Folsom Truck Accident Lawyer

Large commercial trucks share the roads with passenger vehicles throughout California, including the greater Folsom area. These trucks are heavily regulated by the state and federal governments, yet there are thousands of serious accidents yearly. When a crash occurs between a tractor-trailer or large commercial truck and a much smaller, lighter car, the impact forces often cause severe and life-threatening injuries. It is not unusual for the driver and passengers of smaller vehicles to be hospitalized with severe injuries while the truck operator walks away with minimal or no injuries. Getting legal assistance from a truck accident lawyer in Folsom is imperative as soon as possible to move forward from these injuries.
If you have been injured in a trucking accident and believe negligence was involved, you may be entitled to damages for your accident. You can file a personal injury claim against the person responsible for compensation to pay for all your damages, including your mental and physical suffering. Call our experienced injury lawyers at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for a free consultation.
Common Factors in Folsom Truck AccidentsThere are many reasons why large trucks are involved in accidents in Folsom and the surrounding areas. Still, many of these crashes are due to the operator's or trucking company's negligence. Some common types of negligence include the following:
- Overloading or failing to secure cargo – Profit motivates much of the behavior that leads to devastating accidents. Trying to load as much as possible onto a trailer often leads to dangerous conditions.
- Failing to maintain vehicles – When a truck is pulled off the road for repair, it costs drivers/owners or trucking companies money, so maintenance may be pushed off as long as possible.
- Improperly training drivers – Many trucking companies are desperate for drivers and putting them behind these large trucks' wheels earlier than they should be.
- Negligent driving – This behavior leads to driving while fatigued because the driver is violating federal hours-of-service regulations, talking or texting on a cell phone, speeding to make up time, or engaging in other behaviors that place innocent lives in jeopardy to many serious accidents.
- Aggressive driving – When a large truck driver goes beyond negligent driving to actively engage in road rage-related behaviors, there is a severe risk of a terrible accident.
When there is a collision between a car and a commercial truck, the resulting injuries may be horrific, including:
- Fractured or broken bones
- Spinal injuries, including extensive damage that leaves a person a paraplegic or quadriplegic
- Limb amputation
- Internal organ damage
- Permanent disfigurement
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Burn injuries
- Death
A person who has been seriously injured may face many months in the hospital, followed by extended periods of rehabilitation and therapy. Many people can never return to work before a severe car accident. A tremendous burden is also placed on the family and loved ones of the person harmed by the negligence. For these reasons, it is critical to pursue a personal injury case to recover the following damages:
- Medical expenses, including costs reasonably likely to accrue over a lifetime of care necessary because of the accident
- Lost wages and future earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages – these only are awarded where the negligent party's actions were deemed to be egregious.
If a person was killed because a trucker or trucking company was negligent, a Folsom truck accident attorney might bring a wrongful death action on behalf of surviving family members to obtain the compensation necessary to rebuild the lives of those devastated by the terrible loss of a loved one.
Watch the following video below to learn about the types of damages you can claim in a trucking accident lawsuit.
Folsom Commercial Truck Accident FAQWhy is an accident with a large truck more likely to cause injury than a passenger car?
An average passenger vehicle weighs 3,000 pounds, while a fully loaded commercial truck can weigh about 80,000 pounds. Due to the size disparity, any accident between a smaller passenger vehicle and a large truck will likely cause severe and even fatal injuries.
Who is responsible for a truck accident, the driver or the truck company?
Depending on the investigation results, the driver and the trucking company may be responsible for a truck accident. Truck companies will try to avoid liability by claiming the driver is an independent contractor. An experienced truck accident lawyer can help determine who is responsible for the collision.
Call Our Folsom Commercial Truck Accident Lawyers
You may be entitled to compensation if you have been injured or lost a loved one to wrongful death because of a big rig crash. Contact our Folsom truck accident attorneys today for a free consultation by calling (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. We offer free, friendly case advice anytime.
We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
See a list of our past cases on our verdicts and settlements page and our client reviews on Avvo, Yelp, and Google.
Editor’s Note: updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 4.18.23]
Photo by StockSnap [cs 892]