Truck Accident Attorneys in the San Francisco Bay Area
While the number of serious and fatal motor vehicle accidents in California has been dropping over the past decade, approximately 300 Californians die annually in collisions with large trucks. There are more than 3,000 truck crashes resulting in injuries each year in California. Santa Clara and Sacramento counties are among the top 10 for fatal California crashes. Highways 1 and 101 and Interstates 80 and 280 are the locations of many serious truck accidents in this area.
Commercial trucks, 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers, buses and other large trucks are formidable figures on California Highways. A crash with a truck often results in catastrophic injuries and even wrongful death. Due to the large size and weight of commercial trucks the occupants of cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and other pedestrians are highly vulnerable to serious injuries in the event of an accident with a tractor-trailer truck.
If you have been injured in a truck accident and you need a truck accident lawyer with experience who cares about you as a person and is dedicated to getting you the best result, contact the attorneys of the Dolan Law Firm. Our attorneys are some of the most experienced, qualified, and skilled professionals in their practice areas. You deserve to be compensated for the life changing injuries that a truck accident can cause and Dolan Law Firm is willing to help you recover. Contact the Dolan Law Firm for a free case evaluation by calling us by phone 800-339-0352 or contacting us online.
Proving Fault in Trucking Accident Cases
One of the most important factors in any personal injury case is proving who, or what, was at fault in causing the accident. This requires more than simply reading the police report. Determining what parties are responsible for the injuries following a truck accident requires thorough investigation and knowledge of the trucking industry. Several different parties can be on the hook for the damages caused by a truck driver, depending on the circumstances of the accident. An experienced truck accident attorney can help you get compensated from the parties responsible for your injuries.
Interstate trucks are subject to state and federal regulations that don’t apply to regular drivers. These regulations govern the amount of time a truck driver can be on the road, truck maintenance and safety requirements, load restrictions, and many other factors. These regulations are intended to make our roadways safer, but commercial truck companies and drivers find ways to get around them. And sometimes they find ways to falsify or destroy the records of their activities.
Our experienced San Francisco truck accident attorneys understand this and carefully examine:
- Driver factors such as: negligence by the truck driver (reckless driving; improper lane switching or turning; violation of motor vehicle codes); hours on the road; fatigue; cell phone records; past driving record; and past record of alcohol or drug use.
- Truck factors such as: maintenance logs, indicating how many hours they were driving; condition of the truck; the manufacturing of the truck; and condition of key equipment (wheels, tires, brakes, engine, fuel system, axles, coupling chains, lights, drive line, etc.)
- Load factors such as: whether the truck was overweight; if the load was unbalanced; and if the load was properly secured.
Compensation Following a Truck Accident
Truck accident victims deserve to be compensated for their injuries and damages. There are many contributing factors that determine how much a truck accident victim will be compensated. Our experienced truck accident attorneys will diligently evaluate the damages you have suffered and fight for you to obtain just compensation from the insurance and trucking companies. Compensation is determined from damages such as:
- Existing medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Life-changing injuries and disabilities
- Property damage
- Past and future losses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Punitive damages
- Economic damages
- Non-economic damages
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Trauma
Truck Accident Injuries
Commercial trucks and tractor-trailers are large, heavy, and dangerous. The size of these trucks significantly contributes to the devastation they cause when in a collision. Truck accident victims and their families can face serious catastrophic injuries or worse, wrongful death. Some of the harms victims face because of truck accidents include:
- Wrongful death
- Traumatic brain injuries (“TBI”)
- Amputation
- Disfigurement
- Loss of bodily function
- Burn injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Bone fractures
- Internal injuries
- Whiplash
- Lacerations
- Bruising
- Permanent scarring
The catastrophic injuries that result from truck accidents often involve complex medical endeavors that require years of care and changes of lifestyle. If you have been injured in a truck accident you deserve to be fairly compensated for everything you went through and will have to go through in the future. Consult with experienced truck accident attorneys to learn how to protect your rights and obtain just compensation for the injuries you have sustained.
What can a truck accident lawyer or truck injury law firm do for you?
If you were injured, or your loved one died in a truck accident, you deserve to be fully compensated for the damages you sustained. Following a truck accident, victims often face the complex legal system and insurance companies alone. This is not a battle you have to fight on your own. An experienced truck accident attorney will navigate through the insurance claim and obtain the best compensation from the responsible parties involved.
