Fountain Valley Truck Accident Attorneys

There is significant traffic in Fountain Valley and a large number of these vehicles are commercial trucks delivering goods to meet the demands of our communities.

While these big rigs have an important purpose to serve, a number of serious injury accidents are caused by these same vehicles. When these trucks collide with passenger cars on the road, the results are often catastrophic and people in smaller cars take on significantly more injury.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident our Fountain Valley personal injury lawyers may be able to help. Call us now at 949-203-3814 for your free case review and to see if your case qualifies you for compensation.

Causes of Truck Accidents

There are many forms of negligent driving and they can all have devastating consequences. Examples of truck driver negligence include:

Driving While Fatigued

Truck drivers have a legal responsibility to obey federal regulations regarding how long they can work without proper rest. For example, property-carrying commercial drivers may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days. Drivers can restart their 7/8 period after taking 34 hours or more off. These types of regulations are meant to reduce the number of fatigued truck drivers on the roadway.

Driving While Intoxicated

While passenger vehicle drivers are not considered over the legal limit until their blood alcohol level reaches .08 percent, a commercial driver is considered over the limit with a BAC of .04 percent in California. This is because of the substantial amount of damage a drunk driver can do behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer or a large big rig.

Driving While Distracted

Truck drivers are not allowed to text or use a hand held cell phone while driving. Truck drivers who take their eyes off the roadway can easily crush a vehicle by drifting out of a lane of traffic. In addition, as of January 2017, cell phone use in a moving vehicle must be 100% hands free. No exceptions. The new California cell phone law states that it must be fastened to your car and any hand held application are illegal.

Exceeding the Speed Limit

Heavy trucks are difficult to stop. Truck drivers who push the speed limit to meet an unrealistic deadline put everyone on the roadway at risk. Truck drivers must also adjust their speed with regard to the conditions on the roadway.

Failing to Yield the Right-of-Way

Many truck accidents result from drivers failing to yield when changing lanes and making turns. Motorists can suffer devastating injuries if a truck suddenly turns into their path or crosses in front of their vehicle.

Lack of Proper Vehicle Maintenance

All truck drivers must perform inspections of their vehicles before embarking on a long trip. Tire failure and brake failure are common malfunctions that result in devastating truck accidents.

What Happens After a Truck Accident in Fountain Valley?

Keep calm if you have become the victim of a truck accident and check on your party's well being. If someone in your car is critically injured it is important to call 911 immediately and seek medical attention. The actions of your party after being injured in a truck accident can affect your ability to receive compensation from the at-fault party. After a truck accident, it is important to:

• Get Medical Help: Take care of anyone in your car that is injured. Even if the injury is minor, it helps to have legal documentation of your injuries to later use in court.
• Gather Evidence: Take pictures of the scene and save any artifacts that may further your claim. Contact your attorney as well so your lawyer can study the vehicles involved to bring more evidence to the table.
• Get Contact Information of Witnesses: Gather contact information of the people that witnessed your accident. They may help you receive compensation. If surveillance cameras may have captured your incident, ask the owners of these cameras for footage of what happened as this may help back your claim.

Responsibility of Truck Owners

There are a number of important questions that must be asked following a large truck accident. These questions will help you identify who is at-fault and if your injuries were cause by negligence of an outside party:

• Did the truck owner fail to repair a defective, faulty or worn part on the truck?
• Did the truck have properly working tires, brakes and lights?
• Did the trailer have adequate safety guards and reflective tape?
• Did the trucking company force the driver to push the federal regulations when it comes to hours of operation?
• Did the trucking firm perform background checks before hiring the driver?
• Did he or she have a poor driving record, health problems or a history of committing traffic violations?

Negligent hiring on the part of an employer can play a significant role in determining liability and compensation in a semi truck accident case. In addition, it is also the responsibility of the employer to adequately train their employees before they are allowed on the road on the company's behalf.

Truck Accident Litigation

Truck accident lawsuits are complicated and challenging. This is because trucking companies have powerful insurance companies and lawyers on their side who often get to the accident scene within minutes and start working right away to protect the company's best interests.

Injured victims need an experienced truck accident lawyer on their side who will fight for their rights.

Please contact us if you or a loved one has been the victim of a big rig truck accident in Fountain Valley.

Call 1949-203-3814 today for a Free Consultation.

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