Palm Springs Truck Accident Attorney

Millions of Dollars Recovered for Our Clients

The commercial trucking industry is governed by an extensive list of laws, many of which are focused on ensuring drivers receive special safety training and fully understand the guidelines regulating their profession. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for trucking companies or their drivers to ignore the laws in order to increase profits or meet delivery deadlines.

Disregarding the law is dangerous when one considers the size of these semi-trucks, especially compared to the size and weight of the average Californian’s personal vehicle. There is no doubt that an accident involving a semi-truck will have a devastating impact on the others involved.

What Damages Are Available in a Trucking Accident Claim?

If you were injured in a truck accident, we may be able to assist you in pursuing compensation for your:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• And other related damages

Who Is Liable in a Truck Accident Case?

A trucking company is often found liable for an accident. While there are many reasons for this, a common one is the fact that trucking companies are often caught encouraging their drivers to break trucking regulations to save their company time or money.

A truck driver can also be held responsible for and accident. In most cases where a truck driver is held liable, they either own the truck that caused the accident, or it’s discovered that their behavior or negligence was the cause of the accident.

Some of the parties that can be held liable in a truck accident may include:

• The driver
• The company who employs the driver
• The company who owns the truck
• The person or entity responsible for truck maintenance

Whoever is responsible for your accident, our team of experienced attorneys has the skill and knowledge to properly investigate your case and hold the responsible party accountable.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents?

The most common causes of truck accidents are:

• Speeding
• Distracted driving
• Fatigue
• Driving under the influence
• Failure to yield the right of way
• Obscured vision
• Improperly maintained vehicle
• Overloaded or improperly secured cargo
• Insufficiently trained or inexperienced drivers

What Are the Hours of Service Regulations?

Because trucks can cause so much damage to other vehicles on the road in the event of an accident, truck drivers are required to follow more regulations than other motor vehicles.

One of these truck driver specific regulations is the hours of service regulation. These set of rules are aimed primarily at preventing fatigued driving accidents and ensuring truck drivers are not overworked by the companies they work for.

According to these rules:

• Truck drivers can work up to 14 hours in a day but can only drive for 11 of these hours. The remaining time must be spent on rest or meal breaks.
• Drivers must rest for at least 10 hours before beginning a new workday.
• Truck drivers are required to take days off work at regular intervals depending on the hours of the trucking company they work for.

The Details of the Case

It is highly likely that the trucking company in question has more experience navigating the aftermath of large auto accidents than you do. Most companies have protocol for handling accidents in order to minimize evidence and reduce the validity of your claim.

Trucking companies and their insurance carriers are motivated to cover up the truth, avoid compensating you for your injuries, and cast doubt regarding their liability by any means necessary.

Experienced Representation is Crucial

When you file a claim or enter into litigation with an established trucking company with access to vast resources, it is incredibly helpful to have a Palm Springs truck accident attorney to provide legal counsel, support, and assistance. At Christopher C. Vader PC, we have over two decades of experience facing larger scale defendants and we are relentless in our quest to secure compensation for his clients.