What You Should Do After a Truck Accident in California
Commercial vehicles are much larger than the other passenger vehicles they share the roads with, so the size difference alone usually accounts for people involved in accidents with commercial trucks suffering very serious injuries. Wrecks involving 18-wheelers and other commercial trucks can also be extraordinarily complex to investigate.
Did you suffer serious injuries or was your loved one killed in a commercial truck accident in California? The Los Angeles Injury Group represents truck accident victims throughout the greater Los Angeles area. You can have our experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer review your case and answer all of your legal questions as soon as you call (310) 954-7248 to receive a free consultation.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in California
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), large trucks and buses were involved in 87,000 crashes resulting in injuries in 2015 and 342,000 crashes causing property damage only. The 4,311 fatal crashes that large trucks and buses were involved in that same year marked an 8 percent increase from the prior year.
Trucking companies are required to comply with numerous federal regulations, and it is not uncommon for some commercial truck crashes to involve violations of these regulations. Commercial trucks not only require properly trained drivers, but the vehicles themselves need to be properly maintained and loaded in order to ensure the safety of all other drivers on the road.
A few of the more frequent causes of commercial truck crashes include, but are not limited to:
- Driver fatigue
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Failure to obey traffic control devices
- Distracted driving
- Reckless driving
- Lack of driver training
- Brake failure
- Defective parts
- Lack of vehicle maintenance
- Overloaded truck
- Actions of other motorists
Steps You Should Take After a Commercial Truck Accident in California
When a person has been involved in a collision with a commercial truck, the first thing that he or she should do is seek medical attention. Even when an individual thinks that he or she was not hurt, certain injuries (such as whiplash) may involve delayed symptoms and insurance companies will use any delay in treatment to argue that injuries were not that serious.
Another important action for truck accident victims to take is to try and photograph the crash scene. When a person is unable to do this because of the need for medical care, a friend or family member should take pictures for him or her.
People should also make sure to get the contact information from all witnesses to the accident. Simply ask for names and phone numbers or email addresses—something that will allow these people to be contacted by an attorney.
And speaking of an attorney, the last but most important step for truck accident victims to take is to immediately retain legal counsel. You should contact Los Angeles Injury Group as soon as possible.
Find a Truck Accident Attorney in California
If you sustained catastrophic injuries or your loved one was killed in a commercial truck crash in California, it is in your best interest to quickly seek legal representation. Contact the Los Angeles Injury Group as soon as possible.
Our experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer can fight to help you get all of the compensation you are entitled to for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. Call (310) 954-7248 or contact us online to have our firm provide a complete evaluation of your case.