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Accidents involving large vehicles like tractor-trailers almost always result in severe injuries and property damage. The size and weight of these large vehicles make them extremely dangerous when not operated with utmost care. A truck driver has to be always alert of the truck’s surrounding. Because these 18-wheelers are approximately twenty times heavier than the average passenger vehicle, an impact with one is likely to cause severe or even fatal injuries.
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In 2019 in Los Angeles alone there were 57 fatal truck accidents and 1,972 truck injury accidents reported by the California Highway Patrol. (CHP)
Let Our Lawyers Handle Your Glendale Truck Accident Claim
Surviving such an accident is a lucky feat, but if you’re like most victims in these crashes, you’re facing a complicated recovery process. In terms of your physical health and well-being, Babaians Law Firm consults with and refers their clients to the most respected medical professionals in Los Angeles, California. We make it our top priority to ensure that we handle the legal aspects of your case with care and see that you receive the medical care you will need.
What to do if you're in Large Truck Accidents?
Based on an annual report from California Highway Patrol (CHP), in California from 2015 to 2019 there was a progressive increase of at least 4% in big rig accidents year over year. The biggest jump was 12% from 2018 to 2019 in fatal crashes climbing from 305 cases to 344. With over 7,000 injury crashes a year one needs to be aware of what steps to take in case of large trucks accidents.
Remain calm and check for injuries
If you’re involved in a truck crash, the first thing you should do is check yourself and any passengers for injuries.
Call 911 and Report the Accident to California Highway Patrol
If anyone is seriously injured, call 911 immediately to request emergency medical assistance. Police reports are extremally important for a semi-truck accident claim.
Notify Your Insurance Company
After the accident, it’s a good idea to contact your insurance company to report the incident and begin the claims process.
Seek Medical Attention
Gather Evidence
Contact a Local Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer
Exchange Contact Information
Move to Safety
Causes of a Commercial Trucking Accident
We often can ask what are the leading causes of accidents involving 18-wheelers?
There are many hazards that commercial drivers face that are not present in a smaller vehicle. The sheer size of these trucks makes them difficult to maneuver, especially on narrow or winding roads. Not all roads were built to accommodate gigantic trucks hauling eight or ten tons of weight.
Their size also makes it more difficult to react quickly in emergencies or sudden situations that often occur on busy streets. Braking and swerving become hazardous by making it easy to lose control and difficult to avoid hitting cars and other objects.
the following is a short list of the most common causes:
Driver Fatigue
Distracted Driving
Jackknifing and Blowouts
In the event that someone involved in the building, loading, maintenance, or operation of a large truck fails at exercising due care and caution, there are many types of accidents that may result.
Jackknifing is one of the most common accidents. This is when the truck basically folds at the connection between the cab and the trailer, making it impossible to control the movement of the truck. This can be caused by many things, including:
– Slippery road conditions
– Speeding
– Improperly loaded cargo
– Brake failure
– Swerving or turning too quickly
Additional types of trucking accidents that frequently occur in California are:
– Truck rollovers
– Underride accidents
– Hazmat spills
Any of these types of accidents can be terrifying to witness, much less be involved in. If you’ve been injured by a large commercial truck in California, we can help you fight for the compensation you need to start your healing process.
Who is Liable in a Truck Accident?
Insurance Claims and Big Rig Accidents
So, who is the defendant in these situations if you choose to pursue legal action? It really depends. It can be the driver, the company, their contractor, their insurance company, and even the maker of the truck’s cargo could be involved in a case like this.
It’s important that you speak with a Glendale truck accident attorney well-versed in the specific laws and procedures that deal with a trucking accident. We have the industry experience and legal knowledge necessary to fight for you in court or secure a settlement on your behalf.
Moving Forward and Filing Claims
Establishing liability is an essential step in your claims process. Liability is essentially based on the idea that everyone has a responsibility to do something in any given situation. The driver of a truck, for example, is responsible for driving carefully and obeying the rules of the road. They have a duty of care to other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
It is also possible that more than one person or entity will be found liable for the accident that caused your injuries. This is where a California Highway Patrol report would be valuable.
Determining fault in truck accident cases is a very complex process; there is often no clear-cut answer to this question.
- Was the accident caused by a defect in a specific truck part?
- Did the materials that were loaded in the trailer create the hazardous conditions that led to the crash?
- Was the driver distracted or asleep at the wheel?
Many times, the trucking company will be strapped with the liability because pinpointing fault in an exact way is close to impossible when there are so many people involved. It is also commonly expected that the victim in these cases will be dealing with multiple insurance companies when more than one party is identified as being at fault. This can be overwhelming and intimidating, which is why it is beneficial to have your very own team of truck accident lawyers working for your best interests.