What Is Considered a Commercial Truck in Washington?

You can determine whether or not a truck is considered a commercial vehicle in Washington State by assessing its size, weight, and passenger capacity. A vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating has a direct impact on its categorization and, subsequently, on the standard of care drivers need to display on the road.

Trucks exceeding 10,000 pounds constitute commercial vehicles in the eyes of Washington State’s civil courts. If you get into an accident with a truck that qualifies as a commercial vehicle, you can work with a Seattle truck accident lawyer to hold the driver or any other affiliated negligent parties liable for your losses. 

How Does Weight Impact a Truck’s Categorization in Washington State?

Our Seattle personal injury lawyers know that any truck that weighs more than 10,000 pounds constitutes a commercial vehicle,  according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This means that to be considered a commercial truck in Washington, trucks must register above 10,000 pounds in weight.

The drivers who operate these vehicles must hold a commercial driver’s license and regularly undergo alcohol and drug testing to ensure that they can safely drive.

Motorists behind the wheel of these vehicles are also required to log their time on the road to ensure that they’re in compliance with the hour limits placed on commercial drivers. Excessive hours of service (HOS) put these drivers at risk for serious harm, and violations — be those self-inflicted or inflicted by an agency, supervisor, or client — can result in punitive action.

How Does Passenger Capacity Impact a Truck’s Categorization?

If a truck weighs less than 10,000 pounds, it may still qualify as a commercial vehicle. Vehicles designed to carry more than 16 people constitute commercial vehicles in the eyes of Washington State’s civil courts. 

Under some exceptions, vehicles with the capacity to carry eight or more people may receive this categorization, too. These vehicles may include box trucks and pick-up trucks, both of which can serve as commercial vehicles without coming anywhere near the 10,000-pound weight baseline established by the FMCSA.

What Standard of Care Do Commercial Truck Drivers Need to Uphold?

Because commercial trucks pose such a risk to the other vehicles on the road, their drivers are held to a higher standard of care than drivers in private trucks or vehicles. 

For example, federal regulations require trucking agencies that utilize commercial trucks to take particular care with the trucks’ maintenance and operator training. Commercial truck drivers also need to invest in more significant insurance to cover the cost of severe injuries and other losses that can result from an accident.

Commercial truck drivers and affiliated parties can violate the standard of care that they owe others on the road intentionally or accidentally, and sometimes under the pressure of an employer or client. It does not matter whether the negligence that caused a commercial vehicle accident was intentional or not. Negligence of any kind entitles victims to action.

Book a Case Consultation With a Commercial Truck Accident Lawyer in Seattle

Have you been in a recent accident with a commercial truck? Do you need help figuring out whether or not the vehicle involved in your accident is considered a commercial truck in Washington? If so, get in touch with a Seattle truck accident lawyer right away.

Your case consultation with our Seattle commercial truck accident lawyers comes free of charge and will not lock you into any kind of legal action against the truck’s driver, agency, or affiliated parties. Rather, scheduling a commercial truck accident consultation with our team allows us to:

• Break down the specific instances of negligence that led to your accident.
• Identify what parties you can name liable for your losses.
• Help you file an insurance claim with an appropriate provider.
• Accurately estimate the value of the settlement you can demand from a liable party and their representatives.
• File a personal injury claim against a party, if necessary.
• Represent you in conversations with insurers, trucking agency representatives, and other parties.

Our Team Offers Contingency-Based Services

You deserve the chance to work with a law firm that puts your needs over its profits. Our Seattle commercial truck accident attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that they will not ask you for a deposit, retainer, or start-up fees to begin working on your case. 

You won’t even receive any bills from our office while pursuing legal action against a truck driver or liable party. Instead, our contingency fee agreement ensures that we only get paid for services rendered to you and your family once we secure the commercial truck accident settlement you need to recover.

By eliminating the financial barriers preventing victims from getting the legal advice they need, our team makes it easier for everyone to recover from life-changing accidents.

Call or text (800) 708-6000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form

Identifying a Commercial Truck Can Spare You Post-Accident Stress

If you think you may have recently been in an accident with a commercial truck in Washington State, you have the right to reach out to an experienced attorney to ask for legal guidance. 

At Phillips Law Firm, our team can walk you through your right to pursue an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit against the party liable for your losses. We bring 80–plus years of combined experience to your case.

Our support can help you answer questions like, “What is considered a commercial truck in Washington?” and “How can I ask for the compensation I need to recover?” You can book your free, no-obligation case evaluation with our team members today to start down the path toward a full recovery.

Real People. Real Justice. (800) 708-6000