Were you injured in a commercial truck crash? A Los Angeles truck accident lawyer can help you investigate the collision, identify the parties responsible, and pursue compensation for your losses. J. Hartley Law Personal Injury Lawyers represents people injured in serious crashes throughout Los Angeles, California. (323) 284-2834 today to schedule a free consultation.
Truck accident claims can be more complicated than ordinary passenger-vehicle cases. Multiple businesses may be involved, important evidence may be controlled by a trucking company, and serious injuries can lead to substantial medical expenses and long-term financial consequences.
Why Choose J. Hartley Law Personal Injury Lawyers to Help After a Truck Accident in Los Angeles, CA?
The attorneys at J. Hartley Law Personal Injury Lawyers have two decades of combined experience and have recovered tens of millions of dollars for injured clients. Our attorneys understand how insurers evaluate claims because of our defense-side experience, and we prepare cases with litigation in mind rather than treating them as routine insurance matters.
If you were injured in a commercial vehicle collision and need a Los Angeles personal injury attorney, our legal team can provide individualized representation tailored to your circumstances.
What Makes Truck Accident Cases Different?
A collision involving a tractor-trailer, delivery truck, or other commercial vehicle may involve issues that do not arise in a typical passenger-car accident.
Truck accident investigations can involve evidence such as:
- Electronic logging device records
- Driver qualification and training records
- Vehicle inspection and maintenance records
- Dispatch and delivery information
- Electronic vehicle data
- Cargo-loading documents
- Drug and alcohol testing records, when applicable
- Photos and videos from the crash scene
- Witness statements
- Company safety policies
Federal hours-of-service rules also limit how long many property-carrying commercial drivers may operate. Subject to applicable exceptions, a driver generally may drive up to 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty and may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty.
Because trucking companies may possess important evidence, beginning an investigation promptly can be important.
Who Can Be Liable for a Truck Accident in Los Angeles?
Liability depends on what caused the crash. The truck driver may be responsible for conduct such as speeding, distracted driving, impairment, unsafe lane changes, following too closely, or driving while fatigued.
However, the driver is not necessarily the only potentially responsible party.
Depending on the facts, a claim could also involve:
- The trucking or motor carrier company
- The truck’s owner
- A maintenance or repair company
- A cargo-loading company
- A manufacturer of defective vehicle parts
- Another driver who contributed to the collision
An attorney can examine the relationships among the companies involved and determine which parties may be legally responsible for the accident.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Los Angeles Truck Crash?
If another party caused your truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for the economic and non-economic harm you suffered.
Depending on your injuries and circumstances, recoverable damages may include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and employment benefits
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disability or disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Truck accidents can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, internal injuries, burns, and other serious conditions. Accurately valuing a claim may require considering not only expenses you have already incurred but also medical treatment and financial losses you are expected to face in the future.
An attorney experienced with serious injury claims can help document these losses and evaluate the insurance coverage and other sources of recovery available.
What if I Was Partly Responsible for the Truck Accident?
California follows a pure comparative fault system. Being partly responsible for a collision does not automatically prevent you from recovering damages. Instead, your compensation can generally be reduced according to your percentage of responsibility.
For example, if you suffered $200,000 in damages but were found 20% responsible for the accident, your recovery could be reduced by 20%, leaving $160,000.
Fault disputes can significantly affect the amount you ultimately recover. Trucking companies and insurers may attempt to place some or all of the blame on another driver, making evidence from the collision especially important.
How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in California?
California generally gives an injured person two years from the date of an injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing the applicable statute of limitations can prevent you from pursuing compensation through the courts.
However, different deadlines may apply in certain situations. Claims involving government entities, for example, can be subject to much shorter claim-presentation requirements.
You do not have to wait until the deadline approaches to speak with a lawyer. Acting sooner may give your legal team more time to obtain trucking records, locate witnesses, preserve electronic information, and document the circumstances of the crash.
Contact a Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer Today for a Free Consultation
A serious commercial truck accident can leave you facing medical treatment, time away from work, and uncertainty about your financial future. You do not have to deal with the trucking company and its insurers alone.
J. Hartley Law Personal Injury Lawyers can investigate your collision, preserve evidence, identify potentially liable parties, and pursue compensation for your injuries and other losses. With two decades of combined experience and tens of millions of dollars recovered for clients, our team is prepared to handle complex injury claims.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a Los Angeles truck accident attorney and discuss your legal options.