Trusted trucking accident attorneys with over 42 years of personal injury experience.
If you’ve been hit by a commercial truck in the San Fernando Valley, CA, you may be dealing with severe injuries and concerns about your physical and financial recovery. Our San Fernando Valley, CA trucking accident attorney has handled personal injury cases, including complex commercial truck claims, for over four decades. At Goldberg Injury Lawyers, we offer a free consultation with no cost or obligation. Please reach out to our team now if you need assistance.
Trucking Accident Lawyer San Fernando Valley, CA
What does a trucking accident lawyer do that a general attorney doesn’t? These cases require knowledge of federal motor carrier regulations, familiarity with industry safety standards, and experience handling the specific tactics insurers use when commercial vehicles are involved. That is what distinguishes a trucking accident lawyer from general legal counsel, and why that distinction can determine the outcome of your case.
The San Fernando Valley sits at the intersection of several major freight corridors, including the 101, 405, and 118 freeways. Big rigs, flatbeds, tankers, and delivery trucks pass through these roads daily. When something goes wrong, the resulting crashes are rarely minor. A dedicated truck accident attorney in the San Fernando Valley knows the terrain, the carriers who operate here, and the tactics insurers use to reduce or deny claims.
Types of Trucking Accident Cases We Handle in San Fernando Valley
Commercial truck accidents take many forms. We represent injured people across the San Fernando Valley in a wide range of trucking-related claims, including:
- Wide-load and oversized vehicle accidents. Trucks hauling oversize loads must follow specific routing and safety protocols. When those protocols aren’t followed, collisions with smaller vehicles are often catastrophic.
- Rear-end truck collisions. A fully loaded semi can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When one fails to stop in time, whether because of brake failure, driver inattention, or following too close, the damage to the vehicle ahead is severe. These are just a few examples of contributing factors we have identified in our most common truck accidents cases.
- Fatigued driver accidents. Federal Hours of Service rules exist for a reason. Truck drivers who exceed legal driving limits or falsify their logs put everyone on the road at risk. Drowsy driving behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle is a known, documented danger.
- Drunk or impaired driving. Commercial drivers are held to a lower BAC limit than passenger car drivers, which is 0.04% under federal law. Unfortunately, impaired truck drivers still cause serious accidents.
- Jackknife accidents. When a truck’s trailer swings outward past the cab, it can sweep across multiple lanes in seconds. Causes include sudden braking, equipment failure, or poor road conditions.
- Underride accidents. One of the most dangerous types of truck crashes. When a smaller vehicle slides under a truck’s trailer, from the rear or side, the results are frequently fatal or permanently disabling.
- Cargo and loading accidents. Improperly secured cargo can shift during transit, causing the driver to lose control. Spills create road hazards for other drivers on the roadway. Liability in these cases may extend beyond the truck operator to the loading company.
- Brake and mechanical failure. Trucking companies are legally required to maintain their vehicles. When they cut corners on inspections or defer necessary repairs, equipment failures cause crashes. Evidence from maintenance logs is critical in these cases.
- Truck accident fires. Tanker trucks and vehicles carrying flammable materials present a specific risk of fire and explosion after a collision. The injuries in these cases, burns, and smoke inhalation, are among the most serious we handle.
- Wrongful death. When a loved one is killed in a commercial vehicle accident, surviving family members may have a wrongful death claim. We handle these cases with the care and urgency they require.
San Fernando Valley Trucking Accident Infographic
Why Choose Goldberg Injury Lawyers for Trucking Accidents in San Fernando Valley, CA?
42 Years of California Personal Injury Litigation
Barry P. Goldberg, founder of Goldberg Injury Lawyers, has been practicing personal injury law in California since 1984. He has tried numerous jury trials and handled hundreds of arbitrations and mediations across the full range of personal injury claims, including commercial vehicle crashes. He is licensed to practice in all California state courts, the U.S. Federal District Courts of California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
That range of court experience matters in truck accident cases. Federal regulations govern commercial carriers, meaning these cases can involve both state and federal law. Attorney Barry understands how to work across those jurisdictions and how to hold both drivers and the companies behind them accountable.
