I Was Hit By a Commercial Truck. What Should I Do?

The majority of drivers attempt to avoid traffic collisions with commercial trucks. Accidents involving large commercial trucks are likely to cause serious bodily injury or death. Severe property damage is also likely if you are struck by a commercial vehicle. Individuals who suffer an injury during accidents with commercial trucks experience serious bodily injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, fractured bones, internal hemorrhaging, and nerve damage.

Contact Arash Law if you suffer injuries during an accident with a commercial truck. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer at Arash Law will provide you with the guidance you need. Representing yourself during a commercial truck accident case is not recommended. Retaining an experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer will enable you to seek financial compensation for your injuries.

The personal injury lawyers at Arash Law have decades of experience representing clients in personal injury cases. We have recovered over $500 million for our clients throughout California. We serve clients in San Francisco, Riverside, Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sherman Oaks, Orange County, and throughout California. Contact Arash Law at (888) 488-1391 to schedule a free consultation.

You will need to understand which parties may be liable for your injuries. These parties may include the corporation that owns the commercial truck as well as any company that was leasing the truck. Retaining an experienced personal injury lawyer will help you determine which parties may be liable for your injuries.

Powerful Corporations Will Fight to Deny Liability

insurance-agent-showing-damage-costsCorporations and trucking companies will have teams of lawyers and powerful insurance companies representing their interests and challenging your claims. Insurance claims adjusters are trained to offer injured plaintiffs insufficient settlement amounts. You may assume the facts of your case present a straightforward case of negligence, but insurance companies are for-profit businesses, and your legal claims will be attacked.

Insurance companies and their legal representatives often attempt to make the injured victim appear to be the party who caused the accident. An injured victim who suffered injuries in a rear-end collision may be described by the insurance company as an irresponsible driver who cut off the other vehicle and failed to use a turn signal. If you attempt to represent yourself, you may become frustrated and not receive any financial compensation for your injuries. Retaining an experienced personal injury lawyer is the best thing you can do to make sure the insurance company does not take advantage of your lack of knowledge.

Insurance companies will also offer extremely low settlement amounts to injured victims who have suffered serious bodily injury. Laypeople may not understand how to calculate the value of their legal claims by using medical records, medical bills, and other documents. Without a personal injury lawyer, you may not realize an injured victim has the right to seek monetary compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, and future medical expenses. By leaving these claims out of your case, you will be losing out on the financial compensation you deserve.

Contact Arash Law today to schedule a free consultation. The personal injury lawyers at Arash Law have decades of experience representing clients in commercial truck accident cases. We have recovered over $500 million for our clients in California. Call the California commercial truck accident lawyers at Arash Law today. We can help you seek financial compensation for your injuries.

Experienced Personal Injury Lawyers Hone Their Negotiation Skills

Negotiating a settlement amount that is fair and equitable to injured victims is something personal injury lawyers learn to do by gaining decades of experience. Negotiations in commercial truck accident cases may be protracted and frustrating. Many individuals do not have training or experience in negotiation skills.

Injured victims may naively believe the insurance company is trying to offer a fair and just settlement amount. The insurance company is interested in paying as little money as possible or no money at all. Therefore it is in your best interest to retain an experienced personal injury lawyer to represent you in a commercial truck accident case.

An Experienced and Knowledgeable Personal Injury Lawyer at Arash Law Can File a Civil Lawsuit

Negotiations may not yield the results you had hoped to obtain. An injured plaintiff may want to file a civil lawsuit as soon as possible. Without legal representation, the injured party may believe no other options exist that will enable them to seek financial compensation for their injuries.

Initiating a civil lawsuit is a decision that should not be made lightly. To effectively participate in litigation, you must understand the intricate rules of personal injury law, the rules of evidence, and the rules of civil procedure. Not having a thorough understanding of these rules of law can damage your case. Injured victims do not have the time and energy to learn how to litigate a civil lawsuit. Not adhering to these rules can cause your case to be dismissed with prejudice, which means you cannot file your lawsuit again. Also, failing to file court documents on time can cause you to lose the right to litigate your claims.

The personal injury lawyers at Arash Law understand how to strategize and choose the best time to file a civil lawsuit. Our experienced personal injury lawyers also have the experience necessary to develop a sound and effective case strategy. Contact Arash Law today at (888) 488-1391 to schedule a free consultation.

You Can Afford to Retain a Skilled and Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer

Injured victims often want to take on their own personal injury cases because they do not want to pay to retain a lawyer. However, proceeding without retaining an experienced personal injury lawyer can reduce the financial compensation you recover in your commercial truck accident case.

