Fighting for people injured in semi-truck, 18-wheeler, and big rig crashes across California. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
Orange County Truck Accident Attorney
A fully loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When a large truck collides with a passenger vehicle, the consequences can be severe. Truck accident claims are often more complex than ordinary car accident claims because they may involve multiple companies, commercial insurance policies, electronic vehicle data, and federal and state safety requirements.
Evidence can become unavailable quickly after a truck crash. Driver logs, electronic data, maintenance records, and available video footage may be important to understanding what happened and who may be responsible.
Berglund & Johnson represents people injured in commercial truck crashes in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and throughout California. If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, call 1-800-4-IF-HURT for a free consultation.
Fighting for people injured in semi-truck, 18-wheeler, and big rig crashes across California. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
A fully loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When a large truck collides with a passenger vehicle, the consequences can be severe. Truck accident claims are often more complex than ordinary car accident claims because they may involve multiple companies, commercial insurance policies, electronic vehicle data, and federal and state safety requirements.
Evidence can become unavailable quickly after a truck crash. Driver logs, electronic data, maintenance records, and available video footage may be important to understanding what happened and who may be responsible.
Berglund & Johnson represents people injured in commercial truck crashes in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and throughout California. If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, call 1-800-4-IF-HURT for a free consultation.
A Semi Doesn't Just Total Your Car. It Can Change Your Whole Life.
When an eighty-thousand pound rig smashes into a standard-sized car, it's not even close to fair, and it sure as isn't fair in court. Insurance armies and trucking company lawyers are on retainer before the tow truck shows up and they begin building their defense while you're still in the ER. That's precisely why you need an Orange County truck accident attorney by your side on day one. We've spent over 40 years fighting for ordinary folks against extraordinary companies with deep pockets. And we know how these cases work. Dan Johnson, Stephen Johnson, and the whole team got into this line of work for a reason, somebody needs to stand up for the person who didn't cause the wreck. We're that somebody and we will go to work for you.
Semi Truck Cases Require an Attorney Who Knows the Industry Backwards and Forwards
Truck cases are not a more common fender bender, not by a long shot. There's federal trucking regulations to sift through, black box data to retrieve before it's erased, driver logs to review for hours of service violations, and in some cases a whole trucking company's maintenance records to unearth. Our orange county semi truck accident lawyers know exactly where to look and what to look for. We bring in accident reconstructionists, we go after the trucking company and the driver (when warranted), and we build cases that can stand the test of time. This is what a real orange county big rig truck accident attorney does. This is what distinguishes a firm that gets you a fair shake from one that settles for whatever the insurance company first throws your way.
You Get Care Like a Person, Not a File Number
Our firm operates out of faith and it shows up in the way we treat the people who come to us looking for help. Our orange county truck injury attorneys are there with you every step of the way to go after every dollar owed to you, medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, it's all within our very capable hands. We've pulled in results like $15 million in motor vehicle cases because we don't settle small and we don't rush you into a deal that shortchanges your recovery. You matter here.
Serving Riders and Drivers Across All of Orange County
We're based out of Irvine and we serve all of Orange County, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Newport Beach, and all points in between. Whether you got into the accident s on the 405, the 5, or on a surface street near your home, our orange county semi truck accident attorneys have been there, done that, and know how these roads and these courts work. If you've been looking for an orange county truck accident law firm that fights like your life depends on it, because sometimes it kind of does, you've come to the right team. Give us a call and let's get moving on your case today.
Types of Truck Accidents We Handle
There are many different classifications of trucking accidents. These can affect how the rules apply and who may be responsible for the collision.
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Semi-Truck and 18-Wheeler Accidents
Semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and 18-wheelers are large commercial vehicles that may be operated by a motor carrier, owner-operator, or other business. Claims involving these vehicles can require review of the driver’s conduct, carrier safety records, electronic vehicle data, maintenance history, cargo practices, and available insurance coverage.
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Jackknife Accidents
A jackknife truck accident happens when a trailer swings out at an angle to the cab, usually after hard braking, brake failure, or slick roads. The trailer can sweep across several lanes and strike anything traveling alongside it. These cases often look at braking, speed, and whether the truck was properly maintained.
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Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents happen due to improperly loaded cargo, too much speed on a curve or freeway ramp, or a sudden swerve by a large truck. Steep grades and high-speed interchange ramps are especially dangerous for top-heavy loads, and everyone in the surrounding lanes is put at risk.
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Underride Accidents
Underride crashes occur when a smaller vehicle slides beneath the body of a truck trailer. These are very dangerous collisions because the car's bumper, airbags, and crumple zones can pass under the trailer without ever engaging. Federal rules require rear underride guards on most trailers, and whether a guard was present and intact can matter a great deal in these cases.
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Rear-End and Override Accidents
Rear end truck crashes can occur because a fully loaded truck at freeway speed needs several hundred feet to stop. When a truck follows too closely, speeds, or the driver is fatigued or distracted, it can strike the vehicle ahead or ride up over it. These accidents are common on Southern California freeways due to stop-and-go traffic.
