Orange County Large Truck Accident Lawyer
If you have suffered injuries in a an accident with a large truck, you deserve representation to protect your rights. Contact the Orange County truck accident lawyers at Beckerman Anderson today, and let us fight for the compensation you need to move forward.
According to statistics published by the United States Census Bureau, more than 3 million people are currently living in Orange County, California. Supplying such a large number of people requires a large and efficient transportation and distribution system, a system in which the trucking industry plays an essential role in terms of carrying supplies, products, and raw materials to where they are needed.
Unfortunately, one of the adverse side effects of this transportation and distribution system is that, as Orange County’s population continues to grow, so does its number of accidents that involve large trucks.
If you were recently injured in a large truck accident, you could be entitled to significant financial compensation. Reach out to an Orange County truck accident lawyer at Beckerman Anderson to find out how we can help you make the most of your settlement. Call (949) 409-4299 to schedule a free consultation about your Orange County truck accident.
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The Significance of Having Legal Representation in Cases Involving Large Trucks
After being involved in an accident with a large truck, you may be wondering what choices you have and how to move forward with your life. It is essential to have an understanding that accidents involving large commercial trucks can be complicated and that you may be up against large commercial trucking companies as well as the insurance providers for those companies.
These businesses typically have their own legal department, and those lawyers will be working to protect the company’s interests, not the ones you have. Here is where we come into play. You can level the playing field and give yourself the best chance of obtaining the maximum amount of compensation you deserve by working with an experienced attorney who specializes in cases involving accidents involving large trucks.
How We Handle Cases Involving Accidents Involving Large Trucks
Every case that we take on at Beckerman Anderson APC receives the individualized attention it deserves, thanks to our personalized approach. When you come to us, we will listen to your story, question you, and collect all of the pertinent information in order to construct a compelling argument on your behalf. If necessary, we will collaborate with specialists, including those trained in accident reconstruction and the standard of care for commercial trucking companies, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the nature and scope of your case.
Accidents involving large trucks that are typical in Orange County and their causes
Accidents involving tractor-trailers are relatively common in Orange County, and there are a variety of causes for them. Some of these causes include driver fatigue, intoxication, speeding, and reckless driving. The data from the California Highway Patrol indicate that there were 3,845 accidents involving big rigs in Orange County in 2020. As a direct result of these collisions, there were 147 fatalities and over 2,000 injuries.
These accidents can have catastrophic results, and the clean-up after them can be extremely challenging. We can assist you in holding the responsible party accountable and pursuing the compensation that is rightfully yours if you were hurt in an accident involving a large truck that was caused by the negligence of another person.
Accidents involving large trucks can result in a variety of injuries and property damage
Accidents involving tractor-trailers can result in a wide variety of injuries, such as broken bones, injuries to the head and brain, injuries to the spinal cord, and internal injuries. These types of injuries may require extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and ongoing care. They may also have long-term effects on both your physical and emotional well-being
Accidents involving large trucks can cause not only physical injuries but also financial damages, such as lost wages, property damage, and other out-of-pocket expenses. At Beckerman Anderson APC, we are aware of the risks posed by large commercial trucks, and we will do everything in our power to secure the compensation that will allow you to make up for all of your misfortunes.
What Are Some Common Causes of Orange County Large Truck Accidents?
Operator error is by far the most frequent cause of Orange County trucking accidents, as well as large truck accidents statewide. Some of the most common types of operator errors that lead to an Orange County truck accident include :
Truck operators have extremely high-stress jobs. Sadly, some turn to drugs or alcohol to deal with the stress or to get through a delivery. A recent study published by Reuters stated that almost 13% of truck drivers in the United States tested positive for alcohol. Nearly 20% of all truck drivers admitted to smoking weed while driving, and 3% said they had used cocaine behind the wheel. Both marijuana and alcohol are depressants, meaning they tend to make you drowsy, while cocaine increases wakefulness and agitation. No matter what drug is involved, they all produce symptoms that can lead to a serious truck crash.
Long-haul truckers who often haul freight across the country are at an increased risk of ‘zoning out’ behind the wheel. This lack of situational awareness can easily cause a driver to become vulnerable to distractions. Distracted driving is defined as any activity that pulls your attention away from driving safely and paying attention to your surroundings, such as checking social media or sending a text message. It is common knowledge that driving while distracted is very dangerous, but the danger is considerably heightened when the driver in question is piloting an 18-ton tractor-trailer.
Truck drivers are expected to deliver their cargo at a specific place by a specific time. They are under a lot of pressure from their employers to meet their deadlines which often results in drivers taking fewer breaks than they are legally obligated to take. Just like anyone else who is overworked, this has a negative impact on a truck driver’s coordination and concentration, and they could even nod off at the wheel. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, their demanding schedules and employer coercion causes truck drivers to experience fatigue, a factor that is responsible for about 13% of all large truck accidents
Trucking companies are obligated to maintain their rigs, including frequent tire, brake, and lighting inspections. Failure to maintain adequate tire tread, brakes, and lights is negligent and can result in catastrophic accidents.
