Monterey County Truck Accident Attorneys

Fighting for the Justice & Maximum Compensation You Deserve

Truck accidents are not the same as typical car accidents, and therefore cannot be handled as such. Truckers and trucking companies are subjected to department of transportation safety regulations that are in place to protect the public. When they fail to comply with these regulations and put others in danger, they can be held liable.

At JRG Attorneys at Law, our highly sought-after Salinas truck accident lawyers have years of experience dealing with these types of cases and are fully prepared to help you navigate the legal process, file a claim with the appropriate insurance company, negotiate a fair settlement, and even go to trial for you if necessary.

Our reputable and approachable attorneys understand the frustration and confusion that can follow a serious truck accident, which is why we will be there with you throughout the entire legal process. You will be receiving passionate legal counsel as you move forward.

If you or a loved one was involved in a truck accident in California, please contact us online or call (831) 228-5619 to request a case evaluation with a truck accident lawyer near you.

What Should I Do After a Truck Accident?

After a crash, your actions will be extremely important. The right steps can make all the difference when it comes getting the medical treatment you need and the compensation you deserve.

Follow these post-crash steps to the best of your ability:

• Get safe: If you can move, it’s important to get out of harm’s way as soon as possible. Move to a safe area, away from ongoing traffic and the damage resulting from the accident.
• Call 911 for an emergency dispatch: This is when the police, at least one ambulance, and other first responders can be sent to the scene of the accident.
• Give accurate information to the authorities: After your call, you’ll be able to start talking more with the dispatcher. They’ll ask you for basic information about what’s going on and where you are. Give them accurate information, and then, stay on the line.
• Don't leave the accidents scene until you've talked to law enforcement: Fleeing a truck accident can be a crime, so stay where you are until police arrive or somebody tells you to leave.
• Get key info about who’s involved: Until the police arrive, start working on getting some information, at least. If you can easily and safely do so, you should:
  • Take pictures of damage
  • Start writing down the contact information for key people involved
  • Take photos of driver’s licenses and other important documents
  • Get the names and numbers (and maybe even email addresses) of witnesses
• Keep your conversation with others involved limited: When you do speak with them, stick to the basic facts about the accident. Don’t discuss what happened or how the crash occurred. Don’t apologize, don’t accept liability, and don’t provide a statement to anyone – including the other drivers, witnesses, or an insurance company representative—without your lawyer. Your honest answers, when asked, should only pertain to the facts at hand. Be cautious, and protect yourself, because anything you do say could be used against you.

Once the police arrive at the scene, comply with their instructions at all times. Explain the facts, as you know them, ask for information so you can file a report, etc. You are legally required to report truck accidents.

What Is the Statute of Limitations on a Truck Accident Lawsuit in California?

In California, truck accident lawsuits need to be filed within a set time frame, or else the affected person probably won’t ever be able to sue for compensation. Either way, some of the biggest issues include proving the trucker was working or acting on behalf of their employer at the time of the crash, following all safety protocols, and having experienced legal professionals to depend on.

Don’t wait another day to start getting informed about the strength of your truck accident claim.

What Are the Restrictions for Truck Drivers on Highways?

We can turn to California Vehicle Code 23153 to understand the restrictions for commercial truckers while they drive on high traffic roads in the state. There are several qualifications that need to be met, and a violation of this 23153 will be considered negligence per se and prosecutors will only have to prove the crash occurred within these circumstances to incriminate the trucker.

The rules are as follows:

• Any weight measurement (whether the gross weight isn’t above 26,000 load or if the vehicle was made for lessening concentration) cannot take place on more than two highways designated by the state. These highways are merely a series of which where depending on what road would be the quickest and easiest, the trucker will turn into it and then easier into the commercial intersection of the locations.
• The road designated as a less-travelled road should be less than 6.25 berths, which changes the size of the freight-targeting highways.

Truckers who drive on any freeway with travels are specially trained on worn areas, or better terrain in construction, and they only offer highways according to theirs.

What Are the Leading Causes of Truck Accidents?

You know the scene – walls of trucks in the lane you need to be in on highways you frequently travel. We know it is not the most efficient or safest way for the truckers to drive. There are other instances. Here are some common causes of truck accidents:

• Fatigue driving: California’s large truck regulations require truckers to follows strict break rules, including needing rest overnight, requiring at least three breaks per three hours, and only being able to drive for 11 consecutive hours. A tragic truck accident may not be the exact fault of the trucker, but their employer who is pressuring them to continue driving, even if they show signs of extreme fatigue.
• Drunk driving: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states any trucker’s concentration alcohol level can not exceed 0.04%. This is half of the limit for all other drivers. There may not have been any truck accidents, but this doesn’t mean you can’t expect a comparison of the driver’s safety records and all associated roadway safety-related plans and how they affect truck accident victims.
• Inexperience Driving: Unless you’re driving to inspect the young team’s laws at the Department of Motor Vehicles and ready to ask the right questions, any trucker may be confused, but one can never be too simple. You may be a driver and you will need to drive confidently and safely in order to avoid a potential truck accident. This mistake can make it difficult for other drivers to anticipate their moves and prevent accidents from occurring.
• Overspeeding: Another one that can’t be mitigating, but the extreme speed is not only the driver with all of the allowed truck speed can result in damage, damage, property damage, and death, and trauma. These trucking accidents can be seriously committed at the expense of those who have the right to share the highways. Don’t let an accident reduction follow what is done.
• Illegal Lane Changes: Or, truck drivers are employers who prioritize fast transportation. Changing lanes without paying close attention to your blind areas can increase your chances of getting to your destination quickly and safely.
• Lack of adequate driver training: Not all truck drivers receive the best training from their employers. Inadequate training can result in a trucker not knowing how to operate their vehicle safely, perform proper maintenance checks, secure loads, etc. Not being properly trained can contribute to many types of truck accidents.
• Aggressive driving: Unfortunately, some truckers drive aggressively and put other motorists at risk. Some common forms of aggressive driving include tailgating, weaving through traffic, improper lane changes, and violating other traffic laws. Our drive and our inability to break down other driving cause significant truck collisions.