For clients seeking a personal injury lawyer in San Fernando Valley, CA, this depth of trial experience is meaningful, as not every case settles and you want someone who has actually stood in front of a jury.
Results That Matter
Goldberg Injury Lawyers has recovered millions of dollars for clients who suffered brain injuries, spinal injuries, fractures, and other serious injuries. These are the kind of injuries that occur regularly in commercial truck collisions. There is no fee for a consultation, so you can learn more about your options.
Understanding Trucking Accident Cases
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Truck Accident Cases
Truck accident victims in California can seek compensation across several categories:
- Medical expenses. This can entail expenses for emergency treatment, urgent care, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, and future treatment costs.
- Lost wages. Income lost during recovery, as well as diminished future earning capacity if injuries prevent a return to prior employment
- Pain and suffering. Physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life following the crash
- Property damage. Repair or replacement of the vehicle and any other personal property destroyed in the collision
- Wrongful death damages. Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship, in cases where a family member was killed
Liability in truck accident cases can extend to more than just the truck driver. While the driver may have been negligent, other parties may share liability. Identifying every potentially liable party is one of the first things we do when evaluating a trucking accident case.
Important Aspects in Your Truck Accident Case
Truck accident claims require evidence collection that begins quickly, sometimes within days of the crash. Commercial vehicles are equipped with electronic logging devices (ELDs), black box data recorders, and often dashboard cameras. That data can be overwritten or destroyed. Key factors that shape these cases include:
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations on driver hours, vehicle maintenance, and cargo securement
- The trucking company’s hiring, training, and supervision records
- Post-accident drug and alcohol testing results for the driver
- Maintenance logs showing whether defects were known and unaddressed
- Eyewitness accounts and available surveillance footage from the crash area
Truck Accident Case Timeline
We know that no two cases are exactly alike, however, many trucking accident claims follow a general progression:
- Immediate investigation. We perform our own investigation to uncover evidence, contributing factors, and liable parties.
- Medical evaluation and treatment. We encourage clients to complete or stabilize their medical treatment before finalizing any claim, so the full extent of injuries is known.
- Demand and negotiation. A formal demand is submitted to the insurer once damages are fully documented and negotiations follow.
- Litigation, if necessary. If the insurer refuses a fair resolution, we file suit and prepare for trial; many cases resolve through mediation before a verdict.
- Resolution. Settlement or trial verdict, funds distributed after any liens are addressed.
What to Bring to Your Truck Accident Consultation
Your first meeting is most useful when you have at least some information or evidence to share with us. If you have them, we recommend bringing:
- The police report or incident number from the crash
- Photographs from the accident scene, if any were taken
- Any correspondence from the trucking company’s insurer
- Medical records or bills you’ve received so far
You don’t need all of the above to have a productive consultation. We can often locate records and evidence on our own once retained. The goal of that first conversation is simply to understand what happened and give you an honest assessment of your situation. We offer free consultations for truck accident cases, so please contact us today for further advice.
California Legal Resources for Trucking Accidents
California truck accident claims involve both state law and federal regulations. The following resources provide access to the relevant laws and rules:
- Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1: The two-year statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death claims, including those arising from truck accidents.
- Civil Code Section 3333: Permits recovery of all damages proximately caused by a wrongful act, covering medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
- Vehicle Code Section 22350: The basic speed law, requiring all drivers including truckers to operate at a speed safe for current road and traffic conditions.
Reach Out to Goldberg Injury Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation
If you were injured in a truck crash in the San Fernando Valley, CA, or lost a family member in a commercial vehicle accident, we’re ready to help you understand your options. Goldberg Injury Lawyers offers free consultations for trucking accident cases, and we handle these claims on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us today for further support and guidance regarding your case.