California Truck Accident Lawyers

Severe Injuries Or Death Is More Likely. A truck like an 18-wheeler, which weighs up to 80,000 pounds, colliding with a car, motorcycle, bicycle, or even a pedestrian will most likely cause catastrophic injuries or even death to the smaller vehicle’s occupants due to the greater momentum and force of impact.

Survivors will probably end up with moderate to major injuries, including:

• Traumatic brain injuries. Brain injuries are devastating as they can cause brain damage, interfering with the victim’s ability to work or simply enjoy life.
• Back and neck injuries. A mild neck injury can lead to whiplash, which is temporary though painful. A severe one can lead to permanent paralysis.
• Spinal cord injuries. Injury to the spinal cord can be severely damaging to the victim, often resulting in paralysis below the injury site.
• Amputations. Traumatic amputation, whether of a fingertip or an entire limb, changes life. Even with reattachment, the part may never work properly. In any case, the victim must live without a finger, toe, arm, or leg.
• Internal organ damage. Internal injuries can range from mild bruising that could heal by itself to a severe laceration that may need immediate surgery.
• Broken bones. These injuries are extremely painful and can cause extensive problems in the long run.
• Lacerations. Cuts or lacerations can be severe enough to leave scars or even require surgery.
• Burns. In this injury, the skin is damaged by fire or excessive heat. Not only are they painful, but they also need time to heal and can cause physical and emotional scarring.
• Wrongful death. A death is the worst thing that could happen in a truck accident. A wrongful death claim can be filed against the negligent party(ies) by the victim’s legal heirs.

• Rules on Service Hours. The FMCSA limits the number of hours truck drivers can drive each work week up to 14 hours. They must also take rest breaks during their trips to avoid sleepy driving. These rest breaks must be regularly recorded in a logbook. They should also not drive with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 0.04%.
• Qualifications. Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring the drivers they hire are fully licensed and qualified to drive big rigs, dump trucks, and other huge vehicles.
• Medical Certification. Passing a medical exam and getting a medical certificate proving physical and mental fitness are prerequisites for truck drivers. Renewal of this certification is required every two years.
• Maintenance and Regular Inspections. Regularly inspecting, maintaining, and repairing trucks is an important part of trucking operations and is the responsibility of truckers and trucking companies.

Multiple Parties Could Be Liable. In a typical car crash involving only two motorists, negligence can fall on one or both. In a truck collision, there could be multiple entities at fault. While this could lead to several avenues for compensation, proving their negligence can easily get more complicated.

Among the many parties invested in a truck’s operation that may be liable are:

• Truck drivers. Accidents are often caused by truck drivers’ carelessness, such as speeding, drunk driving, texting, or disobeying the law. A higher standard is set for these drivers as trucks are more difficult to operate than regular cars. It can be fatal to ignore even the most basic of these differences.
• Truck companies or operators. The trucking company could be held accountable after a truck accident. Failing to regularly maintain the vehicle, employing an incompetent driver, and breaking hours of service rules are all forms of negligence on their part.
• Truck maintenance and repair shops. Maintenance and repairs of trucks are commonly outsourced by trucking companies to a specialized facility. They can be liable if faulty maintenance or repairs are to blame.
• Truck manufacturers and parts suppliers. The manufacturer of the truck or its components might be liable for damages if a defective part contributed to the crash. These vehicles are more prone to wear and tear as they have more moving parts and are on the road longer. Regular maintenance is a must.
• Any party in charge of loading the cargo. An accident caused by not securing the cargo loading could mean that the shipping company could also be responsible for compensating the victims.

A More Thorough Investigation Is Needed. Due to the possibility of multiple causes, violations of federal regulations, and multiple accountable parties, truck accidents are tougher to investigate.

The evidence needed for the case can range from physical clues, photos or videos, and witnesses’ testimonies–all typical of a car accident–to truck driver’s logs, screening records, truck company hiring, maintenance reports, cargo loading manifests, electronic logging devices (ELDs), and the black box data.