Truck Accidents in California

Protecting Victims of Serious Crashes

Injured in a California Truck Crash?

We’ll Handle the Insurance Battle

Collisions involving semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, and other commercial vehicles can cause devastating injuries and life-changing consequences. These crashes often involve multiple parties, complicated insurance policies, and federal safety regulations. Trucking companies and their insurers move quickly to protect themselves after an accident, sometimes sending investigators to the scene within hours. That’s why it’s critical to have an experienced attorney on your side. We represent truck accident victims across California, taking on the legal fight so you can focus on your recovery.

Types of Truck Accidents We Handle

Not Every Truck Crash Is the Same

We handle a wide range of truck accident cases, each with its own challenges and legal considerations:

Jackknife Accidents

When a truck’s trailer swings out at a sharp angle, it can block multiple lanes and cause multi-vehicle collisions with serious injuries.

Underride Collisions

Smaller vehicles can slide under the trailer of a truck during a sudden stop, often resulting in catastrophic injuries or fatalities.

Tire Blowouts

A sudden tire failure can cause a truck driver to lose control, endangering everyone nearby on California highways.

Driver Fatigue Crashes

Long hours on the road can lead to exhausted truckers making deadly mistakes. We review driver logs and electronic data to identify violations.

Improperly Secured Cargo

Shifting or falling cargo can cause rollover accidents, spills, or dangerous road obstructions.

Rear-End Truck Collisions

Even at low speeds, the weight of a commercial truck can cause devastating injuries in rear-end crashes.

Truck Accident Claims in California

Act Quickly to Protect Your Rights

Truck accident cases in California are more complex than typical car accidents because they often involve federal safety rules, multiple layers of insurance coverage, and aggressive defense teams working for the trucking companies. California personal injury laws have also changed recently, reducing the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit. Taking immediate action can help preserve critical evidence such as driver logs, maintenance records, and black box data, which can be key to proving your case.

Two-Year Deadline:

California now requires truck accident lawsuits to be filed within two years of the crash date.

Federal Trucking Regulations:

Trucking companies must follow strict federal rules regarding driver hours, vehicle inspections, and maintenance.

High-Risk Roads Across California:

Interstates are common sites for serious truck crashes involving passenger vehicles.