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Tire Blowout and Cargo Spill Accidents
When a commercial truck tire blows out at high speed, it throws heavy debris across multiple lanes and can cause the driver to lose control. Unsecured or unevenly loaded cargo can do the same, spilling into traffic or shifting enough to overturn the rig. Investigation into these crashes typically focuses on maintenance records, tire age and wear, and proper loading practices.
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Wide-Turn and Blind-Spot Accidents
Large trucks carry significant blind spots and need extra room to turn. Drivers sometimes swing wide before turning right, sweeping through the adjacent lane, or move without seeing a vehicle sitting beside them. Motorcyclists and cyclists are especially vulnerable here.
Federal Trucking Rules and Your Case
Whether in a car, truck, or motorcycle, all occupants are entitled to legal protections if they are injured due to someone else’s negligence.
Limits on Driving Hours
Federal rules cap driving hours and mandate rest breaks to combat driver fatigue. If a driver exceeds these limits or a company pushes them to meet an unrealistic deadline, logbook entries often provide key evidence for a claim.
Electronic Logs and the Truck's Data
Modern trucks store driving time, speed, and braking data electronically. This information is hard to alter and can be cross-checked against fuel and toll receipts. However, black box data is routinely overwritten within days unless immediate steps are taken to preserve it.
Driver Qualification and Hiring
Trucking companies are legally required to vet their drivers. Hiring or retaining someone with a history of dangerous driving can make the carrier directly responsible for putting an unfit driver on the road.
Cargo Loading and Securement
Cargo must be properly balanced and tied down under federal safety standards. Unsecured freight can shift and cause a rollover, or fall directly into traffic. When improper loading leads to a crash, the shipping facility can be held liable alongside the trucking company.
Truck Maintenance and Safety Records
Carriers must keep their fleets in safe operating condition. A paper trail showing skipped repairs, failed inspections, or systemic safety violations helps prove a pattern of neglect if mechanical failure causes an accident.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Truck Accident?
More than one person or company may be responsible for a commercial truck crash. Liability depends on how the collision occurred, who owned and operated the truck, who controlled the work, and whether vehicle maintenance, cargo loading, hiring practices, or a defective part contributed to the incident.
Depending on the facts, responsibility may extend to:
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The truck driver
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The trucking company
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The cargo shipper or loading company
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The truck or parts manufacturer
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The maintenance company
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A freight broker or leasing company
What Damages Can You Recover in a Truck Accident Case?
People injured in a California truck crash may be able to recover for losses already incurred and for those still ahead.
Economic damages cover measurable financial losses: emergency and ongoing medical care, future medical needs, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and property damage.
Non-economic damages cover the human cost of a serious injury, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium for a spouse.
Wrongful death damages may be available when a truck accident results in a death, eligible surviving family members may be able to bring a wrongful death claim. Available damages depend on the relationship to the person who died and the specific losses recognized under California law.
Punitive damages are not available in every truck accident case. They may be available only where the evidence meets California’s heightened standard for oppression, fraud, or malice, such as conscious disregard of the safety of others. Additional rules apply when punitive damages are sought against a company based on the conduct of its employees or management.
Talk to a Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer for Free
If you or someone you love was injured in a truck crash in Los Angeles County, Orange County, or anywhere in California, call us or stop by our office in Woodland Hills or Irvine.
We investigate quickly, because truck data, driver logs, and surveillance footage do not stay available forever.
Call our LA truck accident lawyers at 1-800-4-IF-HURT for a free consultation or use the form below.
Get medical attention first, always. Then try to obtain the truck's license plate number, the company name off the trailer if you can see it, and the police report number. Lastly, call an orange county truck accident attorney before you give a recorded statement to anyone's insurance company.
Because there's typically more than one party at fault, the driver, the trucking company, sometimes even the company that loaded the cargo. Plus, federal regulations come into play. Our orange county truck accident attorneys know how to sort through all of this and determine who's responsible and who owes what.
Nothing out of pocket. We take these cases on contingency, meaning we only get paid if we win your case. Your first call with us is free, so don't wait around worrying about what your options look like.
Yes, this is standard operating procedure and it's precisely why you need your own team moving just as fast. Insurance armies and trucking company lawyers are on retainer before the tow truck even shows up and they begin building their defense while you're still in the ER. That's what trucking companies do. Our orange county semi truck accident lawyers are moving just as quickly to collect evidence before it's gone or altered.
Under California law you typically have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim, but there are some exceptions depending on who you're up against, including if a government entity happens to own the truck or road. Don't wait. Give us a call and we'll lay out your timeline for you clearly.
Medical bills, future care costs, lost wages, diminished capacity to earn going forward, property damage, and pain and suffering. In cases involving reckless conduct, punitive damages may also come into play. Our orange county truck injury lawyers will sit down with you and determine what fits your situation.
Yes, these are precisely the types of cases that we built our reputation on. We've tried catastrophic injury cases that resulted in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts. Serious injuries call for serious representation, and that's what our orange county truck accident injury lawyers bring to the table every and every time.
Yes. There's a lot of big rigs on Orange County freeways that come from trucking companies outside of California, but that doesn't change your right to fair compensation. Our orange county commercial truck accident attorneys know how to pursue claims against out of state trucking companies and insurers.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ'S
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