Big rigs are a common sight along California freeways, including Turlock, because State Route 99 runs through it. Since tractor-trailers transport most of the goods throughout the state and are heavily traveled by other large commercial vehicles, it isn’t surprising that the number of accidents has increased.

When you’ve suffered injuries caused by a big rig, bus, or another commercial vehicle, a Turlock truck accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call our law firm to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration carried out a study on the causes of accidents involving commercial trucks. According to the data, some of the most common reasons for big rig crashes include:

• Aggressive driving: About 5 percent of all truck accidents are caused by aggressive driving, such as cutting in and out of traffic, tailgating, and other dangerous actions.
• Bad brakes: Faulty or poorly maintained brakes caused 27% of truck crashes.
• Bad tires: Worn tread and blowouts caused 3 percent of truck accidents.
• Drugged or drunk driving: Because of the heavy penalties for drugged or drunk driving, accidents caused by these influences were 0.04 percent or less.
• Fatigue: Driving long hours tires a driver, and truck drivers are commonly on the road for long periods. Fatigue caused 7 percent of the traffic collisions.
• Illness: One percent of truck accidents happened because the driver was sick. Since truck drivers are paid by the mile, and there is an urgency to get goods to their destinations, they may be behind the wheel when they are too ill to do so.
• Pressure from the company: Around 10 percent of truck accidents are caused by pressure from the company, which results in negligent driving, including speeding by the trucker.
• Unknown truck route: Truckers generally travel on known roads, especially since their big rigs have specific overpass clearances. However, pressure from the company and unexpected detours can lead to a disastrous act of negligence. Nineteen percent of all truck accidents happened because the driver changed routes to save time or avoid a traffic slowdown.

Big trucks are not limited to tractor-trailers or tankers. They can also include the following:

• Buses and other large common carriers
• Cement trucks
• FedEx trucks
• Garbage trucks

Many of the accidents caused by a collision with a big truck are the same as passenger vehicles. They may involve rear-ending collisions, T-bone accidents, or head-on crashes. However, a big rig is unique because some accidents are different due to the truck’s height and because they usually pull trailers or tankers. Some of the common types of trucking collisions include:

• Override/underride: A smaller vehicle is ridden over by the big rig or slides underneath it. These can happen due to a sudden slowdown in traffic, and the trucker cannot stop, which can cause an override accident. Underrides happen if the truck does not have adequate or working lights or reflectors, and the passenger vehicle driver does not see it until it is too late.
• Jackknifing: Jackknifing can occur due to poor driving skills, weather conditions, speeding, or using the wrong brakes when a trucker needs to slow down or stop. Jackknifing causes the tractor part of the rig to move slower than the trailer it is pulling. The trailer swings around like a jackknife, which can involve colliding with other vehicles in the next lane.
• Blind spots: Because big rigs have large blind spots on all sides, especially along with the trailer, they can be negligent in changing lanes, causing a collision with another vehicle.

The video below provides safety tips for sharing the road with truck drivers.

Large truck accidents are more complex than those involving several passenger cars. Big trucks are subject to federal and state regulations that mandate record-keeping, driving and rest hours, and inspections every time the vehicle goes out on the road. In addition, some truckers are independent operators, while others work for a company. In company negligence cases, such as hiring an inexperienced driver or having previous infractions, it leaves itself liable for accident injuries.

A Turlock truck accident attorney experienced in investigating big rigs knows how to find the evidence needed to support an injured person. In this way, they can recover the compensation required to pay their lost medical costs and wages and receive payment for the pain and suffering caused by the accident.

Our law firm sends our investigators to the scene of a big rig crash immediately to collect the evidence needed to support a client’s bodily injury claim. Some of the areas in which an investigation is conducted include:

• The investigators begin by checking over the police report to look for inaccuracies.
• The witnesses to the incident are interviewed to obtain their accounts of how the big rig crash occurred.
• If captured on tape, looking for surveillance cameras in the area, such as from businesses or traffic lights, can provide strong evidence for an accident claim.
• Accident reconstruction can illustrate precisely how a trucking collision occurred and the positioning of the vehicles to prove negligence on the truck driver’s part.
• The investigators look at the logbooks or ELD to determine if any federal or state regulations were broken by cheating on the rest breaks or driving hours.
• They examine the company’s background to determine if they were cited for previous infractions, such as lack of maintenance or citations.
• The investigators check the truck operator’s driving record to see a previous history of infractions.
• Government negligence is also examined to determine if poor maintenance contributed to the crash. This may include faulty traffic signals, potholes, weakened or aged guardrails, etc.

Once the evidence has been gathered by our investigators, our seasoned lawyers construct a strong case in favor of our client. Sometimes, it is used when negotiating with an insurance company for the client. If the insurance company refuses to pay out what our client requires, it can be built into a case to present in civil court.

After getting injured in a crash caused by a negligent truck driver or entity, it is essential to seek the assistance of an experienced Turlock commercial trucking accident attorney. A skilled lawyer can help you obtain the full compensation you deserve. Call our legal team at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. Learn more about our past cases on our Settlements and Verdicts page.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 10.10.23] Image by fkevin from Pixabay cd cha [cs 1137]}