According to 2019 data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), California has the second-highest rate of fatal truck accidents in the country. The vast majority of fatal accident victims – 83 percent according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) – are occupants of passenger vehicles, motorcyclists, big rigs, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
Of course, not all truck crashes are fatal. While thousands of people throughout Los Angeles County and all of California tragically lose their lives in collisions involving large commercial trucks each year, far more suffer non-fatal, serious injuries.
These car accident injuries can truly be life-changing, and many accident victims never fully recover from the physical and psychological trauma they have endured. Obtaining your full and rightful compensation can typically only occur with the help of experienced personal injury attorneys sticking up on your behalf against a negligent semi-truck driver and their subsequent trucking company.
Contact our team of truck accident attorneys for a free consultation so we can begin reviewing the details of your truck accident case and put you on the fastest track towards your rightful and maximum compensation.
Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Representation for Truck Accident Victims and Families in California
Our expert personal injury lawyers provide experienced legal advice and representation for commercial truck accident victims and their families. With our main offices in Glendale, we have multiple locations throughout Southern and Northern California, and we handle truck accident cases statewide. If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a collision involving a large truck, semi-truck, tractor-trailer, 18-wheeler, or any other type of commercial vehicle, we are prepared to begin working on your case immediately.
We encourage you to call us 24/7 to speak with one of our attorneys free of charge for a thorough case evaluation.
What You Should Know About Commercial Truck Accidents in California:
On this page we’re going to go over the details you’ll need to know about in order to effectively execute a successful personal injury claim. We know how to battle insurance companies and their shady legal tactics, and understanding what goes into the following common personal injury case questions is imperative to obtaining your maximum compensation:
- What are the common types of truck accidents?
- What are the common causes of truck accidents?
- What should you do after a truck accident in California?
Common Types of Commercial Truck Accidents
Accidents involving commercial vehicles of all types are unique from other types of serious and fatal vehicle collisions. There are many more potential factors involved in these types of car accidents, and this is partly due to the fact that commercial truck drivers can lose control over their rigs in a variety of different ways. For example, some of the most common types of commercial truck accidents we see include:
- Rear-End Collisions – Heavy trucks need far more stopping distance than passenger vehicles, and this means that rear-end collisions are particularly common.
- Blind Spot Accidents – Large commercial trucks also have significantly larger blind spots than cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs. However, this is not an excuse for sideswipes, turning accidents, and other types of collisions.
- Rollover Accidents – When a tractor-trailer driver loses control, the forces involved can be more than enough to cause the trailer to rollover.
- Jackknife Accidents – In some cases, a trailer will jackknife rather than rolling over. However, the consequences can be equally severe.
In addition to these types of accidents, many other types of crashes involving large commercial trucks can result in serious and fatal injuries as well. Our Glendale truck accident lawyers have the experience required to effectively handle cases involving all types of serious and fatal truck collisions.
Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents
When seeking financial compensation for traumatic injuries or wrongful death following a commercial truck accident, it is necessary to be able to pinpoint the specific cause (or causes) of the collision. This requires a prompt and exhaustive investigation, and it is important that you hire a law firm to conduct an investigation as soon as possible. In our experience, some of the most common factors involved in commercial truck accidents include:
- Distracted, drowsy, and drug and alcohol-impaired driving
- Lack of truck driver training and experience
- Reckless, careless, and aggressive truck driving
- Cargo loading errors and trailer defects
- Truck defects and maintenance issues
What to Do After a Commercial Truck Accident in California
Due to the importance of conducting a prompt investigation (and taking other legal steps to protect your claim for just compensation), if you have been seriously injured or a loved one has been killed in a commercial truck accident in California, it is strongly in your best interests to seek legal representation immediately. If you would like to speak with a Glendale truck accident attorney at Megeredchian Law, please call 888-243-2050 or contact us online now. We are available 24/7.
