Suisun City Truck Accident Attorneys

Relentless, Proficient & Compassionate Representation

As a leading San Francisco personal injury law firm we help people in Suisun City with truck accidents, Delfino, Green & Green has recovered millions for injury victims across the state. If you were injured in an accident caused by a negligent driver, we may be able to help you secure compensation. Call us at (415) 442-4646 to schedule your free consultation.

Do you ever get nervous passing 18-wheelers on the highway? It’s a completely natural response when considering the fact that fully loaded big rigs can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds—about 20 times more than the average car. Can you guess who fares better when the two collide? The sheer size of 18-wheelers means that anything they come in contact with will likely suffer catastrophic damage, including you. Even if you survive a large truck accident, you probably won’t walk away unscathed; chances are good that you’ll be hospitalized with serious injuries. Unfortunately, your physical health won’t be the only thing that suffers. After you’ve recovered from your injuries and leave the hospital, you may find that you owe tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills. You may find you’ve missed paychecks or even lost your job. You may even leave with permanent disabilities or psychological conditions that keep you from holding down a full-time job in the future. What do you do? You turn to a trusted Suisun City truck accident attorney. An experienced lawyer will know whether or not you have a case, and if you do, they can help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Keep reading to learn more about who qualifies for truck accident lawsuits. At Delfino, Green & Green, we’ve seen truck accidents financially devastate injury victims and their families. By partnering with an experienced personal injury lawyer, you may be able to get the help you need to recover. Contact us today.

How Dangerous Are Truck Accidents?

Truck accidents are extremely dangerous, especially for the other vehicles involved. In 2020, 4,842 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes in the U.S., a five percent increase from 2016. Another 107,000 large trucks were involved in crashes resulting in an injury. Although commercial trucks are less likely to be involved in an accident, the data shows that when they are involved, the accident is more likely to cause fatalities or serious injuries. Most fatal truck accidents in 2020 occurred in rural areas on non-interstate roadways.

Types of Large Truck Accidents

Because of their sheer size and weight, commercial trucks handle differently than regular vehicles, which is why truck drivers need special licenses. Here are some common causes of large truck accidents:

• Rollover. Because they have a high center of gravity, large trucks are more likely to roll over than other vehicles. This can happen when the truck driver turns too sharply or drives over an object.
• Brake failure. Mechanical issues, weather conditions or an improperly balanced cargo load can all cause a large truck’s brakes to malfunction.
• Careless turns. Big rigs are difficult to maneuver, and in order to turn, drivers need to first swing widely in the opposite direction. With a limited field of vision, careless drivers can make turning errors that result in a collision.
• Lack of maintenance. Trucking companies must perform scheduled maintenance on their vehicles to ensure they are safe to drive. However, not every company keeps up with proper maintenance, and their negligence may cause wrecks.
• Truck driver fatigue or impairment. When a trucker is fatigued from lack of sleep or inattentive due to substance use, they may make critical driving errors that result in catastrophic accidents.

Although these are some of the most common causes of truck accidents, this list is by no means comprehensive. Even if you don’t know for sure what caused your accident with a big rig, it’s a good idea to contact a lawyer for advice.

What Are My Legal Rights after a Truck Accident?

Most people don’t realize they have legal rights after being in a truck accident, and insurance companies take advantage of that. In an effort to pay out as little as possible, insurance representatives may try to get you to say something that hurts your case, or they may find a way to get out of paying you entirely. If you were injured in a truck accident, don’t talk to the trucker driver’s insurance company before speaking to a lawyer. Once you partner with an attorney, the insurance company isn’t allowed to contact you about the case—they have to go through your lawyer. It’s also important to refrain from posting anything about the accident on social media, as the insurance company may try to use it against you.

Determining Fault

The first step in any personal injury case is determining fault. The person or entity who was legally at fault for causing your truck accident will be liable for your damages. However, pinpointing the responsible party isn’t always as easy as it sounds. In many commercial truck cases, the driver is to blame; after all, it’s easy for inexperienced truckers to lose control of their vehicles. Sometimes, however, the problem is larger. For example, suppose a trucking company refuses to perform proper maintenance on their trucks, and as a result, it breaks down on the highway and causes a collision. The company—not the truck driver—should be held responsible. Now imagine a scenario in which a manufacturer sells defective brakes to a trucking company. If those brakes malfunction out on the road, the manufacturer should be held accountable. The same goes for government entities that neglect necessary road maintenance, or construction companies that leave debris in the road. Ultimately, many different parties can be at fault, and determining the responsible party often requires assistance from an attorney.

How We Can Help

As top Suisun City truck accident attorneys, we’ve seen just about every type of accident you can imagine. We’ve also seen what happens when injury victims don’t get compensation, and the sad reality is that they often struggle to pay for treatment and sometimes never financially recover. That’s why many accident victims choose to partner with a trusted personal injury firm.