Truck Accidents

When involved in a collision with a truck, victims can be overwhelmed by multiple attorneys and insurance company representatives on the other side. This experience can be intimidating, especially when these victims are also dealing with serious, sometimes life-altering, injuries. Orange County truck accident attorneys at the Serendib Law Firm are dedicated to making sure these victims not only feel safe and heard, but also that they receive the maximum amount of financial compensation due to them in their time of need. When you suffer a severe injury, or lose a loved one, as a result of a truck crash, legal action is often the furthest thing from your mind. However, making sure you have the resources to cover the costs of recovery is important to your future. At the Serendib Law Firm, we focus on your legal needs so that you can focus on getting better. If you need legal guidance following a collision involving a truck, please contact our office today to see how we can help.

Federal law regulates the trucking industry to keep roadways as safe as possible. When a truck driver, or trucking company, fails to adhere to these regulations, serious accidents and injury to others often occur. If you’ve been involved in a collision with a truck, a knowledgeable truck accident lawyer in Orange County can determine if federal regulations were violated. Common causes of these truck accidents include:

• Failure to properly inspect or maintain a vehicle.
• Speeding due to strict delivery deadlines.
• Improperly loaded cargo.
• Fatigue caused by drivers failing to take required breaks.
• Driver distraction.

Truck crashes can lead to catastrophic injuries including multiple broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, as well as neck and back injuries. Unfortunately, too often, these injuries can be fatal. Victims may need to pursue personal injury or wrongful death claims to ensure they recover the damages they are entitled to.

Often it is a truck driver’s negligent action that leads to a collision. Legally, a defendant’s negligence is shown by proving that they owed a duty of reasonable care to the victim, known as the plaintiff; that duty was breached by the defendant’s action; the breach caused the plaintiff’s injuries or death, and that the plaintiff sustained damages as a result. Having an experienced Southern California truck accident attorney on your side will make sure you have the proper evidence to support the elements in these complex cases. Trucking companies can also be held liable for the negligent acts of their employees when an employee is acting on behalf of their employer and within the scope of their employment. For example, a driver who causes an accident because of their excessive speeding to get to their destination at a certain time.

Some parties in these cases go through great lengths to avoid liability, including taking measures to compromise evidence. ‘Spoliation’ refers to when a party with a vested interest in the outcome of litigation either negligently or intentionally destroys or loses vital evidence. This practice is particularly detrimental to plaintiffs who bear the burden of proof in personal injury claims and often lack immediate access to important evidence, such as a truck’s log books. When spoliation occurs, a court can render harsh sanctions against the offending party, including a default judgment in favor of the non-offending party. Once liability is established, truck accident victims can be compensated for any property loss, past and future medical costs, lost income, and diminished earning capacity, as well as emotional distress damages. Family members who have lost loved ones in a fatal crash may recover expenses for burial or funeral arrangements as well as loss of support.

In the aftermath of a truck accident, victims are left with many questions, not the least of which is how they are going to afford their recovery expenses. The Serendib Law Firm is committed to helping clients answer that question with quick and appropriate legal action against those responsible. Our truck accident attorneys assist victims in Southern California, including Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties. Please contact our office today at 1-800-LAW-8225 (800-529-8825) or online to speak with a lawyer about your potential claims.