Have You Been Injured in a Monterey Park Truck Accident?
A large commercial truck, such as a tractor-trailer manufactured by Freightliner, Kenworth, Mack, or Peterbilt, may be 20 times the size of a conventional passenger vehicle when pulling a trailer. Given the extreme difference between the weight and mass of commercial trucks and normal passenger vehicles, it is not difficult to imagine how risky it is for the occupants of a standard vehicle when they get in an accident with a big rig-- not to mention the effects on pedestrians, motorcyclists, or bicyclists.
Commercial Driver and Truck Regulations
Large truck accident cases are quite a bit different from other vehicle accident cases. In particular, commercial vehicles and drivers are regulated more rigorously than regular cars and drivers.
Because of the inherent risk that these big vehicles pose to other motorists, there are numerous laws and regulations at both the federal and state level to ensure that truck drivers are safe.
These laws include:
California commercial truck regulations include:
There are additional regulations concerning the transportation of dangerous materials. All of these policies and regulations are regularly being updated and revised to reflect the discovery of new dangers and the development of new safety equipment.
Reasons for Monterey Park Truck Accidents
Semi-truck accidents are serious business. Because of the size difference between a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle, it is important that truck drivers are safe. Nevertheless, just like any other motor vehicle accident cause, there are some things that tend to increase the possibilities of a semi-truck crash.
Common causes of truck accidents include:
Prevalent Injuries from a Monterey Park Truck Accident
Semi-truck collisions tend to result in more serious injuries than a collision involving two regular-sized cars. This is because the force behind a semi-truck is a lot greater. Semi-truck crashes have been known to result in traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, back and neck injuries, fractures, lacerations and scars, internal injuries, and much more.
In some cases people walk away from truck accidents uninjured or with only minor injuries. However, others will sustain serious injuries and may have pain, suffering, and disability. They often have massive medical bills as well.
What Compensation Can I Get from a Truck Accident?
After a truck accident, you're probably going to have medical costs, lost income, and also pain and suffering. You might be worried about how you're going to handle these challenges. This is where an experienced truck accident lawyer can help. He or she can handle your injury claim carefully, and ensure you get maximum compensation for your injuries.
If a truck accident results in injuries, you may be qualified to recuperate both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages refer to losses with a monetary value associated with them. This includes:
Non-economic damages refer to losses that do not have an exact monetary value associated with them. They are subjective and negotiable. These kinds of damages include:
The amount one can recuperate for non-economic damages varies. It depends on the severity of the injury (or injuries) and how much your life has changed due to the accident. The amount is negotiated by your lawyer and the insurance provider, or a judge and jury in court. Your attorney will utilize their prior experience, and previous settlements and jury verdicts when making settlement demands.
If You Have Been Hurt in a Truck Accident, the Monterey Park Truck Accident Attorneys at Mendez & Sanchez Can Help
At Mendez & Sanchez, we believe commercial drivers and trucking companies need to be held accountable when they are responsible for causing collisions and injuries. The unfortunate reality is that some trucking companies and drivers fail to adhere to the rules and regulations that are there to keep the roadways safe.
When drivers and companies are under economic pressure to meet deadlines or to complete contracts, they can make poor decisions that affect the safety of others, such as foregoing inspections, overloading trailers, operating without required safety equipment, or committing similar offenses. And generally, the result of these poor decisions is a wreck.
An expert truck accident lawyer in the Monterey Park area understands all of the special considerations that may be relevant in truck accident claims. At Mendez & Sanchez, we are familiar with both California and federal commercial motor carrier regulations regarding vehicles and motorists, and we are diligent in investigating the possible causes and concerns that may affect issues of liability for commercial trucks.
Even if the trucking company involved is based out of state, or the case might involve independent drivers, leased vehicles, maintenance contracts, and so on, at Mendez & Sanchez, we have the resources and knowledge to get results. The sad reality is that large truck accidents commonly involve very serious injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and permanent disablement, or even death. If you are hurt in a wreck involving a large truck, it is vital for you to partner with a law firm that has the capability to fight large companies, large insurance providers, and the law firms that defend them, and that has the resources to make comprehensive and timely inquiries into the facts and elements that apply in commercial trucking claims.
While other firms just handle your bodily injury claim, we offer a complimentary full-service package where we will also handle your property damage for no fee!