Is there any truck involved in the accident? But now what? According to the Association for Safe International Road Carrying, truck accidents have far surpassed the number of fatalities in the past two decades. It is important that we can help reduce the number of truck accidents that occur on our roads and roads. We at JRG Attorneys at Law are committed to doing everything in our power to bring such accident incidents and tragedies to light.

What Are Common Types of Truck Accident Injuries?

Truck accidents are often extremely destructive, and the people in the smallest vehicles on the road pick up most of the property damages and injuries. Some common injuries resulting from truck accidents include:

• Broken Bones
• Cuts and Bruises
• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
• Neck Injuries
• Organ Damage
• Infections
• Burns
• Serious Internal Trauma

Because of this high risk truck accidents, truck accidents have a higher rate of death and other catastrophic injuries. If you have experienced a type of injury, you may need a considerable sum of compensation to account for your medical bills, ongoing medical costs, pain and suffering, lost wages, etc.

Contact us immediately if you’ve been involved in a truck accident for a no-cost consultation.

Who Is Liable in a Truck Accident?

An important part of your attorney’s investigation into your truck accident is determining liability. In some cases, it can be clear as to who is at fault for the accident. In others, it may be difficult to determine if the trucking company was acting negligently, thereby placing some, if not all, responsibility on them.

Note that this could prove to be challenging to prove if there is an independent truck driver involved, as the driver would be responsible for their actions as they are not an official employee of the trucking company.

What Compensation Can I Recover from a Salinas Truck Accident?

As mentioned before, truck accidents can be catastrophic depending on the nature of the impact. Therefore, your medical treatment will likely be a large part of your claim. You may recover compensation for:

• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages
• Future lost wages
• Medical devices
• Home modifications
• Burns
• Disfigurement
• Amputations
• Emergency medical care
• Ongoing care
• Permanent disability
• Funeral expenses

If the truck driver was acting negligently in any way, you may be eligible to receive compensation for medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, loss of the ability to earn money or live independently, and pain and suffering.

What Regulations Apply to the Trucking Industry?

To reduce the number of truck accidents in the country, truck drivers and trucking companies must abide by many rules. Some of the most important include the following:

• Prevailing trucks (commercial trucks not loaded to full capacity) must surely be discontinued due to their inherent deadly safety risks. With a commercial semi truck or other type of large truck, a truck driver can hardly detect the same level they could with a unloaded truck, which can lead to jackknife truck accidents, rollover truck accidents, and more.
• Truck driver distraction and inattention on sound driving programming and their hands should not be looked at. These devices cannot be used while driving. With these and other regulations allowing a safer industry, we may minimize the number of tragic truck accidents that occur on California roads and roads.

Are There Different Truck Accident Scenarios?

One of the ways to gain a better understanding of your potential truck accident claim, it will be helpful to know what caused the crash. Below is a shortlist of the different kinds of truck accidents:

• Jackknife: A jackknife accident can happen when a tractor-trailer’s trailer starts sliding to the side, creating a large “V” shape. The cab then loses control and folds into the fold. When a jackknife accident occurs, multiple vehicles may be impacted if the tractor-trailer crosses several lanes of oncoming traffic. These truck accidents occur when a truck enters a turn or curve on a road or highway at an excessive speed. Unsafe truck vehicle speeds can be driven by downgrading, mechanical failure, poor truck operator training, truck cargo overload, and more.
• Head-On Collision: We have two vehicles driving in the opposite direction that strikes each other head-on. This can be due to speeding, drunk or impaired driving, or a distracted truck driver. It could also be the result of inadequate and nighttime traffic road exchange systems, or even heavy fog and fog, where poor visibility is a problem.
• Wide Turns: Invalid truck driver safety regulations only allow for certain wide-angle turns in the course of a lane. Careless trucker who turn without checking their blind spots before they may encounter unsuspecting motorists. As a result, the tractor trailer can collide with other vehicles, resulting in serious accidents.
• Underride: Under the Automobile Association, there are approximately 200 truck rear-end crashes in the United States each year. These types of truck accidents occur when a truck and a car collide at a stop or stop light. As a result, the car crashes under the tractor from behind. To mitigate the number of rear-end truck accidents, truck drivers who are not reading road signs and distractions that apply to traffic safety systems should be aware that they are turning off the road so that they can stop responsibly behind those vehicles.

Because of the many involved parties and factors at play, truck accident cases are almost always complex and time-consuming. You may potentially file claims against:

If you or a loved one was involved in a truck accident in California, please contact us online or call (831) 228-5619 to request a case evaluation with a truck accident lawyer near you.