After a commercial vehicle accident, you may qualify for compensation to cover your medical bills, property damage, lost pay, and more. Our Palmdale truck accident lawyers can help you.
Our team at Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys will put you first and discuss options like an insurance settlement or personal injury lawsuit. Your Palmdale personal injury lawyer can immediately review your situation and provide personalized advice.
You can call us 24/7 to schedule a free consultation.
How Can Our Truck Accident Lawyers in Palmdale Help?
Our attorneys will take on all your legal concerns following a collision with a commercial vehicle. We can:
Answer Your Questions
Our team believes in responding quickly to all client questions after a collision. You can reach out to us from the accident scene to begin discussing your situation and determining if you’re eligible for compensation.
We recommend you also report the accident to the police and seek medical care for all your injuries.
Deal with the Insurance Company
We’ll deal with representatives from the insurance company on your behalf following a truck crash. Insurance adjusters may try to get you to accept a quick settlement or push you to take the blame for a collision, but we can help you avoid these pitfalls.
We’ll handle all legal communication so you can focus on your recovery because we believe in putting our clients first, always! Our client testimonials highlight our client-first approach.
Handle Every Stage of Your Case
If necessary to obtain a fair settlement, we are prepared to take your case to court. We will also handle the insurance appeals process if your claim is denied. We will be here for you every step of the way.
Our personal injury legal team works on a contingency fee basis. There are no upfront costs, and you only pay us if we recover compensation for you.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Palmdale
Truck accidents can be caused by a variety of factors. If negligence contributed to your crash, you may be entitled to compensation. Common negligence-based causes of accidents include:
Regulation Violations
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates hours of service for commercial motor vehicle drivers. These are intended to keep everyone on the roads safe, as tired and overworked drivers may fall asleep or make mistakes. However, some trucking companies may push workers to violate these regulations.
Speeding
Many drivers are under pressure to make deliveries on time. Due to this, drivers may exceed safe speed limits, which can result in crashes.
Drug or Alcohol Use
If a truck driver is intoxicated, it may lead to delayed response times or erratic behavior (such as swerving).
Aggressive Driving
The pressure to meet deadlines may push truck drivers to make aggressive or unsafe maneuvers, such as tailgating, cutting other vehicles off, failing to yield, or trying to force other vehicles out of lanes.
Poor Maintenance Standards
Like all vehicles, trucks need to have regular maintenance done. When trucking companies cut costs by forgoing maintenance, it can lead to mechanical failures, tire blowouts, and other dangerous incidents on the road.
Cargo Overloading
If cargo is overloaded on a vehicle, it can cause issues with vehicle stability. This may lead to overloaded truck accidents, like a truck tipping or excessive strain on the braking system, which can lead to failure.
Who May Be At Fault in Trucking Accidents?
Auto accidents may have one liable party or multiple liable parties. Our lawyers will determine all liable parties so that we can seek fair compensation for your case. Potentially liable parties include:
- The truck driver.
- The trucking company.
- Mechanics.
- Government entities.
- Other motor vehicle drivers involved in the accident.
How Our Lawyers Will Investigate the Accident Cause
We will review the events that resulted in your collision to build a strong claim. We use a variety of modern investigative techniques, which may include:
- Visiting the scene of the collision.
- Getting a copy of your police accident report.
- Gathering important documentation, like driver logs or phone records.
- Looking for photos or videos that captured the collision.
- Interviewing any truck accident eyewitnesses.
- Reviewing the truck’s driving record.
- Obtaining black box data from the truck.
- Consulting with expert witnesses, such as those in accident reconstruction.
- Obtaining medical documentation of your injuries.
You can count on us to investigate after a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or 18-wheeler accident.
What Compensation Can You Pursue After Your Truck Accident in Palmdale?
Your Palmdale truck accident attorney can help you seek compensation to cover all your financial and personal losses. The value of your insurance claim will depend on the severity of your injuries and their greater impact on your life.
