Fresno Truck Accident Attorney
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Semi-trucks remain the primary way that freight is transported throughout the United States. Every day, millions of trucks roll down American streets and thunder down freeways, highways, and interstates. Fresno’s unique location in California’s Central Valley is the primary reason why it experiences a higher-than-usual volume of truck accidents on its streets and freeways. Why is Fresno’s location so determinative when it comes to truck crash rates? There are three influencing factors that support this reality:
- Fresno is a hub for travel between Southern California, Northern California, the Yosemite Valley, and Nevada. When passengers and/or freight need to be moved by road between a host of populous cities and locations, these goods and travelers usually pass through Fresno County. More traffic means a higher risk of accident occurrence.
- Fresno and the surrounding Central Valley are home to some of California’s industries that most rely on truck-based transport to thrive. The top three products transported by semi-truck across the U.S. include various agricultural products, wood and lumber. The Central Valley hosts farmland that feeds much of the U.S. and the world at large. While the Valley doesn’t host much wood and lumber production, it is located in close proximity to forested land that is impacted by the logging industry. Many of these products ultimately pass through Fresno County as freight.
- Fresno County is comparatively flat. Predictably, when California drivers travel this stretch of land, they tend to do so at a greater speed than they travel roads with great variation in elevation. When heavy traffic speeds up, there is a greater risk for catastrophic accidents than there are when trucks and passenger vehicles maintain safer speeds.
As you can see, Fresno’s unique location leads a great deal of both passengers and freight to travel its roads and freeways, often at unsafe speeds. As a result, both car and truck accidents occur in Fresno County with alarming frequency.
If you have been injured in a trucking accident in or near Fresno, know that our firm has extensive experience handling relatively minor, serious, and catastrophic truck accident cases that originated near Fresno. We understand the federal, California, and local Fresno laws that may impact your case and we’re skilled in both negotiating with insurance carriers and filing legal action efficiently and effectively.
Whether you were injured while driving a truck or you were injured by a truck striking you or your vehicle, our firm is here to help you explore your legal options. We believe that every accident victim – regardless of their personal circumstances – deserves capable, knowledgeable, and compassionate representation.
Please call today to schedule a confidential case evaluation. This meeting will allow you to ask questions and clarify your legal options so that you can make an informed decision about your legal situation. Don’t delay – waiting to explore your options may impact your ability to recover the maximum amount of compensation you’d otherwise be entitled to.
Why Are Truck Accident Cases Often Particularly Complicated for Truck Driving Victims?
(Note: If you were injured in a trucking accident as a motorist or passenger traveling via light vehicle or motorcycle, you can skip ahead to the next section.)
If you were injured in a truck accident while driving a work-related vehicle, your legal options are going to be determined by whether or not you were operating your vehicle for work-related activities at the time of your collision. If you were operating your vehicle “on the clock” or in service of a work-related purpose at the time of your crash, you’ll likely be able to file for workers’ compensation benefits in the wake of your wreck. This is true regardless of whether or not you were at fault for your collision.
However, if you weren’t operating your vehicle “on the clock” or in service of your employment at the time of your crash, you may be limited to filing a personal injury claim at this time. Once we evaluate the circumstances of your accident, we’ll be able to give you personalized guidance regarding your options. If your crash occurred due to faulty equipment while you were driving for work, you may even be able to file for workers’ comp benefits while simultaneously suing the manufacturer of the defective equipment. No two truck accidents are exactly the same. As a result, we treat every case with the unique attention it deserves.
Why Are Truck Accident Cases Often Catastrophic?
Semi-trucks often outweigh passenger vehicles by 20-30 times. When these massive vehicles rollover or slam into an obstruction in single-vehicle crashes, significant injuries and property damage can result. When they slam into passenger vehicles, the risk of catastrophic injuries and property damage is amplified.
Additionally, when trucks are operating at great speed – as they often do when traveling through the flat California Central Valley – it takes their operators much longer to come to a full stop than passenger vehicles take to stop fully. This can be a particularly hazardous reality when roads are slippery and/or visibility is poor.
Do Truck Accident Victims Need a Lawyer if They Aren’t Planning to File a Lawsuit?
Whether you’re a truck driver or a motorist who was struck by a truck driver, it’s likely that you’ll be negotiating with multiple insurance companies in the wake of your accident. It’s inadvisable to return calls from insurance providers until after you’ve received a case evaluation. Anything you say to these representatives can be used as an excuse to lower your settlement amount.
Ideally, you’ll allow our legal team to negotiate with all insurance providers invested in your accident. This isn’t to say that you can’t “handle” picking up the phone, answering some questions, and signing paperwork. The reason why you’ll benefit from allowing us to represent you on these calls and in these negotiations is that we understand how these companies work. We have extensive experience with insurance providers far more interested in protecting their bottom line than they are in offering a fair settlement to accident victims. We understand how to negotiate successfully to better ensure that our clients are provided with fair settlement offers – as opposed to inadequate settlement offers extended by providers eager to take advantage of an accident victim’s understandable desire to have the settlement process resolved as quickly as possible.
In short, yes, you should speak with our legal team, even if you aren’t planning to file legal action. Negotiating with insurance companies is both a skill and an art. We understand how to get the most significant settlement offers available under the circumstances for each of our clients. We’d be honored to represent your interests in insurance-related negotiations accordingly.
How Does Fault Affect Legal Options in the Wake of a Truck Accident?
Truck drivers applying for workers’ compensation benefits in the wake of a work-related accident don’t need to worry about fault unless they were intoxicated at the time of the crash. Workers’ comp is a no-fault system. Therefore, injured truck drivers are entitled to benefits regardless of whether their actions contributed to the injurious accident occurrence.
However, anyone filing a personal injury suit will be affected by the issue of fault. If you are found to be less than 50% at-fault for your crash, you should be able to seek compensation from the party who contributed to the crash occurrence more than you did. However, if you were more at-fault than other parties were, you may be barred from seeking damages. Once we investigate the cause(s) of your accident, we’ll be able to explain how fault challenges may affect your case. At that point, you’ll be able to evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of your case and make an informed choice about how to proceed accordingly.
Why Should You Entrust Your Case to Our Firm’s Legal Team?
Our Fresno-based firm has extensive experience navigating truck accident claims, partially because these crashes occur so often in California’s Central Valley. We understand how to effectively negotiate with insurance providers and to prepare personal injury claims for success.
Our dedication to our clients begins with the principle that everyone – regardless of age, employment status, immigration status, etc. – deserves capable, committed, and focused legal representation. We strive to treat our clients the ways in which we’d like our loved ones to be treated if they sustained injuries as a result of another’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional choices. If you choose to work with our firm, you can rest assured that we will treat you and your case with the dedication, respect, and dignity that all accident victims deserve.
Please call today for a no-risk, no-obligation case evaluation. We look forward to learning about your situation and to advise you about your legal options. Our team is honored to help accident victims make informed decisions about their futures.
