Southern California Truck Accident Lawyer

Southern California Truck Accident Lawyer

Large commercial trucks are a familiar sight on Southern California’s roads and highways. While most truck drivers operate responsibly, all it takes is a momentary moment of distraction to cause serious physical injuries to nearby passengers and drivers. If a truck driver injured you or a loved one, you can rely on the services of a Southern California truck accident lawyer to pursue the compensation that you are owed.

Trusted Legal Guidance After a Truck Collision in Southern California

Truck collisions can be physically and emotionally devastating, but they should not lead to long-term financial hardships. Duque & Price represents injured truck collision victims throughout Southern California. We understand the hardships you are facing because we have helped many clients in your position secure the compensation they were owed following a truck collision.

What sets our firm apart is our focus on delivering exceptional legal services and results that you can count on. When you work with our team of Southern California personal injury lawyers, you’ll never have to worry about the status of your case or your options because one of our lawyers will remain in close contact with you throughout the process.

Truck Collision Overview

Truck collisions are a unique type of personal injury case because they involve large vehicles that can weigh tens of thousands of pounds. The sheer weight of semi-trucks and commercial vehicles in general means that collisions along Interstate 5 (I-5), Interstate 10 (I-10), and U.S. Route 101 (US-101) can leave injured victims facing potentially life-threatening or catastrophic injuries.

Given the hardships and severe setbacks that injured parties can face, legal guidance is often critical for securing fair compensation. Truck collisions are also distinguished by the involvement of large law firms whose sole focus is on minimizing the compensation that you receive through a settlement or court verdict.

Understanding Southern California Truck Accidents

Southern California’s vast network of highways sees constant commercial truck traffic. In Riverside County alone, over 418,000 trucks are registered, contributing to a heavy presence of trucks of various sizes across cities like Wildomar, Temecula, and Moreno Valley.

California accounts for approximately 9% of all medium– and heavy-duty truck registrations in the country, with key corridors like I-15 and I-10 seeing some of the state’s highest truck volumes. A recent study ranked Victorville in San Bernardino County as having the second-worst crash score in the U.S., citing frequent collisions and high DUI rates.

In Los Angeles County, traffic congestion near neighborhoods like East L.A. and South Gate often increases the risk of truck-related incidents. On June 18, 2025, a big rig hauling cauliflower flipped and caught fire on I-15 near Baker, shutting down the highway and prompting a hazmat response.

Common Causes of Truck Collisions

Truck collisions in Southern California are frequently caused by speeding, fatigue, distracted driving, and equipment failures. On major routes like I-10, I-15, and the 91 Freeway, truck drivers often face tight delivery schedules, leading to risky decisions behind the wheel. Fatigue can impair judgment, while phone use or GPS distractions can take attention off the road at the worst possible moment.

Mechanical issues, such as worn brakes or overloaded trailers, also contribute to serious accidents, especially when trucking companies neglect routine maintenance. Each of these factors may indicate negligence and should be investigated after a crash.

Compensation You May Be Owed

Following a car collision, you may be owed far more than repair costs. A car crash can lead to serious injuries, ongoing need for treatments, rehabilitation, and missed time from work. An attorney plays a critical role in ensuring that you are reimbursed for these damages, either through an insurance settlement or by going to court.

Car crashes can also create emotional hardships, whether from the trauma of the collision or the lingering effects of reduced mobility and ongoing physical pain. If your claim goes through the courts, you can be compensated for these non-economic damages as well. Some trials may result in punitive damages intended to punish the at-fault party for the harm they caused.

Common Injuries Following a Truck Collision

Truck collisions in Southern California can lead to devastating injuries that require immediate medical intervention. Due to the size and force of commercial vehicles, victims often sustain traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and severe fractures that may result in long-term disability.

Internal bleeding and organ trauma are also common, as are soft-tissue injuries like whiplash and torn ligaments from the violent impact. Burn injuries and crushed limbs can occur when trucks overturn or collide with smaller vehicles on major highways like I-5, I-10, and US-101.

