Sacramento Truck Accident Lawyer

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Sacramento truck accident lawyer

When you leave your house in the morning, you probably do not expect to be involved in a motor vehicle accident. Unfortunately, a truck accident can happen at just about anytime.

Even a minor truck accident has the potential to be serious, but this is not something that you need to go through alone. Sacramento truck accident lawyers can help you, and our Sacramento truck accident attorney would be happy to see if you can file a truck accident claim. 

 

Learn more about truck accidents in Sacramento below, and count on the Law Offices of Ryley Hoffman to represent you following a truck accident. 

Secure Legal Representation From Our Sacramento Truck Accident Lawyer

Secure legal representation

Truck accident claims can help you recover compensation for property damage, medical injuries, lost income, and other damages. Because trucks are so large, truck accident injuries have the potential to be serious.

A Sacramento truck accident attorney from our office will tirelessly advocate for truck accident victims, putting your truck accident case in the best position possible to be successful. 

Common Causes of Sacramento Truck Accidents

There are plenty of reasons why truck crashes happen. A few of the most common causes include:

  • Tired Driving: Many truck drivers are incentivized to drive as long as possible because they might be paid by the mile. Unfortunately, this also means that some truck drivers could fall asleep behind the wheel, leading to a severe accident.
  • Distracted Driving: Like other drivers, truck drivers can get distracted behind the wheel. If they reach down for their phones while driving, they could lose control of the truck, leading to a serious accident.
  • Improper Maintenance: Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring their trucks are properly maintained. If they are not, it dramatically increases the chances of a serious motor vehicle accident.
  • Lack of Training: A truck company must also ensure that all its drivers have been properly trained. If a commercial truck driver does not have the necessary training, it could result in an accident that leads to catastrophic injuries. 

Count on a Sacramento personal injury law firm, such as the Law Offices of Ryley Hoffman, to file a truck accident lawsuit on your behalf.

Common Types of Truck Accidents

Common types of truck accidents

Large truck accidents can lead to severe injuries and accidents of all types. Some of the most common types of accidents that commercial trucks might be involved in include the following:

  • Jackknife Accident: A jackknife accident takes place when the cab of the truck and the trailer behind the truck is pointed in different directions. This serious accident happens when the driver loses control of the vehicle.
  • Rollover Accident: A rollover accident occurs when the truck's trailer or cabin is no longer upright. This is a serious accident that can take out other vehicles on the road as well.
  • Head-On Collisions: A truck can also be involved in a head-on collision. This could include a collision with an obstacle on the road, another truck, or other passenger cars.
  • Rear-End Collisions: Commercial trucks can also be involved in rear-end collisions involving other vehicles on the road.

These accidents can lead to serious injuries, so contact a personal injury lawyer who can file an injury claim on your behalf. 

Types of Injuries From Truck Accidents

A serious truck accident can result in a variety of injuries. Some of the most common injuries that could result from a trucking accident include:

  • Head Injuries: If you strike your head on the steering wheel, dashboard, or window, you could be diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
  • Femur Fracture: If you are ejected from the vehicle following a trucking accident, you could strike the ground with enough force to fracture your femur.
  • Knee Injury: If your body flies forward and your knee strikes the dashboard, you could be diagnosed with a knee injury. This is typically called dashboard knee, leading to a PCL injury.
  • Spinal Cord Injury: Because trucking accidents have the potential to be serious, you may even be diagnosed with a spinal cord injury.
  • Whiplash: Plenty of people are also diagnosed with whiplash following a truck accident, a sprain of the cervical ligament in your neck.

Truck accident cases can involve property damage and physical injuries, so contact a personal injury lawyer following a commercial truck accident. 

Rules Truck Drivers Have To Follow in Sacramento

Rules truck drivers have to follow in sacramento

Drivers of commercial vehicles can potentially be involved in serious accidents in Sacramento. There are a handful of rules that truck drivers have to follow. They include: 

Passenger-Carrying Trucks

If the truck driver is carrying passengers, they must have at least eight hours of rest if they have been driving for 10 hours and are not allowed to drive for more than 15 hours at once.

Property-Carrying Trucks

Truck drivers carrying property must have at least 10 hours off duty once they have been driving for at least 11 hours. They are not allowed to drive for more than 14 hours at once. 

Evidence You Need To Support Your Claim

If you want to file a personal injury claim following a serious truck accident, you must have several pieces of evidence. They include:

  • When you meet with your personal injury lawyer, you should ensure you have a copy of the accident report.
  • You should also bring any medical records showing evidence of your injuries.
  • If you have spoken with your doctor, an insurance company, or the trucking company, you also need to bring that with you.
  • Remember to bring copies of your medical or repair bills with you. 

