Los Angeles County Trucking Accident Lawyer
Big Rig/18-Wheeler Accidents in Los Angeles County, CA
Over the last 20 years, we have seen a fairly steady increase in the number of big trucks on the road and, as a result, an increase in truck-related accidents. Large trucks and big rigs are responsible for only about 3 percent of motor vehicle accidents that cause injuries, but are generally more devastating due the sheer size and massive weight of the majority of trucks.
Have You Been Involved In an 18-Wheeler Truck Accident in Los Angeles County?
When determining the strength of your claim and presentation of your case involving an accident with a big rig, our experienced team will investigate the maintenance history of the truck and trailer and will check to see if the load itself was within regulation. Accidents involving a commercial truck can be more complex than an average lawsuit since any case would involve the driver of the truck as well as the owner of the trucking company.
Laws Pertaining to Truck Accidents in Los Angeles County, CA
The commercial trucking industry is controlled by federal regulations that have established a set of standards and can determine the responsible party in a trucking accident. Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations contains most applicable regulations. Fortunately, the Duque Law Group can put years of expertise in your corner to understand your rights under the law.
Who Is Responsible?
There is a large number of potential responsible parties in any truck accident. These include: the driver, the owner, whoever leased the truck from the owner, the manufacturer of the vehicle or any parts, shippers and loaders, etc.
Avoidance of Liability by Trucking Companies
In an attempt to avoid liability for accidents, trucking companies have recently begun distancing themselves from the drivers, equipment and vehicles. While they are the ones who hold the necessary permits to operate the vehicles, they often do not own the equipment that is used to haul the load and also hire drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. These practices enable them to shift the responsibility over to the people who owned the truck and who were driving them.
However, federal regulations have since made it so that any company who owns the trucking permit is liable for any accident that involves a truck with its name or placard on the vehicle.
Accident victims historically had to rely on witness statements and police reports to determine the specifics of an accident. Now, data from high tech devices and information from government agencies are also available for a more accurate determination.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Los Angeles County
The most frequent causes of truck accidents are driver error, mechanical failures, road design, weather conditions and traffic signal failures.
- Driver Error
- Mechanical Problems
As with any traffic accident, driver error is by far the most common cause of trucking accidents. According to FMCSA, 88% of trucking accidents are caused by a driver’s action or failure to take action. The most common cause of this is driver fatigue and sleep deprivation.
The second largest contributor to big rig accidents is equipment and mechanical defect. These can include design errors in the trucks, manufacturing mistakes or some other issue that interferes with the truck running smoothly. A large number of mechanical causes can be attributed to a failure to properly maintain the equipment. These can include the following: jackknifing of a truck which is caused by the depowering or removing of the front brakes, failure of the brakes as a result of inadequate adjustments, blowouts of the tires because of wear and tear, truck rollover because of improper securing of the load distribution, transmission failure, incorrect trailer attachment, defective steering, defective lighting on the rears or sides of vehicles, and many more.
Getting Legal Help in Los Angeles County, California
Accidents involving commercial trucks can be quite complicated because there are so many individuals involved. It can be quite tedious and overwhelming trying to understand the events and responsible parties without the help of someone who is knowledgeable and skilled with trucking law. If you have been injured in a truck accident in the state of California, the Duque Law Group has the expertise and experience to be able to help you figure out who exactly is responsible so that you can proceed with a strong case and get the reparations that you deserve for your suffering. You will want a personal injury attorney to help you in your case after a truck accident, and the Duque Law Group is here to help you. Call our office today or leave a message for us online.
