San Francisco Bay Area 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers

Imagine 80,000 pounds of metal headed straight for you at 70 miles per hour. Imagine it hitting you in your tiny passenger car. Imagine the fallout, the aftermath, the injuries, and your life after the fact. Maybe you don’t have to imagine it — maybe you’re living through it right now. You’re not alone. This is the terrifying and unfair reality that countless victims of 18-wheeler accidents must endure every year. What follows these crashes is usually horrific — life-altering injuries, unbelievable financial hardships, and unbearable mental trauma are virtually guaranteed after a serious commercial trucking accident. It’s not fair. Drivers of 18-wheelers, their trucking company employers, and insurers shouldn’t get to keep going about their lives when yours has been forever changed because of them. They likely owe you compensation, but that doesn’t mean they are going to pay you. So, you might have to force them to. And you do that by taking legal action. That’s precisely what the San Francisco 18-wheeler accident lawyers at Delfino Green & Green are here to help with. Keep reading to learn how we can help you take back control of your life after a horrific truck accident.

Leading 18-Wheeler Wreck Lawyers: Why Choose Delfino Green & Green

We’re not the only 18-wheeler accident law firm in San Francisco. But we work tirelessly every day to be the go-to call for San Francisco residents who have been hurt in 18-wheeler accidents. Here’s how we position ourselves as the right choice for accident victims like you.

Experienced Litigators

You’re an attorney once you pass the bar exam. But you’re not a litigator until you have taken on an opposing team at trial. And you’re not an experienced litigator until you’ve taken on an opposing team and won — time and time again. That’s us. For more than 30 years, our attorneys have been building a fearsome courtroom reputation. When we show up, insurers and at-fault parties often want to back down. They don’t want to lose in court, and we strike that fear into their hearts by bringing to the table a proven track record of success in front of judges and juries.

Dedicated Allies

We understand what the victims of 18-wheeler accidents go through. Simply getting out of bed in the morning can be a struggle — not to mention working all day and caring for your family. The aftermath of a crash can be a dark time in which you feel that the whole world is against you. In darkness like that, you need the light that only a fiercely loyal ally can provide. You will find that in an attorney from Delfino Green & Green. We provide not just world-class legal representation, but a listening ear, a helping hand, and a shoulder to cry on when things get tough.

Relentless Fighters

Caring about you and your well-being is great, but it’s not enough. Your attorney also needs to be ready to fight for you. Trucking companies are powerful, and they don’t give in to legal claims from those they injure lightly. We’re the muscle you need to convince them that this is a fight they should back down from. And if they don’t hear reason in the negotiation and settlement phase, they will see it come crashing down on them in court. We aren’t afraid of a fight when the fight is about getting justice for the victim of a serious 18-wheeler accident.

When Do You Need an Attorney for an 18-Wheeler Crash?

While most 18-wheeler accidents are serious, they don’t all call for the services of an attorney. But if you plan to pursue compensation for your injuries or other damages from the crash, an attorney is probably a good idea. Here are some other signs that you may need a lawyer after being hurt in a commercial truck crash:

• The accident wasn’t your fault or was at least partially someone else’s fault.
• The insurance company has offered you a quick settlement, but you aren’t sure whether it is fair.
• The insurance company is asking you to make a recorded statement about the accident.
• The at-fault party and/or their attorneys have informed you that they will not be compensating you for your injuries.
• The other side is trying to make it look like the 18-wheeler accident was your fault.
• Your healthcare team is telling you that you have suffered injuries that will require long-term care.
• Your loved one died in an 18-wheeler accident that wasn’t their fault.

The list goes on, but you don’t have to be sure you need an attorney before you contact one. Reach out to our firm today, and we’ll give you an honest assessment of your case and whether legal action may be necessary.

The Many Complications of 18-Wheeler Accidents

What is it about 18-wheeler accidents that makes them so dangerous and, after the fact, so difficult to recover compensation for? It’s because these types of crashes occur within a unique and complicated web of factors, including the following:

Multiple Parties Are Involved

This probably isn’t just about you and the truck driver. There may also be a trucking company involved. And don’t forget the other cars on the road, those responsible for the maintenance of the truck, and the manufacturer of the truck parts and cargo. In other words, a lot of people and organizations could bear some of the blame for your accident, and you can bet that each will try to pawn the blame off on the others — or even you. That means 18-wheeler accidents require you to build a strong case against all of the at-fault parties.

