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Processing a truck accident can be a confusing and overwhelming experience. You need to surround yourself with people who you can trust and who will fight for your rights.
At Gomez Trial Attorneys, our clients are like family. We care about each and every person we see in San Luis Obispo and only want the best for the people we work with. Our firm has an established reputation for taking on powerful corporations and winning. We’re not afraid to fight, because that’s what our clients deserve.
Our experienced legal team consists of skilled San Luis Obispo trial attorneys, diligent paralegals, and helpful legal assistants. Every person on our team is here to help and provide their services to our clients. We don’t take on more cases than we can handle because we want to make sure we can provide personal attention to every person who walks into our office. We’re a family, and we fight for what we believe in.
Though we’ve handled many high-profile cases, at our core, we work for the everyday person. People like our neighbors. People like you.
California law allows accident victims to seek actual damages from the at-fault party after an accident under its personal injury laws. The lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys have worked with several local and national insurance companies and know the tactics they use to reduce the value of your claim. It’s our job to make sure this doesn’t happen. There are a variety of factors that go into calculating a personal injury claim.
Some of the things we fight for include:
At Gomez Trial Attorneys, we have helped our clients to recover a total of $500 million over the last two decades. Please call our San Luis Obispo truck accident lawyers to see if we can help you seek compensation for your injuries, too.
Nobody ever wants to think about what they should do in the event of a truck accident. But it’s better to know and be prepared than to be caught off-guard in the wake of an accident.
What you do directly after the accident and the weeks that follow can have a big impact on your future.
When we talk about truck accidents, we’re not talking about small pickups. We’re talking about large 18-wheelers, dump trucks, moving trucks, and tankers. These trucks rely on a different set of mechanics than smaller vehicles and can cause a great deal of damage in an accident. If you were to tell someone how often truck accidents occur, most people would be surprised. Though we occasionally hear about major accidents involving large trucks, the actual statistics may come as a shock.
The trucking industry is one of the biggest and most important industries in the United States. According to the U.S. Census, the number of truckers on the road is at an all-time high. Though we don’t really think of it, most of what we wear, eat, and drink comes to us via large trucks. Statistics show that trucks move 71 percent of U.S. goods.
Yet as drivers, we don’t often think of these trucks as a vital part of our community. We look at them as the monstrous vehicles driving beside us. The reality is, that while we rely heavily on large commercial trucks to deliver what we need, a collision with one of these vehicles can have disastrous effects. Unfortunately, these accidents happen more often than they should. The latest numbers show that out of 3,563 motor vehicle fatalities in California, 10 percent involved large trucks.
Furthermore:
While every accident is serious, accidents involving large trucks can cause catastrophic damage to any vehicle in their path. Not only do these vehicles weigh more than smaller vehicles, but they often carry hazardous materials. In the event of an accident, this could lead to an explosion. Following an increase in the number of large truck accidents, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration conducted the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS). The study helped provide insight into why these accidents happen so lawmakers and drivers can take action to make sure everyone stays safe. Common reasons for truck accidents include:
When it comes to truck accidents, in many ways, they are the same as other motor vehicle accidents. The LTCCS found that 2 percent of accidents were the result of internal distractions. 8 percent were the result of an external distraction and 9 percent were the result of inattention. In other words, nearly 20 percent were related to the driver’s attention on the road. Drivers of large trucks face the same distractions as drivers of smaller vehicles. Common distractions include mobile devices, radio, and eating.
Speeding is dangerous for any vehicle, but especially large trucks. These vehicles already take much longer to stop than smaller vehicles. When you increase speed, not only do you increase the amount of time a truck has to stop, but speeding also significantly increases the risk that the truck will jackknife when the driver attempts to slam on their brakes. The LTCCS revealed that speed was a factor in 23 percent of all accidents in the study.
Mechanical issues account for a frightening number of large truck accidents. The FMCSA regulates how and when drivers and business owners should do mechanical inspections. Generally, a driver should do a thorough inspection before every trip. They must comply with annual inspection requirements as well. Mechanical issues can happen because of poor or skipped maintenance or faulty equipment. In the case of defective parts, the part manufacturer may hold liability for the accident.
Common mechanical issues include:
Large trucks have several blind spots around their vehicle. The blind spots extend 20 feet in front of the truck, 30 feet behind the truck, and down the length of the truck on each side. The truck driver cannot see you if you travel in these areas and has a responsibility to ensure that no traffic is in them before turning or switching lanes. If you think a truck may attempt to enter your lane while you are in its blind spot, honk your horn to alert them you are there.
If you’ve ever watched a truck turn, you’ve likely noticed that they take more room to turn than most drivers. Large trucks must travel beyond their intended lane to allow their trailer enough room. Midway through their turn, they will merge back into their original lane. There are many ways an accident can happen when a truck is making a right turn.
This includes:
Truck Accident Attorney, John Gomez
At Gomez Trial Attorneys, our San Luis Obispo truck accident lawyers believe nothing is more important than making sure our clients get what they are due. Truck accidents aren’t something you can just get over. These accidents often stay with victims months or years after the accident. It is not uncommon for someone who has been in a serious accident to experience symptoms of PTSD and chronic pain after an accident.
At our firm, we don’t just deal with the legal components of a case, we look at the whole person. We work with doctors in the community and build connections that will facilitate a healthy recovery for our clients. Often, it’s the little things like finding the right doctor that can make things so much easier.
Our clients are important to us. If you were in a recent San Luis Obispo truck accident, help is available. You deserve a fair and just settlement. Contact our legal team at (619) 237-3490 or contact us online for a free consultation.
Gomez Trial Attorneys
1334 Chorro Street
San Luis Obispo, 93401
Phone: (619)-237-3490
No Fees Unless We Recover Money On Your Behalf