Hit by a truck in Sacramento? Talk to a truck accident lawyer for free

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp takes truck accident cases from Sacramento, including crashes with semi trucks, delivery trucks and other commercial vehicles. The phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

The firm has recovered over $350 million for clients since 2010. The sections below cover its truck and other vehicle crash results, what to do after a truck crash, who can be responsible, the trucking rules that can matter, the evidence to preserve, the deadlines and the roads and agencies that handle truck crashes in Sacramento.

Table of Contents

Which CHP office handles a truck crash on a Sacramento freeway?

It depends on where the crash happened. The California Highway Patrol’s North Sacramento Area office, at 5109 Tyler Street, Sacramento, CA 95841, patrols sections of I-5, I-80, State Route 51 (the Business 80 loop), State Route 160 and State Route 99 in northern Sacramento County. Its South Sacramento Area office, at 6 Massie Court, Sacramento, CA 95823, patrols sections of I-5, State Route 99, US 50 and Business 80. The officer at the scene can tell you which office is taking the report.

Truck and other vehicle crash results

Results the firm has obtained, as shown on its case results page, include:

$3,000,000: Semi Truck Crash
$2,350,000: Transport Van Crash
$2,350,000: Airport Shuttle vs. Car
$2,300,000: County Vehicle Crash

Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

What to do after a truck crash in Sacramento

Call 911 if anyone is hurt, and get medical care the same day. A driver involved in a crash that injures someone must stop at the scene (Vehicle Code section 20001).

Ask the officer for the report number. On city streets, the Sacramento Police Department takes a report at the scene when someone is seriously injured or killed, a driver is under the influence, a driver flees and the license plate is obtained, or city property is involved. Its collision reports can be bought online for $5. Hit-and-run, serious-injury and fatal crash reports are not available online; request them by mail from Sacramento Police Department, Attn: Records Report Requests, 5770 Freeport Blvd., Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95822.
Photograph the truck, your vehicle, the road and your injuries.
Write down the trucking company’s name and the USDOT number on the cab door, and the license plates.
Get the names and phone numbers of witnesses.
Do not give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer before you have legal advice.
Keep every medical bill and record, and a list of the work you miss.

Who can be responsible for a truck crash

Who is responsible depends on the facts. Possible defendants include:

The truck driver. Everyone is responsible for an injury caused to another by a lack of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person (Civil Code section 1714).
The trucking company that employs the driver. An employer is generally responsible for an employee’s negligence within the scope of employment. California law makes a principal responsible to third persons for the negligence of its agent in the transaction of the business of the agency (Civil Code section 2338). Under the California civil jury instructions, conduct is within the scope of employment if it is reasonably related to the kinds of tasks the employee was employed to perform, or reasonably foreseeable in light of the employer’s business or the employee’s job responsibilities (CACI No. 3720).
A company that loaded or secured the cargo. Federal rules require cargo on a commercial motor vehicle to be secured so it does not leak, spill, blow or fall from the vehicle, or shift in a way that affects the vehicle’s stability or maneuverability (49 CFR 393.100). A company whose poor loading or securing caused a crash may share responsibility.
A company that maintained or repaired the truck, if its lack of ordinary care in that work caused the crash.
The manufacturer of a defective part, such as brakes or tires. Under Greenman v. Yuba Power Products, Inc. (1963), a manufacturer is strictly liable in tort when a product it places on the market, knowing it will be used without inspection for defects, has a defect that causes injury.

In a negligence case, the injured person’s own negligence does not bar recovery. Under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975), it reduces the damages in proportion to that person’s share of the negligence.

Trucking rules that can matter in a claim

Federal motor carrier safety rules apply to employers, employees and commercial motor vehicles that transport property or passengers in interstate commerce (49 CFR 390.3T). For property-carrying trucks, they include:

Hours of service. A driver may not drive without first taking 10 consecutive hours off duty. The driver may then drive a total of 11 hours, and may not drive after 14 consecutive hours have passed since coming on duty. Driving is not permitted if more than 8 hours of driving time have passed without a break of at least 30 consecutive minutes, with exceptions for some short-haul drivers (49 CFR 395.3).
Electronic logging devices. Carriers subject to these rules generally must have each driver record his or her duty status on an electronic logging device, with limited exceptions. Carriers must keep drivers’ duty status records and supporting documents for at least 6 months (49 CFR 395.8).
Inspection and maintenance. Carriers must systematically inspect, repair and maintain the vehicles they control and keep records of that work (49 CFR 396.3). Drivers generally must report in writing, at the end of each day’s work, any defect they found or were told about that would affect safe operation (49 CFR 396.11). Each truck must pass a periodic inspection at least once every 12 months (49 CFR 396.17).
Minimum insurance. For-hire carriers hauling nonhazardous property in interstate or foreign commerce, in vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, must maintain at least $750,000 in financial responsibility for public liability, such as insurance. Higher minimums apply to some hazardous materials (49 CFR 387.7 and 387.9).