Injuries Are Incredibly Severe

Two key factors lead to unbelievably severe injuries in 18-wheeler accidents:

1. These massive trucks can weigh as much as 40 tons.
2. Accidents involving them usually occur on highways and interstates, where high speeds and speeding are commonplace.

Put those two factors together, and you have a recipe for catastrophic injuries.

More Laws Apply

There are rules and laws about how 18-wheelers can be loaded, how often they should be serviced, how long their drivers can drive for in a single day, and much more. Each of these rules, when broken, could constitute negligence that warrants a lawsuit from you. However, that means you not only have to find out the rules, but demonstrate how they were broken. That’s a challenge for anyone, but for you, it means you have to take on the mental load of building a strong legal case and sifting through countless statutes and regulations while recovering from your injuries — unless you have an 18-wheeler accident attorney on your side.

California 18-Wheeler Accident Statistics

It’s not just our best guess: 18-wheelers are extremely dangerous vehicles on California roads. The numbers and statistics back that up. Check out these statistics about 18-wheeler crashes in California:

• In 2017, the latest year for which data was available, commercial trucks were involved in 311 fatal crashes on California roads.
• That same year, 18-wheelers were involved in another 6,963 California crashes that resulted in injuries.
• In truck accidents that caused injuries, the trucker was found to be at fault 48.3 percent of the time.
• Between 2013 and 2017, the numbers of fatal truck-involved crashes and 18-wheeler accidents with injuries increased every year.
• In Orange County, 390 people were injured and 10 were killed in 18-wheeler accidents in a single year.

Those numbers are meant to tell you one thing: You’re not alone. Thousands of other people have been hurt in accidents like yours. And you can take action to recover the compensation you deserve.

Types of 18-Wheeler Collisions

Because of the nature of these giants of the road, 18-wheelers can cause accidents in a large variety of ways. Here are some of the most common types of 18-wheeler accidents:

• Rear-end crashes
• T-bone accidents
• Head-on crashes
• Sideswipes
• Underride accidents
• Wide turn collisions
• Jackknife crashes
• Lost load accidents

How 18-Wheeler Crashes Happen

If you plan to pursue compensation for an 18-wheeler accident, you will need to understand not just what happened, but how it happened. Making this determination may involve some investigative work by you and your attorney, but most truck accidents are the result of one or more of these factors:

• Distracted driving. Truckers often live in their vehicles as they drive across the United States. That means they’re surrounded by distractions, such as their belongings, food, smartphones, and more.
• Drowsy driving. While there are limits on how long truckers can drive in a single shift, many truckers and trucking companies don’t adhere to them. And even when they do, driving for multiple hours at a time can lead to drowsiness regardless of arbitrary hours of service limits.
• Drunk driving. Sadly, alcohol consumption is not always saved for days off. Some people do drink on the job, and that includes truck drivers. Driving drunk is always a danger to others on the road, but when you’re drunk behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler, the results can be catastrophic.
• Road rage. Some drivers take it personally when you accidentally “wrong” them in traffic. When 18-wheeler drivers try to retaliate by boxing you in, tailgating you, or even bumping you, a crash can easily result.
• Improper truck maintenance. Routine maintenance is a critical safety issue for 18-wheelers. These vehicles drive thousands of miles each month, and if a trucker or trucking company fails to keep the vehicle in proper working condition, things can go very wrong on the road.
• Poorly loaded cargo. Uneven cargo loads can actually cause 18-wheelers to flip onto their sides during sharp turns or similar traffic conditions. And because these vehicles are so large, an 18-wheeler rollover can easily involve your vehicle, too.
• Bad road conditions. Slick roads due to rain, massive potholes, impossibly sharp turns, and various other factors can cause commercial trucking accidents.
• Malfunctioning truck parts. What happens when a tire or brake line is manufactured with defects and installed on an 18-wheeler? Extremely dangerous wrecks can easily happen, and injuries can result.

