Many of the busiest freeways in the nation are located in or near Long Beach. These include the 710, the 405 and the 605 freeways. A lot of truck traffic passes through Long Beach via these freeways because it is home to one of the busiest ports in the world. And trucks are a common sight not just on these freeways, but on the surface streets of Long Beach as well. Enormous commercial trucks on surface streets put Long Beach pedestrians and bicycle riders in danger too.

Usually, trucks, passenger vehicles and motorcycles share the road without incident. However, when they do collide, the results can be devastating to those in passenger vehicles or on motorcycles. If you or a loved one were injured or killed in a truck accident in Long Beach, contact the Long Beach personal injury lawyers at The Dominguez Firm at 800-818-1818 today. Our consultations are always FREE and we have over 30 years of experience helping Long Beach truck accident victims. Let us fight for your rights.

Please keep reading for more information on Long Beach truck accidents and why you can afford to hire The Dominguez Firm to help you.

What are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Long Beach?

Whether you know them as semis, tractor-trailers or big rigs, large commercial trucks can cause catastrophic accidents. Sometimes the driver is liable for the accident, but other factors can come into play as well. Here are the most common causes of truck accidents in Long Beach.

  • Fatigue – In recent years, laws have been enacted to limit the number of hours a trucker can drive. These are constantly being updated and there are new limits for 2021. Yet truck drivers continue to push these limitations, putting everyone around them in danger. Besides the disastrous consequences of falling asleep at the wheel, fatigue can also slow reaction times and cause poor decision-making in critical situations.
  • Distracted driving – Just like drivers of passenger vehicles, truck drivers have caused accidents while texting, eating or playing with their radio.
  • Speeding – Tight deadlines can cause truck drivers to speed. Not only can this cause a fatal accident, but they also require much greater amounts of time and space to brake.  
  • Driving while impaired – No one should get behind the wheel if they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. But when a truck driver does it, it’s particularly frightening.
  • Truck defects -A truck with a manufacturer’s defect presents a serious crash risk. If a truck defect causes an accident with injuries, the manufacturer would be held liable.
  • Improperly loaded truck – Sometimes a truck accident happens because the truck’s cargo or the entire cargo container comes loose and hits anything nearby. These types of truck accidents can cause serious injuries and deaths. The company in charge of loading the truck would be held accountable in this situation.

What if I Share Responsibility for My Long Beach Truck Accident?

California is a comparative fault state. That means you can share part of the blame for your accident and still be compensated for your injuries. If you are found to be partially at fault for your accident, your final settlement or verdict will be reduced to reflect the percentage of blame you share. So, for example, if the court decides you share 20% of the blame and you are awarded $200,000 for your Long Beach truck accident, that amount would be reduced to $160,000 ($200,000 – 20% or $40,000 = $160,000).

It’s important to stress that you should not admit fault or apologize at the scene of the accident. Allow police investigators and our attorneys to piece together the facts of your truck accident. Besides, right after the accident, you are likely to be in shock and unclear as to the chain of events that led to the crash. Also, you might be apologizing to a truck driver who was texting or driving under the influence.

An Insurance Adjuster for the Trucking Company Wants a Recorded Statement From Me. Do I Have to Give Them One?

No, absolutely not. If you do allow them to record a statement from you, it could cost you dearly.

No law states you have to provide a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurance provider. Not only that, you are not even legally required to speak to them.

By asking you for a recorded statement, the insurance adjuster is trying to get you to say something that they can use against you. Their only objective is to pay you the least amount possible for your injuries and close your case quickly.

Why Should I Hire A Lawyer For My Truck Accident Case?

This is certainly not the kind of case you want to try and handle yourself. Truck accident cases are very complex. There are several reasons why:

  • There may be multiple defendants involved.
    • Besides the driver, the trucking company could also be named in a lawsuit.
    • If the truck driver was leasing his truck, a leasing company might also be included in the lawsuit.
    • If you were injured by cargo falling off the truck, the company that loaded the truck will be included in the lawsuit.
    • The truck manufacturer could also be named in a lawsuit if your Long Beach truck accident was caused by a defect to the truck.
  • Trucking companies are notorious for aggressively defending themselves against lawsuits. They are a business above all else and are known to send investigators to the scene of the accident immediately.
  • Truck insurance policies are extremely expensive. Insurers do not want to pay huge settlements and will fight to pay out the least amount possible, regardless of the extent of your injuries.
  • Truck accidents often involve multiple vehicles. When a truck loses control or suddenly needs to break, it can easily cause a chain reaction and crash into several cars. The more vehicles involved in a truck accident, the more difficult the investigation.

When Should I Hire a Long Beach Accident Lawyer?