An experience truck accident lawyer can help you with the following:
- Identify any and all responsible parties
- Uncover liability from those responsible
- Evaluate the damages from the truck accident
- Negotiate with other parties
- Deal with insurance companies
- File a lawsuit
- Prevent evidence from being destroyed
- Thoroughly investigate and secure evidence to determine liability
- Support your recovery and help you receive the medical services needed
- Advocate for your rights
- Secure compensation for your damages
At Dolan Law Firm our truck accident attorneys handle personal injury cases on a contingency basis, meaning you only pay us if we are successful in obtaining compensation for you.
Should I hire a truck injury lawyer near me or a truck injury lawfirm near me?
With offices in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Redondo Beach and Torrance, at the Dolan Law Firm we have you covered in California with our legal teams. Our truck accident lawyers help people throughout California who have been hurt in collisions with trucks and tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers and delivery vehicles. We understand the emotional trauma and financial hardship that a truck accident can cause.
Our award-winning personal injury trial lawyers are experienced in handling California truck accident cases. Our attorneys are some of the most experienced, qualified, and skilled professionals in their practice areas. We have helped hundreds of injured people get financial recovery, as well as family members who lost a loved one to wrongful death after a truck wreck.
If you have been injured or a loved one died in a San Francisco truck accident, call toll-free 800-339-0352 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation
What should I do following a truck crash?
Truck accidents are often catastrophic due to the large size and weight of commercial trucks. If you are ever in an accident with a large truck here are some things you should do:
The first thing you should do, if possible, is get to a safe location off of the road and away from moving traffic to prevent further injury.
You should call 911 as soon as possible. Your primary concern should be safety and the health of those involved in the accident. Call 911 and get medical assistance if needed. Take care of yourself and get your injuries checked on.
Once your safety is accounted for, make a report of what happened with the police. Document everything at the scene of the accident. Take photos and video of the scene and any damages and injuries.
Collect the insurance information of the truck driver and other drivers involved. Obtaining this information at the scene of the accident can be useful to set up a claim with the at fault driver’s insurance and get you started on obtaining compensation in a reasonable amount of time. If the other driver’s involved do not want to give you their information, make sure to notify the police of this.
Keep track of bills, costs, repairs, and medical costs. After a truck accident the process involves negotiating with insurance companies and the trucking company to determine how much damages you have incurred and what amount of money will suffice to compensate you. The more detailed your records are of costs, bills, repairs, etc. the better off you will be in obtaining compensation for those damages.
Avoid discussing the accident with others, including insurance adjusters. Some insurance companies may reach out to you and ask you for a statement or ask you to describe what happened so they can determine liability. You do not have to speak with the insurance company and it is best that you leave that up to an experienced truck accident lawyer who is aware of the pitfalls and can advocate for your rights.
Contact an experienced truck accident law firm or truck accident lawyers to get a free case evaluation to see where you stand with your truck accident and injuries. Many personal injury law firms are willing to work with you on a contingency basis, meaning you only pay the lawyers if they get you paid.
What can I do if my loved one is killed in a truck accident?
Dealing with the grief of losing a loved one can be debilitating and the thought of suing a trucking company at this time may be too much. California has wrongful death laws that provide a way for family members who have lost a loved one in a trucking accident to recover damages for the loss of their loved one. An experienced wrongful death attorney should recognize the difficult times you are going through and should fight for you to be compensated for the loss of your loved one.
We know that financial difficulties can be exacerbated when a loved one dies. Through a wrongful death lawsuit you may be entitled to recover costs associated with the loss and the suffering that surviving family members deal with. You shouldn’t have to face losing a loved one and financial burdens growing because of the loss. An experienced attorney can help you recover costs for funeral proceedings, loss of income, pain and suffering, loss of companionship and support, loss of consortium for spouses and more depending on the facts of your case.
How can I avoid trucking accidents?
California highways are filled with commercial trucks and other large trucks which require skill and training to operate safely. Although negligence by the truck driver, their employer, or manufacturers is commonly the cause of truck accidents, applying defensive driving skills as a motorist in your car or motorcycle can help you reduce the risk of being involved in a serious trucking accident.
