Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer
Victims who need the representation of a Los Angeles truck accident lawyer are likely to be seeking justice after being involved in a truck crash accident. If you have suffered an injury due to the negligence of a truck driver, you may be entitled to compensation for any related damages, injuries, or losses.
Crashes involving large trucks can be extremely dangerous and have devastating consequences. In addition, truck accident claims can be complicated, and many injured accident victims do not get the help they need to find justice after a crash. This is why it is important to hire a high-quality truck accident lawyer in Los Angeles.
Call (323) 238-4683 for a free case evaluation with Bisnar Chase's top-rated personal injury attorneys, and take advantage of their decades of experience and success.
How Do I Know What My Truck Accident Claim is Worth?
Important: Do not accept a settlement offer unless you are confident that all of your losses are adequately covered.
The best LA truck accident attorneys can help victims secure compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and much more.
The experienced Los Angeles truck accident lawyers of Bisnar Chase have a long and successful track record in dealing with trucking companies, as well as their attorneys and stubborn insurance firms.
We understand the serious challenges our injured clients and their families face physically, financially and emotionally after a crash.
Our dedicated team is passionate about doing everything possible to ensure that victims and their families have access to the help and support they need through these challenging times.
What Should I Do After a Truck Accident in Los Angeles?
- Seek medical attention. This is important, and should be done as soon as you can. Semi trucks are larger and heavier than most vehicles, which makes truck accidents highly dangerous. A crash involving a big rig could be deadly.
Getting immediate medical help will ensure that a crash victim's injuries are treated quickly. It will also make sure that those injuries are documented and help strengthen a later legal claim.
- Document the scene. It is helpful to have photos or video of the scene of the accident. This can help a Los Angeles truck accident attorney make the case for their client when it comes to taking legal action.
- Get witness statements. If possible, also acquire the information of any witnesses to the crash, as well as their contact information.
- Contact a Los Angeles truck crash lawyer for expert help.
Trucking companies will look to protect themselves at all costs. As a result, if you are involved in a collision with a commercial vehicle, you might end up battling for fair compensation against expensive attorneys and insurance adjusters who will do anything to avoid paying up. This is not a fair fight.
Anyone injured by a commercial truck driver should turn to the law firm of Bisnar Chase. Our LA truck accident lawyers can take the lead against opposing attorneys and insurance firms to give victims the best chance of success.
How Can I Help Preserve Evidence After a Truck Crash?
There are several steps which should be taken after a truck crash to preserve evidence. This will be important if legal action is taken.
- Be sure to take photos and notes of everything if possible, including the scene, road, and vehicle damage.
- Call the police and make sure a report is filed. A copy of this report can be requested later and will provide proof of important facts.
- Get written statements or contact details from any witnesses.
These steps will give you the best chance of proving what happened.
What Do I Need to Bring When I Meet with a Los Angeles Truck Accident Attorney?
When you meet with a personal injury lawyer, bring any notes and evidence which pertain to your truck accident.
It is important that your lawyer is able to review photos and video footage from the scene, as well as written statements and witness accounts if you have them.
Be sure to include medical bills and proof of treatment if possible, as well as a copy of the police report if you have obtained one from the LAPD.
The more evidence you provide, the stronger the case your truck accident lawyer will be able to build.
The level of compensation a victim could receive will always vary from case to case.
It can depend on the insurance coverage of the trucking company, as well as your own coverage. But it will also depend on factors such as the severity of the crash, how bad the victim's injuries are, their medical expenses, lost wages, and level of suffering.
A Los Angeles truck accident lawyer who has experience in dealing with such cases will have the best chance of maximizing compensation.
If a Truck Accident Happened Out of State, Can a Los Angeles Truck Accident Attorney Still Help?
In most cases, it does not matter where an accident happened. Your insurance coverage travels with you, and it is very common to hire an attorney in your home state.
Even if the crash happened across the country, and the offending driver lives elsewhere, it is normal to get legal advice from a truck accident attorney in Los Angeles.
Truck Accident Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA), in 2015 there were 4,067 people killed and about 116,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks in the U.S.
Across the United States, an estimated 433,000 large trucks were involved in police-reported traffic crashes during 2015. See full injury report from the NHTSA.
When it comes to the aftermath of an accident, truck crashes are often more complicated than other auto incidents.
As well as having to deal with the driver of the truck, victims may have to negotiate with the truck owner, the trucking company and all insurance companies associated with the potentially liable parties.
Individuals and corporations that may be named in a truck accident lawsuit include the driver, the manufacturer of the truck, the manufacturer of truck parts, the truck owner, the company that leased the truck from the owner, and the company responsible for maintaining or loading the truck.
It is all too common for these potentially liable parties to deny responsibility and refuse compensation for victims. This is where an experienced Los Angeles truck accident attorney comes in.
Common Causes of Los Angeles Truck Accidents
Some of the most common causes of Los Angeles truck accidents include:
- Driver Error: Drivers who fail to operate their truck carefully put everyone on the roadway in harm's way. All road users need to drive safely, but truck drivers can cause more damage than most if they do not drive carefully at all times. Speeding, running red lights, making unsafe turns or dangerous lane changes are common examples of truck accident causes involving negligent drivers.
- Driver Fatigue: Driving while fatigued or drowsy can be very dangerous. In order to reduce the number of fatigued driving accidents, the federal government restricts the hours of service drivers can work without rest. For example, property-carrying truck drivers can only drive for 60 hours over 7 consecutive days before having to take 34 hours off for rest.
- Speed: Truck drivers must adjust their speed relative to roadway conditions, traffic congestion and the weight of the cargo they are hauling.
- Maintenance: Drivers must perform a thorough inspection before getting behind the wheel. When a truck part failure leads to an accident, it must be determined if there was a failure to replace a worn-down part, or if it was originally a defective part. Trucking companies are also required to keep vehicle records that show when parts were replaced or when vehicles were serviced.
- Improperly loaded cargo: Driving a truck that has improperly-loaded cargo can be challenging. Too much weight in the front, back or side of the trailer can make it challenging to maneuver or brake. Improper loading could result in jack-knifing accidents.
Proving the Cause of the Truck Crash
There are many ways in which investigators and truck accident lawyers can prove who was responsible for the crash. It is helpful to have eyewitnesses to the accident and to have photos of the crash site and the damaged vehicles.
An inspection of the accident site and the truck can prove useful as well, but trucking companies often try to have their vehicles repaired before an evaluation can take place. In many cases, a formal request has to be made for a truck to be preserved after a crash.
Reviewing a truck driver's log and driving history can also be useful. In some cases, the driver's log may reveal a history of violations and careless behavior. Lawyers may even be able to obtain the driver's cell phone records if distracted driving was a factor. All possible pieces of evidence should be preserved and reviewed when filing a claim.
Safety groups are always pushing for stricter safety rules to keep dangerous truckers off the road. The latest suggestions include mandatory drug testing. This could impact crash compensation claims in the future.
How Do I Find the Best Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me?
If you or a loved one have been injured in a truck accident – either in Los Angeles or further afield – the expert truck accident lawyers of Bisnar Chase can help.
Our firm has been helping road crash victims for 40 years. We have an outstanding 96% success rate, collecting more than $500 million for our clients.
Our highly-skilled team of Los Angeles truck accident lawyers excels in taking on trucking companies and insurance firms. We are passionate about providing superior representation while seeking the compensation and justice our clients deserve.
Call now on (323) 238-4683 or click to contact us for a free consultation.