Truck Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles

If you sustained injuries in a truck accident, it’s crucial that you seek immediate medical care and that you consult an experienced Los Angeles truck accident lawyer for guidance on how to secure maximum compensation for your losses.

At BANA LAW, our team understands the many frustrations and challenges that plaintiffs encounter in the wake of a truck accident, from medical concerns to work-related issues and beyond. We have over 100 years of combined experience to apply to your situation.

We’re here to help. Our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers provide comprehensive representation so that clients can rest easy and focus on what’s important: their recovery.

How a Truck Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles Can Help

If you sustain serious injuries in a commercial truck accident, you need to seek legal representation right away. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can assist you by:

• Conducting a thorough investigation to establish liability
• Retaining the best truck experts in the country to inspect the truck and all vehicles
• Conduct a background check on the truck driver and the employer
• Working with your doctors and other experts to fully calculate your losses
• Addressing any allegations of comparative negligence
• Pursuing claims against all parties that share liability for your accident-related injuries
• Dealing with the insurance company after a truck accident
• Negotiating for a favorable settlement and taking your truck accident case to trial if necessary

We know what it takes to successfully handle personal injury cases, and we’re fully prepared to provide the personalized legal assistance you deserve. We can deal with the insurance company and help with a lawsuit when necessary.

Types of Truck Crash Claims We Handle

We routinely handle many types of truck accident disputes and have capably litigated claims involving a variety of personal and commercial trucks. You can reach out to us when you need professional assistance from a:

• Los Angeles Big Rig Accident Lawyer: We can help after a crash involving a big rig. Our personal injury law firm knows what it takes to handle big trucking companies and their legal representatives after a collision.
• Los Angeles Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer: Commercial vehicles come in many shapes and sizes. We’re here to help after a head-on, rear-end, or side-impact collision involving a large commercial truck. We can also explain what trucks are considered commercial vehicles.
• Los Angeles Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer: You can turn to us for professional assistance after a crash involving a garbage truck. We’ll stand up for your best interests while working to resolve this type of claim.
• Los Angeles Delivery Truck Accident Lawyer: Delivery trucks are a common sight on the road and can easily become involved in a crash, especially if a delivery driver gets distracted or becomes impatient to finish a route. You can turn to us for help in this situation.
• Los Angeles 18–Wheeler Accident Lawyer: Our law firm can provide the dedicated assistance you need after an 18-wheeler collision. We’ll review your situation and offer the personalized attention you deserve.

You can reach out for a risk-free consultation to discuss the specifics of your situation.

Compensation Available for Your Truck Accident

If you got hurt in a trucking accident, you are entitled to compensatory damages, which the legal system splits into two categories: economic damages (out-of-pocket expenses) and non-economic damages. A Los Angeles truck accident lawyer can fight to bring you payment for your:

Medical Bills

You may qualify for funds to cover all the medical expenses associated with your truck crash. The liable party may have to pay for your emergency care, time in a hospital, and any other healthcare expenses.

Pain and Suffering

We know how to determine a fair value for the non-economic consequences of your crash. Depending on your situation, you may qualify for funds to pay for your emotional distress, pain, and mental suffering.

You may also receive additional funds to cover any physical disfigurements caused by your crash.

Lost Wages

You could miss a lot of time at your job while healing after a trucking accident. The liable party may need to cover your lost pay in this situation.

Loss of Future Earning Capacity

Truck accidents can leave you with a disability that prevents you from returning to your previous career. In this situation, you may get funds to pay for your reduced earning potential.

Property Damage

A collision with a large commercial vehicle could badly damage or even total your car. We can take steps to help you get the funds you need to pay for repairs or replacement costs.

We Can Give You More Information About Compensation

Once you begin working with a Los Angeles truck crash attorney, we will make recommendations regarding the types of damages that may be available to you after this accident.

If your injuries are extensive, you may be entitled to both economic and non-economic damages, meaning you will be compensated for your medical expenses and lost wages in addition to costs associated with pain and suffering or loss of enjoyment of life.

In some instances, you may also be able to recover punitive damages. These can rectify egregiously reckless conduct by requiring the negligent party to pay exorbitant damages that would utterly ruin their business.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Some of the primary causes of truck accidents include:

Speeding

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, speeding is a leading cause of auto fatalities in California. In the case of truck accidents, speeding is even more dire, as the sheer size and volume of a truck cause the accident to leave even more damage in its wake.

