Truck accidents can cause life-altering injuries and financial burdens. If you’ve been injured in a commercial truck accident in California, our truck accident lawyers can help you navigate complex claims, negotiate with insurance companies, and fight for fair compensation.
In the year 2020, there were 107,000 commercial trucks involved in accidents that resulted in injury or death in the United States. California has one of the highest rates of truck accidents in the country.
An accident with a truck can have a horrible impact on a person’s life. You may suffer permanent injury, loss time from work, or lose a loved one to a trucking accident. Medical bills for injuries related to a trucking accident can be astronomical, as well as your lost wages.
If you have been injured in an accident due to the negligence of a commercial truck driver, the attorneys at Caputo and Van Der Walde can help you get compensation for your medical bills and pain and suffering.
Our team of trained attorneys and paralegals have years of experience in San Jose personal injury law. Named Lawyers of Distinction 2022 & 2023, our firm is dedicated to meticulously researching every case we take on. Our attorneys are well-versed in negotiating with insurance companies and are successful trial lawyers.
There are 13 million trucks registered in the United States. Semi-trucks, big rigs, box trucks, and moving vans are all considered commercial trucks. When these vehicles get into an accident, they often collide with more than one vehicle. A truck accident can have a devastating impact on the environment and the community.
Commercial drivers are held to a higher standard than other drivers on the road. Professional drivers need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to get a job. They must pass a drug test to get the job and are given random drug tests. It is also mandatory that trucking companies possess significant liability insurance.
Interstate truck drivers must pass extensive background checks and a physical exam given by a doctor approved by the Department of Transportation.
When a trucker has an accident with injuries or damage to a vehicle that requires towing, the trucking company must make a report to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
If your accident was caused by the negligence of a truck driver, you will file a claim with their insurance carrier. If your injuries are severe, or if they do not have insurance, you can sue the trucking company.
The FMCSA reports that 72% of people injured in trucking accidents are passengers of other vehicles. There are several types of accidents in which trucks are often involved:
Many commercial trucks consist of a cab and a trailer attached by a fifth-wheel connector. When the two parts fold over at the connector, they form the shape of a pocket knife that is partially open. This is called a jackknife.
Jackknife accidents occur when a driver tries to turn or change lanes too quickly or at too wide an angle. The trailer skids and folds into the cab. When a trailer skids into traffic, it often hits several cars. Most of a commercial semi-truck’s weight is in its trailer, which can do major damage to passenger vehicles.
As the name indicates, a rollover accident happens when a commercial vehicle rolls over onto its back or side. This most often happens on a curved road. The centrifugal force of the truck makes it lean in the opposite direction of the curve. If a truck is not loaded properly, the centrifugal force will be so great that it will cause the truck to topple over.
In most cases, rollover accidents are the fault of companies that do not load the vehicles correctly. Drivers who do not handle turns properly may also be at fault. When a commercial vehicle rolls over, it may crush vehicles in its path, trapping the car and driver underneath. It can cause cars on the road to crash into one another. If cargo spills, it often causes major damage to the road.
A head-on collision takes place when two vehicles crash into one another from the front. When one of those vehicles is a truck and the other is a passenger car, the impact on the car will be devastating.
Head-on collisions take place when one vehicle enters the opposite vehicle lane. It can happen when a truck travels the wrong way down a one-way street, or when a driver turns too wide and drives into the lane of a vehicle headed in the opposite direction. It also occurs when a truck passes a vehicle on a single-lane highway.
Rear-end accidents are caused by tailgating, or an inattentive or careless driver. A driver should always stay four seconds behind the car in front of them. If a driver does not maintain this distance and the car in front of them stops suddenly, the two will crash.
Truckers should maintain a longer distance. Because of their weight, they can cause far more damage if they rear-end the car in front of them. A car rear-ended by a truck will often be forced into the vehicle in front of them. A car may also roll under a truck if it rear-ends it.
As members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum® and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum®, we have proven our ability to negotiate and litigate on behalf of our clients successfully. Retain us to put our tactical strategies to work for you. These skills are what make our legal team such a formidable opponent in any courtroom or negotiation setting.