If you need a California truck accident lawyer, BD&J is here to help.
Serving clients throughout the state of California
Over $3 Billion* Recovered for Our Clients
If you were hurt in a semi-truck accident in California, whether it happened on I-5, I-10, I-80, CA-99, Highway 101, or near major freight hubs like the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach or Oakland, you may be dealing with overwhelming medical bills, missed work, and nonstop calls from insurance companies. When a commercial truck is involved, your injuries are often more severe, proving fault can be harder, and multiple parties may try to shift blame to avoid paying what you’re owed.
Beyond the driver, you may be up against a trucking company, a cargo loader, a maintenance provider, a broker, or even a manufacturer or public entity, each with its own insurer and legal team. BD&J has the resources to take on the largest corporations involved in these cases and fight to obtain justice for you and your family.
Call BD&J at (855) 906-3699 or complete our form to schedule a free, confidential consultation.
What to Do Immediately After a California Truck Accident
The first 72 hours after a serious truck crash can shape your health and your claim. If you can, focus on these steps:
- Call 911 and get help at the scene. Ask for police and medical response, and make sure an accurate report is taken.
- Get a medical evaluation right away. Even if you don’t feel pain yet, symptoms can show up later. Getting checked can protect your health and document your injuries.
- Take scene photos and video. Capture vehicle damage, license plates, DOT numbers, the trailer and cab, skid marks, road conditions, and any visible injuries.
- Collect witness contact information. Get names and phone numbers from anyone who saw the crash.
- Be cautious with recorded statements. Don’t agree to a recorded statement with the trucking company or any insurer before you speak with a lawyer.
- Preserve truck-specific evidence. Trucking cases often turn on electronic data and logs, like the truck’s ECM/EDR (“black box”) data and the driver’s logs tied to Hours of Service regulations. Act quickly so this evidence is not lost.
Common Causes of California Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can be some of the most devastating types of vehicle accidents, especially due to the sheer size and weight of commercial trucks. There are also numerous complexities that come with bringing a case in court against a driver, a trucking company, and an insurance company at once. That’s why a skilled truck accident attorney can help you navigate your case and obtain the compensation you deserve.
There are several factors that may lead to truck crashes, which can make assigning fault and winning a case more complicated. Common causes of truck accidents can include:
- Driver Fatigue: Truck drivers face long hours on the road, and even though federal regulations have been imposed to lessen the time a driver is on the road between breaks, driver fatigue remains a significant issue, especially when Hours of Service regulations are ignored.
- Distracted Driving: This includes anything that takes the driver’s attention away from the road, including using a mobile phone, eating, or adjusting their GPS.
- Speeding and/or Reckless Driving: Truck companies’ deadlines can often contribute to truck accidents. The pressure to deliver goods on time causes many truck drivers to exceed speed limits or engage in other aggressive driving behaviors, such as cutting other drivers off, running red lights, etc.
- Mechanical Failures: Commercial trucks need regular maintenance to continue a safe journey on the road. Brake failures, tire blowouts, and engine problems can lead to severe accidents.
- Improperly Loaded Cargo: Unbalanced or loose cargo loads can cause accidents when the loads shift or fall off the truck. These problems can affect trucks’ stability and maneuverability, making them more prone to tipping over.
In many commercial truck accident cases, the cause goes beyond driver error and points to trucking company liability. A trucking company may be responsible when it negligently hires a high-risk driver, provides inadequate training, skips inspections or maintenance, allows unsafe loading practices, or pressures drivers to violate Hours of Service regulations to meet delivery targets. These cases often involve rules enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and proving violations can be a key part of holding the right parties accountable.
Complete our form to schedule your appointment with a California truck accident attorney at BD&J.
What are Common Types of Truck Accidents?
Common truck accidents the BD&J truck accident attorneys have represented, including semi-truck accident crashes, box truck accident collisions, and catastrophic big rig accident scenarios:
- Jackknife Accidents: Occur when the trailer swings out to form a 90-degree angle with the cab and can be caused by sudden braking or the driver losing control on a slippery surface.