Common Truck Accident Questions

We Hear These All the Time

  • How is a truck accident case different from a regular car accident?
    Truck accidents differ significantly from typical car crashes because of the size and weight of the vehicles involved—and the number of parties who may be legally responsible. Injuries are often more severe, and liability can extend beyond the driver to include the trucking company, cargo loaders, vehicle manufacturers, or even maintenance contractors. Trucking companies are regulated by both state and federal law. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets rules around how long drivers can be on the road, how vehicles must be maintained, and what training is required. A violation of any of these rules could shift the liability away from the driver and onto the company or other responsible parties. These layers of responsibility make truck accident claims more complex—and more heavily defended. Legal teams for trucking companies often deploy immediately after a crash to minimize their liability. That’s why you need your own legal advocate from the start—to protect evidence, identify violations, and hold all liable parties accountable.
  • Who can be held responsible in a truck accident?
    Unlike most car accidents, liability in a truck crash can fall on multiple entities—not just the driver. Depending on the cause of the accident, you might be able to bring a claim against the trucking company, the company that loaded the cargo, a third-party maintenance provider, or even the manufacturer of the truck or its components. New York law allows you to pursue all responsible parties through a process called 'joint and several liability,' which can be critical when one party has limited insurance or assets. Each entity has specific duties under the law, and violating those duties—like failing to inspect the brakes or forcing a driver to exceed their legal drive time—can constitute negligence. Federal regulations, particularly those set by the FMCSA, also play a major role in determining fault. These regulations are not suggestions—they are enforceable standards, and violations can support your legal claim. An experienced attorney will conduct a thorough investigation to determine exactly where fault lies and pursue full compensation from every liable source.
  • What federal laws apply to truck accident cases?
    Truck drivers and companies must comply with a wide array of federal safety laws governed by the FMCSA, which oversees everything from driver hours to vehicle maintenance standards. These rules are designed to prevent fatigue-related crashes, secure dangerous cargo properly, and keep poorly maintained vehicles off the road. When a violation of federal law causes or contributes to an accident, it can strengthen your case significantly. For example, if a truck driver exceeded the hours-of-service limit or if logbooks were falsified, these breaches can point directly to the cause of your injuries—and establish negligence. Unlike local traffic rules, FMCSA violations are not just infractions—they can serve as powerful evidence in civil lawsuits. Proving a federal safety breach not only helps you establish fault, but it may also open the door to punitive damages in especially reckless cases. Legal counsel experienced in trucking regulations can uncover and apply these violations strategically.
  • How do I prove the trucking company was negligent?
    Proving negligence in a truck accident case requires more than showing that a crash happened—it requires evidence that the trucking company or its employees failed to meet legal or professional duties. This could include hiring unqualified drivers, neglecting vehicle maintenance, or ignoring driver fatigue. Your legal team will obtain key records like driver logs, inspection reports, black box data, and training documentation. These are often held by the trucking company—and may be lost or destroyed unless legal steps are taken immediately to preserve them. An attorney can send a legal document called a “spoliation letter” to stop evidence from being tampered with or erased. Expert witnesses may also be needed to explain how industry standards were violated. In cases where a company pushed drivers to exceed their limits or failed to perform proper background checks, these systemic problems may expose broader negligence and increase your potential compensation. Thorough investigation is critical—this is not something a typical claimant can do alone.
  • What compensation can I receive for a truck accident injury?
    Compensation in a truck accident case can be extensive—often exceeding that of a standard car crash due to the severity of injuries and the multiple parties involved. You may be eligible to recover damages for current and future medical expenses, lost income, loss of future earning capacity, and physical and emotional pain and suffering. In especially serious cases, compensation may also include costs related to long-term care, home modifications, and mobility aids. If a trucking company or driver acted with extreme recklessness—such as by driving under the influence or falsifying records—you may also be entitled to punitive damages meant to punish and deter such conduct. Both New York law and federal safety standards will influence how your case is evaluated and compensated. While insurance policies for commercial trucks tend to have higher limits than personal auto policies, that also means the defense will fight harder to avoid paying out. Having legal representation ensures your case is valued fairly and pursued to the fullest extent.
  • How soon should I contact a lawyer after a truck accident?
    Immediately. Trucking companies and their insurers often have rapid response teams dispatched within hours of a crash. Their goal is to collect evidence that protects them—not you. The sooner you contact a lawyer, the sooner someone is working to preserve the truth on your behalf, such as black box data, surveillance footage, and witness statements. New York law gives you a limited window to file a personal injury claim—typically three years—but waiting even a few days can mean losing critical evidence. Your legal team can issue evidence preservation demands, launch an independent investigation, and help you secure necessary medical documentation from the outset. At the federal level, records like logbooks or maintenance reports are only required to be retained for a short period—often just six months. If you wait too long, those records can be legally destroyed. Having legal representation from day one is the best way to level the playing field against powerful commercial defendants.
  • What if the truck driver was an independent contractor?
    Whether the truck driver was a company employee or an independent contractor doesn’t automatically shield the trucking company from liability. Courts often look past labels to determine who had control over the driver’s schedule, equipment, and job duties. If the company maintained significant oversight, they may still be held legally responsible. This issue frequently arises in attempts to avoid accountability. Some trucking companies intentionally misclassify drivers to limit exposure. But under New York law—and federal guidelines—if a company controls key aspects of how a driver performs their work, they can still be found liable for accidents caused by that driver. Unraveling this relationship takes legal precision. Your attorney can examine contracts, pay structures, dispatch records, and FMCSA filings to determine whether the company can still be held accountable, even if the driver wasn’t a formal employee. Don’t let a title be used as an excuse for avoiding justice.
  • What role does the truck's 'black box' play in my case?
    The truck’s electronic control module—commonly called the “black box”—can provide vital data after a crash. It records speed, braking, throttle position, and other vehicle metrics leading up to the collision. In some cases, it may even log whether the driver attempted to avoid the crash or how long they’d been driving. Black box data can be the difference between winning and losing your case. If the trucker was speeding, failed to brake, or violated hours-of-service rules, this information can directly support your claim. However, retrieving that data requires immediate legal action before it’s overwritten or erased. Under federal law, trucking companies are not required to preserve black box data unless they’re notified—quickly—that it’s part of a legal claim. A skilled attorney will issue a spoliation letter and work with forensic experts to extract and analyze this evidence. In a world of competing narratives, black box data is hard to dispute.
  • Can I sue both the trucking company and the driver?
    Yes—and in many cases, you should. While the driver may have directly caused the crash, the trucking company may be responsible for hiring, training, supervision, or pushing unsafe practices. Suing both allows you to pursue full compensation from every party whose negligence played a role. New York law supports this dual claim approach, especially if the company failed to perform background checks, enforced unrealistic schedules, or ignored safety warnings. You may also have grounds to bring claims against other third parties, like cargo companies or maintenance contractors. Federal regulations require trucking companies to maintain liability insurance that covers their drivers’ actions while operating under their authority. Naming both parties in your lawsuit ensures that you aren’t left short if one source of compensation proves inadequate. A strategic legal approach will identify all viable claims and pursue them simultaneously.
  • What if the truck that hit me was from another state?
    Interstate trucking is governed by a mix of state and federal laws, but the fact that the truck was from out of state does not prevent you from filing a claim in New York if the crash happened here. The court will have jurisdiction based on the location of the accident, regardless of where the trucking company is headquartered. In fact, all trucking companies operating across state lines must be registered with the FMCSA and carry minimum levels of liability insurance. This federal oversight ensures that even out-of-state operators can be held accountable for accidents they cause in New York or elsewhere. Bringing a claim against an out-of-state entity may require additional legal filings and service procedures, but it’s a common occurrence in truck accident litigation. Your legal team will handle those logistics while ensuring your case is filed in the proper venue—and against the proper parties—to maximize your recovery.