Santa Clarita Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck Accident Attorneys in Santa Clarita, CA

A Brief Summary of the Following Article

• Responsibility: Identifying liable parties in California truck accidents may involve multiple potential defendants, such as drivers, companies, manufacturers, or government entities. Multiple parties can share responsibility, complicating claims.
• Fault Calculation: California employs a pure comparative negligence system, where fault is apportioned among parties in a personal injury lawsuit. This affects the compensation each party is eligible to receive based on their percentage of fault.
• Proving Liability: To claim compensation, one must demonstrate another’s liability through proving duty of care, breach of this duty (negligence), causation linking the negligence to the injury, and the resultant monetary loss.
• Legal Support: An attorney from Setareh Law can significantly aid in a truck accident claim by handling investigations, negotiations, and legal procedures, ensuring proper filing and maximizing potential compensation.

Large trucks, such as delivery vehicles or semis, are a vital component of the transportation industry and economy. However, when a small vehicle is involved in an accident with a large commercial truck, the outcome can be catastrophic. The size and weight of these vehicles mean that a small vehicle is often no match for a large truck in a crash.

At Setareh Law, we know how dangerous trucking accidents can be and how they can affect your life. We are dedicated to helping truck accident victims obtain the full and fair compensation they deserve. In this article, we will discuss the unique aspects of truck accidents and how a skilled Santa Clarita injury lawyer can help you recover the maximum compensation for your injuries and damages.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents?

Truck accidents can be caused by a variety of factors. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

Driver Fatigue

Truckers often drive long hours and may suffer from fatigue and exhaustion. This can lead to impaired judgment, slower reaction times, and an increased risk of accidents. While there are laws and technology in place to help prevent driver fatigue, it is still one of the leading causes of truck accidents.

Improper Maintenance

If a semi-truck is not properly maintained, it can lead to mechanical failure, which can cause an accident. When an accident occurs due to improper maintenance, the lawyer may need to look at several parties, including the trucking company, the mechanic, the parts supplier, or even the manufacturer of the truck to determine liability.

Driver Distraction

Distracted driving is a major cause of truck accidents, as drivers may be texting, talking on the phone, or eating while driving. Many companies are now installing cameras in their trucks to help monitor drivers and reduce distractions. Additionally, these cameras can also be used to determine liability in the event of an accident.

Unsecured or Improperly Loaded Cargo

18-wheeler trucks can carry large and heavy loads. If cargo is not properly secured, it can shift during transit, causing the truck to become unbalanced, which can lead to an accident. Similarly, if the load was not correctly distributed amongst the axles, it can cause the truck to become too heavy, also potentially leading to an accident. In some circumstances, cargo may become dislodged and exit the truck, resulting in new hazards and obstacles on the road and making driving safely more difficult.

Poor Road Conditions

Poorly maintained roads or hazardous weather conditions can also lead to truck accidents. In these cases, the government agency responsible for maintaining the roads may be liable for the accident.

Driver Inexperience

Truck drivers often need to obtain a special license to drive large trucks and must be well-trained to operate them safely. If an inexperienced driver is involved in an accident, the trucking company may be liable for the accident,  especially when there is improper licensing and incomplete training or on-site education.

Due to the complex nature of trucking regulations and the various parties involved, it’s important to have a skilled truck accident lawyer on your side to help you navigate the legal process and get you the compensation you deserve.

Compensation For Commercial Truck Accidents

The amount of compensation you may be entitled to depends on the specific circumstances of your case. Your lawyer can help you understand what damages may be available and how to calculate the total value of your claim. Some of the damages you may be able to recover include:

Medical Expenses

The injuries involved in large truck accidents can be extensive and costly. Your lawyer can help you calculate the total cost of your medical expenses, including past and future costs, and will fight to hold the liable party responsible for those costs.

Lost Wages

If your injuries prevent you from working, you may be able to recover lost wages from the party responsible for the accident. You may be able to collect both current and future lost wages. Depending on the extent of your injuries, you may also be able to recover compensation for lost earning potential as well.

Pain and Suffering

The physical and emotional pain and suffering caused by a truck accident can be significant. You may be entitled to compensation for the physical pain, emotional distress, and other losses associated with the accident. 

The way this and other non-economic damages is calculated will depend on exacerbating factors. For example, someone may receive compensation for monetary losses, multiplied by five if they experience severe pain and suffering and reduction of quality of life. Your attorney can explain more about this process if you have any questions.

