Costa Mesa TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

If you or a loved one was in a truck accident, you might be unsure of what to do next. Truck accidents can be incredibly complex, especially if there are injuries involved. You may not know where to turn or who to trust.

The experienced truck accident attorneys at Nordean Law are here for you. We have years of experience helping people like you get the compensation they deserve after being involved in a truck accident in Costa Mesa. Let our law firm handle all the legal paperwork and negotiations so you can focus on recovering from your injuries.

If you’ve been in a truck accident in Southern California, get the legal advice you need by contacting us today for a free consultation.

Truck Accident Facts and Statistics

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) division, says fatal large truck crashes surged between 2020 and 2019. There were 10.6 fatal big rig crashes per million people in America in 2010, and that ratio went up to 13.65 fatal large truck crashes in 2019.

Who Gets Killed in Tractor-Trailer Collisions?

The FMCSA also reports that only one person dies in the vast majority (91 percent) of fatal large truck accidents. For example, the driver or occupant of the tractor-trailer suffers fatal injuries in only 18 percent of those crashes, meaning that 82 percent of the people who lose their lives were outside of the large truck in a car or some other vehicle or on foot.

Why Choose Nordean Law for Your Truck Accident Claim in Costa Mesa?

We go the extra mile to serve our truck accident clients. If we take your injury or wrongful death case, you can focus on recuperating and rebuilding your life while we deal directly with the insurance company or file and handle your lawsuit.

We try to reach a fair settlement with the liability insurance carrier of the at-fault party. If they refuse to pay a reasonable amount of money for your injuries and losses, we can take them to court and have a judge or jury decide how much they should pay. We also pay our client when we win the case.

Hear From Our Community Of Satisfied Clients

Do I Need a Lawyer for a Truck Accident Claim in Costa Mesa?

California does not force you to work with a personal injury attorney on your Costa Mesa truck accident injury claim, but doing so could be a smart choice. The deck is stacked against you if you try to handle your accident claim alone like a DIY project.

The defendant’s insurance company has its own teams of defense attorneys, investigators, and claims adjusters. Tackling all of them without a lawyer on your side is like taking on an entire football team by yourself.

Common Types of Truck Accident Injuries

Because of the much larger size and weight of commercial trucks and tractor-trailers, these crashes have higher fatalities and severe injuries than the standard car accident. Here are some of the kinds of injuries people suffer in accidents involving large trucks:

Fractures. The greater impact force of a large, heavy truck can cause bones to snap.
Head injuries. The body of the tractor-trailer starts at the same height as the head of a person sitting in a passenger vehicle, so devastating or fatal head trauma is common in these collisions.
Whiplash. If a vehicle strikes you from behind, whether that vehicle is a large truck or another car, you could develop a whiplash injury from your head snapping back and forth after the impact.
Burns. Many fiery crashes involve large trucks. People can sustain severe, extensive burns that bring a lifetime of extreme pain.

These are but a few examples of common types of truck accident injuries. For example, your collision might involve additional kinds of wounds. Please be sure to talk to your Costa Mesa truck accident attorney about how the crash has changed your life.

Common Causes of Truck Accident Injuries

It is not easy to control a semi-truck safely on crowded highways. These vehicles need more distance and time than cars do to slow down and come to a stop. Costa Mesa traffic can make that extra buffer impossible. Also, the negligence of the truck driver, other drivers, or third parties can cause these types of accidents that can injure people:

Side-Impact Collisions
Rollovers
Driver fatigue
Driving too fast for the conditions
Exceeding the speed limit
Texting while driving
Overloaded or improperly loaded cargo
Multi-Vehicle accidents
Large truck maintenance issues
Drunk driving accidents
Head-On Collisions
Rear-Impact Collision
Defective roads or traffic signals
Lack of adequate lighting or signage

We will investigate every negligent act that contributed to the truck accident. Sometimes, multiple parties are responsible for the crash, allowing us to pursue more than one defendant for compensation.

Costa Mesa Truck Accident Laws & Regulations

Truck drivers operating in or through Costa Mesa, California, must obey the California state regulations and federal laws that apply to large trucks. However, there are limits on how much weight the tractor-trailer can carry.

Drivers must take rest breaks during their shifts. Also, people who operate large trucks must keep a logbook of the hours they work each day. The law regulates how many hours they can drive in a day and how much rest they must have before driving again. Before these regulations, drowsy truck drivers caused a high number of crashes.

We know the rules that truck drivers and trucking companies must follow. We include those issues when we investigate truck collisions involving our clients. Unfortunately, juries find it compelling if innocent people get hurt or killed because truckers or bosses break the law.

What To Do After a Truck Accident in Costa Mesa?

If you have not already gotten medical attention, you should do so at once. The best evidence of the injuries you suffered will be your medical records.

In addition to protecting your health, you should protect your legal rights. For example, when you work with a truck accident attorney near you in Costa Mesa, you will not have to worry about the filing deadlines or other procedural issues that could destroy the monetary value of your injury claim.

Also, working with a personal injury lawyer in Costa Mesa will protect your peace of mind and stress levels. Once you have an attorney representing you, the at-fault party and insurance company are not allowed to contact you directly. You will not get badgered by their phone calls or emails to pressure you to accept lowball offers. If they contact you, tell them to call us.

How does the Investigation Process work?

