Truck Accident

Unfortunately, truck accidents are common. It doesn’t matter where or when, it is always possible to be involved in a truck accident. Very few forces can match the devastating impact of an accident with a truck or even a semi-truck (aka big rig, tractor-trailer, or 18-wheeler), victims who are lucky enough to survive often suffer life-changing injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident involving a semi-truck or commercial truck, it takes an experienced truck accident attorney to fight for your rights.

Causes Of California Truck Crashes

The truck driver is not always responsible for a crash, but in some cases, truckers are placed under a lot of pressure by their employers to meet shipping deadlines. In many cases, truckers are working 11 hours each day, seven days/week.

Under these stressful conditions, truckers can become fatigued or under the influence of substances used to offset sleep deprivation. Their busy schedules may also cause them to neglect the trucks themselves, as bad brakes are a common cause of truck accidents.

Some of the more common include:

• Excessive speed. This becomes a problem when truck drivers are going downhill and speeding to begin with. Their speed can increase quickly and cause them to rear-end another vehicle.
• Poor truck maintenance. Truck owners must properly maintain their trucks and a driver should fully inspect the truck before leaving on any long trip. Common maintenance issues include problems with brakes and tires.
• Driver Fatigue. Although state and federal laws require drivers to get rest for certain amounts of time during every long shift, unscrupulous trucking companies sometimes put pressure on their drivers to drive even though they are fatigued or exhausted. Driver fatigue leads to poor decision-making and slowed response times, and is a major cause of trucking accidents in California.
• Drug or Alcohol Use. Commercial truck drivers and their employers follow strict alcohol and drug testing rules that are required by federal law. Nevertheless, drug and alcohol abuse among truck drivers remains a major problem and is often a contributing factor in serious truck accidents.
• Improper loading. The trailer of the truck must be loaded properly. An overloaded truck or a truck with an unbalanced load can become unstable, especially during turns.
• Equipment Failure. Modern commercial trucks are highly sophisticated machines with advanced equipment on board. Despite technological advances in the trucking industry, equipment failures are still a major contributing factor in truck crashes.
• Overloading. State and federal regulations require commercial trucking companies to adhere to specified load sizes. When a truck is carrying too much weight, braking time can be affected and this can lead to devastating accidents.
• Aggressive Driving. Anyone who has driven on California’s highways has probably witnessed aggressive driving. When a commercial truck driver engages in aggressive or reckless driving, the results can be catastrophic.

Common Truck Accident Injuries

Although some accident injury victims may be able to walk away from a semi truck accident with minor injuries such as scrapes and bruises, large truck accidents often end in catastrophic injury or worse, wrongful death. Common truck accident injuries include:

• Broken or fractured bones
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Lower extremity injuries
• Lacerations
• Spinal cord injuries
• Road rash
• Internal injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Burn injuries
• Skull fractures
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Head injuries including concussions
• Cuts, scrapes, and bruising
• Dental injuries
• Facial injuries
• Ligament, tendon, or muscle strains, and tearing
• Loss of mobility
• Organ damage
• Paralysis
• Wrongful death

Damages You Can Recover

Our Injury Lawyers will fight for the maximum compensation you deserve. Depending on the circumstances you may be able to recover the following damages:

• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Vehicle damages
• Lost wages
• Life-changing disabilities
• Punitive damages

File your claim and schedule your free consultation in English or Spanish today. Count on an experienced lawyer from Workers’ Advocate Law Group who has extensive experience in fighting for their clients’ rights.