- Rear-end Collisions: Occur when a large truck crashes into the vehicle in front of it.
- Underride Accidents: Occur when a smaller vehicle slides underneath the trailer of a truck.
- T-bone Collisions: Happen as a side-impact of the truck to another vehicle and are most common in intersections.
- Rollover Accidents: Happen when a truck flips over on its side or roof and can often be caused by wide turns.
- Wide-turn Accidents: Happen when a truck swings left to make a right turn, colliding with other vehicles in adjacent lanes.
Truck Accident Injuries and Their Long-Term Impact
Truck accidents typically result in severe injuries due to the size and weight of commercial trucks. Victims of these accidents often suffer life-changing injuries that require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. A truck accident attorney can help you pursue compensation for injuries such as:
- Traumatic Brain Injury: Symptoms of this injury type include disorientation, concussion, impaired movement, pain, and, in severe cases, brain death.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: These injuries cause severe pain in the neck, head, or back area, loss of movement, and a decline in sensory function (hard to feel touch, the temperature of something, etc.).
- Broken or Fractured Bones: This injury is characterized by severe pain and tenderness, swelling, loss of movement, and inability to bear weight around the injured area.
- Soft Tissue Injuries: Includes symptoms of pain, limited range of motion, tenderness, and swelling around the area (muscles, ligaments, and tendons).
- Organ Damage: These injuries can lead to fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, bowel obstruction, and, in the case of damage to vital organs like the heart, brain, or lungs, can lead to death.
- Burns: Severe burns are painful and can cause disfigurement, infection, scarring, and loss of limbs.
Truck Accident Statistics
Serious truck crashes can also take a heavy emotional toll. It’s common to experience anxiety, sleep disruption, fear of driving, depression, or other symptoms of trauma, especially when your life is interrupted by pain, disability, and financial stress.
Some truck accident stats to consider include:
- Trucking accidents now happen 20% more frequently than they did just 20 years ago.
- California crash data is tracked through sources like the California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), which documents collisions statewide and can help illustrate where and how truck crashes happen.
- Nationally, 5,472 people died in large crashes in 2023 alone, as reported by the National Safety Council, which was a 40% increase in the last decade.
- According to a study published by the United States Department of Transportation in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, large semi-trucks were 23% more likely to be involved in fatal multiple-vehicle accidents than passenger cars.
What Can Compensation from a Truck Accident Cover?
After going through a truck accident, you shouldn’t be left paying for accident-related expenses out of your own pocket. In California truck crash claims, compensation can vary based on your injuries, available insurance, and the evidence, whether your case resolves through a truck accident settlement or trial. Compensation from a truck accident claim can be used to cover:
Economic Damages
- Current and future medical bills for injuries caused by the accident
- Lost wages if unable to work after the accident
- Any physical rehabilitation needed to regain movement
- Repair costs for impacted vehicles in the accident or other property damage
Non-Economic Damages
- Emotional distress and the pain and suffering caused by the crash
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- In wrongful death cases, wrongful death-related recovery for your family, where applicable
- Punitive damages if the truck driver was found to have had prior traffic violations or recorded dangerous driving behaviors
Call BD&J at 855-906-3699 or complete our form to schedule a free, confidential consultation.
How BD&J Investigates California Truck Accident Cases
Truck cases move fast, and critical evidence can disappear. BD&J builds your case by promptly pursuing the documents and data that often decide liability and value, including:
- Preservation letters to prevent spoliation of evidence
- Truck “black box” (ECM/EDR) data
- Driver logs and Hours of Service regulations records
- Maintenance, inspection, and repair records
- Cargo and loading records
- Accident reconstruction when needed
How Long Do You Have to File a Truck Accident Claim in California?
In most cases, you have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit after a truck crash under California Code of Civil Procedure CCP § 335.1. If the crash involved a public entity (for example, a city, county, or state agency), you may need to file a Government Claims Act claim within six months of the incident before you can pursue a lawsuit.
