Truck drivers routinely drive for companies, delivering items across state lines, even traveling for days at a time. These drivers should have properly maintained vehicles and adhere to all traffic laws, including staying in the right lane and not exceeding 55 mph if they are towing or have a certain number of wheels or axles. However, many truck drivers ignore these basic rules and regulations, which can lead to careless action, reckless driving, and accidents. Truck crashes are usually much more damaging to the other individuals involved than those in the truck due to the size of the vehicles and the relative impacts. Our La Puente truck accident lawyers can help you file a claim against the driver and company if you were injured in a crash. Contact our firm, the Downtown LA Law Group, today.

Truck Accident Causes

Truck accidents can happen for many of the same reasons that car accidents can. Drivers may speed, tailgate, text while driving, run red lights and stop signs, and overall ignore right of way laws on the road. They may simply be careless while behind the wheel, which can place themselves and other drivers at great risk of injury. There are some causes of truck accidents that are more unique, however; they are:

• Improper weight distribution of materials in trailers, which can cause the trailers to swerve and fishtail
• Improper loading or uncovered beds with materials in them
• Lack of wide load signs or warnings about turns on the trucks, which can cause drivers to be too close
• Trailer failure, which may happen when the container is not properly hitched and can fall off
• Driver fatigue, which often occurs after truck drivers have been on the road delivering items for hours at a time
• Truck defects, such as blown or shredded tires, brake failure, and more

There may also be environmental reasons for the accident. It is not uncommon for a truck driver to lose control in snowy or rainy weather, or for him to not have the ability to see in fog. He may tip over on sharp turns and curves or be unable to stop on steep hills or declines. If you were hurt in a truck accident, you should examine the cause and determine how negligent the driver was. You can then file a truck accident lawsuit with the help of our La Puente truck crash attorneys.

Procedure after a Truck Accident

You should be sure to follow these steps if you were involved in a truck accident. It can be confusing for victims, especially if you were injured. You should not leave the scene of the accident and you should not hesitate to get medical help. If you do wait too long, the insurance agent can claim that you were hurt elsewhere or that you were not as injured as you claimed. This can greatly damage your claim and result in a longer or more difficult fight than is necessary.

Learn more about your options for compensation by calling (855) 339-8879.

You should follow these steps after a truck accident:

• Get medical attention at once
• Hold on to your medical receipts and doctor’s notes
• Take pictures of your injuries
• Photograph the damage to your vehicle and to the truck
• Take pictures and videos of the scene of the accident, especially if there is surveillance footage or dashboard camera film
• Interview passengers or eyewitnesses so you can get their testimonies on what happened
• Request a copy of the police report if law enforcement showed up to direct traffic, clear the street, and conduct an investigation; the report will be available at the station after it has been finalized and submitted
• File a report with the truck driver’s company to let them know that an accident happened
• Write down the truck driver’s personal information, contact details, insurance details, company information, and more

All of this evidence will be compiled and sent to the insurance agency, along with a demand letter outlining the desired compensation and reasoning for the claim. Our team of La Puente truck accident attorneys will organize your proof and ensure nothing is missing. We will walk you through the procedure if you need and will even acquire additional evidence, such as expert witnesses, to help with your claim.

Compensation from a Truck Accident Lawsuit

Those who have been hurt in truck accidents should be awarded the maximum compensation available under the law. It is only fair that the truck driver or truck driver’s company pay for the damages caused by the accident. The injuries you suffered could be extensive, and if you are unable to work or earn money, your expenses could quickly add up with no way for you to pay them off. We will strive to bring you the maximum settlement available, including coverage for the following:

• Medical expenses from the past and future for hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, medication, and more
• Lost income from the past and future
• Property damage for your personal belongings, vehicle damage, lost items, repair costs, and more
• Pain and suffering for anxiety, PTSD, fear, emotional trauma, and other types of psychological suffering

You can earn punitive damages if the truck driver acted in gross negligence or tried to harm you on purpose. These damages are additional amounts of compensation meant to punish the defendant and are handed out in replacement of jail time. Many judges and juries do not agree with these damages, though, and seldom hand them out. Generally, only a skilled lawyer will be able to win them for your claim. A truck accident can also result in fatalities; if a loved one or family member died in the accident, you could receive wrongful death expenses to cover the costs of the funeral, loss of expecting savings and inheritance, pre-death pain and suffering and medical expenses, loss of consortium, and more. You may not be able to win the utmost damages for your claim if you do not have legal representation. Our La Puente truck accident lawyers will work around the clock to secure you what you deserve.

Statute of Limitations on Truck Accidents

In California, you have a statute of limitations of 2 years from the date of the injury to file a claim against the responsible party for injuries sustained in an accident. If you do not file a claim within that time period, you will be legally barred from pursuing compensation and won’t be able to win anything. You should try to sue as quickly as possible once you have all your evidence. Memories will be clearer and the expenses won’t be partially paid. You will also not be in danger of missing a deadline. There are a few exceptions to the statute of limitations, though. Minors who were involved in truck accidents do not have to adhere to the statute of limitations until they turn 18 years old, since those underage cannot legally sue.

Learn more about your legal options: call (855) 339-8879 to speak with a representative now.

Further, individuals who were left physically or mentally incapable of filing a claim can wait until they return to normalcy before they sue, which may take some time. The defendant must also be present in the state if you wish to sue him; if he leaves, the statute will be suspended until he returns. If you are uncertain if you are eligible for any exceptions to the statute of limitations or if you do not know when your deadline is, you can reach out to our La Puente truck accident attorneys for more assistance. We will gladly help you determine the time left for your case, and we will even file everything for you if you hire us to represent you.

Free Second Opinion

Many times, individuals call us asking for our advice about their cases because they are not sure if their current attorneys are doing all they can to win their claims for them. The lawyers may not be giving them any updates or they may be pressuring them to accept a laughably small amount of money. Sadly, this is common in the legal world. Attorneys will simply take on many cases and try to settle them in a rapid fashion so as to collect their checks quickly, while the victims suffer more from a lack of proper funds. We believe this is an act of bad faith and is greatly damaging to victims’ lives. If you want a free second opinion on your case, call our truck accident lawyers in La Puente. We will tell you if we believe your current attorney is doing everything in his power to win your case or if he is slacking off. If you wish to switch firms, we will make the process smooth and effortless. You deserve an attorney who puts you first and who will dedicate himself to you and your case.

Call (855) 339-8879 to schedule a free legal consultation.

DTLA Law’s Promise

Our law group, the Downtown LA Law Group, promises to win you the restitution you deserve for your claim. We will go to court if necessary to fight for your rights in front of a judge and jury, and we will aggressively hunt for a fair settlement. Our lawyers have years of experience handling such claims, and we have the best tactics for success. Contact our firm for a free legal consultation with a skilled lawyer. We will answer all your questions and help you understand how much money you could potentially receive in your claim. If you wish to hire us to represent you, we will give you our zero fee guarantee, which prevents you from spending any out of pocket money for our help. We will cover the costs of the case from start to finish, and our bills will get paid only if we win your claim. The money will come from the settlement we win for you, so the insurance agency will essentially pay for your legal costs. If we lose, we take nothing whatsoever. Act now and call the Downtown LA Law Group to get started on your claim with the help of a truck accident attorney in La Puente.