Client was rear-ended resulting in low back injury.
Car Accident $1,000,000
Client rear-ended and suffered neck and low back injuries.
Car Accident $950,000
Speeding vehicle struck client’s parked car.
Car Accident $600,000
For client whose truck struck a tire that had fallen from a defective tire assembly.
AWARDS & MEMBERSHIPS
The staff was friendly and very helpful throughout my entire case. Sienna stood out with her great customer service and help. I would recommend The May Firm to anyone looking for a personal injury attorney.
Bicycle Accident
Natalie Garcia
A friendly and professional firm. Always answered questions quickly. Highly recommended to anyone who needs a personal injury lawyer. Extremely satisfied with the outcome.
Car Accident
Linda Hughes
California Truck Accident Lawyers
If you’ve been hurt in a trucking accident, contact The May Firm to schedule a free consultation with some of the most experienced truck accident lawyers in California.
As a personal injury firm with seven offices throughout California, our team of experienced trucking accident lawyers has the legal experience to confidently navigate the settlement and claim process to hold the negligent party(s) and their insurance company(s) accountable for the personal property damage, physical injuries and pain and suffering that they caused you.
With so many factors involved in truck accident litigation, the best thing you can do is have experienced and award-winning legal representation on your side. A consultation with the trucking accident lawyers at The May Firm is always free. There is no obligation, but if you do choose to hire us, our legal fees are incorporated into your settlement total, meaning our help comes at no out-of-pocket cost to you. We only get paid if we secure financial compensation for you and your family after your truck accident in California. If we fail in our mission, you won’t receive a bill from us.
We’ll pursue reimbursement for property damage, medical expenses, emotional suffering, potential wage loss, and any other expenses that you may incur as a result of being injured in a trucking accident. We know every automobile accident can be complicated and each case is different, so we take great care and pride in getting the facts straight so we can best represent you. At The May Firm, our motto is to “Let our family help your family.”
Our Highly-Rated Truck Accident Attorneys Know What to Do
It is very important to hire a personal injury attorney in California that has a deep well of experience handling serious trucking accident cases. Here are a few things that our truck accident attorneys take into consideration when handling your truck accident claim:
Logbooks must be examined and preserved. In trucking accident cases, logbooks often show that the driver and/or trucking company violated federal laws regulating commercial driving operations.
GPS and Blackbox data is critical. Blackbox data will show what driving inputs were applied by the operator (the truck driver) prior to the impact.
A very thorough site inspection is critical and should be done immediately. Our attorneys and investigators will personally examine the site, which may include looking for evidence such as debris and tire marks and taking measurements. We often employ an accident reconstruction expert and/or a roadway design expert when investigating the cause of trucking accidents.
When it comes to getting your life back on track after a California motor vehicle accident involving a truck, we put all of our resources into helping you push back against low-ball settlement offers from the insurance companies, or the games they play to try and shift the blame for your accident away from their client and onto you. Contact our award-winning trucking accident attorneys 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Trucking accidents are not all the same. What many people may not necessarily realize is that there are a lot of different kinds of trucks out there. The way in which an accident occurs and the damage that results often depends on the type of truck involved. Additionally, the driver of one truck may be subject to different types of requirements (licensing, for example) than the driver of another kind of truck.
If you don’t know what kind of truck caused your accident, that’s okay. The attorneys at The May Firm have experience identifying different kinds of trucks and know plenty of experts who can help figure it out, too.
In 2013, there were 30,057 fatal crashes on the nation’s roadways. 3,806 (12.7%) of these accidents involved at least one large truck or bus, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In addition, there were an estimated 5,657,000 nonfatal crashes, 385,000 (6.8%) of which involved at least one large truck or bus.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were 3,622 fatal accidents involving trucks in 2015. In 2017, there were 4,237 fatal truck accidents. This is an increase of 615 fatal truck wrecks in just two years!
“If you or a loved one has been injured following a truck accident, just know, we are here to help. The process of talking to a lawyer isn’t scary or intimidating. You focus on getting better, we’ll handle the rest.”
Robert May, Founding Attorney
ESTABLISHING FAULT FOR TRUCK ACCIDENT INJURIES
A crash with a large truck almost always gets more than just the drivers of each vehicle legally involved. Depending on what caused the crash, other parties quickly become relevant to the potential case:
The trucking company. The truck may have another owner or be owned by a company. The driver’s insurance may also be covered by that company, in which case their legal team may handle the details of the collision.
The truck manufacturer. A mechanical failure of the truck may shift accountability to the manufacturer of the vehicle. One of the most common malfunctions are the air brakes in a commercial truck.
The shipping company. The company that paid to have the trucker on the road may pursue legal action if a deadline is missed.
The loading company. If loose cargo falling out of the vehicle caused a crash, the company that loaded the truck may be held to some percentage of liability.
Other drivers and pedestrians. There may have been additional people who were injured in the accident, such as other drivers and their passengers, as well as pedestrians.
