Truck Accidents Are Traumatic, But Our San Francisco And San Diego Attorneys Can Help.

The enormous size of commercial trucks can make them catastrophically dangerous in accidents with smaller passenger cars. If you have experienced one of these accidents, you understand firsthand the devastation that they can wreak. At Rencher Law Group, P.C., our lawyers understand it because they have helped thousands of truck accident survivors in San Diego and San Francisco.

Our lead attorney, D.L. Rencher, is a former military EMT and trauma scribe. With his deep understanding of the nature of traumatic accidents, he can help you articulate your damages to recover maximum compensation. No matter how severe your truck accident was, Mr. Rencher and our team of attorneys are prepared to advocate for you.

What Causes Truck Accidents?

Multiple factors can contribute to a crash involving a semi truck, tractor-trailer or another type of commercial vehicle. Some of the most common causes include:

• Truck driver drowsiness and fatigue
• Reckless driving
• Drunk driving
• Pressure from trucking companies to meet deadlines
• Improper driver training
• Inadequate maintenance
• Loose cargo

Determining the cause or causes of a crash is not easy, particularly when the trucking company and its attorneys may try to obfuscate it. Our lawyers have extensive experience digging into the root causes of commercial truck accidents, even when several complex hidden factors are in play.

Semi trucks are perhaps the most common type of trucks involved in crashes, but they are not the only type of commercial truck that can cause serious injuries or deaths in a crash. Other types of truck accidents may involve garbage trucks, delivery vans, fire trucks, dump trucks and cement mixers, logging trucks, tanker trucks and more.

Common Truck Accident Scenarios

As experienced attorneys, we have seen a wide variety of truck accident scenarios. Some of the most common include:

• Jackknife accidents where the trailer begins to skid sideways as the truck moves forward, blocking multiple lanes and hitting multiple vehicles.
• Underride accidents where parts of smaller vehicles become stuck underneath the trailer of a large semi trucks.
• Rollover crashes when the truck tips onto its side while making a turn, often because of excessive speed and/or unbalanced weight loads.
• Rear-end collisions when a truck driver slams into the back of a smaller vehicle, often due to the truck driver’s failure to notice and respond to slowing traffic.
• T-bone crashes when the truck driver crashes into the side of a perpendicular vehicle, perhaps because the truck driver ran a red light or failed to stop at a stop sign.
• Crashes caused by tire blowouts where the truck driver loses control of the vehicle after a tire fails and the truck crashes into nearby vehicles.

This list is far from complete. No matter how you were injured, we are ready to investigate and hold the at-fault parties accountable.

Proving Fault In A California Truck Accident

After any serious crash, it is important to determine why it happened and who was at fault. As noted above, truck accidents are often caused by the negligence of truck drivers and trucking companies. Our attorneys work closely with truck accident victims and accident investigation experts to learn what went wrong and who can be held liable.

When a truck accident is caused by truck driver negligence, we can typically hold the trucking company liable as well as the driver. Depending on the details of the crash, other liable parties may include repair shops that serviced the vehicle, workers at the facility that loaded the truck prior to the crash, auto parts manufacturers and even other drivers who may have been involved in the crash. By identifying all sources of liability, we improve your chances of a successful financial recovery.

We Are Experienced In Uncovering Evidence.

It is of utmost importance to hire a legal team that has handled complex motor vehicle accident lawsuits before. We understand the regulations and procedures in California that trucking companies are supposed to follow; we know how to determine whether they ignored these rules. We have investigated and litigated hundreds of truck accident cases, and there is no detail we will not look into if it means strengthening your case.

What Are Your Options If A Loved One Dies In A Truck Accident?

Sadly, truck crashes often prove to be deadly for occupants in smaller vehicles. If you lost someone you love, our truck accident attorneys would be honored to represent your family in a wrongful death claim against the at-fault parties. Wrongful death lawsuits allow you to seek damages like medical bills, lost wages and property damage. But you can also seek compensation for things like funeral and burial expenses, loss of future wages and benefits, loss of companionship and more. We discuss these in greater detail on our wrongful death claims page.

The Benefits Of Hiring A Reputable San Francisco Truck Accident Firm To Handle Your Case

Many personal injury firms say they handle truck accident claims, but it is worth taking the time to look into the experience and track record of a firm’s lawyers. Truck accidents often result in catastrophic injuries or death, and trucking companies are generally backed by expensive commercial insurance policies. This means that the stakes of litigation are extremely high for both sides, and insurance companies are very willing to fight truck crash claims in court. In fact, they often visit the accident site within hours of a crash, working to control evidence and looking for ways to reduce their own liability. You need lawyers that will fight just as hard for you and who have a strong record of success both in and out of the courtroom. We are one such firm.

Frequently Asked Questions About Commercial Truck Accidents

If you are the victim of a truck accident, here is some information that may help:

The trucking company’s insurance adjuster contacted me. Should I talk to them or sign anything?

No. When another party’s insurance adjuster contacts a victim to reach a settlement, it is never in the best interests of the victim. Insurance companies use tactics to reduce their liability and lower settlement offers to save themselves money, so anything you say could potentially be twisted and used against you. Let your attorney do the talking for you.

What types of compensation (damages) can I recover in a truck accident claim?

In general, you can recover both your economic and noneconomic losses, which include things like:

• Medical expenses: Costs related to hospital stays, surgery, rehabilitation, medical equipment and future medical bills
• Wage loss: Compensation for any income lost while recovering from injuries and future income loss for permanently debilitating medical conditions
• Property damages: Repair and replacement costs for a vehicle and any other damaged property
• Funeral expenses: Compensation for burial or cremation and funeral costs in wrongful death claims
• Emotional turmoil: Damages for pain and suffering, depression and other forms of emotional suffering caused by an accident

We can help you determine the value of your truck accident case and recover the maximum compensation for your losses.

What is the statute of limitations for filing a truck accident lawsuit in California?

In California, you typically have two years from the date of your truck accident to file a personal injury and wrongful death claim. To recover damages for property damage, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a claim.

What if I am partially at fault for the accident? Can I still recover compensation in California?

California is a pure comparative negligence state, which means you could be 99% at fault for a truck accident and still be entitled to damages. The amount of compensation you can recover from a claim will be reduced, however, by your percentage of fault.

What kind of evidence is most important in a truck accident case?

Several key pieces of evidence are essential for a successful truck accident claim, including things like:

• Police reports
• Medical records
• Video footage
• Black box data
• Witness testimony
• Trucking company records
• Driver logs

It is critical to speak to an attorney early so that they can make sure the evidence in your case is properly preserved.

Get The Help You Need After A Trucking Accident.

After the trauma of a commercial truck crash, you deserve the legal help of RLG. Turn to us for a completely free initial consultation. To reach our team, call 415-853-8467 or send us an email.