Long Beach Truck Accident Lawyer

Long Beach Truck Accident Attorney

Large commercial trucks are essential to California’s economy and supply chain, and most drivers in Long Beach encounter these vehicles on a regular basis without issue. However, truck accidents can and do happen for various reasons, often with devastating effects. Any large truck not only has the potential to cause far worse damage in an accident than a standard passenger vehicle, but truck accidents also tend to raise more complex legal disputes and leave victims wondering how they can fully recover their losses.

Legal Counsel for Truck Accident Victims in Long Beach, CA

If you are struggling with the aftermath of a truck accident that someone else caused, you need legal counsel you can trust to guide you through your recovery efforts. You have the right to seek full compensation for any and all damages you suffered in your truck accident, and the right Long Beach truck accident lawyer is an invaluable asset for maximizing your total recovery. McLachlan Law, APC, has the experience and professional resources you need on your side in this difficult situation, and our team has successfully represented many personal injury claims on behalf of clients in Long Beach and surrounding communities.

Benefits of Legal Counsel for Your Truck Accident Case

The right attorney can have a tremendously positive influence on the outcome of your civil suit filed in response to a truck accident that someone else caused. While truck accidents tend to happen for many of the same reasons that other passenger vehicle accidents occur, they raise more difficult legal questions in terms of the victim’s recovery and how to determine liability for the victim’s damages.

While it may be technically possible to handle your truck accident claim on your own, and there is no law requiring you to hire legal counsel for your impending case, you are much more likely to succeed with your claim and maximize your total compensation with an experienced Long Beach truck accident attorney on your side.

Your attorney can handle the procedural requirements of your case, gather evidence to prove liability and help accurately establish the full scope of the damages you can seek from the defendant while you rest and recover. Instead of trying to meet strict court filing deadlines and other legal requirements while struggling with your injuries, you can focus on your medical needs knowing your case is in capable hands. Ultimately, every truck accident victim faces different challenges as they seek compensation for their damages, but everyone in this situation benefits from having legal counsel they can trust.

Proving Liability for a Truck Accident in Long Beach, CA

Before the victim of a truck accident or any other personal injury can secure recompense for their damages, they must prove fault for the accident they experienced. While this is more straightforward in some vehicle accident claims than others, truck accidents pose the unique complexity of the legal issue of vicarious liability. This term applies whenever one party bears responsibility for the actions of another party. When it comes to truck accident cases, vicarious liability comes into effect if a trucking company or other employer bears responsibility for the actions of their employee.

Under the vicarious liability rule, an employer shares fault for the actions of their employee if they failed to properly conduct a background check on the employee, failed to ensure proper training, or otherwise contributed to causing the accident in question. It’s possible for vicarious liability to come into play in many ways, and your Long Beach truck accident attorney can be invaluable for helping you identify every liable party bearing fault for your damages.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Long Beach

Trucks are vulnerable to many of the same risk factors that cause smaller vehicles to crash. Distracted driving, speeding, and moving violations are just a few examples of these. However, due to the large size of most commercial trucks, they are vulnerable to additional risk factors that all drivers must understand.

Improper loading of truck cargo can easily result in a serious accident. The party responsible for packing a tractor-trailer or other large truck could face liability for the resulting damages if they failed to secure and/or balance cargo correctly. Certain types of cargo, like lumber, construction materials, oversize loads, and smaller vehicles, will require specific security measures to ensure they remain safely balanced and secured in transit.

Failure to follow trucking industry regulations can also lead to serious truck accidents. The trucking industry is heavily regulated at the state and federal levels, and failure to adhere to regulations concerning hours of service for truck drivers and appropriate truck maintenance could easily result in liability for any resulting accidents. In the event that any illegal misconduct caused your recent accident, such as driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs, your Long Beach truck accident attorney can advise you as to how this may affect your recovery of compensation.

Claiming Compensation for Your Truck Accident

The recovery process after any vehicle accident typically begins with an auto insurance claim against the at-fault driver, and if this does not fully cover the victim’s losses, they have the right to file a personal injury claim to seek compensation for the remainder of their damages. Once you have proven fault for your truck accident, your Long Beach truck accident attorney can help file your insurance claim.

Auto insurance is required for every driver in the state, including commercial truck drivers and their employers. However, you should never assume that an auto insurance carrier will handle your claim in good faith or that you can handle the insurance claim filing process on your own. Having an experienced attorney’s help can make the process much easier and more likely to yield a suitable result. After recovering as much compensation as you can through auto insurance, you can proceed with filing your personal injury claim against the defendant.

