Semi-trucks are the backbone of American commerce. Truck drivers are responsible for
transporting almost all of our goods and food products.

There are thousands of semi trucks on the roads daily, and these truck drivers often transport
our goods without incident. However, all too often, accidents with semi trucks do occur.
Semi-truck accidents have a catastrophic effect on the people involved. If you are a victim who
has been injured because of a semi-truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation.

Contact the truck accident experts at our law firm today to discuss the specifics of your case.

Common Types of Semi-Truck Accidents

Accidents involving large trucks are devastating to all those involved. The size and weight of
these trucks make them some of the most dangerous vehicles on roadways. The following are
the most common types of truck accidents in California.

● Tire blowout: When a semi-truck tire blows out, the force can cause a driver to lose
control of his vehicle.

● Truck rollovers: Semi-trucks can roll over if the driver loses control of their truck, causing
the truck to slide and roll onto its side or roll entirely over.

● Wide turns: Turning a semi-truck to the right takes a lot of control and sometimes a lot of
space. When a truck driver comes to an intersection with the intent to turn right but fails
to give themselves enough time and space to do so, they may swing their rig so wide it
crosses lanes, striking other vehicles or pedestrians.

● Jackknife refers to a large truck with a trailer attached that ends up folding itself into a
90° angle. This can occur if the driver breaks too hard or fast and the heavy weight of
the trailer brings it forward towards the front of the cab. If a vehicle or pedestrian is next
to the trailer when this happens, they can be swept up in the jackknife motion.

● Blind spots: Large trucks come with significant blind spots. If a truck attempts to merge
lanes or turns without adequately checking its blind spots or providing enough signal to
nearby vehicles, accidents may happen.

● Rear-ended: A rear-end crash often results in a vehicle failing to break in time, causing it
to hit the back of the vehicle in front of it. Or the vehicle in front hits its brakes so fast that
the vehicles behind them can’t stop, and they hit the front vehicle.

● Improper loading: If a semi-truck trailer is not loaded correctly or items aren’t sufficiently
secured, the shifting weight can cause the driver to lose control of the trailer or vehicle,
leading to accidents.

● Head-on collisions: Oftentimes, head-on collisions can be the most devastating crashes,
and if a head-on collision happens with a semi-truck, the result is often quite catastrophic. Head-on collisions are exactly how they sound: a vehicle hits another
vehicle head-on, causing severe injuries and possibly death.

● T-boning: T-bone accidents often happen when a vehicle runs a red light or drives into
an intersection without properly ensuring there is no oncoming traffic. When they run into
the intersection, they slam into the middle of another vehicle, thus t-boning.

● Negligent Parking: Sometimes truck drivers park in areas, such as road shoulders, that
dramatically increase the risk for collision and serious injury.

The Top Causes of Semi-Truck Accidents in California

There are many factors that can lead to a truck accident. Some of the most common include the
following.

● Speeding

● Driving under the influence

● Driving distracted

● Failure To yield to oncoming traffic

● Driving while tired

● Reckless driving

Reckless or careless driving accounts for nearly 60% of all semi-truck accidents. These actions
include driving too fast for the current road conditions or ignoring speed limit laws, falling behind
other vehicles too closely, failing to check blind spots before merging lanes or making turns,
refusing to move over, or leaving enough space for other vehicles on the road, swerving in and
out of lanes, breaking so fast the vehicle behind them doesn’t have time to react, or accelerating
and slowing down erratically.

In the bounds of driving recklessly is a category known as improper maneuvers. These improper
maneuvers cause a little over 40% of semi-truck accidents. Some examples include making U-
turns, turning in dangerous locations, backing up at the wrong time or place, refusing to stay in
the proper lane, overcorrecting the steering wheel, taking part in dangerous passing maneuvers,
driving off the roadway, and failing to take appropriate evasive actions when needed.

While improper maneuvers are dangerous, other drivers take them to another level and perform
illegal actions. Such include running red lights or ignoring stop signs, refusing to yield the right
of way, deciding to drive on the wrong side of the road or in the wrong direction down a one-way
street, and disregarding traffic signs or other road markings.

Injuries Caused by Semi-Truck Accidents

All motor vehicle accidents have the potential to be catastrophic, if not fatal; however, if you add
the size and weight of a semi-truck to a motor vehicle accident, devastating results may occur.

The physical, emotional, and financial damage that can result from a truck accident is quite
mind-blowing. Listed below are some of the most common injuries associated with truck
accidents; these injuries may be severe and require long rehabilitation times, and others are life-
threatening and may turn out to be fatal.

● Traumatic brain injury can lead to prolonged periods of unconsciousness or lifelong
mental impairment.

● Spinal cord injuries that may result in years of physical therapy or permanent paralysis.

● Chemical burns are caused by spilled toxic substances.

● Burns caused by fire related to accidents.

● Limbs being crushed and or amputated.

● Internal bleeding or other internal complications.

● Broken bones and other orthopedic injuries

● Lacerations and abrasions that may cause long-term or permanent scarring.

● Severe blood loss.

The injuries listed above are just some of the physical injuries one may have after a truck
accident. But, these injuries do not account for the emotional damage and psychological
scarring that comes after being involved in a truck accident.

Seeking Compensation After a Truck Accident

You may be entitled to financial compensation if you or a loved one has been seriously harmed
in a semi-truck-related accident. Some of the damages you may be entitled to include:

● Current or projected medical expenses

● Other out-of-pocket costs associated with your injuries

● Lost wages if your injuries have prevented you from working in

● Pain and suffering

● Emotional distress

● Legal costs

● You may also be entitled to punitive damages

● Damaged property

● If the truck accident led to the death of a loved one, you may be entitled to wrongful
death compensation as well.

If you are unsure what damages you may be entitled to; given the specifics of your accident, it is
time to seek the legal aid of a professional personal injury attorney. Contact us at our firm today
to learn more about your rights.

Discovering the Liable Party In My Truck Accident Claim

Discovering the at-fault party or parties responsible for your accident may be more complicated
than you realize. While it may seem logical that the driver is liable, other parties may be
accountable as well.

While driver neglect or careless driving practices cause many truck accidents, there is usually a
corporation behind each reckless driving case. If company owners put unreasonable or illegal
requirements behind their drivers to make impossible deadlines, that corporation may be
partially culpable for your injuries.

Other parties can be found at fault for your injuries. For example, the state or local government
may be held liable for your truck accident if they fail to maintain proper road maintenance and
upkeep.

If other motor vehicles were involved in your accident or caused the accident, those drivers may
also be liable for your injuries. And let’s not forget about the insurance companies.

The experts at our law firm will investigate your case thoroughly and discover which parties
need to be held financially responsible for your injuries.

If you or your loved one have been harmed due to a truck accident, then it is time to seek
professional legal assistance. Contact us at our law firm today to get the financial support you
are owed.