Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
Oregon is the state with the largest number of logging businesses. (Washington is #5.) That fact alone should tell you that drivers on Oregon’s highways and byways often share the road with large logging trucks and trailers. These businesses require specially trained drivers and carefully maintained vehicles to ensure safety. That’s because when a logging truck crash happens, the results are often fatal. When a lack of proper attention to safety leads to deadly results, it is wise to contact an experienced Oregon wrongful death lawyer about your situation and needs.
A few years ago, Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech) published a study analyzing logging truck crashes. The study found that, during the years assessed, logging truck crashes nationwide were up 33% and fatal ones up 41%.
As a prolific logging state, Oregon is home to many logging truck accidents. Sometimes, these crashes involve errors by other drivers, like turning in front of a logging truck or losing control in bad weather and sliding into a logging truck’s lane. Many times, though, these crashes result from issues related to the logging truck or truck driver, such as when a logging truck loses its load onto the roadway or the driver loses control of the truck.
The Many Possible Causes of a Log Truck Crash
Logging truck accident cases are often intricate and complex matters that result from many forms of negligence, with numerous potentially liable parties, many possible claims, and several bases for compensation.
Responsible parties may overload a truck, may fail to equip a truck with appropriate reflectors, headlights, and/or taillights, or fail to maintain the truck and/or trailer in proper working condition. Commercial truck drivers may speed, drive while intoxicated, or drive while fatigued. A major source of danger is an inadequately trained commercial truck driver. Drivers lacking all the necessary training may make critical (and accident-causing) errors behind the wheel, such as failing to understand the necessary stopping distance and/or turning radius required for their vehicle.
Commercial truck drivers must have a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL.) To do that, they must pass a physical. Employers must ensure their drivers maintain those medical and other CDL requirements. Drivers must keep their medical certification card with them while driving and their employer must keep a copy of that certification on file.
Log truck crashes may involve numerous people and entities who are liable, such as the driver and the truck’s owner. Additional facts may indicate negligence by others, such as the entity responsible for maintaining and/or repairing the truck, the manufacturer of the truck, or a truck part that failed or malfunctioned. To get justice for your accident, you need a skillful legal team that can fully investigate and then make knowledgeable determinations about liable parties and apportionment of liability.
Any fatal vehicle accident is tragic. A fatal vehicle accident resulting from someone making senseless (and sometimes criminal) missteps often feels especially anguishing. The family left behind may face both immeasurable emotional pain and financial stress. The family must tend to their mental health, but there are often legal matters as well, including insurance claims and civil litigation. If your family has been touched by this sort of tragedy, you can reach out to the experienced Oregon wrongful death attorneys at Kaplan Law LLC for advice and representation. Our team of caring professionals is here to help you in your pursuit of justice as you navigate this exceptionally difficult time. Call us today at (503) 226-3844 or contact us online to set up your free consultation.
