San Diego Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer

If you are physically able to call emergency services, do so immediately. The police need to make an accident report, and accident victims will likely require an ambulance and immediate medical care.

In the unlikely event that you can, take photos to document the scene. Police will also take these for the accident reports, so gathering this evidence is of little importance.

What is your top priority is getting medical treatment for your injuries. Follow the instructions of medical professionals at the hospital to ensure you recover from your injuries as quickly as possible.

You will want to secure the services of a truck accident lawyer, like one from the legal team of Mova Law Group – Personal Injury Attorneys, for what comes next. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will have investigators collect evidence. Car accident reconstruction specialists can use the accident report to find out how this wreck happened. Items like a truck driver logbook or the “black box” of the semi-truck can go a long way towards establishing liability for your serious injuries.

Insurance companies will likely reach out to you immediately after the accident. A lot of money is involved in commercial vehicle crashes, and adjusters for all parties want to avoid paying out as much as possible. Someone from an insurance company may want you to sign something or discuss accident details over the phone. Do not do so! They can use this to blame you. Have your personal injury lawyer handle all communication with insurance while you take the time to recover. Call our law firm to speak to a lawyer today.

Knowing what kind of accident happened is helpful, as this can determine who is at fault.

If a part of the tractor-trailer fell apart and caused the crash, the makers of the truck or offending item face product liability, assuming the truck received regular maintenance.

Most commercial vehicle accidents occur when the truck is driving in a straight line. However, left-hand turns were also an issue. The direction of movement of the vehicle can identify the type of accident.

Different kinds of truck accidents include:

• Head-on collisions.
• Rear-end collisions.
• Truck rollovers – These happen when the vehicle is making a turn.
• Jackknife accident – The brakes or the axles lock, and the trailer part of the tractor-trailer swings perpendicular to the cab.
• Underride accidents – A smaller passenger vehicle ends up under the semi-truck.

To start establishing liability in an injury claim is uncovering the cause of the collision with the big rig. This is not easy to do, and many factors can be involved in any one explanation. Any cause of an accident may involve a few liable parties, as they could occur for many reasons.

• Driver errors – Might be made out of recklessness or due to lack of proper training.
  • Driving at unsafe speeds was California’s number one cause of commercial truck accidents in 2019. A vehicle as big as a semi-truck cannot stop easily or quickly, so drivers must use caution, be alert, and obey speed limits. Road conditions can make speeding much more dangerous.
  • Following another vehicle too closely.
  • Making an illegal turn or pass.
  • Changing lanes.
  • Failure to yield to the auto right of way.
  • Failure to obey traffic signs and signals.
• Driver fatigue – About half of all commercial truck drivers report driving while extremely tired. The effects of fatigue can be as harmful as intoxication. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules for the number of hours a driver can spend on the road without breaks or rest. Sometimes truck companies may pressure the commercial driver to disobey these safety regulations. Other times, the shipper may offer incentives for the delivery truck to arrive early.
• Driver Intoxication – Despite being illegal, some truckers have abused substances while working. The career can be taxing, and sometimes individuals self-medicate with alcohol, marijuana, or other mind-altering substances while on the road. Others may use stimulants to stay awake and drive for hours, breaking federal regulations.
• Maintenance and loading problems – This could result from a product issue or failure by the trucking company to maintain and inspect their fleet correctly.
  • Brake failure.
  • Tire failure.
  • Overweight or shifting loads can cause veering, flips, or jackknifing.

The commercial vehicle crash you were a part of could have involved one or multiple causes. A private investigation conducted by professionals hired by your personal injury attorney can examine the evidence from the wreckage to determine best what happened. We at Mova Law Group – Personal Injury Attorneys will procure experts to strengthen your injury claim.