Standing With Clients.
Fighting for Justice for
Over 25 Years.
Fighting for Justice for
Over 25 Years.
Trucking Collisions
Portland Trucking Accident Lawyer — Oregon & Southwest Washington
You survived a collision with a vehicle that can weigh 80,000 pounds. What happened to you was not a random event. It was the result of choices made by the driver, the trucking company, the maintenance contractor, and potentially the equipment manufacturer. Every one of those parties has legal exposure. Every one of them has a team working right now to limit what they owe you. As a Portland truck accident attorney with nearly 30 years of experience, Matthew D. Kaplan knows exactly how to match that effort and exceed it. He offers a free consultation for all serious trucking cases in Oregon and Southwest Washington; no fee unless he wins.
WHY THESE CASES ARE DIFFERENT
Multiple Defendants, Federal Regulations, and Time-Critical Evidence
| Semi-Trucks, Tractor Trailers, and All Commercial Vehicles — One Legal Framework Kaplan Law handles the full range of serious commercial vehicle crash cases: semi-truck accidents, tractor trailer collisions, 18 wheeler crashes, flatbed and tanker truck accidents, logging truck crashes, dump truck collisions, and delivery vehicle accidents. In every category, the driver is rarely the only defendant. The trucking company faces vicarious liability and direct liability for negligent hiring, training, and supervision. The shipper may bear responsibility for improper loading. Equipment manufacturers face product liability for brake failures and defective systems. Maintenance contractors may be liable for failed pre-trip inspections. Building the strongest possible case means identifying and pursuing every responsible party from day one. |
FEDERAL SAFETY VIOLATIONS
Driver Fatigue, Hours-of-Service Rules, and ELD Evidence
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations limit commercial drivers to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour window, with mandatory rest requirements. Research establishes that 18 hours without sleep produces impairment equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.08. IIHS data shows that reducing sleep from 8 to less than 6 hours more than doubles crash risk. Modern trucks are equipped with Electronic Logging Devices recording hours of service, speed, braking, and location in real time. ELD data, black box recordings, and GPS records are among the first evidence Kaplan Law demands to preserve; this data is routinely overwritten within days if no preservation demand is made.
COMMON CAUSES
How Serious Trucking Crashes Happen in Oregon and Washington
| DRIVER FATIGUE | Hours-of-service violations and drowsy driving The most common and most preventable cause of catastrophic trucking crashes. Long-haul semi-truck and tractor trailer drivers are subject to strict federal hours-of-service limits, and violations are documented in ELD data, driver logs, and dispatch records. Oregon and Washington’s interstate corridors, particularly I-84 and I-5, see high volumes of long-haul drivers pushing regulatory limits. |
| BRAKE FAILURE | Inadequate maintenance and pre-trip inspection failures Tractor trailer brake failure on steep descents is the dominant cause of catastrophic crashes on Cabbage Hill, the Siskiyou Summit, and other Oregon mountain corridors. Federal regulations require specific pre-trip brake inspections and adjustment standards for all semi-trucks and commercial vehicles. When those requirements are ignored, the trucking company and maintenance contractor share liability with the driver. |
| DISTRACTED DRIVING | Cell phone use and in-cab distractions Federal regulations prohibit commercial drivers from using hand-held mobile devices while operating a commercial vehicle. Violation is negligence per se in a civil case, triggering both the driver’s and the carrier’s liability. |
| IMPROPER LOADING | Overloaded or improperly secured cargo Cargo that shifts, falls, or causes a trailer to become unstable creates liability against the shipper and the loading facility, not just the driver. Load securement violations are documented in federal inspection records available through FMCSA’s SAFER database. |
| NEGLIGENT HIRING | Drivers with disqualifying records on the road Trucking companies that hire drivers with prior DUI convictions, suspended licenses, or a history of safety violations face direct liability when those drivers cause crashes. Federal regulations require specific background checks and qualification reviews before a driver is placed behind the wheel. |
OREGON’S MOST DANGEROUS TRUCKING CORRIDORS
Cabbage Hill, the Siskiyou Summit, and I-84
Oregon’s geography creates some of the most demanding commercial driving conditions in the United States. Three corridors account for a disproportionate share of catastrophic trucking crashes, and Kaplan Law has the resources to handle cases on each.
| Cabbage Hill / Emigrant Hill / Deadman Pass — U.S. 30, Umatilla County The six-mile descent in Umatilla County is one of the most dangerous trucking corridors in the Pacific Northwest, with a 6% grade that has produced catastrophic brake failure crashes. ODOT data shows 78% of serious crashes here involve out-of-state trucks, and 59% involve brake-related failures. Umatilla County ranked second statewide for traffic fatalities in 2022. |
| Siskiyou Summit — I-5 at 4,310 Feet Oregon’s highest point on Interstate 5 carries more than 13,000 commercial trucks daily through conditions that can shift from clear to ice-covered within minutes. Approximately 50% of serious crashes at the summit involve commercial vehicles. The combination of steep grades, unpredictable weather, and extreme traffic volume makes this one of Oregon’s most hazardous stretches for trucking crash litigation. |
| I-84 Corridor — Portland to the Idaho Border Oregon’s primary east-west freight corridor runs from Portland through the Columbia River Gorge and across the High Desert to Idaho. Wind events in the Gorge, ice on the Blue Mountains, and limited emergency response in rural stretches create significant crash risk. Crashes on I-84 frequently involve out-of-state carriers and multi-state jurisdiction questions. |
SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON
| Trucking Crashes in Southwest Washington I-5 through Southwest Washington carries some of the heaviest commercial truck traffic on the West Coast. I-205 and SR-14 along the Columbia River also see significant volumes. Kaplan Law is admitted in the Washington State Bar and handles serious trucking crash cases throughout Southwest Washington. Washington’s pure comparative fault system allows recovery even when the injured person bears partial responsibility, a meaningful distinction from Oregon’s modified comparative fault rule. |
| Evidence Disappears Fast — Contact Kaplan Law Immediately Trucking companies deploy accident response teams within hours of a serious crash. ELD data is overwritten on rolling cycles. Brake components are repaired or replaced. Dashcam footage is deleted. The sooner a preservation demand is served, the stronger your case. Do not wait. |
NATIONAL STATISTICS
The Scale of the Trucking Safety Problem
According to 2023 FMCSA data, large truck crashes resulted in 5,936 fatalities and 161,000 injuries nationally, up significantly from prior years despite safety technology improvements. In Oregon, commercial truck crashes account for a disproportionate share of highway fatalities relative to truck traffic volume.
YOUR NEXT STEP
You Survived a Trucking Crash. Now It’s Time to Hold Them Accountable.
Matthew Kaplan offers a free consultation for all serious trucking accident cases in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Call (503) 226-3844 or contact Kaplan Law at 50 SW Pine Street, Suite 302, Portland, OR 97204. No fee unless he wins your case.
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