Truck drivers may speed in an effort to fulfill strict deadlines. If they are late with their deliveries, they could possibly lose their job. For this reason, speeding is another main cause of large truck accidents. Truck operators who are driving too fast for current roadway conditions are responsible for 23% of all large truck crashes nationwide.
California Vehicle Code Section 22406 holds truck drivers to a 55-mile-per-hour speed limit on California highways. The chief reason for this is that, due to their size and weight, large trucks need a lot more time to come to a complete stop than a passenger vehicle. This means that a speeding truck would most likely be unable to stop in time in the event of an emergency.
Given their length and size, commercial trucks make wide turns. This can result in collisions with passenger vehicles. The 2026 California Commercial Driver Handbook provides guidelines for wide turns.
2.7.6 – Space for Turns
The space around a truck or bus is important in turns. Large vehicles can hit other vehicles or objects during turns because of wide turning and off-tracking.
Right Turns. Here are some rules to help prevent right-turn accidents:
• Turn slowly to give yourself and others more time to avoid problems.
• If you are driving a truck or bus that cannot make the right turn without swinging into another lane, turn wide as you complete the turn. Keep the rear of your vehicle close to the curb. This will stop other drivers from passing you on the right.
• Do not turn wide to the left as you start the turn. A following driver may think you are turning left and try to pass you on the right. You may crash into the other vehicle as you complete your turn.
• If you must cross into the oncoming lane to make a turn, watch out for vehicles coming toward you. Give them room to go by or stop. However, do not back up for them because you might hit someone behind you.
What Are Some Common Types of Truck Accidents?
A collision with a tractor-trailer is almost always a catastrophic event. Trucks are large and heavy; they can cause serious damage, even when they are traveling at fairly low speeds. Orange County truck accident lawyers from Beckerman Anderson have worked with large truck accident victims and know firsthand how devastating these accidents can be.
For the occupants of passenger vehicles, the three types of large truck crashes with the highest fatality rates are:
- Head-on accidents: 31% of deadly truck accidents involve a passenger vehicle and a commercial truck colliding with one another head-on.
- Side-impact collisions: 24% of deadly truck accidents involve a tractor-trailer T-boning a passenger vehicle.
- Rear-end collisions: 23% of deadly truck accidents involve a passenger vehicle crashing into the back of the truck.
Jackknife truck accident: When a truck driver loses control of his vehicle, it could cause the trailer to swing wide, sticking out from the cab at a 90-degree angle. This kind of truck crash is especially dangerous since the trailer is able to swing across multiple lanes of traffic, striking and potentially crushing dozens of vehicles.
Underride truck accident: There is a considerable gap between the bottom of the trailer and the asphalt. Considerable enough, in fact, that the front end of most passenger vehicles can slide underneath, but not so considerable as to accommodate an entire car. When the front of a passenger vehicle slides under a commercial truck, its occupants crash into the edge of the truck or, in some cases, are carried under the truck as the top of the car is sheared off, resulting in serious injuries and sometimes death.
Hitch failure truck accident: A truck’s cab is connected to its trailer by a hitch. If the hitch is not properly fastened or malfunctions in some way, the trailer will detach from the engine and roll uncontrollably through traffic with absolutely no way to stop it.
Overload truck accident: State and federal governments strictly regulate how much weight each type of commercial truck is able to carry. This is due to the fact that a truck that is overloaded is much harder to control.
Rollover truck accident: Due to their height, tractor-trailers have a high center of gravity, which makes them more prone to rolling over than most other vehicles. If a driver slams on their brakes or fails to slow down before a turn, the truck can overturn and potentially crush any pedestrians, cyclists, or other vehicles in the area.
Cargo spill truck accident: A cargo spill sounds like a fairly minor incident. If the freight is unusually heavy, such as timber or logs, or hazardous materials, such as gasoline, cement, or something carcinogenic, then a “simple” cargo spill could lead to not just injuries but potential illness to those in the area.
If you were injured in a truck accident, you are probably wondering who is liable for your injuries and other damages. The truck driver? The trucking company? Both?
Under California’s respondeat superior doctrine, a motor carrier is vicariously liable for the negligence of its truck driver committed within the course and scope of employment, without any showing of fault on the carrier’s part. The scope-of-employment inquiry is broad: conduct is within it if the driver’s act was either required by or incidental to the job, or reasonably foreseeable in light of the employer’s enterprise — foreseeability here meaning that the conduct is not so startling or unusual that it would be unfair to charge it to the business, rather than foreseeability in the negligence sense. Because commercial driving is itself the work, most collisions occurring while a driver is hauling a load fall squarely within scope, and the “going and coming” rule that ordinarily exempts commutes rarely helps the carrier once the tractor is in service. Minor personal deviations — a meal stop, a short detour off the route — are treated as mere “detours” that do not break the employment relationship, whereas a substantial abandonment of the employer’s business constitutes a “frolic” that does. Practically, plaintiffs in California trucking cases usually plead respondeat superior alongside direct-negligence theories (negligent hiring, training, retention, entrustment, and supervision
Whether a driver is an employee or an independent contractor turns on which test applies. For tort claims — including vicarious liability — courts still use the common-law control test refined in S.G. Borello & Sons v. Dept. of Industrial Relations: the principal factor is the hirer’s right to control the manner and means of the work, supplemented by secondary factors such as the right to discharge at will, who supplies the tools, vehicle, and place of work, the distinct nature of the worker’s occupation, whether the work is part of the hirer’s regular business, the skill required, the method of payment (by time versus by the job), the length of the relationship, and the parties’ own belief about what they created. No single factor controls, and a label in a lease or owner-operator agreement is not dispositive. Importantly for trucking, the classification question is often academic: under Eli v. Murphy and its progeny, a carrier operating under a state permit owes a nondelegable duty and cannot escape liability by hiring independent contractors, and under the federal leasing regulations (49 C.F.R. § 376.12(c)(1)) the lessee carrier must assume exclusive possession and control of the leased equipment, which courts have used to impose “statutory employee” liability regardless of the common-law relationship.
