Sonora Truck Accident Lawyer

Located in the heart of California's "Gold Country" and as the county seat of Tuolumne County, Sonora sees a lot of traffic in its area. Semi-trucks often travel through Sonora, delivering goods and produce. While all motor vehicle accidents can potentially cause devastating injuries, crashes involving large commercial trucks may result in greater catastrophic damage due to their overwhelming size and weight.

Since there is a higher risk of injury to others on the road, truckers are typically held to a higher standard of care than passenger vehicles. Unfortunately, not all truck drivers follow federal and state safety guidelines, and negligence is often the cause of an accident. Injured parties are entitled to pursue financial compensation for their losses when this happens.

If you or a family member has been involved in a recent crash involving a large commercial truck in Sonora or elsewhere in Tuolumne County, call our accident lawyers today at (209) 227-1931 for a free case evaluation.

Trucking accidents in Sonora are not uncommon. On January 8, 2022, the CHP reported a logging truck accident on Highway 49 near Dane Court. The logging truck had reportedly lost its load. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. However, trucking accidents in the United States are consistently on the rise.

• 74% of all deadly vehicle crashes involve a large truck.
• 68% of all fatalities are passenger vehicle occupants.
• Truck accidents have increased by 52% since 2009.
• Tire defects are the most common cause of truck-related accidents, accounting for about 30%.
• Most truck accidents occur between noon and 3 p.m.
• About 130,000 people are injured in truck accidents every year.
• Trucking accidents are estimated to become the fifth largest cause of death in the US by 2030.

A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) report showed that fatigue, mechanical defects, and new routes are the top causes of truck crashes.

Reckless driving amounts to no more than 5% of the cases, while 0.4% of crashes were caused by illegal substance abuse and 0.3% by alcohol consumption.

Several defendants may be held responsible for a large commercial trucking accident, including:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• The insurance company that provided a commercial policy for the truck
• The company that contracted or employed the driver
• The manufacturer of the truck

An experienced Sonora truck accident lawyer has the resources and experience to investigate the crash to determine fault and help injured individuals obtain the maximum compensation they need and deserve.

When filing a claim for a truck accident, compensation can be recovered for economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages, such as bodily injuries, represent tangible financial losses from the accident. Non-economic damages are not as simple to calculate since they are intangible and differ in value from case to case. Some damages that may be recovered through a personal injury claim may include the following:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages for the time that was missed at work
• Loss of future earning potential
• Loss of consortium
• Pain and suffering

In Tuolumne County and across California, those injured in semi-truck accidents have a limited time to pursue a claim. According to the California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, injured individuals have two years from the accident date to file a lawsuit in civil court if a settlement agreement has not yet been reached. This is known as the statute of limitations.

If it is beyond the two-year mark, the court may dismiss the case, and your right to recover any monetary compensation may be lost. Immediately consulting with a truck accident attorney ensures all filing criteria and deadlines are met.

Watch the YouTube video below for more on how soon you should contact an injury attorney after your truck accident.

If you have sustained severe injuries or lost a loved one in a trucking collision because of another party's negligence, it is essential to understand your legal rights. While dealing with the aftermath of a devastating accident may be overwhelming, it is critical to retain an experienced attorney to handle your injury claim so you can focus on recovering and getting your life back on track.

At AutoAccident.com, our trucking accident lawyers attribute our history of successful verdicts and settlements to our extensive knowledge of trucking laws. Our legal team is committed to holding careless truck drivers and trucking companies liable when someone has suffered severe injuries in an accident. Call our skilled Sonora truck accident lawyer today at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice.

As injury attorneys with decades of experience, we are committed to helping injured individuals move forward after collisions impact their lives. Our skilled accident lawyers have had a track record of success in personal injury and wrongful death cases since 1982.

^{Editor's Note: updated 11.9.23 Photo by rauschenberger on Pixabay cha [cs 869]}