Immediately after your accident. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Long Beach, you’ll want the personal injury lawyers at The Dominguez Firm to start working on your case right away. Waiting can hurt your case and in turn, cost you for several reasons:

  • Defense attorneys will question why you waited and cast doubt on exactly how serious your injuries are.
  • The longer you wait to hire an attorney, the more likely vital evidence will be lost or destroyed. You could also have problems getting in touch with any eyewitnesses if you wait weeks or months.
  • The more time passes, the less clear the facts of the accident become. And you can be sure defense lawyers will use this against you.

Also, if your accident was with a government truck, such as a post office truck, you only have six months to file a personal injury claim. There’s no reason to wait and every reason to call The Dominguez Firm right away after your Long Beach truck accident.

What Compensation Can I Receive for My Truck Accident?

Much will depend on the extent of your injuries and the particulars of your accident. One constant in most Long Beach truck accidents is that anyone in a passenger car will likely suffer serious or catastrophic injuries. They can include spinal cord, brain and amputation injuries. These injuries are all permanent. Sometimes, those in the passenger car are killed.

You would be entitled to economic and non-economic damages for your Long Beach truck accident. “Damages” is just the legal word for compensation. Your economic damages are exactly what they sound like, all of the expenses you had to shoulder due to your truck accident. They include:

  • All medical expenses related to your accident injuries such as ambulance bills, medical costs, physical therapy and mental health counseling costs.
  • Lost wages from the time of the accident up to now. If you won’t be able to return to work in the same capacity as before or can’t return to work at all, lost future wages.
  • For those who have suffered catastrophic injuries, in-home care and home modifications.
  • Property damage for the cost to repair or replace your vehicle.

Non-economic damages compensate you for your emotional losses. You can’t add these up with a calculator. However, they usually make up the majority of a person’s final verdict of settlement:

  • Anxiety
  • Disfigurement
  • Emotional distress
  • Loss of consortium (companionship of a spouse)
  • Loss of quality of life
  • Loss of a limb or other body part
  • Pain and suffering

In most cases, there is no limit to the amount that can be awarded in non-economic damages.

Many people don’t realize that the cost of a Long Beach truck accident injury can end up being six or seven figures high over the long run. What seemed like a fair offer from the insurance company can quickly run out when you need it most. And there’s no going back to the insurer to ask for more money. Once your claim is settled, it is closed.

Don’t let this nightmare scenario happen to you. The Long Beach truck accident lawyers at The Dominguez Firm have successfully helped other truck accident victims obtain the maximum legal compensation they are entitled to and we’ll fight hard for your rights too.

I Lost a Loved One in a Long Beach Truck Accident. Can The Dominguez Firm Help Me?

Yes. If you are the legal next of kin of someone who was killed in a truck accident in Long Beach you can file a wrongful death claim. Our attorneys will fight to obtain the following damages for you:

  • Any medical bills resulting from the accident if the deceased was treated before they passed away.
  • If the victim died at the scene of the accident, all future wages they expected to receive. If they died from their accident injuries at a later date, all wages lost from the moment of the accident plus all future wages they would have earned.
  • Burial costs
  • Funeral expenses

Non-economic damages for a wrongful death claim are a little different from a personal injury claim. However, the victim’s family does have the right to compensation for the emotional toll their loss has caused them. Examples of non-economic damages are:

  • Loss of consortium. That is the love, sexual relations and affection the deceased would have provided to their companion.
  • The moral support, guidance and training the deceased would have given had they lived. This applies mainly to children.

Yes you can. If you were injured in a Long Beach truck accident you can take legal action against those responsible for your injuries. Your immigration status has nothing to do with your situation. Not only can it not be used against you, defense attorneys are not even allowed to bring it up.

If an unscrupulous attorney for the trucking company’s insurance provider attempts to say anything about your immigration status, the experienced Long Beach truck accident lawyers at The Dominguez Firm will quickly stop them.

Can I Afford to Hire The Dominguez Firm?

Yes. The Dominguez Firm works on a contingency basis. That means we get paid at the end of your case. We receive a percentage of your final settlement or verdict. That percentage will be clearly stated in the client representation agreement you sign when you hire us. You don’t have to worry about any upfront fees or hidden costs at any point during your case.

In the unlikely event we don’t obtain any compensation for you, you owe us nothing. In other words, you win, or you don’t pay! We know that being injured in a car accident can be financially and emotionally devastating. By working on a contingency basis, you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to pay us. Instead, you can concentrate on your recovery while we work to defend your rights.

How The Dominguez Firm Can Help You

The Dominguez Firm is a full-service law firm with its own team of award-winning trial attorneys. We are not an attorney referral service and we won’t refer your case out. We can see your case through to the end, even if that involves going to trial. Not every firm or lawyer can say the same.

Being injured or losing a loved one in a truck accident is one of the most devastating experiences anyone can suffer. We have over 30 years of experience helping truck accident victims in Long Beach and throughout Los Angeles County. Let us fight for your rights too. Call us at 800-818-1818 for a FREE consultation today. We can travel to your home or hospital at a moment’s notice.

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