San Jose, CA – Truck accidents are unfortunately very common in California. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), California ranks second, behind Texas, among the states with the most trucking accidents. At the same time, trucking accidents are also the most dangerous of all crashes, often resulting in severe injuries and deaths. That’s to be expected since an 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 lbs when fully loaded. A 4,000 lbs passenger car stands no chance when faced with such a monster on wheels, especially if the truck is also speeding.
Truck accident victims are often left with huge financial losses, not to mention the pain and suffering. If you think the insurance company will gladly offer you all the money you need, you couldn’t be more wrong. If you want to get all the damages you’re entitled to, look up the most experienced San Jose truck accident lawyers and let them tell you how much your claim is worth. Also, you will need reliable lawyers working on your case to determine who may be liable for damages.
What are the most common causes for truck accidents?
According to statistics, the most common causes for truck accidents in California include:
- Reckless driving
- Improper lane switching or turning
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or legal or illegal substances
- Not giving enough stopping or turning space
- Sleep deprivation
- Violation of other commercial motor vehicle laws
Speeding is one of the most common problems and this is particularly dangerous as large trucks require more distance to stop.
How is liability determined in a truck accident?
The police report will include a summary of the events and indicate what was the probable cause of the accident, but you shouldn’t expect the police to go into detail. If you want a thorough investigation into the crash, only seasoned California truck accident lawyers can help you.
Depending on the circumstances, your lawyers will bring in independent experts to investigate the state of the truck, looking for malfunctions or defective parts. If there was a malfunction, you may have a case against the trucking company which is responsible for vehicle maintenance or against the manufacturer of a defective part.
They will also have a look at the way the vehicle was loaded, as any sudden shift of the cargo may make the driver lose control of the truck. You may have a case against the shipping company if the truck was overloaded or the cargo was not properly balanced and secured.
Your lawyers will also request access to the truck’s electronic logging device to check if the trucker complied with federal Hours of Service regulations. If it turns out he wasn’t in compliance with the HoS, your lawyers may build a case against the trucking company for failure to monitor their employee or for directly or indirectly encouraging him to keep driving to get to the destination faster.
If you were recently involved in an accident or have other legal issues and you’re wondering where can I find attorneys near me, don’t worry, help is just a few clicks away. Just follow the link and select your state and city, choose your lawyer, and schedule a free consultation. They’ll take care of your problem in no time.
Join the conversation!