Loss of Vehicle Control

If a driver loses control of the vehicle due to speeding, sliding, or slipping in wet or windy conditions, the rear axle of the truck often locks, creating a whipping force that causes the truck to topple or spin out of control, resulting in a jackknife accident.

Additionally, it’s possible to lose control of a truck on a downhill stretch of road, which can carry dire consequences for drivers. When the cab detaches from the load itself, the load can often go barreling downhill and towards oncoming traffic, causing immense damage in its wake. 

Negligence

Unfortunately, truck drivers aren’t always operating at their best. Because they often make lengthy trips, they don’t always get the amount of sleep they need. When the driver fails to properly operate the equipment, adjust their driving patterns, or take adequate care of their health, an accident becomes much more likely.

In addition to holding the driver negligent for their role in the accident, the driver’s employer may be liable for negligent hiring and supervision of employees or for failing to provide adequate safety training.

Equipment and Mechanical Failure

Poor maintenance and equipment failures can lead to a wide range of truck accidents. While drivers have a general duty of care, they are also responsible for properly inspecting their vehicles and using reasonable care in adhering to safety regulations put forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Unsafe Cargo Loading and Overloading

When a company loads cargo improperly, it can cause a variety of issues, including tire blowouts or accidents from flying debris.

Blind-Spots

Large trucks also have large blind spots. Truckers who do not pay attention to their blind spots may sideswipe other vehicles or even back up into a pedestrian. 

Poor Weather and Road Conditions

When truck drivers face poor driving conditions, such as bad weather or shoddy roads, the likelihood of an accident increases substantially. Visibility is reduced, dangerous conditions — like potholes or ice — abound, and it’s far more challenging to maneuver a truck out of harm’s way than your typical vehicle.

Improper Braking Technique

Most large trucks have air brake systems, and these types of brakes require extensive knowledge and experience to maneuver. Additionally, trucks are often carrying heavy cargo, and it is far more challenging to stop a large, heavy vehicle than it is your average car. As a result, understanding this complex brake system becomes all the more paramount.

We can give you more information about the top 10 common causes of car and truck accidents when you reach out to us for help.

We Need to Investigate to Determine the Cause of Your Crash

You need a truck accident attorney in Los Angeles to quickly investigate and identify the cause of your accident and collect evidence to build your claim. Depending on your situation, we may need to:

• Visit the site of your trucking accident
• Work with accident reconstruction specialists
• Gather black box data from the trucking company
• Take statements from all eyewitnesses
• Get a copy of the police report
• Collect video evidence from local businesses

The faster you contact us after a crash, the more evidence we’ll have a chance to collect on your behalf. We can identify important evidence in a truck accident case and gather it for you.

Understanding Liability and Truck Accidents

Victims of truck accidents often struggle to identify who’s to blame after the accident. Would they sue the driver of the truck, the company that hired them to deliver their goods, or both? Below, we review what you need to know when preparing to file a lawsuit after a truck accident.

The Facts of the Crash Will Be a Major Factor

The circumstances surrounding the trucking accident will be a significant factor in helping a victim determine who they need to sue. Some of the most crucial elements in a claim revolve around whether any vehicle or manufacturing defects caused the accident, or whether the driver was an employee or independent contractor of the company that hired them to drive the truck.

If we can ultimately trace the issue that caused the accident to a trucking company, then we would typically pursue a claim against the business and its insurance company. A Los Angeles truck crash lawyer can review your case’s specific facts at your initial meeting and begin making recommendations on the best approach for you.

The Trucker, The Trucking Company, and Liability in California

In California, truck drivers can work either as independent contractors with various trucking companies or as employees of a single company. Their legal responsibilities in the event of an accident will change depending on the truck driver’s employment status and fault in the accident.

For example, if the driver’s negligence caused the accident, and the driver is an independent contractor, they might be entirely liable for the accident. In that situation, you would pursue a claim against the driver’s insurance company.

On the other hand, perhaps the trucking company also contributed to the accident, such as by failing to properly vet the driver’s driving record or ability to carry out the job at hand safely. Then, they may share liability.

What Kinds of Injuries Normally Occur in Truck Accidents?

A variety of injuries can occur due to an accident, and the severity of the crash can range from serious to fatal. While not all truck accidents cause major injuries, it’s unlikely that you will walk out of one entirely unscathed.

