Understanding Semi-Truck and Freightliner Accidents in Valencia California
When a semi-truck, freightliner, tractor-trailer, or boom utility truck collides with a passenger vehicle in California, disaster follows. It is among the deadliest types of auto accidents in the United States. The reason is simple: the sheer size of the truck (and its potential contents) versus a passenger vehicle. The average truck with a fully loaded trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds while the average passenger vehicle's weight ranges between 4,000 to 5,000 pounds. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a truck accident, receiving fair and just compensation may be your only recourse for physical, mental, and emotional recovery.
Accidents involving 18-wheelers or commercial trucks are different from accidents involving only passenger vehicles. There's a lot more involved. The truck driver isn't the only one who may be liable. There are federal regulations to consider alongside state laws. The mechanics involved in the truck, too, are quite different and may be relevant, making truck accident cases more complex.
The problem is this: an insurance company may not settle for what's fair. You may need to file a personal injury claim.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Accidents involving semi-trucks or another type of commercial truck are caused for any number of reasons.
Some of the most common include:
- Distracted driving
- Excessive speed
- Drunk or drugged driving
- Driving in high winds
- Unsafe lane changes
- Inadequate training
- Inexperience
- Excessive fatigue
- Defective truck parts
- Poor truck maintenance
- Shifting cargo inside the trailer
- Poorly fastened cargo on a flatbed trailer.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
No matter how it is caused, a truck crash often leads to severe injuries for the people in the passenger vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides annual statistics, and year after year, it's been documented that more than 80 percent of those who die from bodily injuries sustained in a truck accident are occupants of the other vehicle (or pedestrians or bicyclists). Only rarely is the truck driver or a passenger of the truck killed, and that's in part because the sheer size and weight of the truck is to their advantage.
Though fatalities often result from semi-truck collisions, there are other serious injuries that can have life-changing effects on the victim. These injuries include:
- Spinal injuries
- Broken and fractured bones
- Crushing injuries
- Severe or life-threatening lacerations
- Internal bleeding and damage to internal organs
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Nerve damage
- Paralysis
- Limb dismemberment
- Burn injuries
At Garcia Preciado Law, our truck accident attorneys can help you file a strong, well-documented claim while advocating your rights and representing your best interests. Contact us today either online or at 661-495-0084 to schedule a FREE consultation.