Truck Accident Lawyer in Washington DC
Compassionate Support for Truck Accident Victims Seeking Justice
Were you or someone in your family injured in a Washington DC truck accident? If another party caused a crash that harmed you or a family member, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
At Wisner Baum, we have decades of experience and a track record of success in helping accident victims recover compensation after preventable truck crashes. Whether you were severely injured or lost a family member, we will fight for total and fair compensation.
Since opening in 1985, our team of lawyers has won more than $4 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients in a wide range of practice areas.
Injured in a truck accident in Washington DC? Call Wisner Baum today at (855) 948-5098 or contact us online to get the experienced legal support you deserve!
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
The most common causes of truck accidents in Washington DC include:
- Negligent or reckless driving: This may include distracted driving, speeding, drunk and impaired driving, tailgating, running red lights, unsafe lane changes and turns, or driving while tired.
- Hauling oversized or unbalanced cargo loads: A cargo loader may sometimes pack a truck’s cargo poorly, such as by failing to secure or balance it. This can cause the weight to shift in transit, so the truck can quickly capsize or run away.
- Defective truck parts: Brake failure, tire issues, or steering component problems can also lead to a truck crash. If the truck malfunctioned despite the trucker’s careful driving, a faulty truck part was likely to be blamed.
- Trucks in poor maintenance: There are cases in which a truck simply breaks down because it is in poor condition. Even the best tires become susceptible to blowout when old and used.
- Lack of training: This simply means that the trucking company failed to hire properly trained truck drivers, cargo loaders, or mechanics. It may also mean that it hired these employees with plans to train them but did not follow through on those plans.
Trucking companies may also expect impossible and unsafe conditions from their drivers and cargo loaders, which can lead to a host of mistakes on the job.
Who is Liable for a Truck Accident?
When you work with the team at Wisner Baum, our Washington DC truck accident attorneys will investigate the circumstances that led to the crash to determine liability. In some cases, more than one party may have caused or contributed to the accident, which makes a thorough investigation vital to building a solid case and maximizing compensation.
Wisner Baum has found that the negligent party tends to be one or more of the following:
- Trucking company
- Truck drivers or other employees of a truck company
- Truck parts manufacturer, designer, or distributor
- Truck broker
No matter the circumstances, our law firm will exhaustively investigate the case to identify all responsible parties.
How to Prove Negligence in a Truck Accident Claim
Truck crashes are often devastating for victims. Commercial trucks' sheer size and weight make them particularly destructive when colliding with passenger vehicles, bicyclists, motorcyclists, or pedestrians.
According to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), when semi-trucks and passenger vehicles collide in two-vehicle accidents, 97% of the fatalities are passenger vehicle occupants.
After being injured in a truck crash, victims may wonder what their legal rights are. To move forward with a claim, they must prove that the other party (a truck driver, for example) was negligent. This is where retaining an experienced lawyer comes into play. The DC truck accident lawyers at Wisner Baum know what it takes to investigate the causes of truck crashes and build the most robust case for clients.
Clear and Honest Expectations for Your Truck Accident Compensation
It is unethical for an accident lawyer to promise how much compensation you can expect to receive by pursuing a lawsuit. At Wisner Baum, we will always be honest and forthright when pursuing justice and financial compensation on your behalf.
From our initial consultation onward, we will discuss the variables and determining factors that go into the compensation you might receive.
What Should I Do After a Truck Accident?
- Call 911 and make a police report.
- Seek medical care as soon as possible. If needed, make sure to return to the doctor for follow-up care.
- Collect any evidence from the accident scene. If you cannot do this, ask someone to do it.
- Obtain a copy of the police report.
- Keep all bills and documents about your injury.
- Do not tell the insurance company anything other than the facts of the accident.
- Don’t post about the accident or your case on social media.
- Work with an experienced truck accident lawyer, or consult one about your case.
Remember that insurance companies will often offer settlements immediately following an accident. They may even say this is the “best offer” they can make, believing you may need the money to pay bills. We advise victims to talk with a lawyer before accepting an insurance settlement after a truck crash.
A study from the Insurance Research Council found that the average person receives a settlement 3.5x larger when they retain a lawyer to represent their interests. Let us fight for maximum compensation on your behalf so you can focus on regaining your health.
