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VICTORVILLE TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER

The Victorville Attorneys to Call After a Truck Accident

Have you been injured in a crash with a commercial truck? These vehicles, also called big rigs, tractor-trailers, and 18-wheelers, cause thousands of injuries on California roads each year. Because of their size and weight, trucks are some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road. Fortunately, injured victims can receive compensation, but they should contact a Victorville truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to protect their rights.

Injuries Caused in Truck Accidents

At Fisher & Talwar, we see clients with many devastating injuries, including:

  • Broken bones
  • Crushed limbs
  • Nerve damage
  • Cuts, lacerations, and abrasions
  • Serious soft tissue injuries
  • Head injuries, including concussions
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Paralysis
  • Burns

These injuries require months of recovery time, and some injured victims will never be the same. When injuries are serious, many victims need continuing medical care for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, over 4,000 people were also killed in large truck collisions in 2015, leaving behind grieving family members.

Compensation is Available

California’s civil court system exists to compensate injured victims when someone else’s negligence or recklessness causes injury. After a crash, you are probably dealing with mounting medical bills and potentially are unable to return to work. If you bring a lawsuit against the truck driver or trucking company, you can receive compensation for the following:

  • Medical treatment, including hospital expenses, doctor visits, prescription drugs, rehabilitation, and assistive devices like crutches or wheelchairs
  • Future medical care, if your injuries require ongoing treatment
  • Lost wages, if you could not work while you recuperated
  • Lost future wages, if your injuries keep you out of work or from returning to your old job
  • Damage to your car or other property

To calculate the amount you might receive in compensation, keep all receipts, bills, and repair estimates. Your lawyer will use this information to calculate how much compensation you can receive.

California law also allows injured victims to receive payment for less tangible harms, like pain and suffering. The amounts available are harder to estimate, principally because you do not have a receipt or bill. Nevertheless, the physical and emotional pain might be enormous. Many clients receive several times their economic losses in compensation for pain and suffering, and a skilled truck accident lawyer will know how to maximize the amount.

Every situation is different, and only a lawyer can analyze the specific facts of your case to estimate how much compensation you can receive. Contact Fisher & Talwar, without delay, to schedule your free consultation.

Holding Truckers Responsible

Most truck accidents are caused by driver error. An exhaustive study from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimated that the following were the leading contributors to large truck collisions:

  • Brake problems
  • Speeding
  • Prescription drug use
  • Over-the-counter drug use
  • Problems with the road
  • Congested traffic
  • Inadequate surveillance
  • Driver fatigue

The study found that driver performance, decision-making, and recognition were responsible for around 87% of collisions. By contrast, problems with the vehicle contributed to 10% of the accidents.

To hold a truck driver responsible, you will need to show that the driver’s actions were negligent or reckless. Common examples include:

  • Speeding
  • Driving while fatigued
  • Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Illegally passing
  • Driver inattention
  • Distracted driving, such as talking on a cell phone

Under the law, truck driving companies are legally liable for injuries caused by their employees, including truck drivers. Since the trucking company has deeper pockets than individual drivers, it often makes sense to add them as defendants in your case.

What to Do After a Truck Accident

Truck accidents send many people straight to the hospital in the back of an ambulance. However, if you can move around after the crash, you should try to collect some evidence, if possible. Trucking companies have investigators on their payroll, and one will arrive on the scene of the accident quickly. The investigator will begin building a case the trucking company can use to defend itself, so you need evidence to back up your case as well:

  • If possible, take pictures with your smart phone of where the truck and your car have ended up
  • Take pictures of any skid marks on the road and debris lying around
  • Get the names of any witnesses to the accident

Of course, if you are too injured, then do not worry about collecting evidence. Someone else at the scene can take the pictures or your lawyer can try to obtain photographs.

Avoid Talking to the Truck Company’s Insurer

At Fisher & Talwar, we have seen far too many clients undermine their claim for compensation by making critical mistakes in the weeks following a collision. For example, these injured victims might try to negotiate a settlement on their own with an insurance company or, even worse, simply accept the first offer the insurer makes.

Unfortunately, the truck company’s insurer does not have your best interests at heart. Instead, they will try to settle your claim for as little money as possible—often for only a fraction of what your injuries are actually worth. For example, it is not unusual for an insurer to offer only a few thousand dollars to someone with catastrophic injuries worth 10 or 20 times as much.

If an insurance adjuster contacts you, remember the following:

  • You should not admit responsibility for the crash. Anything you say can be used to reduce the settlement offer.
  • You do not have to speak to an insurance adjuster on their timetable. You can speak to them when you are feeling better.
  • You should have a lawyer by your side to protect your rights. A lawyer can help you explain what happened to insurance adjusters and make an effective request for compensation.

Speak with a Truck Accident Lawyer in Victorville

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a truck accident, help is available. The seasoned Victorville truck accident lawyers at Fisher & Talwar have helped countless injured motorists receive the compensation they deserve after a devastating crash. To start the process right away, please call (213) 891-0777 or submit our contact form.

Don’t delay. California gives injured motorists a limited amount of time to bring a lawsuit, and any delay could prevent you from receiving compensation.