Saltar al contenido principal

Underride truck accidents can be incredibly frightening. Hardly anyone ever imagines the possibility of being trapped under a semi-truck, but if this has happened to you, speak with a Spokane underride truck accident lawyer from Craig Swapp & Associates to explore your legal options.

These cases can be complex, since proving negligence requires investigative resources, attention to detail, and legal experience. The trucker, trucking company, road conditions, and other drivers could all be to blame. We’ll help you determine who was at fault, and provide you with the best opportunity for pursuing monetary compensation.

 

Underride Accidents

An underride accident occurs when one vehicle, such as a passenger car, slides underneath a larger vehicle, such as an 18-wheeler. Because the point of impact in these accidents is often at eye level, serious brain injuries and death often result.

Many underride accidents are caused by improper lane changes. If the truck merged into your lane, forcing your vehicle to become trapped underneath it, the truck driver or trucking company would be negligent and at-fault.

Other underrides are caused when a smaller car rear-ends a semi. While the rear car is often assumed to be at fault in rear-end collisions, it’s possible for a third vehicle to have pushed the car forward and into the semi.

Every case is unique, however, so a full investigation will be necessary to determine who was to blame for your underride accident and how.

 

Proving Negligence for Your Truck Crash

Anytime you want to pursue compensation for an accident, it is necessary to prove who was at fault. With an underride accident, this can be more complex because multiple parties could be responsible.

To determine negligence, we will need to investigate your accident and gather evidence:

  • Police accident reports
  • Pictures taken at the accident scene
  • Video footage
  • Witness statements
  • Statements made by both you and the truck driver
  • Road conditions and the positions of all involved vehicles
  • Anything else that could shed light on what caused the accident

 

Statute of Limitations

You only have three years to file a lawsuit against the trucker or the trucking company. This is due to Washington’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims.

While you do not have to be fully recovered prior to filing a lawsuit, you must file during this timeframe. If you don’t, the other party could request that the case be thrown out without a trial being held or a verdict being rendered.

 

Money Matters

You may be entitled to more financial compensation than you realize. After an accident, people need to have their medical bills paid. While certainly a large expense and the most obvious, they do not represent all of the ways in which an injury has impacted your life.

For example, you could receive compensation for the time you have missed from work, expenses related to your rehabilitation and recovery, pain and suffering, and more.

 

Meet with a Spokane Truck Accident Lawyer

At Craig Swapp & Associates, we offer free consultations in which to discuss the details of your case. Scheduling an appointment is as easy as filling out the form on this page or calling us at 1-855-628-5050. One call, that’s all!