As such, it’s important to consider contacting a Los Angeles truck wreck lawyer to understand how you can begin recovering damages for your accident. Some of the most common injuries that can occur from a truck accident include:

Head and Brain Injuries

Brain and head injuries can lead to some of the most traumatic, long-term injuries that a person can experience. Brain injuries can cause paralysis and memory loss. They can significantly alter a person’s ability to go on with their life as usual.

When a brain or head injury occurs, negligent drivers and their insurance companies are required to cover the injured person’s medical expenses and lost wages.

Spinal Injuries

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can cause permanent damage and often lead to paralysis or even death. While these injuries can range from mild to severe, a severe spinal injury can irrevocably alter the course of your life. If it does, you may qualify for both economic and non-economic damages, such as compensation for pain and suffering. 

Internal Injuries

Bruising of your internal organs can lead to a host of complications, including death. While you may not have any visible injuries after a car accident, it’s essential to see a doctor immediately to ensure that you haven’t damaged any internal organs.

These injuries require immediate surgery or medical intervention to avoid a more serious complication.

Broken Bones and Lacerations

Fractures, deep cuts, and scars are all possible side effects of a truck accident, and depending on their severity, may require long-term medical treatment and costly cosmetic procedures.

We Can Help After a Deadly Truck Accident

Fatality is certainly possible in a truck accident, and the family or loved ones of victims of truck accidents are usually able to recover damages for this tragic loss. You can rely on a compassionate Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer from our firm to provide the dedicated support your family deserves after the loss of a loved one.

We understand what it takes to handle a wrongful death claim and can oversee all legal matters on your behalf.

How Are California Truck Accidents Different from Car Accidents?

Truck accidents differ from car crashes in several ways. For this reason, it is extremely important to hire a truck accident lawyer who has specific experience handling cases like yours. Some of the primary differences between truck accidents and car accidents include:

The Number of Issues Involved

What makes trucks so dangerous to motorists? The size and complexity of large commercial trucks present many more issues that can cause serious and fatal trucking collisions. From violations of federal safety regulations to truck defects, numerous additional issues can be at play in commercial truck accidents.

The Number of Parties Involved

Due to the number of issues involved in commercial truck accidents, additional parties may also play a role in the accident. For example, while a typical car accident case will involve a claim under the other driver’s insurance policy, a truck accident case could include claims against:

• The driver’s insurance company
• The trucking company
• The shipping company
• The truck manufacturer
• Various other entities and vendors

Fortunately, you can get professional help handling these complications.

The Severity of the Victims’ Injuries

In many cases, commercial truck accidents will also result in injuries that are more severe than those involved in “ordinary” passenger vehicle collisions. Truck accident victims will often suffer severe physical and emotional traumatic injuries with lifelong consequences.

What if You Were Partially at Fault?

If you were partially at fault in a truck accident, how will this impact your claim for financial compensation? It depends on the circumstances of your crash. In cases involving multiple at-fault parties, California follows the rule of pure comparative negligence.

Under this rule, the court reduces an accident victim’s financial recovery in proportion to their percentage of fault. For example, if you were 50% at fault, you would be entitled to recover 50% of your losses. However, if you were only 10% at fault, you would still be entitled to 90% of your total economic and non-economic damages.

With all of that said, you should never assume that you were partially or completely at fault in a truck accident, even if the insurance carrier places you at fault. There are simply too many things that can go wrong to determine fault without conducting a thorough investigation.

Time Limits for Your Truck Crash Claim

It’s crucial that you contact a qualified Los Angeles truck wreck attorney as soon as possible after a collision involving a commercial vehicle. In California, as in other states, there is a statute of limitations period that applies to your injury claims. In most cases, you have two years from the date of injury to take legal action.

Failure to bring an action before the statute of limitations deadline passes could lead to an automatic case dismissal. A brief evaluation could spell the difference between a win and a loss. Fortunately, we’re here and ready to help with your claim right now.

Talk to Us After a Truck Accident in Los Angeles, CA

Are you ready to move forward with your claim after a collision? Call us or complete a case evaluation form through our website to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Los Angeles truck accident lawyer at our firm. The consultation is confidential, and there is no obligation to continue.

Our team at BANA LAW can put you first, addressing any legal concerns you have and standing by you throughout the entirety of the legal process. We’re here to use our many years of training and in-depth legal knowledge to support all of your needs after a crash. Your injury, our fight.