On May 1, 2018, a huge rig crashed into a car on the 405 Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass. This collision injured at least three people and closed the lanes on both sides of the freeway. The accident led to a fiery wreck where one of the victims suffered burns to 80 percent of his body.
Los Angeles has seen many accidents like this over the past few years, given the increase in freight shipments moving in and out of the city. The development could see a rise in personal injury cases, with affected motorists seeking liability claims and damages from trucking companies. In the unfortunate event of your vehicle figuring in a truck crash, it’s best to turn to a truck accident lawyer in Los Angeles.
Reports reveal two of the common causes of these accidents:
The Driver Burnout
Most truckers navigate the roads of Los Angeles every day with little or no sleep at all. The USA TODAY’s investigative report found that truckers, on average, drove around LA and Long Beach without the required break of 470 times daily.
Many truckers find themselves forcibly working long days to meet their deliveries or follow a strict timeline. The problem with this is it leads to physical and mental exhaustion, which can pose risks to their safety and on other people’s well-being, as well.
Fatigue often results in carelessness or negligence in the operation of vehicles. In fact, overworked drivers reported having fallen asleep behind the wheel.
Trucks often have a greater size and magnitude compared to cars or vans. They can weigh from 20 to 30 times as much as passenger vehicles, making the consequences deadlier for smaller vehicles involved in a collision with a big truck.
While truckers can be liable for damages, the responsibility can fall to the trucking company. This can happen if proven that the company forced the trucker to drive longer than the required time.
Defective Vehicle Equipment
In many cases, the truck manufacturer can be liable for a truck accident. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) research reveals serious vehicle defects can triple the risk of a truck crash. The most common defective equipment can be lighting defects and brake defects.
Driving a truck with defective equipment can have repercussions for truckers. They may be liable for damages caused by driving a vehicle with malfunctioning equipment.
To prevent this, drivers need to conduct pre-and post-trip inspections with pay and refuse to drive a vehicle with defective equipment. The responsibility, however, still falls on the trucking company or fleet manager’s shoulders. They should prioritize the safety of drivers, motorists, and pedestrians more than anything else.
Experienced Truck Accident Attorney
During accidents involving one or more affected motorists, it’s common for trucking companies to refuse responsibility and conceal details that may hurt their case. Having worked with truck accident victims for years, our attorneys at Haffner Law can help you sort through legal liabilities.
Our law firm knows the complex nature of the commercial trucking industry. We will handle the grunt work of identifying the negligent party in your case so you can receive the settlement you deserve.
Rest assured we will fight for your rightful compensation. Give us a call today and let’s build you a winning case.
(This is an attorney advertisement by Joshua Haffner)
