The personal injury lawyers of Maison Law understand how devastating truck accidents can be and are prepared to do what it takes to recover fair compensation for our clients.
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a truck accident, contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.
One of our experienced truck accident attorneys will examine the facts of your case and determine who could be potentially liable, whether it’s the truck driver themselves, the trucking company, and/or a third party.
Turlock Truck Accident Injury Claims Process
Step 1
Call Us For A Free Consultation
Call us 24/7 with No Obligations.
Step 2
Describe Your Accident Details
We will then discuss your legal options and decide whether to move your case forward.
Step 3
Retain Maison Law w/ No Upfront Fees
We work on contingency. No attorney fees unless you win your case.
Step 4
Receive Your Compensation
We will fight for you to earn the highest possible payout for your damages.
Why You Should Talk to a Lawyer After a Truck Accident
If you’re hurt in a truck accident, you might hear from the truck driver’s insurance company about some sort of payment to settle any legal claims you might have against the truck driver or their employer. If you’re seriously injured, this settlement offer might seem generous. However, it’s likely to be less than you’re legally entitled to receive.
Even if the amount is reasonable in light of your injuries and damaged vehicle, things can change over time. What might seem like a routine surgery leads to complications and additional surgeries. A minor strain or sprain could result in a permanent disability. In other words, your future medical bills might be far higher than anticipated.
Then there are situations where you’re blamed for the accident. Whether you’re the actual cause of the accident or not, you need to be careful with what you say and how you respond to these allegations. And what often happens is that there are multiple parties to blame for the accident, but the truck company tries to put all of the blame on you.
For example, let’s say you were driving 62 miles an hour in a 55 zone when a truck crashed into you. The truck insurance company wants to settle your claim for a very low amount, which you’re thinking about accepting because you were speeding after all. But what you don’t know during these negotiations is that the truck driver had been driving for 16 hours straight and there’s evidence proving he fell asleep at the wheel at the time of the accident.
Hiring an attorney will ensure no one takes advantage of you like this and that your rights are protected. This includes maximizing any compensation you can expect following the accident.
What Are Some Turlock Truck Accident Hazards?
No matter how carefully you drive, there’s always a risk of an accident every time you’re on the road. This risk can go up with big rigs and 18-wheelers given the size of their blind spots and how easy it is for the drivers of these commercial trucks to lose control while speeding down Taylor Road or Highway 99. If a truck crash does occur, it can lead to various types of accidents, such as:
- Rollovers
- T-bone crashes
- Jackknife crashes
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- Underride accidents (another vehicle crashes into the truck’s trailer and is forced under it)
Common Causes of Large Truck Accidents
There are many reasons truck crashes occur. Sadly, many of these reasons are the result of human error and are completely preventable, including:
- Speeding: Speed kills, and tractor-trailer trucks need far more distance to stop than most regular car drivers realize. Speeding plays a bigger role in inclement weather, too.
- Insufficient truck maintenance: Commercial trucks are complex machines that require additional maintenance. But this extra maintenance costs time and money, so some truck companies and/or drivers don’t always complete the required maintenance.
- Poor road conditions: This is often the result of bad weather, but sometimes municipalities and road maintenance contractors don’t properly repair and maintain roads.
- Drowsy driving: Truck drivers must abide by strict federal rules about how long they can drive, but these aren’t always followed.
- Distracted driving: This is a major cause of accidents, as it can affect both truck and regular car drivers. The ubiquity of the smartphone has made this problem worse.
- Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol: Most truck companies work hard to ensure their drivers aren’t under the influence of intoxicating substances while on duty, yet some drivers still partake in prohibited substances while driving. These can adversely affect their reaction time, depth perception, and judgment.
- Improperly loading cargo: Overloading a trailer or not distributing the load properly can result in tire blowouts or premature brake failure. It can also increase the risk of a rollover accident, especially in windy conditions or when the truck driver is speeding.
- Truck defects: Sometimes, components on a truck malfunction, whether due to inadequate maintenance, improper use, or design defect.
Who’s Liable for a Stanislaus County Truck Accident?
If you hire a truck accident lawyer, they can help you identify the responsible parties. This is helpful in not only understanding your role in the accident, but also who you can pursue in court should the need arise. This help is critical because truck accidents are often more complicated than the typical traffic accidents. One reason is because there could be multiple parties potentially liable, including the:
- Truck driver
- The truck driver’s employer
- Large companies that have hired the truck driver as an independent contractor or hired the truck driver’s employer to transport goods.
- Truck manufacturer
- Truck maintenance company
- Cargo loader
- Trailer manufacturer
- Company that owns the cargo being transported by the truck
- Government entities
- Contractors hired to maintain and/or repair roads
Potential Compensation for a Truck Accident
If you have to go to court to obtain compensation for your truck accident injuries, what you can expect depends on the seriousness of your injuries and how long it takes you to recover. Longer recovery often means bigger medical bills and more missed work. Besides reimbursement for past medical expenses and lost wages, you could potentially recover other damages, such as:
- Future medical expenses
- Property damage
- Travel expenses for obtaining medical treatments
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Scarring or permanent disfigurement
- Punitive
It’s important to note that punitive damages are intended to punish defendants (and deter similar future conduct), not compensate plaintiffs. Therefore, courts usually only award punitive damages if a defendant’s actions are particularly reprehensible.
For instance, a court probably won’t award punitive damages for a truck company that didn’t keep sufficient truck maintenance records, which led to an accident. But if that truck company intentionally sabotaged a truck’s brakes so an accident was almost guaranteed, that would very likely lead to a punitive damage award.
What Our Clients Say
Turlock Truck Accident Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, California law allows certain close family members to sue for wrongful death to recover damages. This compensation can then be used to replace lost income of the deceased, as well as cover funeral costs, burial expenses, and unpaid medical bills.
Most personal injury attorneys that handle truck accident cases charge a contingency fee. This means they don’t get paid unless their clients get paid. So when the client receives monetary compensation, the lawyer takes a percentage of that recovered amount.
In most cases, California law requires you to file suit within two years of the accident. The two-year “clock” begins from the date you were hurt in the accident. If you miss this deadline, you’re likely unable to file a truck accident lawsuit. Certain exceptions may apply in rare cases that offer you additional time to file, but you’ll need to talk to a lawyer to apply them to your case.
It’s difficult to say, as it depends on how severe your injuries are and how easy it is to prove liability. It also depends on whether your case settles or goes to trial. All that said, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few years after filing your truck accident lawsuit before you recover any compensation.
It’s impossible to know for certain, as there are so many factors that can decide how much you can recover, as well as the probability of that recovery. One thing is for certain though: you’re almost always better off hiring a truck accident lawyer to represent you following a truck accident.
Truck accident cases can get complicated quickly, and truck and insurance companies know this. So they’re quick to try and settle truck accident cases with low-ball offers. The problem is, you might not realize it’s a low-ball offer unless you have an attorney to assist you with the negotiations.
Get in Touch With a Truck Accident Lawyer in Turlock
You can choose to seek compensation following a Turlock truck accident by yourself. But you’re much more likely to get a bigger recovery and get this recovery more quickly by consulting with a truck accident lawyer. Contact Maison Law to talk to a truck accident lawyer who will examine the facts of your case and help you understand your best course of action.
There’s no obligation for scheduling a consultation, and everything discussed is confidential. There’s also no fee for talking to us about your case, so you have nothing to lose by getting in touch. The sooner you reach out, the faster we can hold liable parties responsible and help you move on with your life.
