California Truck Accident Lawyer

If you are suddenly in a truck accident, it can quickly become one of the worst days of your life. You might have severe injuries, and the future is uncertain. Truck crashes are terrifying and dangerous events that cause costly losses to hundreds of thousands of people each year. Know that you are never alone in this situation, and our professionals stand ready to help you.

The California truck accident attorneys of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos represent victims of these devastating crashes. We know how to tackle complex and technical truck accident cases and have the experience and resources to face trucking companies and their insurers head-on. Contact our legal team for a free case evaluation today if your crash and injuries happened in California.

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Achieving Results for Injured Clients

When you file insurance claims seeking compensation for your truck accident injuries and losses, you might expect to receive a settlement check in a short time. After all, if the truck driver was at fault, the trucking insurance company should cover you, right?

Unfortunately, insurance companies are less than willing to fully compensate claimants, no matter how serious their injuries might be. The initial offers from insurance companies are usually embarrassingly low, and you should never accept anything without consulting our attorneys first.

We can advise you when a settlement offer is inadequate, and we are skilled negotiators who can convince insurance companies what you truly deserve. If you do not receive a fair offer, we can take the matter to court and seek a favorable jury verdict that reflects your losses.

For example, in past cases, our firm:

• Obtained $4.5 million for an accident victim who received an insurance offer of only $300,000
• Obtained $1 million for a client whose initial offer was a mere $20,000
• Recovered $3.7 million for a client who was, at first, deemed at fault for the accident by the police

These are examples of how we fight to increase offers for our clients or seek jury verdicts. Never assume the first offer is all you can get. Instead, speak with the Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos team, and we can develop a strategy to obtain maximum compensation for your case.

Truck Crashes in California

In a recent year, 7.3 percent of traffic accidents in California involved large commercial trucks. These accidents resulted in 398 deaths, which is a whopping 8 percent of the national average. California was the second-deadliest state for truck accidents in the U.S.

While you can see delivery trucks and semis on any road in California, most truck crashes happen on the highways.

Some common locations for these terrifying accidents include:

• I-5
• I-80, especially in Oakland and Berkeley
• I-10
• I-15
• Highway 49 in Merced County
• I-880 between Oakland and San Leandro

While these highways might see more crashes, the reality is that you can suffer injuries in a truck accident wherever you might be driving.

Never Wait to Get Our Legal Team on Board

After any injury, you should never delay in seeking legal help. This is particularly true following a truck accident, as these cases are time-sensitive and complex.

After a crash, the trucking company will likely dispatch representatives to examine the truck and the scene. They will gather information and evidence—and might destroy evidence of their liability.

Once you hire Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, we can send out any necessary evidence preservation demands. These communications inform the trucking company that you might take legal action and demand that they keep all potential evidence intact. The sooner we send this demand, the better chance you can access the evidence you need to prove your claim.

Trucking cases are also complicated because they involve highly technical evidence.

Examples include:

• Information from the truck’s event data recorder (black box)
• Truck dashcam footage
• Truck driver employment records and driving history
• Truck maintenance records
• Electronic logs of hours of service

We can have trusted experts examine such evidence to help build your case and prove liability.

Further, truck accident claims can involve multiple parties and corporate insurance companies. You want a firm with experience taking on large insurers and corporations, and the Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos team never backs down.

Not only do you want to hire an attorney, but you want to do so as soon as possible after your injuries.

Types of Truck Accidents

There are many types of trucks on the road that can be in accidents, each with its own risks and hazards. While truck drivers should have proper training on the vehicle they must operate, they can still make errors resulting in collisions and injuries.

You can encounter trucks on the road, such as:

• Garbage trucks: You will see these in residential neighborhoods as they keep the city clean. As they move from house to house, they can break down or even accidentally back up into a car exiting a driveway. These trucks often move slowly, but this does not mean they will cause minor injuries.
• Tractor-trailers: These trucks vary in size as they will have different kinds of cargo they need to transport. Most often, however, these 18-wheelers drive on highways and major roads to get to their next destination.
• Flatbed trailers: This type of tractor-trailer has an open trailer. These trucks often haul oversized or excessively heavy equipment, and there is always the risk that cargo will fall off the truck.
• Tanker trucks: These are also tractor-trailers with large tanks as trailers to haul liquid or gaseous cargo. Often, these trucks carry flammable or hazardous materials (hazmat), which increases the chances of widespread injuries and damage in a crash.
• Delivery box trucks: These trucks are often smaller and are used to deliver goods around the city without much fuss. They are still much larger than other vehicles on the road and will cause extensive damage.
• Dump trucks: Often transporting sand and construction materials, you will find these trucks traveling to and from construction sites. While we need construction to move us forward, this should not come at the cost of our safety and security.