For example, if you sustained a spinal cord injury and it caused a permanent disability, you may be able to recover compensation for immediate losses like medical bills, as well as long-term ones like lost future earnings.
We’ll likely focus on your:
Medical Expenses
Common truck accident injuries can include back injuries, traumatic brain injuries, severe burns or lacerations, whiplash, broken bones, and paralysis. We’ll help you seek funds to cover these catastrophic injuries, including your emergency treatment, care in a hospital, medications, and physical therapy.
Lost Pay
Did you miss work while recovering from a truck accident? We can help you pursue funds for your lost wages and lost earning potential if you’re dealing with a disabling condition.
Property Damage
A collision with a large vehicle can easily total your vehicle. We’ll help you seek funds to cover the costs of repairs or the expenses of replacing your car.
Other Economic Losses
These can include out-of-pocket expenses like home or vehicle modification costs needed for disability accommodation, medical equipment or assistive services, transportation costs going to medical appointments, and housekeeping or childcare expenses while recovering.
Non-Economic Losses
Our team also helps clients secure non-economic losses, including compensation for the pain and suffering and emotional trauma caused by a truck accident.
Can a Family File a Claim After a Deadly Truck Accident?
A Palmdale wrongful death lawyer can help grieving families build a legal claim after a fatal collision. We’ll treat you with the compassion and respect you deserve, discussing your next legal steps as you care for your family’s emotional needs.
You may be able to recover compensation for a loss of financial support, loss of emotional support or parental guidance, end-of-life and emergency medical expenses, and the decedent’s funeral and burial costs.
What Should You Do After a Trucking Accident in Palmdale?
The steps you take after an accident can have significant impacts on your health, your recovery, and your legal case for compensation. Below are some things to do and things not to do if you’ve been in a crash.
You should take the following actions, whenever possible to do so:
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
- Report the accident to the police.
- If safe to do so, take photos of the accident scene and your injuries.
- Gather contact information from any witnesses, if possible.
- Seek a legal consultation.
You should avoid:
- Stopping or delaying treatment. Your medical records are often used as evidence, and insurers may argue that you stopped treatment because you had fully recovered.
- Interacting with the truck driver if they seem aggressive or intoxicated. Wait until police arrive.
- Posting about the accident on social media.
- Giving recorded statements or signing insurance forms before you’ve talked to an attorney.
- Waiting too long to get started on your case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents in Palmdale
After semi-truck collisions, there are some fairly common questions that accident victims have. Below are brief answers to these questions:
What If I Was Partially At Fault for the Accident?
California law allows you to recover compensation even if you are 99% at fault for the crash. However, your percentage of fault will impact the amount of compensation you can recover.
What If an Insurance Company Denies My Accident Claim?
Insurers can deny claims for a variety of reasons, including a lack of evidence or simple errors on the forms. If your claim was denied, insurance companies are required to state the reason why.
Our lawyers can handle the appeals process after a denied claim. For example, we may speak with medical providers to prove the extent of your injuries and their long-term impact on your life.
Does California Have a Deadline for Truck Accident Cases?
California law requires you to submit a claim for compensation before the state’s personal injury statute of limitations expires. Typically, drivers in Palmdale will have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit against liable parties, per CCP § 335.1.
We recommend reaching out to a lawyer as one of the first steps you take after a collision. Getting help immediately helps you meet all deadlines and gives your lawyer a better opportunity to collect all necessary evidence.
Is There a Different Deadline If Los Angeles County or Another Government Entity Is Involved?
Yes, if a government entity is one of the liable parties in your case, you will have a different statute of limitations deadline. Typically, this is a six-month timeframe after the accident to file a formal written claim to the city or county.
Take Charge with a Truck Accident Lawyer in Palmdale, CA
A Palmdale truck accident lawyer from the Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys can help you pursue damages after a collision. We use modern techniques to assist our clients and maintain clear communication throughout the legal process.
Get help handling the trucking company and insurance agents by scheduling a free consultation today.