Sacramento Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents are often more severe than typical car accidents. Due to the size of semi-trucks, 18 wheelers, tow trucks, and other commercial vehicles, any accident involving a regular car usually results in serious damage and potentially catastrophic personal injury. Fortunately for the victim, strict regulations govern commercial trucking, and their violation can help your attorney prove negligence. Furthermore, the increased levels of insurance for commercial trucks help victims secure fair compensation for injuries.

If you or a loved one were involved in a truck accident, call personal injury attorney Jin Kim at (916) 270-6880 for a free consultation.

Trucks accidents are among the most common vehicular accidents in California. Trucks themselves can be intimidating on the highway due to their size and blind-spots. Consequently, accidents that involve trucks tend to be more serious than regular automobile accidents, and there is no shortage of truck accidents in the news to demonstrate that point.

“Accidents involving trucks often happen as a result of their size or long hours worked by truck drivers.”

Motorists often encounter tucks on California highways due to the state’s strategic location in cargo delivery. Trucking is also one of the top jobs in all of America, which explains why trucks are so prevalent. Unfortunately, the prevalence of trucks in California is correlated to the number of trucking accidents, leaving many motorists the victims of truck driver negligence.

If you were involved in an auto accident involving a truck, it may be difficult to pinpoint exactly where the fault lies. As a motorist, it’s important to know if you have a good case against the truck driver to recover damages. Call our truck accident attorney at (916) 270-6880 for a free case evaluation. The attorney can help you understand whether you’re entitled to compensation.

A truck driver is expected by law to exercise caution and care in operating the vehicle. There is also an expectation that a truck driver will drive the vehicle in a manner to maintain control over the truck. You’ll notice that these are also the same duties expected of a regular driver. Similarly, a truck driver who fails to observe the standard of care can be found negligent.

The idea of ‘due caution and care’ depends on a variety of factors. For example, a driver must take into consideration the road conditions while driving. Greater care and caution are expected when a truck driver drives in hazardous conditions. For instance, a truck driver operating an 18-wheeler in snow should drive according to the hazardous conditions and not as they would in perfect weather.

A truck driver must also maintain control over the truck. Trucks have greater mass than ordinary vehicles. Truck drivers must drive at a speed that allows them to stop or decrease speed if a hazard suddenly appears on the road.

The maximum speed for a truck is lower than those of usual automobiles. Trucks have a maximum speed limit of 55 miles per hour, compared to an automobile’s 65 to 70 miles per hour.

Trucks must also be driven at a safe speed. The concept of safe speed is different from the concept of the maximum speed limit. A certain speed may be considered unsafe even if it is well below the maximum speed limit.

Determining whether or not a particular speed is ‘safe’ depends on the circumstances. For example, driving at 40 miles per hour may be considered a safe speed under normal circumstances, but it may be considered unsafe if the road conditions are hazardous. Taking our example of an 18-wheeler driving in snow, the safe speed under the circumstances would be much lower than a safe speed in sunny weather.

A truck that becomes disabled on the roadway must display at least three red emergency reflectors. The purpose of these is to inform oncoming motorists of the disabled truck’s presence and avoid collisions.

A truck that fails to observe this requirement and causes an accident due to the violation is presumed negligent and may be liable for any death or injury caused.

A truck carrying cargo must secure the cargo in such a way that it will not escape from its container.

This requirement is especially important for trucks carrying potentially harmful cargo such as sand, asphalt, or crushed base. Cargo like these, if improperly loaded, can hit motorists who are following the truck and cause an accident. If the improper loading is the proximate cause of the accident, then the driver may be liable for damages.

If you or a loved one were involved in an accident with a truck, it’s highly recommended that you retain an attorney. A competent auto accident attorney can help you understand your chances of recovery and how long the case may take to resolve. An attorney can also advise you in dealing with your insurance company and in recovering medical expenses.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us for a free consultation Monday – Saturday.