Because deadlines can depend on the facts of your case, it’s important to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
How to Get Started with BD&J
- Document what you can. Save photos, videos, witness information, and any paperwork you receive (police report number, tow information, and medical discharge papers).
- Get treatment and follow up. Keep appointments, follow medical advice, and track symptoms and limitations as you recover.
- Schedule your free consultation. Call BD&J at 855-906-3699 or complete our form to talk through your next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Could Be Liable in a Truck Accident?
Liability can rest on multiple parties. Some of the most notable parties that could be held liable according to California truck accident lawyers include the truck driver, the trucking company, the entity that leased the truck, a mechanic who failed to properly inspect the truck, and, in some cases, the driver of another vehicle involved.
How Can Liability Be Proven?
In order to prove liability in a truck accident, using strong evidence, such as photos and videos of the accident (including dashcam footage), police reports, witness testimony, and medical reports detailing the injuries, is key. Truck cases may also rely on black box (ECM/EDR) data, driver logs tied to Hours of Service regulations, maintenance and inspection records, and other FMCSA-related compliance documents.
Are There Any Laws for Truck Drivers to Promote Safe Driving?
Yes. Commercial drivers must follow federal and state rules, often referred to as commercial truck laws, including regulations enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). For example, truck drivers carrying property are not allowed to drive more than 11 hours consecutively and must follow with a break of 10 hours consecutively under Hours of Service regulations. Trucks should be regularly maintained, and their cargo cannot exceed the 80,000-pound weight limit, including limits addressed in California Vehicle Code § 35551(a). California also imposes specific safe-operation requirements for certain vehicles, including California Vehicle Code § 21702.
When trucking safety rules are violated, BD&J can help you pursue accountability and the compensation you deserve. Call BD&J at 855-906-3699 if you were involved in a serious truck accident.
How Much Does It Cost to Work with a California Truck Accident Lawyer from BD&J?
At BD&J, we understand the financial strain that comes with dealing with painful injuries and other accumulated expenses from a trucking accident. This is why we work on a contingency fee basis, which means no fees until we win*.
What Are Contingency Fees?
When working under a contingency fee structure, the lawyer’s compensation is taken from the final compensation amount after a case is settled. This means no upfront costs are paid from the client’s side until after the claim is resolved.
Can I Still Recover Compensation in a Truck Accident if I Was at Fault?
Yes. California is a comparative negligence state, which means that injured drivers can still recover compensation if they were found to have some fault in a truck accident. The compensation amount is simply reduced by the percentage the injured plaintiff is found to be at fault.
How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in California?
In most cases, the deadline is two years under CCP § 335.1, but shorter deadlines may apply, especially when a public entity is involved, and a Government Claims Act claim must be filed within six months. Talk with a lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights.
What is the black box on a truck, and why does it matter for my case?
Many commercial trucks have an electronic control module (ECM) or event data recorder (EDR), often called a “black box,” that can store information like speed, braking, and other data around the time of a crash. This information can be critical to proving what happened and who is responsible, but it may not be kept forever, so it’s important to act quickly to preserve it.
Can I sue the trucking company, not just the driver?
Yes. In many cases, you can pursue a claim against the trucking company based on trucking company liability, including negligent hiring, inadequate training, skipped inspections, unsafe loading practices, or policies that pressure drivers to violate Hours of Service regulations.
What if the truck driver were an independent contractor?
You may still have a case against the trucking company or other responsible parties. Even when a driver is labeled an independent contractor, liability can depend on the level of control, the contractual relationship, and whether the company’s own negligence (such as unsafe policies, negligent hiring, or maintenance failures) contributed to the crash.
Why Choose BD&J as Your California Truck Accident Attorneys
If you or a loved one suffered a truck accident caused by the reckless or negligent acts of another company or driver, you should not be left to pay for damages out of your own pocket. For more than 20 years, BD&J has fought for injured people across California, recovering more than $3 billion* for clients.
Call BD&J at 855-906-3699 or complete our form to schedule your free, confidential consultation.