California has its own rules for many trucks that stay in the state. For example, its driver hours-of-service rules apply to intrastate motor carriers and drivers (California Code of Regulations, title 13, section 1212). Which rules apply depends on the truck, the carrier and the trip.

Evidence to preserve after a truck crash

Photos of the vehicles, the cargo, the road, skid marks, signs and lighting, taken as soon as it is safe
The trucking company’s name, its USDOT number and the license plates. Carriers covered by the federal rules must display the company name and USDOT number on both sides of the truck (49 CFR 390.21).
Names and phone numbers of witnesses
Medical records and bills from the first visit onward

A truck may also hold electronic data. A 2001 report to Congress from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration describes electronic control modules that can gather vehicle and event data around a crash, such as vehicle speed and brake pedal and throttle position. An electronic logging device records the driver’s duty status. The federal rules require carriers to keep duty status records for at least 6 months and daily vehicle inspection reports for three months (49 CFR 395.8; 49 CFR 396.11), so a prompt written request asking the trucking company to preserve this data and these records can matter.

Deadlines for a Sacramento truck accident claim

Deadline	What it controls	Source
6 months after accrual	Written personal injury claim against a public entity, such as the City of Sacramento, Sacramento County, SacRT or the state	Government Code section 911.2
6 months after notice	Lawsuit after the public entity personally delivers or mails written notice rejecting the claim	Government Code section 945.6
2 years after accrual	Lawsuit for an injury caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another	Code of Civil Procedure sections 312 and 335.1

Some of these deadlines have exceptions, including a late-claim application to a public entity, which is possible within limits (Government Code section 911.4).

Subject to exceptions, the superior court in the county where the injury occurred is a proper court for a personal injury lawsuit (Code of Civil Procedure section 395). For an injury in Sacramento, that is the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento. Its Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse, 720 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, handles civil cases.

Roads and trucking routes in Sacramento

I-5, I-80, US 50, State Route 99 and Business 80 are among the freeways the two CHP offices named above patrol in Sacramento County. The CHP also handles crashes on unincorporated county roads.

About the firm

The firm does not have an office in Sacramento. It takes cases from Sacramento, and its core service area is the San Francisco Bay Area and Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties. Its main office is in Lower Lake (9667 Highway 29), and its other offices are in San Francisco (1330 Bush Street, Suite 9D) and Santa Rosa (3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200).

The firm was named to Best Law Firms 2026 (Tier 1, Santa Rosa, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs). Founding attorney Jesse Chrisp, who was born in Santa Rosa, has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America since 2024. He was selected to Northern California Rising Stars from 2013 to 2021, an honor awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys in the state. He has represented thousands of injured clients and holds the record for the highest personal injury verdict in Lake County. He is also a graduate of the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College. The firm has Spanish-speaking staff.

In a review shown on the firm’s testimonials page, Jonathan Miller wrote: “The team was very professional and responsive and helped me reach a speedy settlement based on my recovery time.”

Frequently asked questions

Who pays my medical bills after a truck crash in Sacramento?

If the truck driver or trucking company is legally responsible, its liability insurance is usually the main source of payment for your injuries, including medical bills. Until the claim is resolved, your own health insurance, or medical payments coverage on your auto policy if you have it, may help, depending on the policy terms.

How much insurance does a truck have to carry?

Federal rules set a minimum. For-hire carriers hauling nonhazardous property in interstate commerce, in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more, must have at least $750,000 in financial responsibility for public liability (49 CFR 387.9). A carrier’s actual coverage depends on its policies.

Can I sue the trucking company and not just the driver?

Often, if the driver was working for the company. A principal is responsible to third persons for the negligence of its agent in the transaction of the business of the agency (Civil Code section 2338). Whether the driver was acting within the scope of employment, and who else may share responsibility, depends on the facts.

How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit?

Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1). If the City of Sacramento, Sacramento County, SacRT or another public entity is involved, a written claim is generally due within six months (Government Code section 911.2).

Where can I meet a truck accident lawyer if I live in Sacramento, and what does it cost?

The firm does not have an office in Sacramento. Its offices are in Lower Lake (main office), San Francisco and Santa Rosa, and it takes cases from Sacramento. The consultation is free, and the firm works on a contingency fee. There is no fee unless we win. The phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

If you were hurt in a truck crash in Sacramento, call the Law Offices of J. Chrisp 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477) for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win.

Why choose the Law Offices of J. Chrisp?

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp is a Northern California personal injury law firm founded by attorney Jesse Chrisp, who was raised in Lake County. The firm represents injured people, with offices in Lower Lake (main office), Santa Rosa and San Francisco, and serves Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area. Consultations are free, the firm works on a contingency fee with no fee unless the firm wins, and the phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477). The firm was named to Best Law Firms 2026 (Tier 1, Santa Rosa, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs). Jesse Chrisp has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America since 2024 and selected to Super Lawyers from 2023 to 2026.