Most cases settle without a need for a lawsuit. Even then, most cases settle before a trial. However, if the parties cannot reach a settlement, they have the right to a trial. Most personal injury cases are tried before a jury. A jury is typically made up of 12 people from the county in which the case is set. The truck accident attorneys at Beckerman Anderson APC, have experience in both settlements and trial.
Our Legal Services for People Injured in Accidents Involving Large Trucks
If you have been hurt in an accident involving a large truck, you may be eligible for financial compensation for your injuries. At Beckerman Anderson APC, we provide a wide variety of legal services to assist you in obtaining the appropriate compensation for your losses, including the following:
Initial consultations with no charge: We are happy to provide initial consultations with no charge to any potential clients. During this consultation, we will listen to your story, answer any questions you may have, and provide you with guidance regarding the legal options available to you.
Investigation into the incident: We are going to investigate the incident in order to find out what caused it and who is to blame for it. As part of this process, we might have to collect and examine the evidence, such as accident reports, witness statements, and vehicle data.
Bringing legal action: If we are unable to reach an agreement with the insurance company regarding a settlement, we may suggest that you bring legal action. We will take care of every aspect of the legal process for you, including appearing in court on your behalf and working to secure you the highest possible amount of compensation for your injuries.
To make an appointment for a consultation with one of our lawyers, you can either give us a call at (949) 409-4299 or fill out the contact form on our website. We’ll listen to your story, answer your questions, and advise you on your legal options.
Deadlines to file a personal injury claim can be strict and may pass sooner than you expect, and they vary depending on your specific situation. Because waiting can cost you the right to recover, it’s best to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after an accident so your claim is protected.
The value of your case following an accident involving a big rig will be determined by a number of different factors, such as the seriousness of your injuries, the extent of your damages, and the circumstances surrounding the accident. You may need the assistance of an experienced attorney in order to calculate the potential value of your case.
Most cases settle without a need for a lawsuit. Even then, most cases settle before a trial. However, if the parties cannot reach a settlement, they have the right to a trial. Most personal injury cases are tried before a jury. A jury is typically made up of 12 people from the county in which the case is set. As the plaintiff you will need to appear in court to testify about the accident, your injuries, and the harm you suffered because of the accident. The truck accident attorneys at Beckerman Anderson APC, have experience in both settlements and trial and preparing clients for testimony.
It is essential to establish who is responsible for an accident. This may require the identification of multiple parties, such as the truck driver, the trucking company, or a third party, all of whom may be at fault for the accident. It may include collecting evidence, such as, police reports, photos and video footage, vehicle data, driver DMV records, registered owner information, and company safety records. At Beckerman Anderson APC, we will conduct a necessary investigation to determine liability and ensure that the responsible parties are held accountable for the injuries and damages you have sustained as a result of the incident.
Following an accident involving a big rig, the insurance provider for the trucking company may get in touch with you. It is essential that you are aware that insurance companies are not on your side. It is in their interests to minimize the value of your claim. They might attempt to pay you less compensation than you are entitled to, or they might completely reject your claim. Here is where we come into play. We will handle all communication with the insurance company on your behalf and we will work to negotiate a fair settlement that compensates you for the damages you have suffered.
Finding the Right Personal Injury Lawyer to Represent You in a Big Rig Accident in Costa Mesa
If you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident involving a big rig in Costa Mesa or the surrounding Orange County area, it is imperative that you select an attorney with significant relevant experience to represent you.
At Beckerman Anderson APC, we have decades of experience representing clients in cases involving big rig accidents, and we will work diligently to secure the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to receive on your behalf. Get in touch with us today for an initial consultation that is completely free of charge, and allow us to assist you in navigating the legal process and protecting your rights.
In the event that you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident involving a big rig in Costa Mesa or the surrounding Orange County area, do not delay in getting in touch with Beckerman Anderson APC in order to retain legal representation. Our seasoned legal team is committed to zealously advocating for the rights of our clients and assisting those clients in securing the highest possible amount of compensation to which they are entitled.
You are under no obligation to continue working with us after our free initial consultation, during which you will have the opportunity to learn more about the legal options available to you. It is important that you do not allow either the trucking company or the insurance company to take advantage of you.