If you need more evidence to support your claim, your personal injury lawyer should help you. Accidents involving large trucks, particularly those that have to do with driver fatigue, have the potential to be serious. 

Determining Negligence in a Truck Accident Claim

Determining negligence in a truck accident claim

Accidents between trucks and passenger vehicles have the potential to be serious. Determining negligence can be complicated if you have been involved in a semi-truck accident. Some of the factors that you need to prove include the following:

  • You will need to show that the truck driver had a duty of care to you and others involved in the accident.
  • You will have to prove that the truck driver somehow breached that duty of care.
  • You will also have to prove that the specific breach of duty of care led to your injuries or damages.

You should rely on an experienced truck accident lawyer to prove your case. 

Potential Recovery From Injuries From a Truck Accident Claim in California

There are several examples of damages that you may be able to recover from truck accident cases. A few examples include: 

Medical Expenses

You can recover damages for past, present, and future medical expenses. If you have bills that you need to pay because you have been involved in a truck accident, a lawyer can pursue compensation for those expenses on your behalf.

If you believe you will require future visits to the doctor as a result of the accident, you can also recover damages to cover those anticipated expenses. 

Lost Income

You can also recover damages from lost wages. How will you make ends meet if you are hurt in an accident and unable to return to work? A personal injury lawyer can pursue compensation on your behalf and help you replace your lost income.

Property Damage

Of course, you might have some repair bills that you need to cover as well. For example, you might owe a deductible on your property damage due to the accident, or your property damage may exceed the other party's insurance coverage limit. You can file a lawsuit to ensure your property damage is adequately covered. 

Pain and Suffering

If you have suffered significant emotional distress from your serious injuries in a Sacramento County truck accident, Sacramento personal injury attorneys can seek compensation for your pain, suffering, and emotional distress.

If you have evidence of your pain and suffering, such as medical records from a mental health professional, you can use them to support your claim.

Punitive Damages

If the vehicle accident circumstances were particularly egregious, you may able to pursue punitive damages.

For example, if the accident rises to the level of a criminal act (the other driver acted with "malice"), you could be entitled to punitive damages. Or, if the truck driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you could be entitled to punitive damages.

Not every truck accident is going to result in punitive damages, but your personal injury lawyer can see if your case might fall under that category. 

Dealing With Insurance Companies

Dealing with insurance companies

The situation can get very complicated if you have to deal with insurance companies following semi-truck accidents. Many parties are involved, and everyone is trying to protect themselves following a truck crash.

You need a legal team to help you deal with insurance companies to ensure you receive fair compensation following an accident involving a semi-truck driver. 

The insurance company will reach out to you quickly to resolve the case before it gets worse for them. It would be best if you did not accept the first offer from an insurance company, as it will probably be significantly less than you deserve.

Furthermore, you should not try to speak to the insurance company alone, as they will be looking for any reason to avoid paying out an insurance claim.

Instead, you need to rely on a personal injury law firm with experience working with insurance companies. There is nothing wrong with receiving a payout from an insurance company after a large truck accident involving a tractor-trailer, but you need to ensure that you receive enough compensation to make you whole again.

Working with a personal injury lawyer ensures you get the compensation you deserve, so count on the Law Offices of Ryley Hoffman to represent you following a truck accident.

Statute of Limitations to File a Claim

If you are involved in a truck accident in Sacramento, California, you have two years from the accident date to file a personal injury claim. If you wait until the two years have expired to file a personal injury claim, your case will probably be dismissed without being heard.

That is why you need to reach out to a personal injury lawyer as quickly as possible following the accident to ensure your case is filed on time and your voice is heard. If you are looking for an attorney to represent you following a truck accident, rely on the Law Offices of Ryley Hoffman.

Our Trusted Sacramento Truck Accident Attorney Is Here To Help You Get Maximum Compensation

Our trusted sacramento truck accident attorneys

An accident involving a large truck can be incredibly stressful, and you need to rely on a personal injury lawyer who can represent you.

At the Law Offices of Ryley Hoffman, we have significant experience working with drivers of all backgrounds, and we can take the stress off your shoulders following a truck accident. We want you to focus all your energy on your medical recovery, so allow us to handle the legal issues for you.

We will provide you with a free initial consultation to see if you are entitled to compensation. Then, if we think you have a case, we will fight vigorously on your behalf to ensure your rights are protected. Contact us today for a free consultation, and let us represent you. 

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