Get Help From a Skilled Los Angeles Truck Accident Attorney

If you have been injured in an accident involving a semi-truck or other commercial vehicle in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, getting legal help is vital. Truck drivers often carry large insurance policies, and these insurance carriers are known for not compensating accident victims adequately. In a crash, there is often more than one at-fault party, and you need to understand all sides of the case.

Without the help of a Los Angeles semi-truck accident attorney, you may be left with mounting medical bills and lost income while you recover. Many accident victims in LA are confused about their rights and options, which leads them to accept insufficient settlements that do not truly cover the impact of the accident.

You don’t have to navigate these challenging days alone. At Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyers, we fight for you, so you can focus on recovery. Count on us to pursue justice and any compensation you may be entitled to under California law. 

Commercial Vehicle Accidents in Los Angeles, CA

As a major hub for imports and commerce, Los Angeles sees a regular share of accidents involving semi-trucks and commercial vehicles, including these below:

• Fatal commercial truck accident in Palms, Los Angeles – On May 31, 2024, a man and a woman were killed early morning in a fiery collision between a Toyota Prius and a commercial truck on the 405 Freeway. The crash, which occurred at around 2:13 am, caused the Prius to catch fire. Responding personnel from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the Los Angeles Fire Department pronounced both victims dead at the scene.[1]
  
• Semi-truck collision resulting in massive fire in Los Angeles – On May 8, 2024, a large fire erupted on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles when a semi-truck collided with another big rig near Roxford Street in the Sylmar/Granada Hills area. It was reported around 12:20 pm. The driver of the burning truck, who suffered severe burns, escaped his cab with help from passing motorists and was taken to a trauma center in critical condition. Firefighters took nearly 40 minutes to contain the blaze, which destroyed a meat-carrying truck. Hazmat teams cleared spilled fuel and oil.[2]

The Most Dangerous Los Angeles Intersections

In Los Angeles, some of the most common intersections and roads where auto and commercial vehicle crashes occur include [3]: 

• Sherman Way and Sepulveda Blvd in Van Nuys, CA
  
• Manchester Ave and Figueroa St in the Vermont Knolls community
  
• Western Avenue and Slauson Ave. in Harvard Park
  
• Vermont Avenue and Wilshire Blvd in Koreatown 

How a Los Angeles Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer Can Help You

When you hire our Los Angeles truck accident attorneys, we will work tirelessly to get justice for you. Our Los Angeles truck accident law firm may take the following steps for your case:

• Provide a free, confidential case evaluation and answer your important questions
  
• Investigate the details of your truck accident with all resources available, including accident reconstruction, expert witnesses, and similar as needed 
  
• Speak on your behalf with insurance carriers
  
• Submit your demands to the trucking company for a fair settlement to pay for damages
  
• File an on-time lawsuit following all California and Los Angeles laws and requirements
  
• Negotiate a fair settlement with the truck driver, trucking company, and any others that may be found liable for causing your injuries
  
• Litigate your case in front of a judge or jury when the at-fault parties refuse to negotiate in good faith 

Throughout this process, our truck accident law firm in Los Angeles, CA works with you to help you understand the process. We aim to give you the peace of mind that your case is being handled well, so you can focus on your healing.

Compensation Our Los Angeles Truck Accident Injury Lawyers Seek for Clients 

Our experienced Los Angeles truck accident injury lawyers understand how much justice and fair compensation matter to our injured clients. Our attorneys work for our clients to recover compensation to cover nearly all of your potential costs and needs, including:

• Medical Expenses – You deserve to be covered for your hospital stay, surgeries, doctor’s appointments, physical therapy, and medication. You may also deserve compensation for any medical devices you need during your recovery.
  
• Future medical bills – Because truck accidents can cause such extensive injuries, you may face future medical needs on top of your current ones. Our Los Angeles 18-wheeler accident attorneys can help you calculate these potential costs, including ongoing care or in-home nursing if your injuries require it.
  
