Tractor-trailers are a staple of the American economy. These large vehicles transport goods across vast distances and travel millions of miles every year. However, despite their usefulness, the size of many trucks means they are inherently more dangerous on the roads than other vehicles, particularly at higher speeds. Serious truck crashes at high speeds can create multi-lane accidents involving many other drivers. If you were in a truck accident involving yourself or anyone else, make sure to call our Chula Vista truck accident lawyer and attorneys for a free consultation.
Three Things Our Chula Vista Truck Accident Lawyers Can Do for You
Working with an experienced law firm like The Law Offices of Howard Kitay can do great things for your injury claim. The right accident attorney can completely transform your case, making the legal process easy for your family. Regardless of the details of your specific accident, one of our Chula Vista truck accident lawyers can help.
Here are three services we offer our clients:
Preserve evidence
We can immediately file in order to preserve evidence with the trucking company, ensuring the protection of key materials such as electronic logbook data, black box information, and GPS data. This information could give insights into how fast the truck driver was going and whether he/she used the proper driving techniques.
Inspect the crash site
A prompt and thorough truck accident site inspection is key to building your case. Our attorneys can visit your Chula Vista crash site, gathering evidence such as debris, photographs of tire marks, and more. We can then partner with reconstruction professionals to help re-create the accident and determine the cause.
Help you recover
Our goal is to help you with your case anyway we can, from beginning to end. We’ll take measures such as directing you to the best local hospital for injury treatment, informing you of filing deadlines, and using our network of experts to strengthen your case against a trucking company.
Don’t tackle your truck accident claim alone. Retain a truck accident lawyer to remove the legal burden from your shoulders. While you focus on recovering from your serious personal injuries, we’ll take care of the legwork and red tape in the Chula Vista civil courthouse. Start your journey with a free case review and give us a call at (619) 754-6854 today!
Who Is Liable for Your Truck Accident in San Diego?
Liability can be a tricky question in truck accident claims in Chula Vista. Instead of these cases being as black-and-white as holding the at-fault driver liable, these cases may involve multiple responsible parties. Since commercial trucking is an enterprise that involves companies, federal laws, rules, regulations, and employees, it’s necessary to work with a car accident attorney to fully pinpoint liability. The following parties could be liable for a trucking accident:
- Truck company. Trucking companies can face liability for accidents that stem from negligent or incompetent drivers, unsafe trucks, and lost loads. Companies are liable for the actions of their employees. Although most truckers are independent contractors, federal law still holds trucking companies vicariously liable.
- Part manufacturer. Some truck accidents and related injuries happen because of dangerous or defective auto parts, such as bad brakes, defective seatbelts or airbags, or tires that wear out too quickly. The manufacturing company responsible for the part may be liable for these accidents.
- The city. If a dangerous road contributed to your truck accident, the city of Chula Vista could be liable for damages. It’s the city’s job to properly maintain roads and streets, repairing defects such as potholes within a reasonable timeframe. Failure to maintain a safe street is negligence if causes injuries.
The Law Offices of Howard Kitay can help you assign liability and recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Find out more about your case during a free consultation with a Chula Vista truck accident lawyer.
What Are Some Common Types of Truck Accidents?
The large sizes and shapes of big rigs mean unique types of collisions compared with ordinary vehicles. Different factors cause different types of truck accidents in Chula Vista and throughout San Diego. Recognizing the type of accident can be a clue to who or what caused the crash. For example, a rollover can point to a tire blowout accident. All trucking accidents are dangerous, but some are deadlier than others.
The following are common types of severe truck crashes:
- A jackknife accident happens when the bed of a big rig swings out from the cab at an angle. A truck’s wheels and brakes can lock up in this position, making it impossible for the driver to control the truck. A jackknifed truck can collide with and crush other vehicles. It is also likely to roll over.
