Irvine Truck Accident Lawyers
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Our Irvine Truck Accident Lawyers Are Ready To Review Your Case
Truck accidents are among the most serious of all traffic accidents. This fact should not come as a surprise, as trucks generate more force in a collision than smaller passenger cars do.
This force, in turn, increases the severity of injuries that accident victims are likely to sustain. More serious injuries require more money to compensate the victim, so truck accidents involve significant legal interests.
Injury victims can get legal guidance from an Irvine truck accident lawyer who can explain their rights after such incidents. Our Irvine truck accident lawyers serve the entire city of Irvine and the surrounding areas located along the 5, 405, 605, 55, 57, 22, and 91 freeways. We work to help you pursue fair compensation for your injuries and losses allowed by California law.
Schedule your free initial consultation by calling (888) 488-1391.
Settlement in a case where a client was injured while unloading commercial truck; client sustained crush injuries to legs.– Judd Ross Allen
What Are Common Injuries In A Truck Accident?
There are some injuries that are common in all auto accidents. Soft tissue injuries — such as muscle sprains and strains — cause discomfort that can last for a long time. Whiplash is common when a vehicle is struck from behind.
These injuries usually result in a small amount of medical bills because the patient simply has to wait out the pain. But injury victims may be able to pursue compensation for their pain and suffering — even if their medical bills may not reflect the extent of their discomfort.
Some injuries might seem minor at first but end up becoming far more complicated. A broken bone set in a cast might seem like a simple medical treatment. But what if the broken shards of bone injure other internal structures of the body? These sharp pieces could cut a blood vessel and lead to dangerous bleeding. The shards could scratch a nerve, leading to a lifetime of pain and discomfort — or even a lack of sensation altogether.
Your injury lawyer will work to understand the impact of your injuries. Even injuries that seem minor can require compensation if they are complicated by other conditions. Because truck accidents involve high amounts of force, they tend to cause serious injuries.
A truck accident victim could be left permanently disabled as a result of the crash. They might have to suffer an amputation or the removal of an organ due to serious internal injuries. A victim could suffer brain damage that leaves them permanently unable to work or even conduct such simple daily tasks as walking and speaking.
These permanent injuries are devastating for victims and their loved ones. They require medical treatment and rehabilitation for the rest of the victim’s life, not to mention years of lost wages. Victims may be able to seek compensation for the pain and suffering that they will endure for the rest of their lives.
Do I Really Need To Hire An Irvine Truck Accident Lawyer?
You may have legal options after a truck accident. The more serious your injuries, the more losses you may incur. Some injury victims choose to settle their cases on their own without the help of an Irvine personal injury lawyer.
You have the right to do this, but there are many ways a lawyer can support your case. They can evaluate the details of your case to determine if it is valid. Your attorney can also assess your losses to determine the potential value of your case, helping you pursue an appropriate claim.
Dealing with insurance companies can present certain challenges. The process often involves thorough investigations, which may lead to denial, disputes, or delays if there is limited evidence or inadequate documentation.
Our Irvine truck accident lawyers can help you deal with insurance companies. We can gather evidence to help substantiate your losses. This might include medical records or expert testimony, statements about how your injuries have impacted your life.
How Will My Truck Accident Lawyer Establish Who Was At Fault?
There are many types of evidence that personal injury lawyers use to prove who was at fault for causing a truck accident. Photos and videos of the accident scene can help establish what occurred and in what order. In some cases, the police will take measurements and collect other data at the scene. If they do not, the insurance companies can send their own investigators to the scene or even to body shops or wrecking yards where the vehicles are being stored.
A physical examination of the vehicles can also be used to establish what happened and who was at fault for causing the accident. In recent years, the Department of Transportation has required all commercial trucks to be equipped with electronic logging devices. These devices record data about the speed and distance a truck is traveling, how long the engine has been active, and the number of hours the vehicle has been in service. This data is transmitted automatically to remote servers so that drivers cannot alter or tamper with the information.