Other types of trucks can be in crashes, and our firm handles accident claims involving any commercial vehicle.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

When truck drivers act negligently, they can leave devastation in their wake. While driver negligence is not the only cause of crashes, it is the most common.

Some causes of truck accidents are:

• Driver fatigue: Truck drivers have incentives to make deliveries as fast as possible. This often leads to them driving until they are over-tired, which causes a threat to everyone around them. Drivers are often the most exhausted from midnight into the early morning.
• Speeding: As we mentioned, drivers rush to make their next delivery, which means they might engage in reckless behavior such as speeding. Speeding in a commercial truck results in longer braking times, which means that if a hazard appears, they might not stop in time to avoid an accident.
• Driving under the influence: No driver should be under the influence while driving. This is even more dangerous when you are driving a commercial truck. Truckers should never drive under the influence up to four hours before their shift or while on the road. Sadly, this does not prevent drivers from using drugs and alcohol.
• Distracted driving: When a driver is distracted, it is similar to driving under the influence. Truck drivers are on the road for extended periods and may want to entertain themselves while on the road. Most often, they will look at their phones, which means their eyes are off the road.
• Improper maintenance: Trucks must have proper inspections and maintenance to be safe on the road. If they are not, this can lead to faulty brakes, tire failure, defective belts, and hoses, among other things.
• Unsecured cargo: Most trucks are transporting cargo from one location to another, which means they have additional weight on the truck. This also means they must take extra precautions. When crews load the cargo gets loaded, they must secure it so it does not fall off or throw the truck off balance.

There are several other ways a truck accident can occur, as this list is not exhaustive. Regardless of which type of truck or the cause of the truck accident, you will need to contact a California truck accident attorney from Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos to discuss your case.

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Injuries Caused by a Truck Accident

Truck accidents will often leave accident victims with severe injuries. These injuries require extensive medical treatments and can even result in permanent disability. You may not work after a truck accident, which can add to your stress and financial losses.

People might sustain many injuries in truck crashes, including:

• Broken bones
• Soft tissue injuries
• Neck and back injuries
• Burns
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Eye injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Amputations
• Head injuries
• Organ damage
• Internal bleeding

Dealing with such extreme injuries can be difficult, especially because you now face a challenging legal battle. Focus on your treatment and healing while you allow our California truck accident attorneys to do the rest.

Who Can be Liable After a Truck Accident?

As we mentioned, truck accident liability is very complex. The truck driver can be negligent and liable, but so can the trucking company, the maintenance company, and other third parties.

Parties that are commonly liable in a truck accident include:

• The truck company
• The driver
• The truck owner
• The freight company
• Cargo loaders
• The truck manufacturer
• The maintenance company

Dealing with multiple claims against multiple parties can get confusing quickly. Do not juggle communications - and trying to can hurt your claim. Our team will handle every detail of every claim you must file to seek full compensation.

Seeking Compensation for Your Damages

There is no set amount of compensation that truck accident victims need. We understand that each case is unique, and we calculate damages and compensation on a case-by-case basis.

You may recover compensation for:

• Lost income
• Medical expenses
• Punitive damages
• Pain and suffering
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Permanent disability
• Wrongful death damage

Truck accident injuries often require extensive treatment, which is why you must have the right legal team fighting for your rights.

Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos helps clients with all types of injuries. Whether your injury will eventually heal or you have permanent disabilities, you deserve compensation for your losses, and we are on your side.

Steps to Take After a California Truck Accident

After a truck accident, you will need to get medical attention immediately. Once you get a diagnosis, always follow your treatment plan. This can help both your physical recovery and legal case.

You will also need to contact a truck accident attorney as soon as possible. The sooner you contact an attorney, the faster we can build your case. We will immediately work to preserve evidence and ensure insurance companies do not try to pull a fast one on you.

Let Our California Truck Accident Attorneys Help You

The truck accident attorneys at Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos will work to obtain fair compensation for your injuries and damages. If we cannot do so through negotiations, we will take the extra steps and file a lawsuit, even going to trial if necessary. Truck accident claims are complicated, and you need the right legal help to protect your rights and stand up to insurance companies. For more information reach out to a California personal injury lawyers.

Do not wait any longer. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a truck accident, contact Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos at (650) 345-8484 for your free case initial consultation. Our trusted legal team is always available to discuss your case.