Blind-Spot Truck Accidents in Kirkland

In addition to obeying state-level traffic laws and federal trucking regulations, tractor-trailer drivers must pay close attention to every other motorist around them. Unfortunately, all motor vehicles have blind spots, causing even the most attentive drivers to sometimes have difficulty seeing nearby cars. These blind spots for the average semi-truck are exceptionally large—and, therefore, extraordinarily dangerous if a truck driver does not account for them while in motion.

Blind-spot truck accidents in Kirkland can cause financial, physical, and personal harm that fundamentally alters your life’s course. If you were injured in a wreck like this, discussing your legal options with a knowledgeable lawyer could be vital to protecting your best interests both now and in the future.

How Negligence Can Lead to Blind-Spot Truck Wrecks

Like other vehicles, commercial trucks have blind spots in front of the front bumper, behind the back bumper, and along either side of the vehicle. Because of a truck’s massive size and the height at which the driver sits, though, blind spots for tractor-trailers are substantially larger than those for the typical commuter car—as far as 30 feet behind the trailer, for instance, and often two full lanes out from the truck’s right side extending the entire length of the trailer.

Fortunately, modern tractor-trailers have large mirrors, collision detection systems, and other safety features that give drivers maximum visibility around their trucks. However, if a truck driver fails to check their blind spots or make full use of these tools while turning or changing lanes, their reckless or careless act could directly cause a crash.

It is important to note that people who get injured in blind-spot truck crashes in Kirkland could be partially responsible for causing their injuries if they were negligent in some way—for example, by coasting in a truck’s blind spot for an unreasonably long time. In this situation, Revised Code of Washington §4.22.005 allows the civil court to reduce the value of that injured person’s damage award by whatever percentage of total fault the court assigns to that person.

Recovering for All Available Damages

Assuming no reductions are made in compensation stemming from contributory negligence, a person injured by a trucker who did not check their blind spots may demand restitution from that driver and/or their employer for a variety of economic and non-economic damages. Specific losses that often come up in cases like this include:

• Past and future medical bills
• Vehicle replacement/repair costs
• Lost work income
• Lost future earning ability
• Physical pain and suffering
• Lost consortium
• Emotional anguish and/or lost quality of life

State law does not artificially limit—or “cap”—recovery for a personal injury, but it does establish a three-year statutory filing deadline in RCW §4.16.080 that applies to virtually all claims in Kirkland built around blind-spot truck accidents.

Get Help from An Attorney Following a Blind-Spot Truck Accident in Kirkland

Being hit while traveling in a commercial truck’s blind spot can cause severe, life-altering injuries to all parties involved. If you were harmed in a blind-spot truck accident in Kirkland, guidance from seasoned legal counsel could be vital in effectively pursuing the compensation you deserve.

A capable attorney could provide custom-tailored support every step of the ensuing legal process. Call today for a consultation.