According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), of 415,000 crashes involving large trucks that were reported to the police in 2015, 1% of these crashes were fatal, while 20% resulted in injuries. Most fatal crashes involving a large truck involved two vehicles. In California, the number of truck collisions that caused fatalities or injuries declined between 2005 and 2009, according to Caltrans. However, California truck accident statistics show that the highest number of truck accidents happened in Los Angeles County. If you were injured in a truck accident, you should retain an experienced Los Angeles truck accident lawyer at Sharifi Firm to advise you.
Pursuing Legal Action Following a Truck AccidentAfter a truck accident, a truck driver or trucking company or their insurers may try to avoid liability by shifting blame, allowing evidence to be destroyed in the course of business, or using other unsavory tactics. It is crucial to retain an experienced attorney so that you are on equal footing with the truck driver and other potentially responsible parties. Among other things, an experienced attorney can send a letter related to spoliation of evidence to the trucking company to make sure that the other side understands its obligation not to destroy, alter, or conceal evidence about the accident.
If you suffer injuries in a truck accident, you may be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit against the truck driver, trucking company, loader, or truck manufacturer, depending on the cause of the accident. A truck driver who fails to use reasonable care and in failing to use reasonable care causes an accident may be liable under a theory of negligence. However, a trucking company may also have some indirect responsibility for the truck driver's negligence in the course and scope of employment, or it may be directly responsible under theories of negligent hiring, negligent supervision, or negligent training.
Sometimes a loading company is partially to blame for a truck accident. How cargo is loaded onto a truck may affect how much effort it takes to brake and stop the truck and may affect how stable the truck is. A loading company that fails to use reasonable care in loading a tractor-trailer or big rig may be held accountable under a theory of negligence.
A truck manufacturer may be partially or fully to blame for an accident. Often, it may be held accountable under a theory of strict liability, negligence, or breach of warranty. For example, if a truck has a defectively manufactured tire, the manufacturer of the tire or truck may be strictly liable under circumstances in which the defective tire causes a truck driver to collide with a smaller vehicle. California truck accident statistics show that these crashes are not uncommon.
A family member whose loved one dies as a result of negligence or a wrongful act by any of the above parties may be able to bring a wrongful death lawsuit, which is independent of any criminal charges that may be filed in connection with the death. Damages that may be recovered for a wrongful death include medical and hospital bills, lost income, the value of household services, the loss of anticipated financial support, and the loss of love, affection, and guidance.
Consult a Truck Accident Attorney in the Los Angeles RegionCalifornia truck accident statistics show that people continue to be hurt as a result of negligent driving and other causes. At Sharifi Firm, our experienced Los Angeles lawyers may be able to help you recover compensation if you have been hurt in a truck accident. We can evaluate the facts surrounding your accident and determine an appropriate strategy to pursue your damages. Contact us online or at (866) 422-7222 to set up a free consultation with a motor vehicle collision lawyer. Our firm also represents victims in San Bernardino, Temecula, Rancho Cucamonga, Glendale, Covina, and Riverside, among other Southern California cities.