Lemoore accident victims hurt by reckless truck drivers can seek help with their medical expenses, their lost time at work, and much more. The truck driver and the trucking company involved could both be liable for the victim’s recovery costs.
Maison Law of Lemoore fights on behalf of injured truck accident victims to make sure they receive everything they need to heal and get back on their feet. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to all victims. It’s a no-risk way for victims to determine the level of support they may need to recover and how to make sure a trucking company is on the hook for every bit of it.
Do I Need a Lawyer After Getting Hit by a Truck?
If your accident only leaves you with very minor injuries and/or car damage, you may be able to handle your insurance claim yourself. But an impact caused by a heavy big rig or a loaded down delivery van will often lead to much more than a few bruises.
If you are dealing with a serious injury, like a broken arm or head trauma, and a truck driver is at fault, it’s a good idea to discuss your case with a skilled lawyer in a free consultation.
A Lemoore truck accident lawyer can help you fight back, protect your case, and demand the most available for your recovery.
A Maison Law attorney provides these benefits and more when you must take on a giant trucking outfit to get help:
- Your lawyer fully investigates your accident, the truck driver’s past, and the employer’s safety record
- Gathers all evidence to back a strong case
- Fights back if a trucking company tries to blame you for a collision
- Gathers your medical charts and works with your doctors to prevent insurers from downplaying your injuries
- Protects your case if a trucking business involves corporate lawyers
- Files your claim and handles the frustrating negotiation process, allowing you to focus on getting better
- Makes sure a settlement offer covers your needs now and in the future
- If a settlement offer is too small, your lawyer rejects it and demands more
- If an insurance company won’t accept full blame for what happened, your lawyer is prepared to file a lawsuit and take the insurer to court
You likely won’t feel like battling a major trucking company or a giant corporation like Amazon while you are still trying to heal. Maison Law has experience in standing up to big businesses and insurance companies to get our clients the help they need.
Our lawyers can often win much more in compensation than you could by taking on a trucking company yourself.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for My Truck Accident?
Motorists who use busy roads like Route 41 or Hanford Armona Road will see a lot of different trucks and delivery vans, perhaps taking up more than one lane. The businesses that send these big rigs out on the roads will have their signs plastered across the trucks.
Drivers in cars and SUVS may pull alongside trucks with signage for Save Mart or Walmart. They may see tankers heading to local gas stations. Amazon and USPS may have their large vans on the roads. Produce trucks may bear the images of local farms.
When there’s an accident, these businesses and giant corporations can absolutely be held liable for the damages that a truck can cause.
Truck accidents are different from a normal car vs. car collision, because there may be many more parties who bear responsibility for what happened. Even parties that aren’t present at the scene.
These are just some individuals and companies that might have to provide a truck accident settlement check to you:
Owner-Operator Truck Driver – An accident may be caused by local drivers who work for themselves. They may be contract drivers, hauling for different employers each day. They will generally only be covered by their personal truck insurance policy. Individuals will often carry only the bare minimum insurance coverage required in California. Victims may hit the insurance cap before they’ve paid all their medical bills.
Local Farms – Local ranches and orchards will employ drivers and will hopefully have more substantial insurance policies covering all of their drivers. The risk may also include farm equipment that takes to roads to move from field to field. If you are struck by a tractor or a piece of machinery, you could ask for help in recovery.
Large Corporations and National Distributors – These national and international companies, like large agricultural businesses, may hire and maintain their own fleet of trucks and drivers. They can also rely on national distribution companies that transport goods for many local companies. These businesses are liable for the drivers they hire. Companies must run full background checks on their potential hires to ensure they have safe drivers hauling for them. When they are negligent in this duty, business owners and retail chains may be held liable for accidents.
Truck Maker – If there’s a defect with the truck that causes an accident, perhaps there’s been a recall, the manufacturer of the vehicle can also be called upon to provide compensation for their errors in production.