Once you understand the cause of your 18-wheeler accident, you can begin to identify who might be at fault and therefore responsible for compensating you.

Who Is at Fault for Your 18-Wheeler Wreck?

In order to sue for any sort of accident, you will need to determine who is at fault. For 18-wheeler accidents, the list of possible at-fault parties is a long one:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• The people responsible for 18-wheeler maintenance
• Those who improperly loaded cargo
• A government road authority
• A separate driver of another involved vehicle
• A vehicle parts manufacturer

Keep in mind that multiple parties may share some of the legal responsibility for the accident that injured you, and you can name them all in your claim for compensation.

Evidence to Support Your Lawsuit

Unfortunately, you can’t just point the finger at the at-fault party and demand compensation. Whether you’re going to trial or expect to hold your own during settlement talks, you will need evidence that supports your version of the story. A trusted 18-wheeler crash lawyer at our firm can help you gather all of the evidence you will need to build a winning case. That might include evidence like the following:

• Medical documentation of your injuries
• Witness testimony
• Photos and videos of the crash scene
• Photos and videos from traffic cameras and dashboard cameras
• The onboard computerized system that tracks the 18-wheeler’s speed (the “black box”)
• Police reports related to the accident

The evidence you need to support your claim will depend entirely on the circumstances of the 18-wheeler crash. That’s why it’s important to discuss the details of your case with an experienced lawyer who can help you understand where to locate all of the most important pieces of evidence.

True Recovery: Pursuing Maximum Compensation

The most important point of filing a lawsuit for an 18-wheeler accident is to recover compensation that accounts for your injuries and other harms from the accident. To do that, you will need to list all of the ways in which this accident has harmed you and assign an appropriate monetary value to them The following are some common damages listed in San Francisco 18-wheeler accident cases:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Mental trauma
• Wrongful death

Our legal team can help you identify every damage for which you can recover compensation and maximize the amount you receive.

San Francisco 18-Wheeler Accident FAQs

As experienced San Francisco 18-wheeler accident lawyers, we have all of the answers to your most pressing questions about your case. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive:

How long do I have to sue for an 18-wheeler accident?

You have two years from the date of the accident to file your 18-wheeler accident claim. This deadline, called the statute of limitations, is firm and binding — miss the two-year deadline, and you likely miss your chance to sue.

How much will an 18-wheeler crash attorney cost?

We can’t speak for other attorneys, but if you choose an 18-wheeler accident lawyer from Delfino Green & Green, you will only pay for your attorney if you win your case. In other words, you pay nothing if you don’t win. And if you do win, you pay a previously agreed upon fee out of the compensation you recover.

What if I am partially at fault for my 18-wheeler accident?

Many 18-wheeler accident victims become discouraged after their crashes because they realize they were doing something that might place some of the blame for the accident on their shoulders. They assume that means they can’t recover any compensation, but that’s not true. In fact, thanks to shared fault laws in California, you can still recover compensation — it’s just that your compensation can be reduced by the percentage of fault you are found to hold. So, if you were speeding when a drunk 18-wheeler driver T-boned you, you might be found to be 10 percent at fault. If you recover $500,000, your compensation would be reduced by $50,000 to correspond with your 10 percent liability.

Contact a Top 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer in San Francisco

The longer you wait to take action after an 18-wheeler accident, the less likely it is that you will recover the compensation you need and deserve. There’s no reason to wait. All you have to do is contact the trusted team of San Francisco 18-wheeler accident lawyers at Delfino Green & Green. We’ll get you on the books for a 100 percent free consultation with an experienced attorney. We’ll hear your story, understand your needs, present your options, and move you forward. From the day you partner with us to the day you receive the compensation you deserve, you’ll have the tireless legal ally you deserve standing by your side. We’ll hold those who harmed you accountable. We’ll pursue every last dollar you deserve. And we’ll never leave you in the dark. If that sounds good to you, let’s get started. Contact us online or give us a call at 415-442-4646 today.