We investigate every truck accident case we handle. We obtain and analyze the accident report, your medical records, and your employer’s data that shows your lost wages. When there are holes in the case, we look deeper to get the evidence we need to cover those issues.

We can work with experts in accident reconstruction and vocational rehabilitation if necessary. We might try to find red-light or security camera footage depending on the circumstances. We can talk to potential eyewitnesses to evaluate what led to the crash.

How Much Is My Truck Accident Case Worth? Is There Compensation for Accident Victims?

Every truck accident case is different because everyone’s injuries are unique. Also, the amount of liability insurance coverage the at-fault party carries can control how much money you can collect. Sometimes, there are other assets and insurance policies we can pursue your money damages.

Here are some of the categories of compensation people tend to seek after getting hurt in a tractor-trailer collision:

The reasonable cost of medical treatment for their wounds.
Future medical care for their injuries.
Long-term care is needed because of catastrophic injuries.
Lost wages because of the accident injuries, medical treatments, and recuperation time.
Future lost income if ongoing impairment makes them unable to make as much money as before the crash.
Pain and suffering for the physical discomfort and emotional distress caused by accident.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after witnessing or being in a horrific crash.
Loss of enjoyment of life because of disability caused by the truck collision.

If your close relative died from wounds received in a truck accident, we might be able to go after additional compensation for the legal beneficiaries.

"We never lose sight of the pain and suffering of your recovery, not to mention emotional trauma that lasts for years."

What Should I Do Immediately Following a Truck Accident?

Every collision is different, and you should always do what makes sense in your situation. Here are a few suggestions:

Seek first aid
Take detailed photographs of all vehicle damage, injuries, road conditions, traffic lights, and other scene details.
If you or anyone needs immediate medical attention, call the police and report the crash immediately. The responding officer will also create a police report of the collision detailing any damage, injuries, and other details that may be important to your case.
In the course of exchanging words, make sure you don’t admit fault or apologize to the other driver. While it might seem innocent, you could be held responsible for the crash before an investigation is even completed.
Obtain all involved drivers’ names, addresses, telephone numbers, and driver’s license numbers.
Obtain the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of any involved passengers and witnesses.
Exchange insurance policy numbers, license plate numbers, VIN numbers, and vehicle registration information with all involved drivers
Immediately get in touch with your insurance provider to notify them of the crash.

Note: It is important you seek medical attention immediately after a truck crash, even if you’re not seriously physically injured. You might be hurt and not realize it due to the adrenaline rush from the collision.

What Should I Do if an Insurance Company Calls Me?

If your insurance company or another party’s insurance company contacts you, it is best to give them your accident lawyer’s name and telephone number. Otherwise, things that you say could get misconstrued.

Insurance companies are billion-dollar corporations that make a profit by paying injured people as little money as possible for their claims. One tactic these companies use is to ask a claimant to give a recorded statement. The claims adjuster asks you a list of questions and records everything you say in response.

The adjuster then goes through the transcript from the recording to look for ways to deny your claim, including blaming you for the collision. If you get asked to give a recorded statement, tell them to talk to your truck accident lawyer in Costa Mesa. We can provide all the facts they need.

Who Is Liable for a Truck Accident?

The party whose negligence caused the collision is liable for the accident. Sometimes, more than one driver makes a mistake, and those errors combine into a “perfect storm” resulting in a crash. Examples of driver negligence include:

Speeding
Inattention
Illegal turns
Failure to yield right of way
Not allowing for a minimum safe distance
Defective vehicle
Failure to signal

Also, the trucking company could be liable if they broke the law or did not hire drivers with adequate training and clean driving records. For example, a maintenance company could have liability if they did not properly maintain the trucks and caused the accident.

Contact a Top-Rated Costa Mesa Truck Accident Lawyer Today

We are ready to talk to you and help you get the money you need to pay your medical bills and get back on your feet financially. You do not want to delay because, with each passing day, evidence can fade away or disappear entirely.

FAQs About Truck Accidents in Costa Mesa

Here are some of the questions people often ask after getting hurt in an Costa Mesa truck crash.

What if the Accident Was Partly My Fault?

California allows people to recover compensation for their injuries and losses even if they were also at fault. The amount of your fault will reduce the recovery you can collect. For example, let’s say that you have $100,000 in money damages and you were 25 percent at fault. Your negligence will reduce your recovery by 25 percent, in other words, by $25,000, so you could still collect $75,000 from the party who was 75 percent at fault.
An experienced truck accident attorney in Costa Mesa may be able to refute any allegations of contributory negligence to increase the amount of money you can receive from your case.

Is There a Time Limit to File My Case?

Yes. You only have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit seeking compensation from the party whose carelessness caused you to suffer harm. Negotiating with the claims adjuster does not count as filing a lawsuit. However, if you have not settled your injury claim before the deadline, the only way to protect your right to money damages is to file a lawsuit in court.

What Compensation Are Truck Accident Victims Entitled To?

The liable party could be responsible for paying for the accident victim’s economic losses like medical expenses and lost wages and their non-economic losses like pain and suffering.

How Much Does an Costa Mesa Truck Accident Attorney Cost?

We handle personal injury cases like truck accidents on a contingency fee basis. You do not pay any upfront legal fees or litigation costs with this fee arrangement. Instead, we get a percentage of the insurance settlement or jury award at the end of the matter. You do not pay until you win.
We are happy to offer a free initial consultation to talk to you about how we can help you. You can contact us today to get started.