Sherin is a content and copywriter from Texas who specializes in writing for the legal tech, fintech, martech and cybersecurity sectors. She leverages the power of words to help meaningful brands inspire, inform and connect with their audience through impactful content.
Sherin Mamachen
Sherin is a content and copywriter from Texas who specializes in writing for the legal tech, fintech, martech and cybersecurity sectors. She leverages the power of words to help meaningful brands inspire, inform and connect with their audience through impactful content.
Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or as interesting as possible).
Reviewed
Jeffrey Johnson, J.D.
Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or as interesting as possible).
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Trucks—the backbone of our logistics industry—ensure the seamless flow of everything from consumer goods to raw materials. However, accidents can happen when these robust vehicles share roads with passenger vehicles, especially on Seattle’s congested highways.
In 2022, this city saw 560 crashes involving heavy trucks, in which there were five fatalities and 147 injuries. Due to its sheer size and weight, commercial trucks can cause significant losses even in minor accidents. If you’re ever involved in a truck wreck, here are the 10 best truck accident lawyers in Seattle, WA, who will go above and beyond to secure the compensation you deserve.
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Best Truck Accident Attorneys in Seattle
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Filing a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Washington
When a truck accident results in minimal losses, handling an insurance claim on your own might suffice to recover your damages. However, for cases involving severe injuries, complex accidents or multiple liable parties obtaining rightful compensation may demand time, legal expertise and a civil action. Below, we’ve provided crucial information on truck accident lawsuits in Seattle, WA, in case you choose to pursue that path for proper compensation.
Washington Statute of Limitations for Truck Accidents
The State of Washington imposes time restrictions for filing personal injury lawsuits and seeking compensation for losses. For truck accidents, victims have a three-year window to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver, trucking company or any other at-fault entity that may have contributed to the accident.
The same timeframe applies to wrongful death claims, but the onset of the deadline begins on the date of the victim’s death, not when the truck accident happened.
If you fail to file a lawsuit within the designated time frame, you will be barred from recovering any compensation for your injuries, even if you have strong evidence supporting the at-fault party’s negligence.
It’s always a good idea to file the paperwork for your semi-truck accident lawsuit as soon as possible since truck accident investigations and liability establishment can be time-consuming. Waiting too long might lead to loss of crucial evidence.
All that said, there are exceptions that can slightly alter the statute of limitations for filing a truck accident claim. These include:
- Minors: If the victim that was injured was underage at the time of the wreck, their statute of limitations of three years begins on their 18th birthday.
- Discovery rule: Some injuries, like TBI and whiplash related injuries, may not be instantly apparent after the collision. It can take days or weeks after the wreck for the symptoms to manifest. In situations like these, the three-year statute of limitations begins on the date the injury is discovered.
There are several other situations that can modify how much time you have available for filing a lawsuit. We suggest having a Seattle truck accident lawyer look through your case to verify how long you have to bring formal charges against the defendant.
Washington Laws for Truck Drivers
There are many federal and state laws that truck drivers must follow when operating their vehicle. Some of these laws include:
- Licensing: Truck drivers need a commercial driving license (CDL) to operate specific types of vehicles, including those weighing over 26,001 pounds, vehicles carrying hazardous materials and vehicles designed to carry 16 or more passengers.
- Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations:
Well-rested drivers are an integral component of minimizing the risk of truck accidents in Seattle. In an effort to keep fatigued drivers off the road, the federal government has established hours-of-service regulations. These regulations define when a truck driver can operate their vehicle and when they must take a break. - 14-hour shift limits: Truck drivers aren’t allowed to drive past the 14th hour of duty without a minimum 10-hour rest break.
- 11-hour driving limits: Within a 14-hour shift, truck drivers cannot drive more than 11 total hours before taking a 10-hour rest break.
- 30-minute rest break: After driving for eight consecutive hours, truck drivers are required to take a 30-minute break before resuming driving.
- 60/70 hour duty weekly: If a truck driver’s company does not operate vehicles daily, the driver cannot drive after being on duty for 60 hours in seven consecutive days. If the company operates vehicles everyday of the week, the driver is not allowed to drive after completing 70 hours within eight consecutive days. The clock will reset after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty.
- Handheld devices: Truck drivers are prohibited from using handheld mobile phones while driving. But if voice communication needs to be conducted, the driver can do so with a hands-free mobile phone that’s located in close proximity.
Determining Fault in Truck Accidents in Washington
In Washington, fault is determined using the pure comparative fault doctrine. This means that both drivers are assigned a percentage of fault, and the award they each collect is reduced in proportion to their share of fault.
For example, let’s consider the case of a semi-truck driver who brings his truck to a sudden stop to avoid hitting a pedestrian. A car driver who is behind the truck, is distracted by her cell phone and doesn’t realize she needs to stop, resulting in a rear-end collision with the truck.
In this case, the car driver may be assigned 40% of the fault for distracted driving, while 60% of fault is assigned to the truck driver for the sudden stop. So if the total damages the car driver experiences is $100,000, the car driver would be able to collect only $60,000 which is the total amount of damages minus her degree of fault.
How Can a Washington Truck Accident Attorney Help You?
