Dedicated Truck Accident Lawyers in Santa Ana, CA
There are nearly 500,000 truck accidents in the United States per year. While not all of these accidents cause injury, the most recent large truck and bus crash facts from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration suggest that 119,000 large truck crashes result in injury per year. The aftermath of a car or truck accident can have devastating results, and they can cause prolonged suffering, both emotional and physical, in those who have been through them.
If you have experienced a truck accident in the Orange County area, our truck accident lawyer in Santa Ana can help you understand how to manage your case and get maximum compensation for injuries you have endured. If you or a loved one has experienced a truck accident, the least of your worries should be fighting overwhelming legal battles. That’s where Riverview Accident Lawyers can help make your life just a little easier as you recover from your injuries.
Causes of Trucking Accidents in Santa Ana, CA
Semi truck accidents can be caused by many factors, but there are certain factors that we have seen most prominently in our practice. Some of these trucking accidents may be the fault of the drivers, but some of the responsibility may be in the hands of the trucking companies who employ the drivers. Truck accident cases are unique in that there are extra regulations that truck drivers have to follow.
Truck accident research suggests that some of the most common causes of truck accidents are:
Speeding and traffic violations: When drivers disobey traffic rules, they can cause major motor vehicle accidents and can be held responsible for their actions. Drivers can be pushed to drive faster than they should.
Maintenance problems: Commercial vehicles need to be properly maintained by the truck driver or the trucking company. Some companies try to cut expenses by cutting corners, leading to tragic errors.
Too much cargo: Drivers with too much load may struggle to control their trucks. The lack of control can cause a trucking accident in various ways. When cargo is not loaded properly, there is an imbalance in the bed, making the truck more likely to tip over.
Distracted driving: If drivers are distracted, especially in a harder to control vehicle, accidents can easily occur. Texting, eating, and other distractions can cause accidents.
Rough weather conditions: When the weather is less than ideal, it might be hard for drivers to keep control of their trucks.
Faults on the road: The road may have damage that results in truck drivers losing control, like potholes, faded lane segmentations, or broken traffic lights.
Driver fatigue: When drivers are exhausted, they cannot drive properly. There are laws in place that place limitations on drivers so that they are not overly exhausted, yet drivers do still sometimes drive overly tired. Fatigue can have the same effect on drivers as alcohol.
Inexperienced drivers: Inexperienced drivers, sometimes in combination with other above factors, can struggle to control trucks and react to any issues.
Other issues may also arise in truck accidents; however, the above list covers some of the most common problems that cause truck collisions. These are the issues we tend to see in our practice, so we understand how to build cases and then tailor-fit them based on the unique circumstances.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
The enormity of trucks means that they can cause particularly immense injuries. These injuries can cause long-term and permanent damage that makes it hard for people to do things such as tend to their families or work. Our firm understands how debilitating these injuries can be. We’ve seen many of the most common truck-related injuries.
Cuts and bruises: Cuts and bruises can cause a lot of pain, and they often add extra pain to the other injuries that those in accidents experience.
Neck and back injuries: Neck and back injuries can be especially harmful, primarily when severe spinal damage occurs. These injuries can cause people to be paralyzed or severely limit their mobility.
Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries: Concussions are common in accidents. These damages can make it impossible for people to complete work tasks and make it painful to do what they enjoy.
Whiplash: Whiplash is one of the most common injuries in accidents and occurs when a vehicle comes to an abrupt stop, forcing the neck back and forth in a violent motion.
Severe Emotional Stress: After a car accident, some people don’t feel like themselves, and they may become more moody or depressed. Many emotional problems can be just as intense as physical ones.
Post-traumatic stress disorder: PTSD stems from traumatic experiences and causes distressing side effects. This mental health condition can cause irritability, flashbacks, nightmares, and other issues.
Types of Trucks That Cause Accidents
There are several types of trucks that can cause serious damage, and for all of these types of trucks, you may be able to get compensation for any damages you have to endure.
● Flatbed trucks
● Construction trucks
● Sanitation trucks
● Delivery trucks
● Semi-trucks
● Tanker trucks
● Public transportation: city buses or school buses
How Much Compensation Can I Get for a Truck Accident?
There’s no way to say how much you could get from your truck accident without knowing the types of damages that you have endured and the exact nature of the accident. To give good feedback on this question, we would have to analyze your case. Every case is unique, so the compensation is unique too.
Types of Damages
Under California law, there are many types of damages that you can receive from a truck accident injury. Many people don’t realize that they can ask for full and fair compensation beyond medical expenses or property damage. Some damages are more concrete in how we calculate them, while others are more subjective, which is why having a team of experienced legal professionals can help you determine a more accurate number for your accident some of the damages you can calculate are disfigurement, physical pain, emotional pain, medical bills, past/future lost income and damaged property. We’ll help you determine how all these expenses add up, and we’ll ensure you get the most money you can to help ease your suffering.
Determining Fault in a Truck Accident
Some states have “no-fault” accident laws. In these cases, each driver deals with their insurance agency to get coverage. However, California uses fault to determine who pays what, so the person injured will go to the insurer of the person at fault to get their payment.
Communicating with insurance companies can be strenuous, so it’s often easier to involve a lawyer who can communicate on your behalf and seek a better settlement. Insurance companies want to pay as little as possible, so they’ll try to take advantage of those unaware or without the energy to fight for more compensation.
California’s Statute of Limitations
When you’re filing a case, you need to be aware of the statute of limitations because once the statute of limitations has run out, you can no longer file your case. In California, the statute of limitations starts from the date the accident occurred and lasts for two years. Acting promptly is advisable. When you wait to file, it may be harder to build a strong case, but as long as the two years have not run out, you can pursue a case.
How a Santa Ana Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
An experienced truck accident lawyer in Santa Ana can act in a number of ways to improve your settlement. There are several reasons why it is advantageous to have a lawyer on your side.
For instance, at Riverview Accident Lawyers, we investigate what happened to cause your accident and piece the evidence together to build our case. Other benefits to working with our personal injury law firm include:
● We negotiate with the other parties involved and advocate for what’s best for you.
● We help you set goals for what you want to get out of your case and how we plan to reach them with you.
● When decisions have to be made, we give our clients the best legal advice we can so that they can make informed decisions.
● Throughout the process, we communicate with our clients to ensure we’re all on the same page. Transparency ensures that our clients are never left behind or confused.
● We provide important insight to clients who may be unfamiliar with how settlements work.
● We know how to best use resources to get the desired results.
You won’t always have the energy or time to do all the tasks that we can do. We know how to complete our goals as efficiently as possible. If you’ve been in a truck accident, you’ve got better things to do than to deal with the other parties. Finding a legal team will save you headaches, and it will also get you more compensation.
Contact Us For a Free Consultation
If you're in need of a trusted Santa Ana truck accident lawyer, Riverview Accident Lawyers can help. Our staff is committed to giving our clients the most amenable outcomes possible. We have fought for years to provide our clients with the best, and we will continue to fight for their interests. If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, you can schedule a free consultation with us.
During this consultation, our truck accident lawyer will go through every aspect of your accident and injuries to determine whether you have a potential truck accident claim to recover from. Truck accidents can be emotionally and physically damaging, and with empathy and diligence, we offer our full support to truck accident victims in need of expert legal representation.