- Rear-end collision. If a truck driver isn’t paying attention, is following too closely, speeding, driving drunk, driving drowsy, or driving distracted, he or she may collide with the rear end of the vehicle in front of it. Rear-end collisions can be deadly for passenger-vehicle occupants.
- Blind spot accidents. Eighteen-wheelers are exceptionally long, with blind spots to match. Trucks have major blind spots on both sides and to the rear of the vehicles, called “No Zones.” Driving in a No Zone increases the risk of a blind-spot accident, such as a large truck colliding with another vehicle or running it off the road.
Other types of truck accidents include rollovers, underride accidents, wide-turn collisions, tire blowouts, and lost-load accidents. A police officer will be able to determine your type of trucking accident, as well as what may have been the cause. In many cases, a negligent truck driver has the power to prevent these accidents. In other situations, drivers, defective vehicle parts, poorly loaded cargo, and unmaintained vehicles cause accidents. Either way, you have rights as a victim.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Crashes with commercial trucks. This means they inflict permanent, long-lasting, or fatal injuries on the victims. Examples of catastrophic truck accidents are those that result in disfiguring burns or lacerations, traumatic amputations, or paralyzing spinal cord injuries. Catastrophic injuries are generally worth more than minor injuries in civil claims. However, it’s wise to talk to a Chula Vista truck accident lawyer after a truck accident causes any level and type of injury, including:
- Broken bones
- Head and brain injuries
- Back, neck, and spine injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Rib, chest, and torso injuries
Whether you’re the one with the injury or you lost a loved one and are curious about filing a wrongful death claim, contact us for assistance. We have years of experience representing clients with all types of injuries and damages throughout California, and are confident we can help you as well. Our firm isn’t afraid to go to court if that’s what it takes to obtain the compensation your specific injuries demand.
Building a Truck Accident Cases
Your case may involve one or more defendants, depending on what the investigation uncovers concerning the cause of the accident. Some common causes of tractor-trailer accidents include:
Driver error
Truck drivers have demanding schedules, and the trucking industry heavily regulates required work times, rest periods, and proper driver conduct. When drivers push themselves too far to meet deadlines without adequate rest, they endanger themselves and everyone else on the road. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is dangerous and irresponsible behavior for any driver, especially those behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer.
Faulty maintenance
Tractor-trailers are driven more than passenger cars and require frequent, regular maintenance. If a maintenance professional fails to perform a thorough maintenance check or does not repair a vehicle correctly, the technician may be liable for any accidents caused by the poor maintenance.
Defective parts
Product manufacturers have a legal obligation to ensure their products are safe and effective through normal use and will perform as intended. If a faulty vehicle part causes injury and damage, the responsible party in the supply chain of the product can be liable.
Aggressive driving
Driving at excessive speeds, making lane changes or turns without signaling, or generally being aggressive on the road can have disastrous consequences, especially for larger vehicles like tractor-trailers.
Mismanaged cargo
The trucking industry has strict guidelines for securing cargo, including special types of cargo such as smaller vehicles, construction equipment, concrete pipe segments, lumber, and livestock. Failing to follow these guidelines can create unbalanced loads, increasing the chances of a tip-over accident.
Depending on the nature of your truck accident, a subsequent lawsuit may take several possible forms. There are multiple parties who may be held responsible for your damages, but it’s important to speak with a reliable Chula Vista truck accident lawyer like those at the Law Offices of Howard Kitay. Even if your case seems straightforward, the law is complex and most often the average person doesn’t have the legal knowledge or experience to explore the possible channels of compensation in a lawsuit. Additionally, succeeding in a truck accident lawsuit will likely entail meeting various filing deadlines with the court. Failing to meet these deadlines could have your case thrown out before it’s ever heard.
Contact Our Law Firm Today
Don’t risk losing the compensation you deserve after a truck accident. Chula Vista citizens who have suffered injuries and damages from truck accidents need reliable legal representation to secure compensation for their losses. Contact the Chula Vista truck accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Howard Kitay to schedule a free consultation about your situation today.