What Is a Commercial Vehicle Accident?

truck-hits-vanA commercial vehicle accident refers to a traffic collision involving a bus or semi-truck. Commercial motor vehicles are extremely large and heavy. They are much bigger than SUVs, trucks, and cars. Accidents involving commercial motor vehicles are likely to cause serious bodily injury or death. Commercial vehicles traveling at low speeds can still cause catastrophic injury to drivers and passengers in smaller automobiles. The following are the most common types of commercial motor vehicles:

  • Delivery vans and trucks
  • Car haulers and tow trucks
  • Construction vehicles and dump trucks
  • Refuse trucks and garbage trucks
  • Private buses, city buses, and school buses
  • 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers, and semi-trucks

What Commonly Causes the Majority of Commercial Vehicle Accidents?

Commercial vehicle accidents share many of the same causes as common motor vehicle accidents. Researchers and analysts at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration determined that approximately thirty percent of all accidents involving commercial automobiles occurred because of the negligence of truck drivers. The following negligent behaviors were found to have contributed to commercial vehicle accidents:

  • Speeding
  • Ignoring traffic signals
  • Fatigued driving
  • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • Distracted driving

Other drivers also contribute to commercial vehicle accidents. Poor weather conditions, dangerous road conditions, and other factors can cause commercial vehicle accidents. All drivers should adhere to road traffic laws and drive in a reasonable manner that takes into account the behaviors of other drivers.

Types of Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Accidents involving semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles can occur for a variety of reasons. A commercial truck driver may have been intoxicated, fatigued, or unconscious while driving. Commercial truck drivers often use GPS systems and mobile phones while traveling. Drivers who are struck by commercial vehicles often suffer serious bodily injury. The following are some of the most common commercial vehicle accidents:

  • Accidents in poor weather conditions – Typical commercial vehicles require a longer period of time to make a complete stop. Icy weather conditions, or excessive rain, can affect how long it takes a commercial vehicle to come to a complete stop.
  • Accidents caused by speeding – Approximately 17 percent of commercial vehicle accidents during 2016 involved a speeding vehicle.
  • Accidents caused by improper turns – Semi-trucks may take up multiple lanes when turning, and drivers often cannot check every blind spot. Commercial vehicle accidents often occur when a semi-truck driver is attempting to make a turn.
  • Jackknife accidents – An imbalanced cargo on a commercial truck can cause the driver to lose control of the semi-truck. Other drivers on the road crash into the semi-truck and suffer serious bodily injury or death.
  • Rear-end accidents – Drivers of commercial vehicles can often become fatigued while driving long distances. Also, commercial vehicle drivers may frequently text and drive while working. Semi-truck drivers who text and drive are 23 times more likely to cause a commercial vehicle accident.

If you have suffered injuries during a commercial vehicle accident, contact Arash Law today. The personal injury lawyers at Arash Law have decades of experience representing clients in commercial truck accidents. We have recovered over $500 million for clients throughout California. Call Arash Law today at (888) 488-1391 to schedule a free consultation.

We serve clients in San Francisco, Riverside, Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sherman Oaks, and throughout California. We have collected over $500 million for clients across California.

Things to Do If You Are Involved in a Commercial Vehicle Accident

The first thing you must do after suffering an injury during a commercial vehicle accident is to seek medical treatment. What follows are key actions to take if you have suffered an injury in a commercial vehicle accident.

woman-calling-after-the-accident

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer

Insurance adjusters may not want you to retain a personal injury lawyer, but you need to protect your legal rights and have every opportunity to seek financial compensation for your injuries. A personal injury lawyer will pursue financial compensation for your pain and suffering, lost earnings, and future medical expenses.

Do Not Speak to Others

You may receive phone calls and letters from the insurance claims adjuster for the trucking company’s insurance company. The insurance claims adjuster does not care about your legal claims or making sure you receive the monetary compensation you deserve. The insurance company will record your statements and use anything they can against you later on in your case. Retain a personal injury lawyer and have them communicate with the insurance company.

Assess the Accident Scene

Document the accident scene by taking photographs and video recordings. Note any property damage to your vehicle and the other vehicle. Document the position of the vehicles, any skid marks, and the injuries you endured. Insurance companies may attempt to hide evidence or collect it so you cannot use it to substantiate your legal claims. Contact a personal injury lawyer if you cannot document the accident scene. A personal injury lawyer will hire an accident investigator to analyze the scene. A skilled personal injury lawyer will also file several motions to block the company from tampering with evidence at the accident scene.

Seek Medical Treatment

After suffering injuries during a commercial vehicle accident, you need to seek medical treatment. Your injuries may not be immediately discernible, but you might only notice symptoms weeks or months later. A physician can inform you of the nature and extent of your injuries. Contact 911 as soon as you can use a mobile phone. Law enforcement officers will respond and record traffic collision reports that can help you with your personal injury case.

