COMPANY VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
On any given day, commercial vehicles fill Southern California’s streets and highways. Commercial vehicle drivers are hard at work, transporting goods, making deliveries, shuttling between job sites, and getting people from point A to point B.
With so many commercial drivers on the road, a truck accident involving these transportation professionals can inevitably occur. On the open road, a highway, a loading dock, or a parking lot, these accidents can happen anywhere, at any time.
If you get hurt in an accident involving a commercial vehicle, it’s critical that you hire an experienced Los Angeles commercial vehicle accident lawyer who can help you recover a settlement for your injuries and losses. Without the right legal representation, you’ll miss out on compensation that is rightfully yours!
WHAT IS CONSIDERED A COMPANY VEHICLE?
According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, a “commercial vehicle” is a vehicle that is used to transport persons for hire, compensation, or profit (such a car that an employee uses to perform their job duties), or a vehicle that is used primarily for the transportation of property. Trucking company vehicles are common types of commercial vehicles, but they are not the only kind.
The following vehicles can be registered as commercial motor vehicles:
- Multipurpose vehicles
- Passenger-type vehicles transporting persons for hire
- Pickup trucks with a camper
- Station wagons
- Buses
- Motor trucks
Commercial vehicle operators and their employers are held to higher standards than other vehicle operators. Suppose you have been involved in a commercial truck accident. In that case, it is essential to seek out the services of experienced Los Angeles commercial vehicle accident lawyers who can accurately determine who is liable for damages and go after that compensation on your behalf.
HOW ARE COMMERCIAL ACCIDENTS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER ACCIDENTS?
A commercial truck accident can cause serious injury simply due to their physical size and weight of the truck involved. As a result, victims of accidents involving big rigs and other commercial trucks tend to suffer from the most catastrophic injuries. As such, the treatment of these injuries and medical expenses can be extensive.
After an accident, the injured victim will likely find that they require immediate medical attention. Commercial truck accident victims may also require paramedics and transportation via ambulance or helicopter.
This is usually just the first step in a long road to recovery. Further down the road, the recovery process may involve follow-up surgeries, doctor visits, physical therapy, and other rehabilitation treatments.
In addition to high medical costs, commercial vehicle accidents can also cause a great deal of property damage. When such a large vehicle collides with another object, the impact is often significant, resulting in total write-offs of other vehicles involved in the auto collision.
You deserve to work with top-quality Los Angeles commercial vehicle accident lawyers for your truck accident case or other commercial vehicle cases. You want a personal injury attorney who is experienced with big rig accidents.
Don’t suffer in silence following your accident. Instead, set up a free consultation with Wilshire Law Firm and get the help of an experienced and aggressive truck accident attorney.
WHY DO YOU NEED A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ACCIDENT ATTORNEY AT WILSHRIE LAW FIRM?
Our Los Angeles commercial vehicle accident law firm utilizes California’s best accident investigators to determine if the fault lies with the commercial vehicle operator, the trucking company, the vehicle manufacturer (such as if there was a mechanical error), or someone else.
When you work with one of our Los Angeles commercial vehicle accident lawyers at Wilshire Law Firm, we’ll help you obtain full compensation for damages such as the following:
- Loss of earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Current and future medical expenses
- Damage to property and belongings
Often, a personal injury lawyer can also help arrange for a medical treatment that may be otherwise difficult to obtain for someone who does not have medical insurance or a doctor who can work on a lien basis.
Wilshire Law Firm’s commercial vehicle accident attorneys have significant experience providing aggressive representation that achieves excellent results for our clients. We are a client-focused firm that is ready to accommodate all your financial and legal needs.
We manage your truck accident case, schedule your appointments, and handle all your paperwork so you and your family can focus on your recovery. Experience the Wilshire Law Firm difference for yourself, and you’ll see why we have a reputation as being some of the leading L.A. attorneys in the field of personal injury.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ACCIDENT INJURIES?
Here are some common injuries that can result from a trucking accident or another commercial vehicle accident:
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injury
- Neck injury
- Torn ligaments
- Torn tendons
- Fractured bones
- Paralysis
- Paraplegia
- Quadriplegia
- Wrongful death
Whatever type of injury you or a loved one suffered, we can help you seek the rightful compensation you deserve.
COMMON CAUSES OF A TRUCK CRASH
Here are some of the most common causes of truck accidents:
- Trucking company’s poor maintenance of a semi-truck’s brakes, tires, or lights
- Overloaded or oversized freight and cargo trucks
- Truck driver fatigue
- Truck driver negligence, causing a car accident/pedestrian accident/motorcycle accident
- Rushed delivery schedules
- Truck driver road rage
- Aggressive delivery truck driver
- Tailgating or reckless trucking
- DUI / Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Jackknife 18-wheel, semi-truck accidents
- Speeding
- Mechanical defect
- Environmental issues
While a truck driver hitting a pedestrian or bystander is less common, highly significant damage can occur in these incidents. With limited visibility and multiple blind spots, these accidents do happen.
In this kind of truck accident case, the degree of vulnerability is substantial and can injure virtually any part of the victim’s body, including head, legs, arms, knees, neck, and spine.
WRONGFUL DEATH DUE TO A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ACCIDENT
In the worst commercial vehicle accidents, lives can be lost. In these cases, the family members of the accident victim can seek compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit, assuming there is a party that is liable for the accident.
The court system understands the high cost of a lost life, and they will award damages if the liability of the at-fault party is properly proven. In addition to the pain and suffering of the loss, there are economic damages that occur after a fatal truck or commercial vehicle accident.
If the deceased individual served as a source of income for a household, this is considered in any lawsuit award. Contact a truck accident lawyer at Wilshire Law Firm to discuss your case in detail and to receive free legal advice.
WHO IS HELD LIABLE FOR COMPANY VEHICLE ACCIDENTS?
Like any accident, a truck accident can be attributed to a variety of factors. The liable party is the person or entity that is or may be held responsible for all or part of the losses incurred by an injured truck accident victim.
In a commercial vehicle accident case, more than one party can be held liable. A distracted or negligent truck driver can be the cause of an accident, as can the truck manufacturer for mechanical failure. An experienced truck accident attorney can accurately evaluate and determine liability in your case.
A truck accident lawyer from Wilshire Law Firm can help identify and prove who is at fault, including the following parties:
- Vehicle manufacturers
- Distributors
- Retailers
- Governmental entities
- Other drivers
COMPENSATION AFTER A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ACCIDENT
The liable party is generally deemed responsible for all damages incurred and is responsible for providing financial recovery to restore the accident victim’s prior standard of living.
Accordingly, the truck accident victim can seek compensation for the following damages:
- Property damage
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Current and future loss of earnings
- Future medical and rehabilitation expenses
- Diminished quality of life
Most commercial vehicle drivers carry insurance policies with higher limits that can translate into higher awards.
