You don’t have to have a vivid imagination to understand why in accidents involving trucks, car drivers and passengers are much more likely to be severely injured than in collisions with other, smaller vehicles. A fully loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 30 times as much as a car so clearly the two vehicles are not equally vulnerable. If you or a loved one has had the misfortune to be harmed in a truck accident, it is crucial that you engage the services of a highly competent personal injury attorney, one who has a track record of success in winning significant damages for his or her deserving clients.
In California, there are no better truck accident attorneys than Simon Estandi, Esq. and Joseph Shirazi, Esq., the lead attorneys of Compass Law Group, LLP. When you are injured in a truck accident, it is not only the physical size of the other vehicle that makes the lawsuit confrontation lopsided; it is also the fact that your legal adversary is likely to be a large, well-financed trucking corporation.
Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer
When you come to Compass Law Group, our well-honed skills and consummate knowledge of state and federal law will help to level the playing field. We are agile negotiators and aggressive litigators, fully prepared to fight to win you the substantial compensation you deserve
Common Causes of a Truck Accident
Many of the causes of truck accidents run parallel to causes of car accidents, including: distracted driving, driver sleepiness or fatigue, and alcohol or drug impairment.
Add to this the following facts and you may have a recipe for disaster:
- Trucking companies, concerned about their profit margin, keep their vehicles on the road for as long as possible and may not maintain them with sufficient care. Although strict safety regulations govern how frequently trucks should be examined and maintained, some companies do not examine engines, lights, and brakes as often or thoroughly as they should.
- Truck drivers, particularly of tractor-trailers, require special training and truck drivers may be sent on the road without proper preparation. Trucks, because of their tremendous size and weight, are more difficult to maneuver and can tip over relatively easily on sharp turns. They also take considerably longer to stop than cars do. Tragically, since inexperienced truck drivers are paid less than their more skilled coworkers’ trucking companies may prefer to put them on the road to save money.
- Many truck accidents are the fault not of the driver, but of the freight operator or warehouse employee who was negligent when loading the vehicle. Truckloads of cargo must be properly balanced or the danger of the truck tipping over or dropping materials increases.
- Although truck drivers are routinely tested for alcohol and drug impairment, the temptation to take stimulants in order to stay awake on overnight hauls can be overwhelming and may lead to other substance abuse.
Common Types of Truck Accidents
Some of the most common types of truck accidents are:
- No-Zones — Commercial trucks have blind spots (known as “No-Zones”) along their sides and rears. Sometimes motorists fail to avoid these dangerous points when the truck driver is changing lanes or making a turn.
- Brake failure accidents — Excessive use, sudden stops that result in overheating, and poor maintenance or installation can put trucks at risk of brake failure.
- Jackknife accidents — If drive-axle brakes lock, a tractor-trailer can skid and “jackknife,” coming to a stop with its two parts at a 90-degree angle, often causing damage akin to that of two separate vehicles.
- Rear-end accidents — Truckers who tailgate are in danger of rear-ending the car in front of them, especially because trucks need more braking time than cars. Rear-end accidents can cause catastrophic injuries or even wrongful death to the occupants of the smaller vehicle.
- Rollover accidents — Two of the leading causes of rollover accidents are speeding and improper loading. Rollovers most often occur when the truck driver is speeding on a steep hill, sharp curve, or when hitting a curb.
- Runaway truck accidents — Sudden, improper braking of a truck can cause a “runaway” accident at a railroad crossing, toll booth, off-ramp, or intersection.
- Under-ride accidents — Because of the huge size-differential between small cars and trucks, a sudden stop on the part of the truck may cause the car behind to be crushed under the rear of a truck or trailer.
- Wide-Turn Accidents — Sometimes a truck driver miscalculates how much space is necessary to complete a turn, or fails to see a smaller vehicle in a “No-Zone,” unintentionally pinning the smaller vehicle against another vehicle or road divider.
Seriously Injured in a Truck Accident? Let Compass Law Group Help
If you have been hurt in a truck accident, our truck accident attorneys are well-prepared to help you win the damages you need to go on with your life. Whatever type of injury you or your loved one has sustained — brain injury, severe burns, spinal cord injury, loss of limb — we will fight with all our strength to win you and your family the compensation you deserve.
We have won millions of dollars for our clients and know precisely how to protect your rights. We will use our extensive legal knowledge and tactical skills to win you the substantial damages you need to pay all your medical expenses, reimburse you for lost income (present and future), settle your property damage claims, and give you some measure of justice for your physical pain, mental anguish, permanent disability or disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Once you become a client of Compass Law Group, we will put the full force of our team behind you. We will provide effective legal counsel and personal support and will not charge you any attorneys’ fees until we win your case. Contact us today for a consultation.
This list isn’t all-inclusive many personal injury suits have been raised based on different factors that aren’t included above. Our team of Los Angeles car accident attorneys can work on cases without anything out of pocket.
We’re old enough to have the necessary experience, yet young enough to use the most cutting-edge technology and tactics, and are determined enough to fight and outsmart the other side, every time.