You're Safe with Drake - California's Premier Personal Injury Attorneys
Have You Been Injured in a Sherman Oaks Truck Accident?
A large commercial truck, such as a tractor-trailer manufactured by Freightliner, Kenworth, Mack, or Peterbilt, may be 20 times the size of a traditional passenger vehicle when pulling a trailer. Given the extreme difference between the weight and mass of commercial trucks and standard passenger cars, it is not difficult to imagine how risky it is for the passengers of a standard car when they get in a crash with an eighteen-wheeler-- not to mention the effects on pedestrians, motorcyclists, or bicyclists.
Commercial Driver and Truck Regulations
Large truck accident cases are quite a bit different from other automobile accident cases. Specifically, commercial vehicles and drivers are regulated more rigorously than regular vehicles and drivers.
Because of the inherent threat that these big vehicles present to other motorists, there are several laws and regulations at both the federal and state level to ensure that truck drivers are safe.
These laws include:
California commercial truck regulations consist of:
There are added regulations concerning the transport of hazardous materials. All of these guidelines and regulations are constantly being updated and revised to reflect the discovery of new dangers and the development of new safety equipment.
Reasons for Sherman Oaks Truck Accidents
Semi-truck collisions are serious business. Due to the size difference between a commercial truck and a passenger car, it is crucial that truck drivers are safe. However, similar to any other car accident reason, there are some things that have a tendency to increase the chances of a semi-truck collision.
Common causes of truck accidents include:
Prevalent Injuries from a Sherman Oaks Truck Accident
Semi-truck crashes have a tendency to result in more serious injuries than a crash involving two regular-sized cars. This is because the force behind a semi-truck is much greater. Semi-truck collisions have been known to cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, back and neck injuries, fractures, lacerations and scars, internal injuries, and more.
Sometimes people leave truck accidents uninjured or with only minor injuries. However, others will suffer serious injuries and may have pain, suffering, and disability. They commonly have enormous medical costs as well.
What Compensation Can I Receive from a Truck Accident?
After a truck accident, you're likely going to have medical costs, lost income, as well as pain and suffering. You may be stressed regarding how you're going to handle these challenges. This is where a qualified truck accident attorney can help. They can handle your injury claim carefully, and guarantee you receive maximum compensation for your injuries.
If a truck accident causes injuries, you might be eligible to recover both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages refer to losses with a monetary value associated with them. This includes:
Non-economic damages refer to losses that do not have a precise monetary value associated with them. They are subjective and negotiable. These types of damages include:
The amount one can recover for non-economic damages differs. It depends on the extent of the injury (or injuries) and how much your life has changed as a result of the accident. The amount is negotiated by your attorney and the insurance provider, or a judge and jury in court. Your attorney will utilize his or her previous experience, and previous settlements and jury verdicts when making settlement demands.
If You Have Been Injured in a Truck Accident, the Attorneys at Drake Law Firm Can Help
At Drake Law Firm, we believe commercial drivers and trucking companies need to be held accountable when they are responsible for causing accidents and injuries. The unfortunate reality is that some trucking companies and drivers fail to comply with the rules and regulations that are there to maintain the roads safe.
When drivers and companies are under economic pressure to meet deadlines or to complete contracts, they can make poor choices that affect the safety of others, such as foregoing inspections, overloading trailers, operating without required safety equipment, or committing similar offenses. And more often than not, the outcome of these bad decisions is a crash.
A qualified truck accident lawyer in the Sherman Oaks location understands all of the special factors that might be relevant in truck accident cases. At Drake Law Firm, we are familiar with both California and federal commercial motor carrier regulations regarding vehicles and motorists, and we are diligent in investigating the potential causes and issues that might affect issues of liability for commercial trucks.
Even if the trucking company involved is based out of state, or the claim might involve independent drivers, rented vehicles, maintenance contracts, etc, at Drake Law Firm, we have the resources and experience to get results. The sad fact is that large truck accidents commonly involve very serious injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and long-term disablement, and even death. If you are injured in a wreck involving a large truck, it is essential for you to work with a law firm that has the ability to fight large companies, large insurance providers, and the law firms that defend them, and that has the resources to make comprehensive and timely inquiries into the facts and factors that apply in commercial trucking claims.
.png)