Commercial vehicles are used for commercial purposes, which usually means shipping goods from place to place. Any bus, truck, van, or other vehicle used commercially is a commercial vehicle. Commercial vehicles are attached to their businesses, and the business has a role in that vehicle being on the road. Hotel shuttles, semi-trucks, taxis, and vans are typical commercial vehicles seen in California.

The personal injury lawyers at Arash Law can help you seek financial compensation for your injuries. We have decades of experience representing clients in personal injury cases. We have recovered over $500 million for clients across California. Contact Arash Law today at (888) 488-1391 to schedule a free consultation.

How Commercial Vehicle Accidents Are Different From Other Accidents

Commercial vehicles are operated by employees who work for a business. Liability in commercial vehicle accidents can become a complex issue. Which party is responsible for the accident may be ambiguous. Employees and employers may both be partially liable for causing the accident. Employers are responsible for the actions of their employees, and therefore you will typically seek financial compensation from the employer.

An employee may have been driving the vehicle during off-duty hours. If this is the case, you will seek monetary compensation from the driver’s insurance company or the responsible driver. This general principle has many exceptions, however. A personal injury lawyer can provide you with the guidance and assistance you need to ascertain the most important facts in your case.

Parties may dispute whether the employee was working at the time the commercial vehicle accident occurred. These types of questions are typically resolved through trials, not negotiations. Retaining a personal injury lawyer will ensure that you develop the best case strategy that will benefit you and your family members.

Commercial vehicle drivers are required to possess commercial driver’s licenses. Federal regulations also dictate the working conditions of commercial vehicle drivers. Truck drivers, for example, cannot simply drive as much and as often as they like. These dangerous behaviors are reduced by the federal regulations that govern commercial driver behavior. Commercial drivers must be responsible and conscientious.

Commercial Vehicle Accidents and Damages

Injured victims can recover damages after a commercial vehicle accident. What follows are the most common types of damages in commercial vehicle accident cases:

  • Lifestyle alterations and changing your environment to accommodate injuries and disabilities
  • Lost future earnings
  • Lost wages
  • Severe emotional distress
  • Physical pain
  • Expenses related to the commercial vehicle accident
  • Future medical treatment
  • Past medical treatment
  • Property damage, including personal property damage

Large corporations also have automobile insurance policies. The policy limits of these insurance policies are often higher. Injured victims can recover more financial compensation by focusing on these insurance policies.

You should take action soon after a commercial vehicle accident occurs. A physician should examine you as soon as possible after you leave the accident scene. Do not wait to receive medical treatment because you do not believe you suffered severe injuries. You need to accumulate evidence that proves you suffered specific injuries. A traffic collision report created by a law enforcement agency is also an important piece of evidence in your case.

Insurance information, contact information, and witness reports are also important to collect after a commercial vehicle accident. The insurance companies will attempt to attack your claims and any evidence you present. A skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer can help you seek monetary compensation for your injuries.

What Damages Can I Claim After Being In a Commercial Vehicle Accident?

lawyer-discussing-accident-claim

Commercial trucks may weigh more than seventy thousand pounds. Drivers and passengers in smaller vehicles frequently suffer serious bodily injury and death during commercial vehicle accidents. Injured victims may suffer from permanent or temporary disabilities. You can seek financial compensation from the commercial truck driver and the company who employed the driver.

Medical bills, expenses, and non-economic damages can also be claimed by injured victims in commercial vehicle accident cases. Settlement amounts vary, and a personal injury lawyer can help you determine how best to analyze the policy limits of the insurance policies held by the commercial entity responsible for your injuries.

A personal injury lawyer can help you with every aspect of your commercial vehicle accident case. Contact Arash Law today at (888) 488-1391 to schedule a free consultation. We have decades of experience in representing clients for personal injury cases. We have recovered over $500 million for clients across California.

Will A Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me With My Commercial Vehicle Case?

A sudden accident involving a commercial vehicle can create havoc in your life. You may wonder how you are going to afford medical treatment and whether or not you will ever return to work. Contact a personal injury lawyer at Arash Law today to schedule a free consultation. We can help you with every aspect of your commercial vehicle accident cases. Call Arash Law at (888) 488-1391 and learn more about the legal services we offer.

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DISCLAIMER: Information provided on this blog is not formal legal advice. It is generic legal information. Under no circumstances should the information on this page be relied upon when deciding the proper course of a legal action. Always obtain a free and confidential case evaluation from a reputable attorney near you if you think you might have a personal injury lawsuit.

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