers because they spend their entire working days behind the wheel. Texting while driving is particularly common, but it's not the only issue. Truck drivers may also cause accidents while eating, adjusting the radio or talking to a dispatcher.
It's illegal in Washington and throughout the United States for truckers to text while driving. When truck drivers break the law, they put themselves and others at risk. If you were hurt by a texting trucker, contact us today. We'll investigate the accident and help you hold the negligent driver accountable.
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Overloaded or Improperly Loaded Trucks
Trucking companies are required to follow regulations governing the amount of cargo that can be loaded into a truck. However, overloading is fairly common as companies try to increase profit margins by transporting more cargo on a given run. An overloaded truck is more difficult to steer and will cause more damage in a collision. Improper loading can cause issues as well as the cargo shifts, destabilizing the truck, or even falls off.
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you might have a claim against the truck driver, the trucking company or even the shipper of the cargo. Exploring your legal options after an accident involving cargo can be difficult, as multiple insurance companies may be involved. That's why you need attorney Richard E. Lewis on your side.
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Truck Maintenance Issues
By law, commercial truckers are required to keep their trucks in good working order, which means a thorough maintenance check before getting on the road. Because of pressure to meet strict delivery schedules, some drivers may rush through the maintenance check or even skip it entirely, putting other drivers at risk.
Truck drivers and trucking companies are supposed to keep detailed maintenance records for their vehicles, and if you're involved in an accident involving a maintenance issue, we'll definitely look at those records. Our investigation may turn up evidence showing negligence on the part of the trucker, trucking company or even a mechanic working on the vehicle.
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Speeding Trucks
Truckers are under a great deal of pressure to meet strict delivery schedules. When they're delayed, they may choose to make up time by driving at unsafe speeds. A speeding truck is more difficult to turn, more difficult to stop, and can cause truly devastating damage in the event of a collision, making these accidents especially deadly.
Proving that a trucker was speeding can help you recover the compensation you need after an accident. Our investigation will include all applicable data, including police reports, eyewitness reports and a reconstruction of the scene itself. If the truck driver who hit you was going at an unsafe speed, we'll use that information to help prove that he or she was negligent.
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Interstate 90
The nation's longest interstate highway, I-90 connects Spokane with Seattle as well as with Idaho and beyond. It's the busiest highway in the area, and that means car and truck accidents can happen fast. Many accidents on Interstate 90 in Washington involve tractor-trailers and other large, commercial trucks from across the country.
Tracking down these trucking companies after an accident can be complicated. Turn to an experienced Spokane attorney if you've been hurt on I-90. Call Richard E. Lewis. We know what to do after such serious truck accidents.
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US 195
Starting in Spokane and continuing south into eastern Washington and rural Idaho, US 195 connects Spokane with Pullman. Accidents can happen anywhere on 195, but particularly in Hangman Valley in Spokane, the road's busiest stretch.
When serious truck accidents happen on US Route 195 in Washington, injuries are often severe. That’s because many large, commercial vehicles often travel fast on this road, which in many places has two lanes with no divider between lanes. Richard E. Lewis, P.S. can help you fight to recover damages after being hurt in an accident on 195.
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US 395
Running north from Spokane all the way to the Canadian border, and south all the way to Oregon, US 395 is the home of the North Spokane Corridor, a new, $2 billion construction project which significantly widened the highway.
But many other parts of US Route 395 remain two-lane roads with no divider in between them. Truck accidents happen every day on Route 395. If you've been hurt in one, you need a Spokane lawyer who demands justice. You need Richard E. Lewis.
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US 2
Entering Spokane from the west and exiting to the north, US 2 carries tens of thousands of commuters through the area every day. Unfortunately, that means there's always the risk of being involved in a car, truck or motorcycle accident.
The same is true on other parts of US Route 2, where the road sometimes goes down to two lanes with no divider. Route 2 also includes scenic Stevens Pass in the Cascade Mountains. Wherever your Route 2 truck accident happened, contact a Spokane attorney today if you've been hurt in a crash. Contact Richard E. Lewis. He can help.
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