Each of the parties involved in these scenarios will have backing from their own insurance companies, all of which know that it is in their best interest to pay out the smallest settlement amount possible. They will also have their own legal representation. With so many variables at play, the benefit of proper legal representation is obvious. The May Firm will act as your liaison with these companies and fight to get you an appropriate settlement amount. We’ll deal with other parties’ insurance companies directly and hold them accountable to provide you with the compensation that you deserve for your injuries.
What to do After a Crash Involving a Truck
The moments after a crash can be just as, if not more dangerous than the initial impact. A collision with a large vehicle can obstruct the roadway, making bystanders and survivors less visible to other vehicles passing by. Blind spots on the road and bad weather conditions can add to existing hazards.
After you have determined that you are safe, stay calm and attempt to verify that everyone else involved is also OK. Do not move injured persons if they are unable to move themselves, as you may exacerbate their injuries. If possible, wait a safe distance from the scene of the accident for help to arrive. As mentioned earlier, the scene of the collision may be unsafe. There are many reported examples of crash survivors being struck by other passing vehicles while waiting for first responders.
Proceed with extreme caution. Call 911 as soon as possible so that First Responders can help provide medical assistance and block oncoming traffic from causing additional injuries. Remember, as much as you may be tempted to, do not say things that could be used in court proceedings to establish your fault for the accident. We all want to say sorry after an accident, but saying the wrong thing could cause you to be help liable for a truck accident that you didn’t cause.
Negligence and reckless actions are often at the heart of a trucking accident in California. More often than not, the driver of the truck was doing something that they shouldn’t have been doing or failed to do something that they should have. This is negligence, plain and simple.
A number of factors besides the driver’s negligence can cause a trucking accident and play a role in the severity of the crash, including:
How can I avoid being injured in a trucking accident?
One of the best ways to avoid a trucking accident and subsequent injury is to drive defensively. At the end of the day, you cannot control what other drivers do. If a truck driver is going to drive while intoxicated, there is nothing that you can do to stop him. You also have no control over whether the parts making up a tractor-trailer are in good working order or manufactured correctly. Your best means of avoiding a trucking accident is to be aware of where these trucks are at all times and make sure you stay out of harm’s way. Don’t try to pass a truck to the right when it’s attempting to turn and don’t suddenly pull out in front of it.
What happens in truck accident litigation?
There is no way to know what is going to happen in your case until it happens. This is because every case is different. In most trucking accident cases, the personal injury lawyers at The May Firm will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of your trucking accident and who was responsible.
We will also contact the insurance companies of the various parties involved to negotiate a settlement that will appropriately compensate you for your injuries. If one or more of the parties are unwilling to take responsibility and pay you what you’re legally entitled to, we will take them to court. When you hire The May Firm to handle your trucking accident case, you can expect us to remain in touch with you every step of the way – ensuring you are fully informed.
Who pays compensation to the victim of a trucking accident?
The victim of a trucking accident may be entitled to receive compensation from multiple sources. The individual or company responsible for reimbursing you for medical expenses, lost wages and pain & suffering will depend on how the accident was happened.
For example, a truck with faulty brakes may lead to liability on the part of the truck brake manufacturer. Driver negligence can lead to the victim receiving compensation from the driver and even the trucking company who employed them. At the end of the day, the one person who shouldn’t have to pay anything for a trucking accident is the innocent victim.
That’s why we suit up and stand-up for victims and their families everyday.
Should I hire a trucking accident lawyer?
When you are injured in an accident that you didn’t cause, the most important thing that you can do is take care of yourself. It can be very difficult, if not impossible to effectively navigate through the truck accident claims process on your own.
Insurance companies usually attempt to settle cases as quickly as possible to avoid paying further medical fees for innocent victims like you. By hiring a personal injury lawyer, you can focus on getting back on your feet and you can trust that the battle is being fought by knowledgeable attorneys. Experience the peace of mind that comes from your phone no longer ringing off the hook, demanding that you handle with things that you are unfamiliar with.
As you heal from your physical and emotional injuries, an attorney will fight the insurance companies and the person who is at fault for the accident to get you the compensation that you deserve. The personal injury lawyers at The May Firm have extensive knowledge and experience handling truck accident personal injury cases in California.
What steps should I take after a truck accident in California?
Get medical help. Even if you feel fine and believe that you haven’t been injured, your safest move is to be medically examined by a physician. Many injuries do not immediately present themselves to the untrained eye.
In other words, if you were involved in a trucking accident, get yourself to a doctor!
Immediately following a trucking accident you should call 911 and report the accident. The local police and the California Highway Patrol are experts at investigating accident scenes. They can assist in determining who was at fault and what it was that they did wrong.
If you feel up to it, you should take photos of the accident scene. Document everything. Take photos, write down license plate numbers and any information about the trucking company that you can obtain from the side of the truck and/or trailer, and talk to witnesses.
But, most importantly, seek medical treatment. Then contact an attorney that specialized in handling trucking accident cases in California. Do not talk to the insurance company without first being briefed by an experienced personal injury lawyer, like The May Firm.
Request Free Consultation
We’re here to help. Schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced accident lawyers today. Call us at 1.844.MAYFIRM.