Road Debris

Seattle Area Attorney Holding Negligent Drivers Accountable

Anyone who has taken a trip down a Washington highway has seen a collection of random objects lying on the side of the road. Our eyes may breeze past chunks of blown out tires, scraps of metal, pieces of wood, or even the occasional piece of furniture fallen from a trailer or the bed of a pickup truck.

As long as these pieces of road debris are not in our way, we barely give them a second thought. But, they had to have gotten to their roadside resting place somehow. What would have happened if you had been in the car traveling directly behind a tire blowout or falling object?

Attorney Steve Toole and one of his former clients (for confidentiality reasons, the client's name cannot be revealed, but let's call her Susan) know just how harsh the consequences of being struck by road debris can be. Traveling home from work one Monday afternoon, Susan's windshield was struck by a seven pound piece of iron leaf spring that had broken off a commercial dump truck and was just lying in the middle of the highway until kicked up into the air by a passing vehicle. As a result of the broken leaf spring crashing through Susan's windshield and slamming her square in the face at 50 miles per hour, virtually every bone in her face was crushed or pulverized, as were most her teeth. In addition to these massive injuries, Susan sustained a traumatic brain injury.

Susan turned to The Law Office of Steven G. Toole, P.S., for help. You can too. If you or a loved one are involved in an accident caused by road debris, contact us to discuss your case with an experienced lawyer.

Facing Unavoidable Motor Vehicle Accidents

Accidents involving road debris can be quite serious. Not only are drivers susceptible to objects striking windshields, one never knows when debris from a dump truck or other vehicle could suddenly land in your path. You may not have enough time to swerve around it. Hitting an object could force your car off its path into the ditch, into on-coming traffic, or worse. Severe injuries may ensue.

Maria's Law — Protecting Drivers From Unsafe Loads

Nationwide, road debris causes thousands of accidents and numerous deaths each year. The state of Washington enacted Maria's Law which details requirements for securing loads and provides rules against overloaded vehicles.

Although proving liability in a car or truck accident case involving the unsecured or poorly secured loads of passing vehicles can be difficult, Mr. Toole is up to the task. With more than 30 years of experience examining accident sites and surrounding evidence, he knows the questions to ask to determine accountability and fight for full and fair compensation.

Contact The Law Office of Steven G. Toole, P.S., in Bellevue, Washington to arrange a free consultation.