Recovery from these injuries often demands extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and time away from work. Establishing thorough medical documentation after a truck collision is critical for linking these injuries to the crash and securing compensation for both immediate and long-term care.

Establishing Liability

Following a truck collision in Southern California, you may be facing financial hardships from medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses. Before you can pursue compensation, you will need to establish fault. This is often done by collecting extensive documentation and evidence, including police reports, photos, dashcam footage, eyewitness testimony, and other forms of evidence.

If you can prove that the truck driver broke a traffic law, it can greatly help your effort. Truck operators who speed, make illegal wide turns, or fail to follow inspection requirements can be held liable for those reckless decisions. Proving fault can be more challenging than you think if you do not have an injury lawyer representing you through the process, because trucking companies often have their own team of attorneys representing them.

What to Expect During the Injury Claims Process

The injury claims process generally follows the same process, although the outcomes of individual claims vary considerably. Once your lawyer has gathered sufficient evidence to support your injury claim, they may reach out to the trucking group’s insurance carrier seeking fair compensation for the harm you endured. The negotiation process may involve the insurer making offers that you can either accept or reject.

If the insurer offers a fair settlement, that may resolve the claim, although some trucking collisions require more compensation than an insurer may offer. Your attorney can assess if a civil court claim is better suited to deliver the fair compensation that you are owed.

If your attorney takes the case to court, that requires timely court filings within the state’s statute of limitations and further negotiations with the at-fault party’s attorney. Ultimately, court cases can lead to settlements or favorable court verdicts that financially restore you following an 18-wheeler collision in Southern California

Why You Need Legal Representation

When your health and financial future are on the line, you need to hire a truck accident lawyer to handle your injury claim. A Southern California truck accident attorney does more than represent clients. An injury lawyer understands truck accident laws and how to establish liability and hold the negligent party accountable for the harm you suffered.

Following a collision, it may not be clear where your compensation may come from. An attorney with experience guiding clients through the injury claims process can be of invaluable help during a difficult time in your life, so your truck accident claim is fully and fairly compensated for the harm you endured.

FAQs

When Should You Settle After a Truck Accident?

You should consider settling only after your injuries have been fully treated and you understand the long-term impact of the crash. Settling too early can leave you without enough money for future treatment. Before accepting any offer, make sure all medical bills, lost wages, and other damages are documented so the full cost of the accident is accounted for.

What Happens After a Truck Accident?

After a truck accident, the parties involved typically exchange information and report the incident to law enforcement and their insurance companies. Injured parties may receive medical treatment and file a claim for compensation. Investigations often include reviewing driving logs, black box data, and safety records. The next steps depend on how the trucking company and its insurer respond to the claim.

Why Do Accident Settlements Take So Long?

Settlements take time because medical treatment may still be ongoing, liability can be contested, and insurance companies often delay payments. In truck accident cases, additional delays arise from investigating driver logs, addressing maintenance issues, and navigating multiple layers of insurance coverage. Claims involving serious injuries or disputed facts usually take longer, especially when the financial damages are substantial and evidence must be verified.

What Is the Diminished Value Law in California?

California allows vehicle owners to seek compensation for the lost market value of their car after an accident, even if repairs are completed. This is known as diminished value. The difference between the car’s pre-accident and post-repair value can be recovered. To file a diminished value claim, owners typically need proof of the vehicle’s loss in resale value based on the damage.

Secure the Accountability and Justice You Deserve

A truck collision is more than a setback. When a truck driver’s negligence or misconduct causes serious injury, you deserve compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. The career injury lawyers at Duque & Price deliver consistent results for clients across Southern California. We understand the challenges you’re facing because we’ve stood beside many others who were in your position.

Our trial-ready injury lawyers work closely with every client we represent and provide 24/7 communication and a focused legal strategy. If you’ve been hurt in a truck crash in Southern California, contact our office to learn how we can help you secure the full and fair compensation you are owed.

Duque & Price –San Diego, CA Office