Truck Accidents in Glendale, CA
Being involved in any motor vehicle collision can be stressful and overwhelming. When it involves a commercial truck, the impact can be catastrophic. Truck crashes often result in severe, lifelong injuries that require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
If you or a loved one suffered harm in a truck accident in or around Glendale, CA, you likely have many questions about what to do next. An experienced truck accident lawyer can help maximize your financial recovery and ease the legal burden so you can focus on healing.
This page explains why hiring a lawyer for truck crashes is crucial, how the claims process works, what compensation you may receive, and how a lawyer will fight for your rights every step of the way.
The Dangers of Commercial Truck AccidentsTrucks such as 18-wheelers and other large commercial vehicles can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. When involved in highway accidents at high speeds, these massive trucks can impart incredible forces that often have catastrophic and irreversible consequences for others on the road. In fact, 78% of fatalities that occur in crashes involving trucks and passenger cars are occupants of the passenger vehicles.
Compared to other motor vehicle accidents, truck collisions are more likely to involve:
- Multiple vehicles
- Fire or explosion hazard from cargo or fuel
- Ejection of passengers
- Extensive injuries like traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, disfigurement/dismemberment
- Wrongful death
Some common causes of truck crashes in California include:
- Truck driver fatigue or falling asleep at the wheel
- Drug or alcohol impairment
- Distracted driving behaviors
- Negligent hiring or retention of unsafe drivers
- Poor truck maintenance leading to equipment failures like faulty brakes
- Unsafe loading leading to shifting cargo
- Speeding or reckless driving
Commercial trucks on the roadways include:
- FedEx trucks
- UPS trucks
- U.S. Postal Service (USPS) trucks
- Frozen food and grocery delivery trucks
- Fuel and gasoline tankers
- Construction material transporters
- Garbage and recycling collection trucks
When commercial delivery trucks or 18-wheelers collide with smaller passenger vehicles, the massive weight discrepancies lead to extreme forces that destroy cars and cause grievous harm.
In addition to serious physical injuries like fractures, head trauma, burns, internal bleeding, and paralysis, victims also face emotional suffering, steep medical costs, lost income, and reduced quality of life.
Why You Need a Lawyer After a Truck CrashThe aftermath of truck accidents sparks complex legal, medical, and insurance issues. As you cope with health complications, a lawyer handles the paperwork maze and negotiates with insurance companies so you receive the maximum financial recovery. Retaining legal counsel protects your rights in several key ways:
- Conducts Accident Investigations - Your lawyer gathers police reports, surveillance footage, EDR data from trucks, and performs additional incident analyses to build evidence proving fault and liability.
- Handles Paperwork Burden - There is tedious legal and insurance paperwork involved with injury claims. This overwhelms victims still recovering. Lawyers have resources to complete all documentation accurately.
- Deals Directly with Insurance Companies – Truck crash cases almost always involve commercial auto insurance policies. Insurers quickly assign adjusters who downplay claim validity and make lowball settlement offers. Experienced lawyers know their tactics and only accept fair amounts.
- Determines the Full Scope of Liability – There may be multiple liable parties like the truck driver, trucking company that hired them, parts manufacturers, cargo loaders, etc. Lawyers identify all potential defendants.
- Pursues Maximum Available Compensation - All economic and non-economic damages need proper calculation to demand correct payouts for current and future losses stemming from the accident. Lawyers account for everything so victims don’t pay out-of-pocket for truckers’ negligence.
- Level the Legal Playing Field – Victims are always at an automatic disadvantage against the trucking company’s insurance lawyers in catastrophic injury cases. Retaining your own lawyer makes negotiations evenly balanced.
- Takes Cases to Trial When Needed – Although most truck accident lawsuits settle out of court, defendants often make unreasonable demands hoping injured victims accept lesser compensation than deserved. Lawyers aren’t afraid to take cases to trial if fair resolutions aren’t offered during settlement talks.
The intricacies of truck accident litigation in California take time, legal experience, and plenty of resources to navigate. Working with a Glendale truck accident lawyer simplifies the process so claimants don’t have to manage the whole complex ordeal alone. Here is a general timeline after retaining Moseley Collins Law counsel:
- Case Investigation and Build Up – Lawyers start gathering evidence immediately, obtaining police reports, interviewing witnesses, poring over records to pinpoint causes and establish fault. Medical records, bills and expense documentation are collected as well to account for all crash damages.
- Settlement Demand Letter Sent to Insurance Company – Once thorough evidence proves a truck driver’s clear liability and full case values are calculated, a formal demand package is sent to insurers. Depending on culpability and damages, settlement requests often begin in the millions.
- Negotiations and Potential Settlement – Over 90% of all personal injury claims settle before trial. After insurers receive the initial demand, the negotiations process aims to reach suitable agreements satisfying all parties. If insurers refuse fair amounts based on case worth, lawyers proceed to sue them.
