Due to their sheer size and capacity, city garbage trucks present a threat to everyone else on the road. From drivers of passenger vehicles to cyclists and pedestrians, a scrape with a garbage truck can end in disaster very quickly. These accidents have a high rate of serious injury and death. Filing a claim for your Portland garbage truck accident can be a more complex process than doing so for a passenger vehicle accident as potentially several parties may be liable. After your serious garbage truck injury accident, you need a competent truck accident attorney to review your case.
Portland Garbage Truck Facts
One who knows the average American tosses 90,000 pounds of trash in his lifetime would not be surprised to find so many garbage trucks roaming the streets on trash day. The average garbage truck weighs approximately 51,000 pounds when full. When a truck of this magnitude strikes a passenger vehicle, the results can be devastating. When the same occurs to a pedestrian or cyclist, results are usually tragic.
In Portland, garbage trucks have severed legs and ended the lives of pedestrians and cyclists. Sadly, this is a common occurrence as Portlanders are strong proponents of alternative methods of transportation, and garbage trucks frequently sweep residential areas. Statewide, 35 people were killed and 568 were injured in garbage truck accidents in 2014. Overall, Multnomah County experiences the highest concentration of vehicle accidents of any county in the state. Portland garbage truck accidents frequently lead to severe complications, including:
- Brain and spinal cord injuries
- Fractures and deep lesions
- Internal injuries
- Paralysis
Such injuries typically result in astronomical medical bills and hindrance to one’s daily life. When recovering from serious injuries, many people are forced to quit going to work and miss out on the wages they need to afford their daily expenses. If you’ve been injured by a garbage truck in Portland due to the negligence of the driver, you deserve compensation for your recovery and future expenses.
Who is Liable in a Portland Garbage Truck Accident?
Possibly several entities may be held accountable for the crash that led to your condition, including the truck driver or the company that backed him, if any of the following conditions were present at the time of your accident:
- Truck driver fatigue
- Aggressive or reckless driving
- Unqualified truck driver due to poor hiring practices
- Inexperienced truck driver due to inadequate training
- Failure to inspect unsecured loads and equipment or failure to properly secure them
- Lack of regular truck maintenance
At Rizklaw, a Portland personal injury law firm, we are dedicated attorneys who pursue the maximum settlement to which you are entitled by law. Having worked as a former insurance defense attorney and claims examiner, Richard Rizk knows the techniques insurance companies use to pay the lowest amount possible or completely deny your claim. Do not settle for a lowball offer; call 503.245.5677 or email info@rizklaw.com to discuss your case.
