Hayward Truck Accident Lawyer

Driving on the road sometimes means sharing the road with semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, and other large trucks. These trucks often perform necessary tasks making them essential to business and the general public. However, trucks can be extremely dangerous if things go wrong. Unfortunately, passengers inside smaller vehicles are at substantial risk of suffering devastating and life-threatening injuries if they are involved in a truck accident. Due to trucks’ considerably larger size and weight, when they collide with smaller vehicles, they can cause severe damage to the vehicle and, in turn, severe injuries to those inside. 

Truck accident victims deserve fair and just compensation. However, truck accident claims are often complicated because of the severity of the damage sustained by the victims and the fact that multiple parties may be liable. Tackling a truck accident claim requires a lot of experience, time, and resources that are best assessed by working with a skilled and determined truck accident lawyer. An experienced lawyer can help you build a strong claim so you can recover your rightful compensation. 

Common Reasons for Truck Accidents 

Large commercial trucks and tractor-trailers cause numerous accidents throughout California every year. These accidents have dire consequences, which is why truck drivers and everyone else on the road need to be aware of the common reasons they occur. While it’s impossible to predict when and why an accident occurs, being aware of your surroundings and learning the best tools to be defensive drivers is possible. 

In California, there are regulations designed to protect the public and minimize the risk of truck accidents. These regulations dictate the limit for the weight and size of a truck and how the truck driver and trucking company should behave. However, despite these regulations and drivers doing their best to be safe, accidents still happen because of these reasons:

• Truck company negligence
• Improper maintenance
• Truck driver mistakes
• Trucker fatigue
• Distracted truck driving
• Adverse weather and road conditions
• Overweight trailers
• Unsafe or unsecured loads
• Transport of hazardous material
• Overwork
• Reckless or erratic driving
• Road rage
• Cargo overloads
• Improperly secured cargo
• Lack of mandated training or licensure
• Improper lane changing

These factors or a combination of these can lead to a traumatic and devastating truck accident. An attorney can help investigate the accident and determine the cause to help establish liability and build a strong case of negligence. 

Common Types of Truck Accidents 

Similar to how there are many reasons that truck accidents occur, there are also various types of truck accidents. The most common type of truck accidents to occur are:

Rollover Accidents

Rollover accidents are often caused by speeding and are more likely to happen on steep declines or inclines. Rollover truck accidents may also happen because of a trucker hitting a curb, taking a curve too fast, or when truckers try to swerve around debris or other vehicles. Improperly loaded trucks are more susceptible to rollover accidents.

Jackknife Accidents

Jackknife accidents occur when the truck driver brakes on a tractor-trailer locked on its axle, causing the trailer to skid and stop at a 90-degree angle with the tractor. 

Blind Spot Accidents

Trucks are larger in size and length, meaning they tend to have larger blind spots along the sides and rear of the truck. Cars driving alongside the truck’s blind side are at risk because the truck may maneuver without seeing them.

 Rear-End Accidents

Trucks cause significant damage when they rear-end smaller vehicles. These accidents tend to occur if the truck driver is not leaving enough room between themselves and the other vehicle or when a vehicle stops unexpectedly, as trucks can’t brake as quickly as regular cars. 

Under-Ride Accidents

These accidents occur when a truck driver suddenly slams the brakes, and the vehicle traveling behind them becomes pinned beneath the truck’s rear end.

Wide Turn Accidents

Sometimes truck drivers underestimate the amount of space they need to complete a turn or fail to notice a vehicle in the truck’s path—this is known as a wide-turn accident.

Brake Failure Accident

Although truck safety laws require that brakes are regularly inspected, sometimes they aren’t. In some cases, the brakes may be improperly installed. Aging brakes or brakes that are overheated because of a sudden stop also increase the likelihood of brake failure, especially in heavier trucks.

Who Can Be Liable for a Truck Accident?

The thing that often makes truck accident claims more challenging than others is that there can be more than one liable party. Liable parties may include:

The Truck Driver

The truck driver may be held liable if they were engaging in negligent behavior (speeding, under the influence, etc.) at the time of the accident. 

Trucking Company

Commercial truck companies are legally responsible for the trucks and truck drivers they employ. When companies fail to provide adequate training, they can be held responsible for the accident their employee causes. 

Cargo Loaders

Cargo loaders may be held responsible for an accident if they didn’t correctly inspect or secure cargo that contributes to the accident or is the cause of an accident.

Truck Manufacturers

Some truck accidents are caused by faulty parts such as brake failure, steering wheel problems, or tire blowouts. While this may be a maintenance issue, the manufacturer can be held liable if they knew the part was defective but didn’t notify the trucking company or truck driver.

Consult an Experienced Hayward Truck Accident Lawyer Today

The sooner truck accident victims contact an attorney, the sooner the attorney can start to investigate and secure critical pieces of evidence for their claims. The attorneys at Setareh Law have handled hundreds of truck accident claims and understand how to navigate the complexity of these cases. We understand the pain and suffering truck accident victims endure and will work tirelessly to ensure you get the compensation you deserve, even if it means going to trial. 

You can schedule a consultation at (310) 659-1826 or fill out our contact form so we can get back to you. We also speak Spanish.

Schedule a Consult at Our Hayward Location

Setareh Law, APLC

(310) 659-1826