You may be entitled to more compensation than you might expect if you succeed with your personal injury claim. Under California’s personal injury laws, the driver responsible for your accident is liable for:

• Medical expenses, Truck accidents can easily cause serious injuries like bone fractures, traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, and more. You have the right to seek full compensation for any and all medical expenses you incur from the defendant’s actions. Your attorney can help seek compensation for hospital bills, prescription costs, and any other medical expenses arising from your accident, including the cost of future rehabilitative care you need to fully recover.
• Lost income. If you are unable to work after your recent truck accident, the party responsible for the accident must repay you for the income you are unable to earn due to their actions. Your Long Beach truck accident attorney can help you recover compensation for lost wages and the value of any vacation time you were compelled to use in the aftermath of your accident.
• Lost earning power. Unfortunately, many people who suffer severe injuries in vehicle accidents are left permanently disabled and cannot return to work in the future. If this applies to your situation, the defendant responsible for your accident must compensate you for the future income you are no longer able to earn.
• Pain and suffering. State law allows the victim of another party’s negligence or misconduct to recover financial compensation for the physical pain and psychological distress they experienced from the incident in question. Your Long Beach truck accident attorney can help maximize this aspect of your recovery, and since there is no limit to how much pain and suffering compensation you may claim in a truck accident case, this could overshadow the total of your claimed economic damages.

Many variables have the potential to influence the total value of your truck accident case in Long Beach. It’s natural to have lots of questions concerning the total compensation you could claim from a defendant and how long it will take for you to recover this compensation, and the right attorney is crucial for answering these questions and guiding you to the results you hope to see.

McLachlan Law, APC, approaches every truck accident case we accept with the goal of helping our client recover as fully as state law allows. When you choose our firm to represent you, we can immediately get to work gathering evidence to help prove fault for your accident and assist you in building an effective legal strategy that aims for maximum compensation. The sooner you consult our team, the more time we have to build the most compelling case possible for you.

Long Beach Truck Accident Lawyer FAQs

Q: How Much Is a Truck Accident Claim Worth in Long Beach?

A: The total potential value of any accident claim depends on the overall severity of the victim’s damages. You have the right to recover the total of all the financial losses you suffered from the accident, along with compensation for the pain and suffering you experienced. The most effective method for maximizing recovery from a civil suit is hiring legal counsel you can trust to guide you through your case.

Q: How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim for a Truck Accident in Long Beach?

A: There is a time limit for filing civil suits. The statute of limitations for a personal injury claim is typically two years from the date the injury occurred. You need to file your suit with the court within this two-year timeframe or lose the right to claim compensation from the defendant. You have a much shorter time in which to file an auto insurance claim, so it’s wise to connect with a Long Beach truck accident attorney you can trust as soon as possible after your accident to meet these important filing deadlines.

Q: Will I Win More Compensation if I Hire a Long Beach Truck Accident Attorney?

A: Hiring the right attorney to represent your case can make a tremendous positive impact on the outcome of your case in terms of your recovery. The average person is likely able to assess immediately recognizable damages such as vehicle repair costs, medical expenses, and the income they are unable to earn in recovery. However, calculating long-term economic damages like lost earning power and determining appropriate pain and suffering compensation can be far more challenging. Your Long Beach truck accident attorney can help maximize every type of compensation you can seek from the defendant.

Q: Will I Have to Go to Court to Resolve My Truck Accident Case?

A: Most of the personal injury cases filed each year do not go to trial and instead end in private settlements. The private settlement process allows the parties involved in a civil case to reach mutually acceptable terms to resolve the matter while avoiding the stress, expense, and time commitment required for litigation. If you choose McLachlan Law, APC, to represent your truck accident claim, we can seek to settle the case quickly if possible, but we are fully prepared to represent you in court if necessary.

Q: How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Long Beach Truck Accident Attorney?

A: It’s natural to worry about the potential cost of legal fees when you need to hire an attorney, but this is no cause for concern if you choose McLachlan Law, APC, to represent your case. We take personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, so our client only pays a percentage of their final case award as their fee, and only if we win their case. There is no fee if our firm is unable to obtain compensation for you for any reason, so you can approach your case with peace of mind and the confidence that comes with having experienced legal counsel on your side.

Truck accidents are some of the most damaging vehicle accidents that a person can experience, and it is natural to have lots of pressing legal questions in the aftermath of any serious accident. If you or a family member is struggling with the effects of a truck accident that someone else caused, you need legal counsel you can trust to guide you through the difficult proceedings ahead of you. Contact McLachlan Law, APC, today and schedule your consultation with a Long Beach truck accident attorney you can trust to guide you through your recovery efforts and secure the compensation you deserve.