Most drivers know that commercial trucks are more dangerous than smaller personal vehicles. They’re heavier and more complex than a sedan or pickup truck, and their size and force are no match for a passenger vehicle in a collision.
However, fewer drivers know that certain specialized trucks, such as cement trucks, have a unique set of dangers. If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a cement truck accident, it’s imperative to talk to a legal professional who has experience with these vehicles and these complex legal cases.
At Max Meyers Law, our legal team is all too familiar with how a commercial truck accident severely alters the path of your life—and how hard the trucking and construction industries will fight to avoid compensating victims for their losses. We’re committed to fighting for the rights of injury victims, and we understand the best approaches for success. 
The Dangers of Cement Trucks in Seattle
Cement trucks are unlike any other vehicle on the road. Transporting the material is a challenge because once it’s been formulated into concrete, it can’t sit static without drying in place. The ingenious solution is the concrete mixer, a constantly rotating barrel of the substance atop the bed of a large truck.
But while the concrete mixer solves the problem of getting the material from Point A to Point B, it also must sacrifice some of the safety measures built into other commercial vehicles. Here are some reasons why:
- Dangerous weight. The average cement truck weighs about 30,000 pounds empty, and the full version of the truck weighs literally twice that—about 60,000 pounds. That’s as much as a semi-truck, but in a more compact space.
- Too top-heavy. The giant rotating barrel of the truck, along with the weight of the concrete inside it, render the vehicle top-heavy. This makes it more susceptible to rollover and inclement weather accidents.
- Blind spots. A cement mixer’s unique design unfortunately means the truck driver has to deal with blind spots unlike those on more traditional box-shaped trucks. These obstructions make it more dangerous to change lanes and back up.
- Rushed for time. Although the rotating mixer keeps the concrete from drying in place temporarily, there’s still a strict time limit that the mixture can stay in the barrel before everything is ruined. Because of this, cement truck drivers are sometimes rushed, stressed, and distracted as they attempt to get to their construction site destination.
Common Cement Truck Accidents
A lot of people are victims of collisions with cement trucks due to the following circumstances.
Rear-end crashes
Because cement trucks are so heavy, it takes longer for an operator to brake and come to a full stop. This means slower reaction times to avoid obstacles.
Speeding and aggressive driving accidents
When truck operators feel pressured to meet certain delivery deadlines, they might speed, run yellow lights, drive aggressively, and literally cut corners.
Blind spot accidents
Blind spots caused by a cement truck’s untraditional shape complicate the driver’s ability to complete safe maneuvers in busy traffic or in residential areas.
Accidents caused by mechanical issues
A cement truck often has more moving parts than a traditional commercial vehicle, so regular maintenance is a must to ensure safety. Any repair oversight could lead to a mechanical issue that causes a wreck.
Cement Truck Injuries
A minor car accident with another passenger vehicle simply can’t compare to an incident with a 60,000-pound cement mixer. Many people experience serious injuries, long-term disability, or permanent disability. And all types of truck accident injuries frequently result in lost wages, high medical bills, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and pain and suffering.
Some common cement truck injuries include:
- Concussion, post-concussive syndrome, or traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries
- Nerve damage
- Bone breaks and fractures
- Contusions and wounds
- Organ damage
- Blunt force trauma
- Crush injuries
- Paralysis
These injuries can have a significant ripple effect on your life, changing the course of your career, requiring extensive physical therapy, and lowering the overall quality of your life. Unfortunately, some fatalities occur as well due to cement truck collisions.
Seeking Damages After a Cement Truck Accident
After a cement truck accident and injury, it’s critical for a legal professional to ascertain who was at fault for the crash—and consequently, who’s responsible for paying damages. This might not be clear at first, but could include:
- The truck driver
- The vehicle’s owner or fleet company
- A construction firm
- A maintenance company
The fault could also lie with a combination of the above parties. A cement truck accident case requires a significant amount of investigation and legwork to fully understand why the incident happened and whether it should have been prevented.
After negligence is confirmed, accident victims may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, including hospital bills, rehabilitation costs, and ongoing healthcare needs. Additionally, individuals may seek damages for lost wages if the injuries result in an inability to work. An injury settlement might include pain and suffering damages as well.Seeking a Lawyer After a Cement Truck Accident
Making an accident injury claim for economic and non-economic damages is often overwhelming, especially since commercial truck insurance companies employ numerous tactics to minimize settlements.
Seeking damages for personal injury after a concrete mixer accident takes time, energy, and hard work, but you don’t have to go it alone. At Max Meyers Law, you can trust our legal team to partner with you every step of the way. There are numerous parts of the process we handle for you, such as:
- Collecting evidence
- Filing mandatory paperwork
- Interviewing eyewitnesses
- Consulting industry experts
- Handling communication between all parties
These and other initiatives help us build a sound case so you receive the injury compensation you deserve under Washington State law. We’re also always ready to answer your questions, keep your case moving, and take the burden of the legal process off of your shoulders.