- Avoid truck’s blind spots: Trucks have several blinds spots.
o A blind spot in the front of the truck where the driver cannot see what is immediately in front of the truck.
o A blind spot on both the left and right, but wider than most car’s blind spots. You should not drive for extended periods of time in the left or right flank of a large truck. If the truck has to maneuver they may not see you and run you off the road or crash into you.
o A blind spot in the rear of the truck. Do not tailgate a truck.
- Don’t follow a truck too closely: If you are behind a tractor-trailer you should keep ample distance between you and the truck. Following too closely to a truck can place you in the truck’s blind stop and raise the risk of being in a truck accident.
o Tailgating a truck can result in debris being sent at your windshield.
o Rear-ending a truck is not like rear-ending another car in a car accident, trucks are much higher up from the ground and rear-ending a truck can result in your car going underneath the truck and cutting through your windshield.
o The risk of serious catastrophic injury is not worth driving close behind a large truck.
- Keep ample space between you and any following trucks: Tractor-trailers and large trucks require extra space and time to stop, especially in an emergency. If a truck is following you too closely you should safely change lanes and get out of harm’s way.
- Be aware of wind and trailer sway: The large rectangular shape of a tractor-trailer truck contributes to the tendency for trailers to sway on the highway and invade your space on the road. Trucks can drift for many reasons and wind can contribute to the severity of trailers swaying and drifting into other lanes.
- Pass on the left and pass quickly: When passing a tractor-trailer it is important to recognize that the largest blind spot they have is on the right side of their vehicle. You do not want to risk a truck forcing you off the road or worse. When passing a truck do it on the left side and do not hang out next to them. Get past them and then allow for some extra space between you before you merge back in front of the truck. Make sure you do not stay in any of the blind spots mentioned above.
- Be predictable with your movements: It takes more time for a truck to come to a stop, switch lanes, or make adjustments on a highway. When you are driving around a tractor-trailer truck be sure to make predictable movements with your vehicle. Signal prior to any lane change, do not make abrupt stops with a truck behind you, and focus on the traffic patterns ahead to stay alert and cognizant of how you should be maneuvering your vehicle on the road.
- Safety is your goal: Remember that it is never worth it to challenge a large truck on the roads while in a car and especially in a motorcycle. An accident with a truck is not like a car – on – car accident. Trucks can kill and seriously harm those in smaller vehicles. Stay alert and always remember your safety is the most important thing to focus on. If you do have issues with the way a truck is driving, do not take matters into your own hands on the road. Rather, you should call the US DOT hotline to make a report. Do not put your safety at risk when you see an erratic truck driver.
Looking for Truck Accident or Truck Injury Resources?
If you would like to dive deeper into the topic of truck accident law, we have a comprehensive set of posts available for you to explore:
- California Code Regulations
- Driver Related Accidents
- Driver’s Responsibilities
- Safety Regulations
- Garbage Truck Accidents
- Loading Company
- Log Hauler Accidents
- Truck Manufacturer Accidents
- Overloaded Truck Accidents
- Override Trucking Accidents
- Big Rig Accidents
- SUV Rollovers
- Tire Blowouts
- Tractor Trailer Brakes
- Tractor Trailer Runaways
- Trailer Accidents
- Truck Company Fault
- Driver Protection
- Underride Truck Accidents
Contact our Team of Truck Accident Lawyers
At the Dolan Law Firm, our San Francisco truck accident lawyers help people in the San Francisco-Oakland-Los Angeles area and throughout California who have been hurt in collisions with trucks and tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers and delivery vehicles. We understand the emotional trauma and financial hardship that a truck accident can cause.
Our award-winning personal injury trial lawyers are experienced in handling California truck accident cases. We have helped hundreds of injured people get financial recovery, as well as family members who lost a loved one to wrongful death after a truck wreck.
If you have been injured or a loved one died in a San Francisco truck accident, call by phone toll free 800-339-0352 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation at one of our three convenient offices in San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles, Redondo Beach or Torrance.
We have helped hundreds of clients with personal injury claims, and the families of loved ones who died. We will review your claim for free, promptly, and with no obligation on your part. Our work is contingency-based, and we collect no fees unless we recover damages for you.