These devices replace the old “paper logs” that drivers were required to maintain to track their miles and hours of service. Paper logs largely relied on the Honor System, so there is still a possibility for compliance to be overlooked. Tired driving increases the risk that a truck driver will cause an accident.
That said, electronic logs are very powerful data to present in court as they are almost impossible for drivers to tamper with. They show whether drivers were complying with required rest periods. They can even show how fast the vehicle was traveling. All of this evidence allows an attorney to support a case.
Of course, electronic logs cannot tell the entire story of an accident. Even with this type of data, the insurance company’s lawyers might still dispute that their client is at fault (liable) for the accident. In this case, your attorney might need to hire an expert witness to interpret the data. Accident reconstructionists are technical experts who interpret objective data (such as photos, measurements, traffic light signal time charts, and electronic logs) to determine how an accident occurred.
Each side is entitled to hire its own expert witness. In many cases, the opinions differ. In such an event, the jury is presented with each expert’s testimony and left to determine who was ultimately at fault for causing the accident.
What Losses Can I Be Compensated For In Irvine?
A person or company that is found to be responsible for causing an accident (“liable”) also has a legal obligation to compensate injury victims for the losses they sustained in that accident. This includes both tangible and intangible losses, as well as losses that the victim will suffer in the future due to his or her injuries. Here are a few of the most common areas of compensation in a truck accident injury case:
Medical Bills
Injury victims may be able to pursue compensation for their medical bills that were related to the accident. In some cases, this is a simple calculation. Medical professionals provide itemized statements that detail the type of treatment rendered and a specific breakdown of the costs associated with that care. Insurance companies may need receipts and documentation that the treatments were necessary. Your lawyer may need to get expert testimony about the necessity of your treatment and the reasonableness of the cost.
If you have health insurance (including Medicare or Medicaid), the carrier is obligated to pay for your medical bills, even if they are related to the accident. But your health insurance carrier could reimburse any medical bills it pays in case there is a settlement for your claim. Your injury lawyer can handle these liens and other financial issues with your health insurers.
Lost Wages
Injury victims miss some amount of work as a result of the accident. If your injuries are minor, you might only miss a few hours on the day of the accident. These lost wages are easy to document by getting a statement from your employer that shows how many hours you missed and what your hourly rate is.
But serious truck accident injuries can keep you out of work for months. These lost wages add up quickly, and insurers may try to deny your claim. Your attorney might need to present medical evidence to demonstrate why you were unable to return to work. Your attorney might need to get evidence from your employer about why you were only able to return to work on a part-time basis or with limited responsibilities to accommodate your injuries.
Pain And Suffering
Injury victims may also be eligible to pursue compensation for their intangible losses. After an accident, you may suffer physical pain from your injuries. You might endure emotional suffering due to the trauma of the accident. Some injury victims may have to give up certain hobbies or miss important events.
These losses can impact your enjoyment of life. And if you are unable to return to work, you might lose the sense of pride that comes with a job. Injury victims can seek compensation for these intangible losses. However, they are difficult to prove with an exact dollar amount, so insurance companies may try to dispute the value of your pain and suffering.
Consult With Our Irvine Truck Accident Lawyers For All Cases Involving Trucks, Semis, Big-Rigs, And 18-Wheelers
A truck accident is an overwhelming experience for any injury victim. You don’t have to go through the claims process alone. Our experienced truck accident lawyers can help protect your legal rights and pursue accountability for your injuries and losses.
Our Irvine truck accident lawyers have years of experience. In addition to Irvine, we serve clients in San Francisco, Riverside, San Jose, San Diego, Sherman Oaks, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and throughout California. We can help you seek damages and advocate for your rights. Call (888) 488-1391 to schedule your free initial consultation.
The sooner you have an experienced truck accident lawyer on your side, the earlier you can preserve and gather evidence that may help establish liability and support your claim.