• Mental anguish – Truck accidents are traumatic. Your compensation should include money to cover your pain and suffering. This claim can also provide money to cover therapy if you have challenges like PTSD after your ordeal.
  
• Pain and suffering – Though harder to quantify than medical bills, pain and suffering is a way to put a dollar amount on the physical pain you have after your accident.
  
• Adaptations of your home – If you have a serious neck or spine injury, you may need to use a wheelchair. Your settlement should include money to cover the changes necessary to make your home accessible.
  
• Lost wages – As you recover, you’re likely going to miss time off work. Claiming lost wages allows you to focus on your healing, rather than trying to get back on the job as quickly as possible.
  
• Lost income potential – Serious, permanent injuries may make it impossible for you to do your job like you did in the past, and this can hurt your future income. You may be eligible for compensation to make up for these lost future wages.
  
• Funeral expenses – If the accident is fatal, the family members left behind must cover funeral and burial expenses. This is another claim you can make with the help of a truck accident attorney.
  
• Property damage – In addition to injuries to the accident victim, truck accidents can cause property damage, including damage to the vehicle or items it contains.

LA Service Areas: Licensed Truck Accident Injury Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA

We serve cities throughout Los Angeles County, including these locations:

Outside of LA County? See Our Additional Service Areas:  California Truck Accident Lawyer

Our Pricing: We Use Contingency Fees for Our Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawsuits

During a free case evaluation, we’ll discuss how we pursue your justice and compensation, using our effective contingency fee model. You pay no fees unless you win.

• If you win or settle your case: you will pay a certain percentage of the money you receive to the law firm
  
• If we do not make a recovery in your case: the law firm does not receive any payment from you

Many law firms in Los Angeles and throughout California charge clients a flat fee or hourly rate because they may not have the financial resources necessary to win highly complex semi-truck and commercial vehicle injury cases. Our Los Angeles truck accident law firm has the resources to successfully litigate your case and give you strong, effective representation.

With so many successful settlements and verdicts, experienced contingency fee lawyer Jordan M. Jones and team know from experience just how strongly our pricing system benefits injured clients.

Local Trucking Laws and Regulations in Los Angeles, CA

Most regulations involving commercial vehicles follow the guidelines established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s rules and regulations, and the laws of the State of California. However, the California Commercial Driver Handbook offers some additional rules that Los Angeles truckers need to follow.[4] Some of these include:

• Pre-trip inspections of trucks before every trip
• Reports of problems found in inspections, which must be kept for 3 months
• Checking the cargo within the first 50 miles of the trip to ensure it is secure
• Repeat cargo checks every 150 miles
• Looking 12 to 15 seconds ahead of the truck driving
• Reducing speed by 1/3rd or more on a wet road surface
• Much more

In addition, Los Angeles truckers have to follow the state’s hours of service regulations. This means they must:

• Drive no more than 11 hours after a 10-hour off-duty cycle [5]
• Stop for at least 10 full hours after 14 hours on duty [6] 
• Limit their driving to 70 hours total for any eight consecutive days [7] 

Drivers must also follow all posted regulations if they travel across state lines.

Deadlines Matter: Statute of Limitations in California for Truck Accident Injury Cases

Under California’s statute of limitations, most truck accident claims in Los Angeles County must be filed within two years of the date of the crash. While this sounds like a long period of time, when you are focused on your recovery, it can go by quite quickly. One of the benefits of getting a Los Angeles truck accident lawyer on your side is reducing the risk that you will miss this important deadline.

Los Angeles Government-Related Truck Injury Cases  

When a Los Angeles truck accident involves a government-owned truck or a truck operated by a government employee, you must file a government claim within six months of the accident. If the government denies the claim or does not respond within 45 days, you can then file a truck accident lawsuit in court, but you must do so within six months after the denial. If the government fails to respond within 45 days, you have up to two years from the date of the accident to file the lawsuit.

