Marin County Truck Accident Lawyer

Commercial trucking is an essential part of the California economy, and many businesses in Marin County rely on trucking for the goods and materials they need every day. Unfortunately, while most drivers in the area are used to seeing large tractor-trailers, delivery trucks, and other commercial vehicles on Marin County roads and have no problems reaching their destinations, not all drivers are this fortunate. Truck accidents can happen in many ways, often with little to no warning and resulting in devastating effects.

Representing Marin County Clients in Claims for Truck Accidents

If you or a family member are struggling in the aftermath of a truck accident someone else caused in the Marin County area, you could face an arduous and multifaceted series of legal proceedings if you want to ensure their accountability for your damages. A truck accident can be incredibly damaging, and it’s natural for a victim to have no idea what to do first when it comes to their recovery. Time is a critical concern after any serious personal injury in Marin County, and many truck accidents leave victims severely injured and desperate to recover their losses.

Do not let the stress and uncertainty of your situation compel you into accepting a lowball settlement offer when you are legally entitled to more substantial compensation. Under the state’s personal injury statutes, any party that causes harm to another party is responsible for compensating for the harm done. A truck accident claim could potentially yield compensation for your economic losses; you can also hold the defendant accountable for the pain and suffering they caused. Rush Injury Law is ready to assist you with your recovery efforts.

Benefits of Hiring a Marin County Truck Accident Attorney

Any motor vehicle accident can cause a host of economic damages, including vehicle repair costs, medical bills, and missing income from the time the victim cannot work because of their injuries. However, when it comes to commercial truck accidents, the damage is often far worse than in a standard passenger vehicle accident, and a truck accident is also likely to raise more complex legal questions concerning liability for the resulting damage.

When you must take legal action against the driver responsible for the truck accident that harmed you, it is vital to know the value of working with a reliable Marin County truck accident attorney. While it’s technically possible to pursue your recovery on your own, and there may not be any strict rule requiring you to hire legal counsel, the average person with no formal legal education would be unlikely to secure a positive outcome in any complex personal injury case. Moreover, even if you were to meet the procedural requirements of your case, you would be likely to overlook crucial areas of consideration or avenues of recovery, resulting in far less compensation than you rightfully deserve.

Instead of attempting to handle your medical concerns and your civil case proceedings unassisted and risking the final outcome, have an experienced Marin County truck accident attorney handle your legal affairs on your behalf. When you choose Rush Injury Law to represent you, our team will immediately begin reviewing the details of your case to identify the types of compensation you could claim from the defendant. In addition, we can assist you in clearly proving liability for your damages, determine whether more than one party bears fault for the accident, and assist you in addressing any unique variables present in your case to ensure maximum compensation for your losses.

Common Reasons for Truck Accidents in Marin County

A large commercial truck can weigh much more than even the largest passenger vehicles and stand much higher off of the road surface. This means that while a large truck may be vulnerable to the same risk factors as other smaller vehicles, the damage it can cause in an accident is potentially exponentially worse. A few common causes of truck accidents in Marin County include:

• Distraction. All drivers have a duty of care to pay attention to their surroundings while driving, and a commercial driver has an even higher duty of care to drive attentively. Driving while distracted is responsible for most of the vehicle accidents reported in the United States each year, and even a couple of seconds of inattentive driving is enough to cause an accident.
• Intoxication. It is illegal for any driver to operate their vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious crime punishable by jail time, fines, and suspension of someone’s driver’s license. In addition, penalties increase significantly when an intoxicated driver causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Speeding. Any driver puts themselves and others around them at serious risk when they exceed the speed limit, and this is an especially dangerous action for the driver of a large truck. Speeding reduces the time and distance a driver has to slow down or stop to avoid a crash, and large commercial trucks require more time and more stopping distance due to their large size and heavy weight.
• Moving violations, such as failing to navigate intersections correctly, performing illegal turns, or failure to stop at a stop sign or red light. Any driver can easily cause a serious accident with a moving violation, especially within a busy intersection or on a multi-lane highway.

Aside from these common causes, trucks are also vulnerable to several unique risk factors due to their size and the physical needs of transporting cargo. For example, a large truck can tip over or rollover due to an imbalanced trailer and the vehicle’s high center of gravity. Large commercial trucks also have more demanding maintenance needs than standard vehicles, and failure to perform appropriate maintenance can easily result in a devastating crash.

How to Prove Liability for a Truck Accident

One of the challenging aspects of claims for truck accidents compared to most other vehicle accident claims is the difficulty of proving liability. While it may appear at first that the driver of the truck is responsible for the accident, it is possible for the legal concept of vicarious liability to apply depending on the unique details of the accident. For example, vicarious liability most often pertains to employer-employee relationships. When an employer bears responsibility for the actions of their employee, vicarious liability applies, and both parties are to blame for the damages in question.

When it comes to truck accidents, vicarious liability most often comes into play when an employer fails to ensure their employee had the appropriate training and experience to handle their job duties. For example, if the driver of the truck caused an accident because they were drinking and driving and they had a record of DUI conviction, but the employer never completed a background check before hiring them, the employer is likely to face vicarious liability for the resulting damages.

Compensation for a Truck Accident Injury in Marin County

Once your attorney has helped you firmly establish fault for your damages, the next phase of your case will be proving the full extent of those damages. California’s personal injury statutes allow the plaintiff to seek repayment of all the monetary losses they had resulting from the defendant’s actions. In most claims for truck accidents, the plaintiff’s recoverable economic damages include:

• Vehicle repair costs, some of which may be covered by auto insurance, but the remainder can be included in the victim’s civil suit.
• Medical expenses, including the cost of all ongoing medical care that the victim will require beyond their initial recovery. Under California law, the responsible party is liable for all medical treatment the victim requires to reach maximum medical recovery.
• Lost income, including lost future earnings, when a severe injury prevents the plaintiff from resuming their previous job. You could potentially secure compensation for diminished earning capacity if you cannot earn as much income due to your injury, and it is also possible to hold a defendant accountable for all the future income you could have earned if they have left you permanently disabled and incapable of any gainful employment.

Economic losses are only likely to form a portion of a plaintiff’s total recovery when a defendant has caused a catastrophic injury. You can seek pain and suffering compensation to reflect the negative impact of your experience as well, and there are no limits on how much you can seek. Your Marin County truck accident attorney can offer helpful insights as you determine suitable compensation for the physical pain and emotional trauma you suffered.

Find Your Marin County Truck Accident Lawyer Today

When you must take legal action against a negligent truck driver, the right attorney will provide invaluable support and guidance no matter what the specifics of your case may include. When you choose Rush Injury Law as your legal advocate, you will instantly have access to the full breadth of our professional resources and experience in civil law. In addition, you have a limited time in which to file a personal injury claim and an even shorter window in which to file an accident claim after a vehicle accident. Contact our team today to schedule a consultation, and we will help you initiate your recovery efforts quickly.