Orangevale, located in Sacramento County, is probably best known for its proximity to the Sierra Nevada mountain range. But it is also a bustling city with congested roads like Greenback Lane, Hazel Avenue, and Madison Avenue. Sedans, SUVs, pickup trucks, and large commercial tractor-trailers these major roadways are routinely traversed. As a result, there is a risk of serious collisions occurring between smaller commuter vehicles and large commercial big rigs.

The Department of Transportation reports that the average tractor-trailer traveling on Orangevale roads weighs more than 75,000 pounds and can be 75 feet long. In contrast, the average sedan weighs less than 5,000 pounds. If a tractor-trailer hits a car, the occupant inside the vehicle will likely bear the brunt of the damage.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, more than 141,000 accidents involved big rigs in 2015. More than 4,000 people died in those collisions, while more than 70,000 suffered severe bodily injuries.

In many incidents, the primary cause of a collision between a sedan, pickup truck, or SUV and a large commercial tractor-trailer is the careless or reckless actions of the commercial truck operator. For example, some of the commonly reported causes of these severe collisions include:

• Driver fatigue
• Speeding
• Failure to yield at a traffic signal
• Failure to stop at a stop sign
• Texting and driving
• The driver was intoxicated or on prescription medications
• Defective equipment (e.g., balding tires)

If you or a family member were seriously injured in a collision with a semi-truck, you could pursue financial restitution for your harm and losses. You can seek monetary compensation through a truck accident injury lawsuit. When a truck operator causes a severe accident where bodily injuries are suffered, the operator (and their employer) can be liable for your damages.

You may ask yourself, “how can an employer be held responsible for an employee’s actions?” An established legal doctrine known as respondeat superior creates vicarious liability. When an employee engages in negligent conduct while acting in the course and scope, the employer can also be held responsible in a civil claim. 

To establish liability, you (through your Orangevale truck accident attorney) must present sufficient evidence to substantiate the claim that the truck driver was negligent.

This means you need to show that the truck operator breached a legal duty to use due care and that breach proximately caused your bodily injuries. All motorists must adhere to specific duties and responsibilities on Orangevale roads and highways. For example, a tractor-trailer operator owes a duty of care to operate their rig safely. So, when a truck operator fails to comply with this duty, and you suffer a severe bodily injury, the truck operator can be deemed negligent and liable for your harm and losses.

An injured plaintiff can pursue monetary damages for the following types of harm and losses:

• Medical expenses (both the costs associated with your immediate care after the wreck and long-term medical expenses)
• Lost wages (and potentially future income if you are left disabled as a result of the crash)
• Pain, suffering, mental anguish
• Punitive damages (depending on the specific facts of your case)

Watch the YouTube video below for safe driving tips on sharing the road with commercial trucks.

When a semi-truck is involved in an accident with a smaller vehicle or pedestrian, the consequences are often devastatingly catastrophic. If you or your loved one has been injured or even killed in such an accident, please do not hesitate to contact me immediately- your recovery could depend on prompt action. We can be reached by telephone at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 and online for free and friendly advice.

We have served the Orangevale and Greater Sacramento communities since 1982, advocating for the rights of injured parties and their families. 

We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

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^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 2.23.22] Photo by falco on Pixabay sd rey [cs 730]}