Truck Accident Statistics

A crash with a semi-truck creates a tremendous amount of force, contributing to accidents involving catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Consider these statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration[8]:

• In 2023, 183,291 crashes involving large trucks and buses occurred.
• Of those, 5,145 were fatal.
• An additional 87,005 injuries were recorded from these crashes.
• The average cost of a fatal accident is $3.6 million.
• Crashes with injuries incur around $200,000 in costs.[9]

These statistics only highlight trucks and buses and do not account for other large commercial vehicles. They also only cover the actual costs of the accident and do not account for lost wages, emotional pain, and suffering, or lost future income potential. This is the bare minimum cost, and it is quite high.

Types of Trucks Involved in Accidents

While much of the focus of Los Angeles truck accident law concerns semi-trucks, other types of trucks can cause serious accidents. Any commercial vehicle has the risk of multiple at-fault parties and the challenge of dealing with knowledgeable insurance companies. Some types of trucks can add to the risk of hazardous materials, which can increase the likelihood of injuries and property damage.

Some of the types of trucks involved in serious Los Angeles truck crashes may include:

Types of Truck Accidents that Occur in Los Angeles

The types of injuries you suffer can vary depending on the nature of the truck accident. The type of accident in LA can also impact the claims you can make against the truck driver or trucking company. 

Some common types of truck accidents in Los Angeles include:

• Head-on collision – Perhaps the deadliest type of accident, a head-on collision occurs when your vehicle crashes directly into the front of the truck, nose to nose.
  
• Hit-and-run – For a hit-and-run, getting a license plate number is critical, if possible. This type of accident adds another legality to the claim because the driver is breaking the law by fleeing the scene of the accident. If you cannot get the license plate number, try to get the DOT number on the door of the tractor, or a picture of the trucking company logo.
  
• Jackknife accidents – Jackknifing occurs when the trailer of a big rig pushes the truck towing it to the side. This is one of the most common types of accidents, especially on deadhead, or empty, trailers, which can be harder to control in bad weather. It can cause the driver to lose control and crash into other drivers.
  
• Rear or Side Underride Crashes – This accident occurs when a passenger vehicle slides under the tractor-trailer in a crash involving a semi-truck. This type of crash has an increased risk of severe head and neck injuries.
  
• Rear-end collision – When one vehicle hits the other vehicle from behind, it’s called a rear-end collision. These can cause serious neck and back injuries, including whiplash.
  
• T-bone crash – A T-bone crash is a side collision that occurs when one vehicle strikes another vehicle broadside.
  
• Vehicle rollover accident – The sheer force of a large commercial vehicle makes it more likely for the crash to send your vehicle into a rollover. In addition, the center of gravity on trucks can make them prone to rollover accidents.

Though there are many road collision types, each one has a high risk of creating serious, life-altering injuries due to the size of a semi-trailer truck. The long-term impact of these injuries makes it vital to work with a trusted truck accident lawyer in Los Angeles, CA.

Start your free case review. Contact our team 24/7.

Causes of LA Truck Accidents: Maintenance and Driver Error

Most truck accidents in Los Angeles fall into one of two categories: maintenance issues or driver error. Finding the root cause may impact your case and who is held accountable for your injuries. For instance, if poor maintenance of the vehicle is a cause, you can hold the trucking company liable for damages as well as the driver, as both have a responsibility to maintain and inspect their trucks.

Common Maintenance Issues That Lead to Truck Accidents

Trucking companies and drivers have a legal and ethical obligation to keep their vehicles in good repair. Poor maintenance can cause several issues that increase the chances of a traffic collision involving a truck. The sheer number of miles logged on these vehicles makes it challenging for companies to keep up with the necessary inspections, maintenance, and repairs.

To add to this, drivers are often paid by the mile, which tempts them to cut corners on inspections and on-the-road maintenance. Sometimes, when they do report a problem, the company doesn’t fix it promptly, making the vehicle a risk to drive.

If maintenance is part of the cause of your crash, then the trucking company may be liable. Some of the more common maintenance issues that lead to crashes include:

• Lack of inspections and routine maintenance – Before every trip, drivers should do a brief pre-trip inspection to ensure that the truck is safe to drive. More detailed inspections should occur regularly. In addition, trucks require routine maintenance to ensure all of their components are working. Failure in any of these areas is negligent on the part of the trucking company or the driver.
  