- Lawsuit Filed in California Civil Court - If positive settlement talks fail, it becomes necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit against truckers, trucking companies, part makers, cargo loaders, or other defendants. Lawsuits must prove liable parties’ negligence directly caused crash injuries and request specific damage awards to compensate victims.
- Discovery Phase for Fact Finding – During lawsuits, lawyers have broader access to evidence through depositions, interrogatories, requests for admission, and other discovery tools to establish factual culpability and case values. New information often spurs more settlement talks.
- Trial Preparation – If litigation proceeds to court, lawyers undergo meticulous trial prep, including developing legal strategies, combing through facts, creating exhibits, coaching clients to testify, hiring expert witnesses, researching relevant case law and statutes, and more. Only about 5% of claims go to trial so thorough readiness is key. Lawyers remove guesswork so injured claimants simply tell the truth on the stand.
- Lawsuit Trial – Depending on jurisdiction and court calendars, it may take over a year for truck accident cases to reach trial if settlements fail. Lawyers handle presenting evidence, arguing before the judge/jury, and cross-examining witnesses. Jury verdicts or bench rulings then determine financial liability.
- Settlement Checks Disbursed – After positive results or settlements, Moseley Collins Law lawyers disburse money directly to injured parties once fees/expenses are deducted per contractual agreements. Victims can then utilize compensation to cover extensive medical bills, rehabilitation costs, income losses, and more damages stemming from commercial trucks' negligence.
Pursuing injury claims after truck crashes allows harmed victims to demand compensation for short and long-term accident impacts. With a lawyer fighting for your rights, you may recover damages like:
- Past & Future Medical Expenses – Bills from hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, medical equipment, at-home health aids, prescription medication, and more.
- Lost Income Reimbursement – Wages lost from missing work during recovery. Also reduced earning capacity if injuries cause permanent vocational impairment.
- Property Losses – Repairs/replacement costs for any property damaged.
- Loss of Consortium – Compensation if injuries negatively affected familial relationships.
- Pain and Suffering Awards – Financial compensation for undergoing medical procedures, mental anguish, emotional trauma, suffering, and grief in crash aftermaths.
Skilled negotiators determine lifetime accident costs, project future complications, then demonstrate to insurers why seven and eight-figure settlements are justified. This secures victims sufficient compensation without personal financial output.
Glendale Police Stations Assisting Accident VictimsThere are two major police stations providing law enforcement services to Glendale residents:
Glendale Police Department Central Station - Located downtown, this is GPD’s police headquarters and main station. The Central station assists all citizens needing police reports for truck accidents, personal injury claims or criminal complaints against negligent commercial truck drivers. Address: 131 North Isabel Street, Glendale, CA 91206
Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station - Managed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, this station also files reports regarding truck crashes and hit-and-runs within Glendale city limits if dispatched to accident scenes. Address: 4554 Briggs Avenue, La Crescenta, CA 91214
Accident victims should request police documentation immediately at the station nearest crash locations for insurance and legal claims involving injuries from commercial truck collisions.
Surrounding Highways and Routes in Glendale AreaSome major highways and transportation routes near Glendale experiencing frequent commercial truck accidents include:
- Interstate 5 Freeway
- State Route 134 Freeway
- Interstate 210 Freeway
- State Route 2 Route
Truck crashes also occur along surface streets like Brand Boulevard, San Fernando Road, Colorado Street, Glendale Avenue, Broadway, Verdugo Road, Victory Boulevard, and Pacific Avenue. As population centers with high transportation traffic volume, roads surrounding Glendale often sustain substantial truck collisions during work commutes or freight deliveries.
Legal Consultations at No Cost After Truck CrashesMoseley Collins Law offers free, no-obligation case evaluations so truck accident victims understand legal options moving forward. Our legal team answers any questions about the claims process and potential ways to recover injury compensation. Certain aspects they may discuss include:
- Quick client intake and case assignment to ensure rapid action preserving evidence before destruction or loss.
- Analyzing initial medical records and bills to value settlement ranges for demanding maximum compensation through demand letters or litigation.
- Explaining how contingency fee structures mean no lawyers’ fees or case expenses come out of client pockets. Moseley Collins Law only earns legal fees if we win settlements or court verdicts.
- Determining liable at-fault parties - whether the truck driver, trucking companies, manufacturers, cargo loaders, road designers, maintenance crews, etc.
- Reviewing likely legal timeline if settlement talks stall and lawsuits become necessary.
During consultations, injured victims maintain zero obligations to retain legal services. Moseley Collins Law desires helping victims understand the claims process better. However, with extensive litigation resources and a strong track record maximizing case values for clients, victims often hire our lawyers to relieve accident stresses.
Cities Served by Moseley Collins Law Truck Accident LawyersMoseley Collins Law handles truck accident claims and assists injury victims throughout:
- Glendale, CA
- Burbank, CA
- Pasadena, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- San Fernando Valley region