A collision with a commercial truck can be far more serious than an ordinary vehicle accident. Large trucks, tractor-trailers, delivery vehicles, and other commercial vehicles can cause catastrophic injuries and significant property damage when a collision occurs. If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, you may be facing medical bills, lost income, property damage, rehabilitation, and an uncertain future. A truck accident attorney in Los Angeles can help you understand your legal rights and the options available to you after a serious collision.
At Shegerian Conniff, we represent individuals who have suffered injuries and losses and need experienced legal guidance. If you are looking for truck accident lawyers in Los Angeles, our team can evaluate the circumstances of your accident, investigate what happened, and help you understand the potential claims you may have.
Truck Accidents Can Cause Serious Injuries
Commercial trucks are significantly larger and heavier than passenger vehicles. When a truck collides with a car, SUV, motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian, the resulting injuries can be severe.
Depending on the circumstances, truck accident victims may suffer:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Crush injuries
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Permanent disabilities
- Fatal injuries
A truck accident attorney in Los Angeles can investigate the circumstances surrounding your collision and help determine who may be legally responsible for your injuries.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck collisions can occur for many different reasons. Some accidents result from driver error, while others may involve trucking-company practices, vehicle defects, inadequate maintenance, road conditions, or improperly loaded cargo.
Potential causes of truck accidents can include:
Driver Fatigue
Truck drivers can spend long hours on the road. Fatigue can affect reaction time, attention, and judgment. If driver fatigue contributed to an accident, a truck accident attorney in Los Angeles can investigate the circumstances surrounding the driver’s work and driving history.
Distracted Driving
Looking at a phone, interacting with navigation equipment, eating, adjusting controls, or engaging in other distracting activities can take a driver’s attention away from the road. Truck accident lawyers in Los Angeles can investigate whether distracted driving may have contributed to a collision.
Speeding
Large commercial vehicles require substantial distance to slow or stop. Excessive speed can make a collision more difficult to avoid and can increase the severity of an impact.
Improperly Loaded Cargo
Cargo that is improperly loaded, secured, or distributed can create dangerous conditions for a commercial truck and other motorists. A truck accident attorney in Los Angeles can investigate whether cargo-loading issues contributed to a collision.
Inadequate Truck Maintenance
Commercial trucks require regular maintenance and inspection. Brake problems, tire failures, steering problems, lighting issues, and other mechanical defects can contribute to serious accidents.
Unsafe Driving Practices
Following too closely, unsafe lane changes, failure to yield, improper turns, and other driving behaviors can contribute to collisions involving commercial trucks.
Fatal Truck Accidents and Wrongful Death
Some truck collisions result in fatal injuries. When a loved one dies because of injuries sustained in a truck accident, surviving family members may face not only overwhelming grief but also significant financial consequences.
A wrongful death claim may be available in appropriate circumstances. The legal issues involved can depend on the circumstances of the collision, the relationship between the deceased person and the surviving family members, and applicable California law. Truck accident lawyers in Los Angeles can also investigate the circumstances of a fatal truck accident and identify potentially responsible parties.
