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While we rely on the roads, highways, and interstates to get us from place to place, they always pose a dangerous threat to drivers and passengers. While most people think of accidents as involving cars and passenger vehicles, truck crashes are actually quite common.
Due to the sheer size and strength of trucks, these accidents are often some of the most perilous on the road. If you or a loved one have sustained personal injuries from a truck-related accident or crash, it’s imperative to seek immediate medical and legal attention.
Proving liability and filing claims is often more difficult in a trucking accident.
That’s because there are many different factors involved, including the:
Parties involved. While it may appear to be just you and the truck driver, there are actually a number of parties that could potentially be involved. These include the truck driver, the trucking company, the manufacturer of the truck, and more.
Trucker. The driver of the truck will have to be investigated closely to determine credentials, training, licensing, mental state, and other factors.
Driver’s logs. One of the major culprits of trucking accidents is driver fatigue. Investigators will want to review driver’s logs to confirm that both federal and state laws, rules, and regulations on rest periods were obeyed.
Vehicle. The vehicle also plays an important role in a personal injury case. Records will need to be presented and reviewed to look at factors such as truck maintenance, required inspections, testing and loading records, and more.
If you are involved in an accident with a truck, be sure to contact a lawyer immediately. At the Law Offices of J.Chrisp, we have extensive experience dealing with trucking accidents and know what information to collect, what to investigate, and whom to speak with.
Since so many different parties can be involved in an accident, you may be able to recover damages from multiple sources. For example, if a tired driver hit you from behind on the highway, you may be able to recover damages from the driver, the trucking company, and the manufacturer of faulty tires on the truck.
Our truck accident attorneys in Northern California can help you determine which parties may be liable for your losses.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
In many cases, determining who is liable for a truck accident is dependent on determining how the accident occurred. The cause of the accident will typically point to the liable person or party; if multiple factors played a role in the collision, it may be possible to recover compensation from multiple sources.
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:
Driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
Distracted driving, including using a cell phone, texting, or eating behind the wheel
Fatigued driving/falling asleep while driving
Failing to take mandated rest breaks/forging hours-of-service logs
Speeding and other reckless/unlawful driving behaviors
Traffic law violations
Improper truck maintenance/truck repairs
Failure to conduct background checks on drivers
Failure to conduct alcohol/drug testing on drivers
Inadequate truck driver training/supervision
Defective truck design
Defective truck parts, including tires, brakes, signals, etc.
Unsafe and/or faulty road design or construction
Our Northern California truck accident lawyers conduct exhaustive investigations into every case in order to determine exactly how an accident occurred and, therefore, who is liable for your injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. We encourage you to reach out to us as soon as possible to discuss the details of your situation with an experienced truck accident attorney at our firm.
What Do You Do If You Get Hit by an 18-Wheeler?
Chances are, if you were involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler or another large commercial vehicle, you have sustained significant injuries. Frequently, these accidents result in catastrophic injuries and victims need immediate emergency medical attention at the scene of the accident. Even if you seemingly only suffered minor injuries, it’s critical that you see a doctor, as you may have underlying, yet-unnoticed injuries.
But, after receiving medical attention, you may be wondering what comes next. How do you begin to deal with the massive medical bills, lost income, and other financial, physical, and emotional challenges caused by the accident?
One of the best and most important things you can do after a truck accident is to contact an experienced personal injury attorney. Truck accident claims are not like other types of motor vehicle collision claims; often, you will need to take on large trucking companies and their insurance providers in order to recover compensation for your damages. These parties frequently have large legal teams of their own whose only goal is to limit payouts and reduce media attention by offering quick—but low—settlements. If you accept such a settlement, you could find that your ongoing expenses soon exceed your settlement, but by then, it’s too late to fight for more.
Enlisting an attorney early on can help you have a much better chance of recovering the actual full settlement you are owed. Our truck accident attorneys thoroughly investigate these claims in order to determine who is liable and whether there are multiple potential sources of recovery. We also look at the full scope of your injuries and other damages, including your future losses. From there, we are able to negotiate for a settlement that covers all of your current and future costs. And, when trucking companies and their insurance providers are not willing to settle your case or dispute your claim, we are fully prepared to aggressively represent you at trial.
Personal Injury: Semi-Truck Crash
If you have been involved in a truck crash in Lake County, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, or the surrounding areas, there is much to consider when it comes to selecting a personal injury attorney.
You should choose us because of our:
Dedication. At the Law Offices of J.Chrisp, we are 100 percent focused on personal injury law, with no other areas of practice. Many firms dabble in real estate law, tax law, family law, personal injury law, and any number of other areas, but we are dedicated only to personal injury. This allows us to remain highly knowledgeable and current. We believe in eliminating distractions and focusing on what matters to our clients.
Proven track record. At the Law Offices of J.Chrisp, we can back up our claims with proven statistics and numbers. Over the last nine years, we have successfully concluded thousands of individual cases. Through these cases, we have obtained millions of dollars for our clients. For more information on specific case facts and figures, ask to see some of our recent results.
Care. While most lawyers see dollar signs when a personal injury case approaches them, we see a person. More specifically, we see a person with a story. That’s why our attorneys treat you with kindness and care. We are happy to provide a firm shoulder to lean on and can meet you in your home, at the hospital, or at the scene of the accident.
“They were very helpful in ensuring I was properly paid for all and any medical costs related to the injury.”
“Went the extra mile to help reduce our medical bills and we are very grateful for his efforts.”
“The settlement was far above the offers from the insurance adjusters initial ridiculously low offer.”
“Jesse has a phenomenal balance of assertiveness and strength along with warmth and approachability (to his clients).”
“He literally got me 11x more than what the others had tried to get me to settle for.”
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Serving Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino & Lake Counties
For more information on how we can help you, contact the Law Offices of J.Chrisp at (415) 360-1919. You can rely on our truck accident lawyers in Northern California to pursue the maximum compensation to which you are entitled. We also offer our services in Spanish.