• Brake failure – Worn-out or non-functional brakes are a serious risk on the road.
  
• Defective headlights – Burnt-out or defective headlights make trucks harder to see on the road, and they can also impact a driver’s ability to see other vehicles.
  
• Steering failure – If a driver can’t steer, they can’t keep the truck where it needs to be.
  
• Tire blowouts – Keeping tires in good repair with adequate tread is vital to the safety of everyone on the road, and a blowout can create a serious hazard on the road.
  
• Defective tow hitches – Defects in the tow hitch can increase the risk of jackknife accidents or cause the trailer to release while the truck is driving.

Negligence Leading to Truck Accidents

In addition to these maintenance issues, drivers themselves can be negligent in their duty to operate safely on the roads. Violating their duty can and does lead to trucking accidents. Over-the-road truckers clock many hours on the road, which can cause distraction and other concerns. 

Some types of negligence that can cause truck crashes with injuries include:

When accidents involve these circumstances, injured parties can hold the driver responsible for their negligence. Our truck accident law firm in Los Angeles, CA can help you understand the potential liability in your case, so you can aim for the highest potential compensation allowed by law.

FAQs About LA Truck Accidents

More About Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles

Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the United States, with its iconic landmarks, thriving business centers, and vast cultural offerings. It comprises nearly  90 cities, including the City of Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Long Beach. 

Some of the most popular trucking routes include:

• Interstate 5 (I-5) – The primary north-south route, connecting Los Angeles to San Diego and Sacramento.
  
• Interstate 10 (I-10) – Running east-west, it connects Santa Monica to the Inland Empire and beyond.
  
• Interstate 405 (I-405) – Known as the “San Diego Freeway,” it loops around the western part of Los Angeles.
  
• U.S. Route 101 (US 101) – Connecting downtown Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley and Ventura.
  
• California State Route 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) – A scenic route along the coast, connecting Santa Monica and Malibu.
  
• Interstate 110 (I-110) – Running from downtown LA to San Pedro, also known as the Harbor Freeway.
  
• Interstate 210 (I-210) – The Foothill Freeway, connecting the San Gabriel Valley with the San Fernando Valley.
  
• California State Route 134 (Ventura Freeway) – Connecting Burbank to Pasadena.
  
• California State Route 60 (Pomona Freeway) – Connecting downtown LA with the San Gabriel Valley and Riverside County.
  
• California State Route 2 (Glendale Freeway) – Connecting downtown Los Angeles with Glendale and beyond.

Helpful Los Angeles Legal Resources

In Los Angeles County, several courthouses handle the bulk of civil personal injury cases. Here are some of the primary courthouses:

Stanley Mosk Courthouse (Downtown Los Angeles)
111 N Hill St. 
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Spring Street Courthouse (Downtown Los Angeles)
312 N Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Van Nuys Courthouse East (Van Nuys)
6230 Sylmar Ave.
Van Nuys, CA 91401

Santa Monica Courthouse (Santa Monica)
1725 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Pasadena Courthouse (Pasadena)
300 E Walnut St. 
Pasadena, CA 91101

Long Beach Courthouse (Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse)
275 Magnolia Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90802

Pomona Courthouse South (Pomona)
400 Civic Center Plaza.
Pomona, CA 91766

Additional LA Resources

Los Angeles County Law Library (open to the public)
301 W. First Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Los Angeles Police Department
Phone: 213-473-3231
200 N Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Obtain a Traffic Collision Report

Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. The information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute an attorney-client relationship. Reproduction, distribution, republication, and/or retransmission of material contained within the Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyers (trucklawyers.com) Website is prohibited unless prior written permission has been obtained.

The above injury information should not be construed as medical advice. When injured, visit your healthcare provider or the emergency room immediately, even if you are not symptomatic following the accident. Failing to attend medical appointments may indicate to those representing truck drivers and trucking companies that you are not as seriously injured as your complaint suggests.