A trucking company or a national corporation should be fully responsible for the employees they send out on the road. Unfortunately, after an accident, a major transportation company or a local business may instead send its lawyers after you, looking to point the finger of blame at you. They can also raise questions about how badly you are hurt to get away with providing you with less than you need to fully heal.
Truck Accident Dangers in Kings County
Trucks zip across Lemoore and Kings County day and night. Some truck drivers speed when their heavy loads take too long to slow down, as it is.
Victims in smaller vehicles can find themselves in crumpled cars or under a tractor-trailer. Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists have even less protection in a collision with a blue delivery van or a flat-bed hauling vegetables.
These vehicles cause devastating accidents around us each year. The California Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) tracks the truck accidents in Kings County each year. There are too many recorded on our roads.
- Lemoore and Kings County documented 56 truck accidents involving injury in 2024. Those collisions led to at least 5 tragic deaths.
Here are just a few of the situations that lead to these frightening crashes:
Drowsy Truck Drivers: Truck drivers are under pressure to put in a lot of hours on the road, even though there are federal laws governing how long they can go between breaks. When a driver illegally exceeds their working hours and falls asleep at the wheel, it can cause a catastrophic accident in the blink of an eye.
Driver Distractions: Drivers texting, watching videos, and eating behind the wheel can put other travelers at risk. Truck drivers will have phones, but they may also work with computers used to stay in touch with their company’s dispatch.
Driving Under the Influence: The maximum allowed blood-alcohol content limit for the holder of a commercial license is 0.04%. That’s half the limit of 0.08% for regular drivers. If a truck driver consumes alcohol within four hours of operating their vehicle, they are breaking the law and could impact every other driver on the roads with their actions.
Lack of Proper Vehicle Maintenance: Companies that let the brakes or tires fall into disrepair can be held liable if a breakdown causes a terrible accident.
Lack of Proper Training and Background Checks: If a truck driver is hired without a proper background check, a troubled history could lead to the employer being liable for accidents. Drivers could also be inexperienced; they could put other drivers on our roads in danger. In these cases, a trucking company must ensure that its drivers are properly trained for the job.
Poor Cargo Loading: If a truck is improperly loaded, cargo could fall into the road at high speeds. The driver, the trucking company, or the cargo loader could be to blame in these cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a truck accident claim?
California grants accident victims up to two years after an accident to file an accident claim against a truck driver’s insurance. But victims should explore their legal options as soon as possible. Waiting too long can mean that the evidence becomes harder to collect. Witnesses might also move away and become harder to track down for testimony.
What can I earn in a truck accident settlement?
You should earn money to pay all of your medical bills. That sum would depend on the total of your current medical bills and the estimated costs of the care you could need in the future. You should receive full reimbursement for any income you lost while missing paychecks while you must miss shifts at work. The physical pain you endure (and may continue to suffer with) and the emotional trauma inflicted during a frightening truck impact should also factor into a support check. Emotional damages can also include the loss of enjoyment of life while you are hurting, forcing you to give up the activities in life you love.
Can my family earn support if a loved one is hit and killed by a truck driver?
Yes. Families should never face the costs that arise after a tragic death. They can file a wrongful death claim. A trucking company should be responsible for funeral costs and any remaining medical bills. Families should get full reimbursement for the wages the deceased would have earned and supported the family with in the future. Families must also seek support for the emotional pain they suffer and will continue to suffer in the future. This includes the loss of sharing important life events such as weddings and the birth of children.
Contact a Lemoore Truck Accident Lawyer
Take advantage of a free case review with a real lawyer at Maison Law. This evaluation comes with no obligation to you or your family. Find out what your injury is worth and how to make trucking companies and insurance companies pay what’s fair.
And if you need our help to hold truck drivers and businesses liable, you don’t have to worry about finding the money to pay a lawyer. We understand that finding that money at such a difficult time will be hard for most accident victims. It’s why we work on a contingency basis. It means we don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then, our fee comes out of the settlement check that an insurance company must write for you.