Punitive Damages

In cases involving egregious negligence or recklessness, you may be able to recover punitive damages from the liable party. Punitive damages are meant as a punishment for the defendant and are designed to dissuade similar behavior by other parties in the future.

Wrongful Death

If the negligence of another party resulted in the death of a loved one, you may be able to recover wrongful death damages. These damages may include medical expenses, funeral costs, lost wages, and other losses suffered by the deceased’s family.

Who Is Responsible for Truck Accidents in California?

Typically, when someone gets hurt in a truck accident due to no fault of their own, another person is responsible for the injuries and related losses. Depending on the circumstances, it can be difficult to determine who is responsible for your damages. Any of the following parties might be involved in your claim:

• Another driver
• Pedestrians or passengers
• Truck company owner
• Driver for the company truck
• Owner or renter of the property
• Employee or employer of the premises
• Part or vehicle manufacturers
• Designers or distributors of relevant equipment
• City or state government entities

Depending on the circumstances, additional parties might also be liable. There are also cases where more than one individual is responsible and needs to be held accountable for your losses. Our team at Setareh Law can help you determine who is liable and how to hold them accountable.

How is Fault Calculated in a California Truck Accident?

In California, whenever a personal injury claim is filed, court personnel use pure comparative negligence to calculate fault of every party. Truck accidents resulting in serious injuries generally fall under jurisdiction of personal injury law, so this practice would also be used in this case. In pure comparative negligence, legal personnel analyze the circumstances and determine who is most at fault for the incident. Each party receives a percentage of fault ranging from 0% to 100%.

The percentages calculated with pure comparative negligence determine how much compensation each party can receive, and anyone less than 100% responsible is eligible to receive at least some compensation for their losses.

Suppose a truck driver, owned by a company Party A, ignores the speed limit and crashes into Party B. Party A might be given 100% of the responsibility. If Party B faced $40,000 in damages, Party A would owe the victim total compensation. However, if Party B was partially responsible for any reason, some financial recovery would be reduced.

A lawyer from Setareh Law can support you in many ways throughout this difficult legal process.

How Do You Prove Liability in Your Truck Accident Case?

To receive compensation for your losses after a truck accident, you must demonstrate that another person is liable for your injuries. There are four essential elements to prove liability in your claim, including:

Duty of Care

In short, duty of care is the responsibility to prioritize the safety of others whose decisions could impact them. Trucking companies, for example, have a duty of care in multiple areas to ensure that every part of their business is done safely. 

Companies are responsible for hiring drivers and other employees with appropriate experience, training employees without adequate knowledge of best practices, maintaining the working order of their vehicles, and much more.

Negligence

Negligence refers to a breach of duty of care or failure to practice tasks based on safety protocol. For example, if a trucking company forces drivers to continue working longer than is legally permissible, they are negligent and increase the risk of injury for others. This is because a driver who has been working for too long is likely to fall asleep on the road, be distracted, or otherwise make mistakes while driving.

Causation

Negligence does not automatically mean someone will get hurt, and the presence of injuries does not immediately relate to another person’s negligence. Negligence and injuries must be connected, meaning the negligence must have had an impact on the presence or severity of a victim’s bodily harm.

If you have been in a truck accident, you can demonstrate causation by seeking medical attention immediately. Showing medical documents to court personnel will often be sufficient to connect your healthcare with the incident at hand. We encourage you to seek medical attention as soon as possible after the accident, as this will help demonstrate causation during your claim.

Monetary Loss

To receive compensation, you must demonstrate that you face monetary loss related to the incident. You can also receive compensation for non-economic losses once you show that you face objective financial losses related to the incident, such as medical bills, property damage, and lost wages from work. Economic losses may include pain and suffering, for example.

Reach Out to our Truck Accident Attorneys at Setareh Law Today

As we’ve discussed, truck accident cases can be far more complex than other types of personal injury cases. At Setareh Law, we have the expansive experience necessary to handle the complexities of these cases and help you obtain the full and fair compensation you deserve. We also have a track record of bringing complete and fair compensation to victims in need of legal support, and we can do the same for you.

Our experienced truck accident attorneys will work to investigate the accident, identify the liable parties, and build a strong case on your behalf to hold the responsible party accountable. If you or a loved one have been injured in a truck accident, contact us online or call us at (310) 659-1826 today for a free consultation. Our team also speaks Spanish, so you can feel more comfortable communicating with us during this difficult time.