Due to the substantial size difference between an 18-wheeler and a passenger vehicle, even a minor accident can lead to devastating losses for the victims. From harrowing injuries and significant vehicle damage to enduring the psychological impact of a serious collision, truck accidents can inundate your life with time-consuming and expensive setbacks. Hiring a truck accident lawyer in Seattle to handle the legal processes involved in obtaining fair compensation allows you to lighten your load and focus entirely on your recovery.
Here are some specific ways an attorney will help with your Seattle truck accident claim:
- Case investigation: Attorneys conduct independent investigations to uncover how the accident happened. During this process, they obtain various evidence, including police reports, witness statements, black box data and truck inspection records, to prove the negligence of the defendant(s) and the damages they have caused you.
- Identify liable parties: There may be multiple defendants who can potentially be held liable for your losses, such as the truck driver, trucking company, truck parts manufacturer, the company that loaded the cargo onto the truck or a government agency. Your Seattle truck accident lawyer will analyze the root cause of your accident to determine all parties that can be approached or sued for compensation.
- Identify your claim’s value: Your attorney will assess the full spectrum of impact the accident has had on your life and assign a fair value to each economic and non-economic loss that qualifies for compensation. They will also help you gather evidence to prove the presence of these losses, such as bank statements and receipts to prove missed income and car repair costs.
- Handle negotiations: Your truck accident attorney in Seattle will adeptly handle communication and negotiations with multiple liable parties simultaneously. Those with experience in truck accident cases are skilled at managing multi-defendant cases and can secure appropriate compensation from each party at fault in your accident.
- Represent you in court: Having a Seattle truck accident lawyer by your side signals to the insurance company that you are serious about pursuing fair compensation. They know that with legal representation, you are prepared to go to trial if needed, which can lead to costly legal expenses for them. As a result, they may be more inclined to offer a more attractive settlement to avoid the risk and expenses associated with a trial.
How to Find the Best Truck Accident Lawyer in Seattle, WA
Choosing a high-performing truck accident attorney in Seattle becomes easier when you know what variables to look out for. Here are some essential characteristics to consider when deciding which attorney to choose:
- Experience with truck accident cases: The attorney you choose should have prior experience handling truck accident cases. This ensures that the attorney is well-versed in the various local and federal laws that govern truck drivers’ operations. Having this industry-specific knowledge is crucial when the attorney investigates your accident to determine if any parties involved may have violated relevant laws, leading to the crash.
- Track record: Inquire about the attorney’s past results in truck accident claims. While past outcomes do not guarantee the result of your case, they can provide insight into the attorney’s effectiveness in achieving successful settlements and verdicts.
- Trial experience: Your attorney should have a proven track record of negotiating favorable settlements with insurance companies. Additionally, they should also have trial experience so that if the insurer fails to offer a fair settlement, your attorney can confidently proceed to file a lawsuit. Past trial experience proves that your attorney can effectively present evidence of the defendant’s negligence and persuasively argue for the compensation you rightfully deserve before a judge or jury.
- Cost: Most attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning they will only charge a pre-determined percentage of your final award if and when they win compensation for you. Make sure to discuss the payment structure, including the percentage they’ll take as fee, in detail to avoid surprises with excessive costs or hidden fees.
- Compatibility: Feeling comfortable and having open communication with your attorney is essential. You should be able to ask questions, reach out to them at any time and be confident in knowing they are on your side. If you don’t feel a rapport after the initial consultation, consider looking elsewhere for a better fit.
Methodology
When creating this list of the Best Truck Accident Lawyers in Seattle, WA, of 2024, Forbes Advisor considered many factors. Our mathematical module considers and weighs the information collected to calculate a specific rating and reviews these results to find the best attorneys in a given practice area.
Within the model, we review factors that legal professionals and consumers value in an attorney’s qualifications. After assigning weighted scores to hundreds of data points, we narrowed the field down to our top choices based on:
- Legal experience,
- Special licenses and certifications
- Ethics and bar disciplinary measures
- Legal thought leadership
- Education and employment background
- Scholarly lectures and writings
- Awards and honors
Forbes Advisor collects public data from various sources, including state bar associations, court records and other published sources on the internet. This information should not be considered comprehensive, however. It might not include additional relevant information on an attorney’s legal skills and experience.
Each lawyer listed here has their own merits. Remember that our list relates to these lawyers’ legal backgrounds but does not evaluate their personalities or knowledge of the law. One attorney may be more suitable than another for your specific legal situation.
One thing that can’t be quantified, though, is the rapport you establish with your attorney. Personality goes a long way when teaming up with an attorney, especially when facing a potentially difficult legal situation. These rankings should serve as a reference and potential starting point in your search for the right lawyer for you and your legal concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are most lawyers fees for car accidents?
Most personal injury lawyers operate on a contingency basis, which means they only get paid if they are successful in obtaining a settlement or award for their clients. The typical contingency fee percentage is around 33% of the final settlement or award. So, if you receive $50,000 in compensation, your lawyer’s fees would be $16,500. However, the specific percentage may vary, with some lawyers charging below or above the average, depending on factors such as the complexity of the case and how quickly it resolves.
Is settlement money taxable in Washington?
You do not owe taxes on the money you receive in a settlement from a personal injury claim. Only punitive damages are taxable but they’re not awarded in truck accident lawsuits in Washington.
