Truck Accidents Attorneys
Orange County, CA
Truck Accident Overview
Accidents involving large commercial trucks can be confusing and difficult to navigate, it can be difficult even to get your property fixed or replaced quickly without an experienced attorney. Attorneys at Corrales Law Group have handled numerous trucking collisions involving big rigs, garbage trucks, public buses, school buses, commercial moving vehicles, and many others. Many trucking insurance companies are form out of state and sometimes any claims will involve third party claims handlers. A lot of times trucking companies will hire investigators right away to try and minimize their exposure.
Truck accidents can be caused by: driver fatigue, recklessness, speeding, improper or neglected equipment, and violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations. Our attorneys will quickly identify all possible reasons for the collision and work to find all responsible persons and companies.
It is important to contact an experienced trucking accident attorney right away; accidents involving large trucks can lead to serious injuries that may require long term medical care. Trucking accidents are more likely to result in wrongful death or leave victims incapacitated with severe injuries.
What should I do if I have been involved in a trucking accident?
If you have been involved in a collision with a large commercial truck you should:
- Call the police- It is always better to have a police report on file in order to obtain all important information. If the police cannot arrive on the scene, make sure to take pictures and exchange all important information with all drivers including company information and license plate information.
- Get medical attention- make sure to receive treatment for all serious injures as soon as possible. Many trucking collisions involve serious head or spinal injuries that require immediate attention. If emergency care is not needed or required, make sure to consult with a trucking accident attorney to help with medical care coordination.
- Call an experienced trucking accident attorney- An attorney could help you investigate all responsible parties, have your property replaced or repaired promptly, and obtain compensation for any past and future medical care. Several other claims could be explored by a competent personal injury attorney. Make sure to contact an attorney before speaking to any other driver’s insurance company or claims handler.
When to Pursue a Claim When involved in a Trucking Accident?
In California, most claims must be filed within two years after any collision. In almost every case, it is much better to speak with an attorney as soon as possible so that all evidence may be preserved and all responsible parties can be investigated.
Since many trucking insurance companies are national, it is important to hire a California attorney to ensure your rights under the laws of California are protected.
What sort of compensation is available under California Law?
An experienced attorney could help maximize your recovery for several types of claims available under California law. Types of compensation for the victim of a negligent driver that was injured during a trucking collision can include:
- Medical bills (payment for past bills and anticipated future bills)
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Property loss, including all property inside your vehicle including child car seats
- Lost wages due to the collision
- Punitive damages to punish a driver in limited cases such as when the negligent driver was under the influence
What if you did not have valid insurance at the time of the collision?
If you were involved in a trucking accident and did not have valid insurance or even a California driver’s license it is even more important to contact an attorney as quickly as possible. Generally, under proposition 213 in California, if an uninsured driver is hit by a negligent driver, the non-responsible driver can obtain compensation to cover any property damage, lost wages, and any medical bills but they are not entitled to compensation for pain and suffering. An experienced attorney may help to maximize compensation, especially if driving without valid insurance or expired insurance at the time of the collision.
There are several exceptions that can take a driver out of proposition 213 and allow them full recovery (i.e. if the responsible driver was under the influence). It is extremely important to talk to an attorney to investigate whether or not proposition 213 applies in a case.
How much will it cost to hire an attorney and file a claim or lawsuit?
Our firm works on a contingency basis for trucking collision claims, meaning you will not pay anything until there is monetary recovery. This means Corrales Law Group will pay all upfront costs of investigations, hiring of experts, retaining all medical records, etc.
One major benefit of hiring our firm on a contingency basis is our incentive is to obtain the maximum recovery for our clients.
Our Lead Attorneys
Speak to one of our experienced attorneys today!
Our firm has handled many trucking collision claims and have recovered millions for victims of careless drivers. Our goal is to make your extremely difficult situation as easy as possible. Our firm will work to ease your mind and to make sure any person or company that is responsible is held financially accountable. Contact us today to speak directly with an experienced attorney about your case!
