Van Nuys Truck Accident Lawyer

Are you in need of a Van Nuys truck accident lawyer?

Commercial trucks are substantially larger and heavier than passenger vehicles, making them especially dangerous when they are involved in collisions. The Federal Highway Administration reports that large trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. Their heavy weights also mean that trucks require much further distances to stop than do smaller vehicles. When passenger vehicles are struck by large trucks, the strong physical forces that are released make it much likelier that the passenger vehicle occupants will be catastrophically injured or killed. Truck accident victims and the families of people who are killed in large truck collisions in the Van Nuys area may want to talk to our experienced commercial truck accident lawyers about their cases. We are experienced in helping victims and families to recover damages for their losses.

Truck accident statistics

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports that there were 415,000 large truck crashes that were reported to police in 2015. Out of those crashes, 83,000 resulted in injuries to one or more people and 3,598 resulted in fatalities to one or more people.

Common causes of truck accidents

Truck accidents may be caused by driver factors, vehicle factors and environmental factors, including the following:

• Improperly secured loads
• Cargo shifts
• Brake, tire and other part problems
• Driving too fast for the conditions
• Illegal maneuvers
• Speeding
• Following too close
• Road defects
• Driver inattention
• Driver distraction
• Driver fatigue
• Drugged or drunk driving

Accidents in which the drivers are at fault

When the drivers are at fault in an accident, the victims or the families of people who have been killed may name the drivers and the companies for whom they were working as defendants to their lawsuits. Employers are vicariously liable for the actions of their employees when they are negligent and cause harm to others while they are working. Trucking carriers carry insurance with high policy limits because of the substantial losses that victims face when they are struck by the large trucks. Because of the huge sums that can be at issue, the insurance companies and the trucking carriers often aggressively defend against truck accident lawsuits.

Accidents in which third parties are at fault

In addition to the drivers and their employers, other parties may be at fault in a truck accident. Parties who are responsible for inspecting, maintaining and repairing the trucks may hold liability when brakes are negligently repaired or maintained and fail, for example. The designers and manufacturers of defective parts and components may be liable when the defective parts fail, resulting in the truck accidents. When roads are negligently maintained, municipalities or companies that are hired to maintain the roads may be liable. Shippers and brokers may share liability for a truck accident if they negligently hire truck companies that have a history of safety violations.

How fault is determined

Determining fault in a truck accident may require an in-depth investigation. Your lawyer may get help from a number of different experts such as engineers, accident re-constructionists, medical experts and others. The experts can offer opinions about everything that led up to the accident and ultimately caused it. It is important for lawyers to identify all of the parties that are potentially liable. If they fail to name a defendant and the jury assigns that party a portion of the fault, the gross verdict award will be reduced by the percentage assigned to the non-party.

When to contact a Van Nuys truck accident lawyer

California law provides a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases. This means that you must file your lawsuit no later than two years after the date of the accident. If you wait beyond this limitations period, you will be foreclosed from seeking damages for your losses in the future. It is best to get legal help as soon after your accident as possible rather than waiting until the end of your limitations period. Contact our experienced Van Nuys truck accident lawyers today to learn more about your rights.

Van Nuys Personal Injury Attorney Main Page

We Help Victims of  Commercial Vehicle Accidents in these Areas