Lost Load Truck Accidents in Seattle

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 Commercial motor vehicles, be they semi trucks, delivery vans, or pickup trucks, are generally used as a means of towing or carrying large loads. When that cargo shifts or falls from the vehicle, the driver may lose control of the truck. If you’ve been involved in this type of collision in Seattle, WA, Davis Law Group Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can help.

Turning to our legal team can help you make the most of your claim. Our Seattle lost load truck accident lawyers have decades of combined experience, and we’ll make it our primary objective to recover as much money for you as we can. Call us today at (206) 727 4000 to schedule a free consultation. 

How Davis Law Group Can Help After a Lost Load Truck Accident in Seattle, WA

The Seattle truck accident attorneys at Davis Law Group know how to get winning results for our clients. Since our founding, our team has successfully recovered tens of millions of dollars in essential financial resources for its clients.

After a life-changing injury caused by someone else’s wrongful or careless acts in Seattle, Washington, we’ll be there to guide you through the legal process in the following ways:

• Reviewing your situation and explaining your legal rights
• Gathering documents and records for your case
• Preparing and filing an insurance claim
• Negotiating with the insurer to resolve the case
• Filing a lawsuit when we cannot reach a settlement

Accidents involving commercial trucks with lost loads can cause catastrophic injuries that require extensive and expensive medical care, so do not hesitate to contact Davis Law Group Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers. We’ll help you schedule a free consultation to discuss your accident and the injury compensation available under Washington law.

Truck Accident Statistics

According to the Washington Department of Transportation’s crash statistics, Seattle experienced 493 accidents involving heavy trucks in 2024. These included the following:

• One fatal crash
• 18 serious injury crashes
• 46 minor injury crashes
• 52 crashes that caused possible injuries

The state’s statistics do not describe the causes of these crashes. However, a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) study estimated that 4% of heavy truck accidents result from cargo shifts. Applying that figure to Seattle’s statistics, you can estimate that roughly 20 of the city’s truck crashes involved shifting cargo.

Cargo shifts can have several consequences. First, they can break the tie-downs or fasteners securing the load, causing it to fall backward or to the side of the vehicle. If only part of the cargo shifts, the vehicle can become unbalanced. The driver may lose control of the truck and collide with other road users.

If the cargo includes a hazardous material, such as gasoline or a toxic chemical, those materials may spill, releasing noxious fumes or igniting. Any person near the vehicle may suffer lung damage or burn injuries.

Causes of Lost Load Truck Crashes in Seattle

Loads can end up lost for many reasons. The truck driver is responsible for checking their cargo, even if the trailer was loaded by someone else. They must check the tie-downs and ensure the load is balanced properly. A truck driver who fails to do so or who makes a mistake while checking may lose their load in transit.

Tie-downs and other fasteners can also fail. Sometimes, these incidents happen because of wear, though they can also happen when the party loading the truck miscalculates the load or the strength of the fastener. The stress of the load can exceed the design strength and cause the fastener to fail.

The movement of the truck can throw the load off balance, starting a chain reaction wherein the off-balance load shifts, causing it to move even further off-center. Such movement might result from normal driving behaviors, like cornering, or from emergency maneuvers, such as swerving around a driver who runs a stop sign.

Liability for Seattle Lost Load Truck Accidents

The responsibility for lost load accidents in Seattle usually falls on the operating company, seeing as it is responsible for ensuring that its trucks and trailers are safe.

Moreover, these employers are usually liable for employee negligence under a legal principle called vicarious liability. Thus, a trucking company would potentially bear the liability in any of the following scenarios:

• A construction worker failing to close a toolbox, leading to a a tool flying at your car
• Pipes breaking a tie and falling onto the road during a banked turn
• A broken trailer hitching, causing it to come loose and drop its load

Ultimately, Washington law allocates blame to everyone who caused an accident, so if anyone else contributed to your accident, they may also be liable for your losses. For example, if the truck lost its load because another driver sideswiped it, that driver may also bear a share of the liability.

Contact Our Seattle Lost Load Truck Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation

Trucking companies and their insurers often fight tenaciously against paying accident victims. Contact Davis Law Group Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to learn how we can help you stand up to these companies for fair injury compensation. Our Seattle lost load truck accident attorneys work on contingency, so we only get paid if we successfully handle your case.