The Benefits of Choosing a Local Truck Accident Lawyer for Your Case
First, accident victims are not legally required to hire legal representation. They can try to navigate the claims process and litigation on their own. However, truck accident claims are often highly complex. A truck accident attorney in DC can save you from making common mistakes, strengthen your case, and minimize any potential weak points.
If you choose to work with an attorney, the next question people often ask is whether to hire someone local. Hiring a local attorney makes sense for many people—they want to be able to talk face-to-face with their legal advocate if the need arises.
At Wisner Baum, we offer the benefits of a local firm—our DC satellite office is located near Washington Circle—backed by the resources of a nationwide firm—the best of both worlds. Six of our lawyers are also admitted to practice in Washington, D.C.
Many truck crash victims turn to Wisner Baum because:
- We are experienced in truck accident law. Our firm has almost half a century of experience taking on truck accident cases and winning them.
- We take a trial-ready approach: While it may be true that most truck accident lawsuits are settled out of court, we prepare every case as if it is going to trial to give your case the best chance for a successful outcome.
- Peers and clients respect us: We are proud to be respected by our distinguished peers and even prouder to receive glowing testimonials from our clients.
- Our track record is one of success: We have won numerous groundbreaking, record-setting verdicts and settlements for our clients. For instance, we took on a truck accident case against Tyson Foods, in which we fought to win justice for an Ohio couple bereaved of their son. We resolved that case with the highest verdict in Ohio history to ever be won for the death of an unmarried adult. This is just one of our many multimillion-dollar results. Learn more here.
- We exclusively fight on the plaintiff’s side: You will never find our DC truck accident lawyers fighting on the side of a negligent party. We exclusively represent those injured because we believe negligent parties must be held accountable when they endanger public safety. There is no excuse for prioritizing profit over human lives.
Our board-certified trial lawyers have won over $4 billion for those injured nationwide across our practice areas. We stand ready to take on your case, strengthening it with our decades of experience and award-winning advocacy. Our firm only gets paid if we win, and our legal services have no upfront fees.
Put our experienced trial lawyers on your side. Contact Wisner Baum today to schedule a FREE consultation with our Washington DC truck accident attorneys!
Our Case Results
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$265 Million Settlement Fatal Train Crash
In 2016, Wisner Baum attorney Timothy A. Loranger and six other attorneys in the Plaintiffs’ Management Committee were able to secure a $265 million settlement for victims of the 2015 Amtrak 188 derailment in Philadelphia, one of the largest in the U.S. for 2016.
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$14 Million Settlement A Major US Plane Crash
Wisner Baum obtained a $14 million settlement for the death of a passenger in a major US plane crash.
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$12 Million Settlement Helicopter Crash
Wisner Baum secured a $12 million settlement for a passenger who was injured in a helicopter crash.
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$10 Million Settlement A Major Foreign Plane Crash
Wisner Baum obtained a $10 million settlement for the death of a passenger in a major foreign plane crash.
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$2.0 Billion Verdict Personal Injury
In May of 2019, the jury in the case of Pilliod et al. v, Monsanto Company ordered the agrochemical giant to pay $2.055 billion in damages to the plaintiffs, Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a Bay Area couple in their 70s.
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$80 Million Verdict Personal Injury
Wisner Baum attorneys served on the trial team in the case of Hardeman v. Monsanto Company, which resulted in an $80 million jury verdict for the plaintiff, Edwin Hardeman.
Client-Focused Representation
REVIEWS & TESTIMONIALS
We believe our track record speaks for itself. But you don’t have to take our word for it. See what our clients have to say about working with us.
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"I Can’t Imagine a Better Law Firm"
Multiple lawyers recommended Wisner Baum to me and I have been consistently impressed with the quality of their work.
- Best Law Firms Survey -
"They Are About Changing the Systems..."
Wisner Baum are not only amazing attorneys but more importantly, they are activists. They are about changing the systems which got us into trouble in the first place. They understand their role in the process of making change.
- Kim Witczak -
"Top Legal Minds in the Country"
The Wisner Baum firm has some of the top legal minds in the country; they are driven, determined, trustworthy, ethical and passionate.
- From Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms
