ORANGE COUNTY FLATBED TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER

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At Nordean Law, we strive to keep our community safe. We pursue justice for the injured and we share critical information on how to keep you and your family safe.

Follow the link below for the best tips to prevent accidents of all kinds. If you have a specific question, or if you were injured in an accident, reach out to one of our attorneys today.

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Getting involved in a flatbed accident can be debilitating. Truck accidents are not just physically painful but mentally overwhelming. At this time of chaos, it is burdensome for you to fight for compensation.

If you are seeking a lawyer who can specifically deal with Orange County Flatbed Truck Accident, contact Nordean Law to learn about the compensation you deserve.

Call for a free consultation with a Flatbed Truck Accident Lawyer in Orange County

Call 888-254-3222

What are Flatbed Trucks?

Large vehicles with flat bodies, these kinds of trucks haul large materials and equipment.

As flatbed trucks have no sides or roofs, the cargo loaders must exercise caution while loading materials onto the flatbed. These vehicles commonly haul cargo like long pipes, highway barriers, steel, shipping containers, and more.

The hazards of Flatbed Trucks

Driving a flatbed truck is riskier than driving van trailers. As the load is not enclosed, the flatbed requires slinging and tying the load to the semi-trailer. When it comes to flatbed trucking, there is no margin for error. If a single strap is loose, a large piece of cargo can become dislodged. This creates disturbance or catastrophe on the roadway and potentially harms other road users.

In case of improper loading, the movement of the vehicle on the road can shift the cargo. Besides, high winds can also imbalance the loads. The movement not only causes a threat to the cargo, but it can also impede driving.

Also, given what they carry and their elongated size, flatbed trucks can be difficult to navigate through traffic. On top of that, if the loads are unbalanced, maneuvering is even harder.

Types of Flatbed Truck accidents

Because flatbed trucks can carry more weight than any other truck trailers, the accidents can be more serious.

Here are some common flatbed truck accidents:

Falling cargo accidents

Since the cargo on flatbed trucks lacks the enclosure like in dry vans, they are susceptible to falling.

Spilled iron rods, steel, tires, inflammable objects, or any other heavy loads can pose a significant threat to occupants of smaller vehicles. If the accident occurs in an urban area, the falling cargo can also put pedestrians at risk.

Accidents due to overhanging cargo

Transporting overhanging cargo is hazardous for your vehicle and fellow road users.
Even when securely fastened, the protruding cargo can lead to severe accidents if it extends excessively to the rear or beyond the sides. In such cases, the vehicles passing nearby can strike with the freight, potentially causing a catastrophe.

Blindspot accidents

Flatbed trucks, unlike others, have smaller blind spots. Nevertheless, when we load the flatbed with heavy cargo, visibility is dependent on the size and positioning of the load on the truck.

Failure to detect vehicles in the blind spot can cause side-impact collisions while changing lanes. Pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists can be especially vulnerable to such kinds of accidents.

Jackknife accidents

Another type of common accident that can occur with flatbed trucks is a jackknife crash.

The accident happens when the cargo shifts during a turn or abrupt stop. This causes a trailer to swing forward and causes it to move separately from the body of the truck, making it look like a jackknife. As the trailer keeps moving, it can smash into any vehicles or pedestrians.

Jackknifing can cause drivers to lose control of the truck, wreaking even more deadly damage in its wake.

Injuries caused by Flatbed Truck accidents

Large debris striking a speedy vehicle with ample force can cause numerous injuries to other passengers.

Here are some common injuries caused by flatbed truck accident:

Head injuries

One can suffer an open or closed head injury in a truck accident including concussions, skull fracture or traumatic brain injury.

Lacerations

In laceration, a softer body tissue is torn through by an object. Lacerations are deeper than cuts and need stitches to heal properly.

Spinal cord injuries

Spinal cord injuries are serious and they can cause temporary or permanent paralysis, continuous pain for lifetime, emotional suffering or even premature death.

Broken or shattered bones

Bone fractures are serious and may require immediate surgery. The bones once broken or shattered can be so severe that, even after healing is complete, the victim will suffer lifelong physical impairment or disability.

Liability in a Flatbed Truck accident

Truck accidents are extremely complex because of the difficulty of determining accountability. Depending on the circumstances, the truck driver, the trucking company, truck manufacturer, truck owner or the cargo loader can be liable for financial compensation.

Here we have circumstances in which each party is responsible for the flatbed truck accident:

Truck driver

The responsibility for the compensation falls upon the driver for negligence and non-compliance with traffic regulations. The cases may vary from excessive speed, reckless driving to disregarding traffic rules.

Trucking company

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the truck companies are responsible to keep their trucks in roadworthy condition. This entails conducting routine inspection, promptly making any repairs and maintaining preventive maintenance.

If an accident occurs due to failure in addressing these critical activities, the trucking company will be accountable for compensation.

Furthermore, the employer of the flatbed truck driver or the trucking company can also be held liable for any accident caused by drivers fatigue caused due to overwork.

Truck manufacturer

When the truck accident is caused due to defective parts, the manufacturer has to be partially or fully liable for any injuries that result.

Cargo loading companies

Uneven distribution of cargo, defective tie-down and inadequate tie-downs are some of the errors of cargo-loading companies that can cause fatal accidents.

Truck owner or the Mechanics

The mechanic who is responsible for regularly maintaining the truck can be liable for an accident in case of any loopholes in the repair. For example: flaws while replacing worn tires, vehicle lubricants or brakes can cause serious accidents.

On the other hand, it is the truck owner's fault if they refuse to send the vehicle in for repair or request a low-cost replacement.

Making a claim after Flatbed Truck accident

Commercial truck crashes are handled very differently than accidents involving passenger-style vehicles, mainly because of multiple stakeholders.

Flatbed truck accidents consist of a multi-layered process that involves gathering evidence and investigating the cause of the accident. The later phase involves filing an injury demand letter when working towards a settlement with the defendant.This step can even involve negotiating with the trucking company's insurance to reach a settlement offer.

You may be able to resolve your case within a matter of days following an accident or in some cases, the claim process and litigation can even take months.

Though most cases get settled outside the court, some insurance companies deny your claim or repeatedly offer you a settlement that does not cover your expenses. In such cases, you have to take the case to the court.

Compensation for Flatbed Truck accident

Flatbed truck accident victims will be entitled to financial compensation for the economic damages. These damages include medical bills, lost wages, and lost earning capacity. If it is a collision with a smaller vehicle, the victim will also get vehicle repair or replacement costs.

The victim also will get reparation for non-economic damages like pain and suffering and loss of companionship.

How Long Does it Take to settle your Truck Accident claim With Trucking Accidents Lawyers and Insurance Companies?

Each truck accident case is unique, so it is hard to put a specific deadline for the claim settlement. It can take anywhere from a few months to well over 1 year or more to settle or go to trial if the case is complex.

Because trucks are often commercial vehicles, their accidents have multiple parties at fault. Apart from that, truck accident claims involve specific regulations for the at-fault parties, which can involve intricate legal details.

There are multiple reasons why settling a claim after a truck accident can take a long time.

Here are some of the components that affect the timeline:

Multiple liabilities

The investigation of truck accident cases can be far more complex than passenger vehicle claims. Before settling a claim on a truck accident, investigators need to determine who is responsible for the accident. In some cases, multiple parties can be liable for the accident.

Each of these parties will have their lawyers who will defend their client. They may try to point liability to other parties or to you. All of this wrangling can result in months of delays.

However, if the evidence is strong enough, a truck accident insurer has to quickly settle the claim before it gets to court. The claims process goes much faster if you have a flatbed truck accident attorney on your side to help with negotiation.

Severity of the accident

The more serious the injuries or in the case of loss of life, the longer the timeline for the case.
This is because when an accident is severe, it naturally leads to more aspects requiring investigation or documentation.

Lengthy investigations

Your commercial flatbed truck accident lawyer has to collect evidence, including police reports and eyewitness interviews, which is a lengthy process. The attorney also needs to get the black box data (black boxes are devices used to monitor driver safety and truck status) for a more objective eye on the accident.

The investigation might also require video footage that can vividly illustrate the series of events that caused the crash. They may also require the truck driver's logbook, which has details of the truck driver's schedule.

How can Nordean Law help you get lawful compensation?

sam nordean personal injury lawyer

Sam Nordean has made a commitment to helping victims get back what was taken away from them. He fights for people that are injured and can’t fight for themselves.

“Going to court or negotiating a settlement is not akin to my client winning a lottery ticket. It’s about balancing the scales; it’s what they’re owed.”

Sam Nordean

If you are concerned about lawyer fees, don’t worry because Nordean Law charges you on a contingency basis. And we don’t take the cases until we are sure we win.

For this, we begin with evaluating your case. Our lawyers get details of the accident's location, cause, and the damages caused by the accident. After the case evaluation, you will also have the opportunity to think if our lawyer fits your case. We will sign an agreement if both parties are ready to move ahead.

Our lawyers talk with witnesses, analyze accident reports, and document damages to collect evidence for a strong case. We gradually work to identify liable parties and communicate with insurance companies.

Most of the time, insurance companies refuse to negotiate a fair settlement. In such cases, our lawyers, who are aggressive negotiators, prepare a detailed settlement demand letter. We work vigorously to settle your claim without filing a lawsuit. Even if we have to go to the court for settlement, our lawyers will be ready to advocate for your case.

Apart from that, if you had a flatbed truck accident in Orange County, Nordean Law is a good fit for your case. Our Orange County Truck Accident Lawyer has expertise in the local laws of California and has a strong relationship with the local legal community. Due to the location, our lawyers will be available to guide you through legal proceedings whenever you face complications.

Note that you have a statute of limitations for a Flatbed Truck Accident case, so it is important to contact a lawyer as soon as possible. The statute of limitations for Flatbed Truck Accident in Orange County 2 years from the date of accident. If you cross the timeline, the court will dismiss your case.

Contact Nordean Law for a free case evaluation

Call 888-254-3222

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Compelling Results

$8,700,000
Wrongful Death Disputed Liability
$2,000,000
Auto V. Truck
$1,583,000
Medical Malpractice
$1,250,000
Traumatic Brain Injury
$1,150,000
Injury At Zoo
$500,000
Auto v. Auto

Hear from our satisfied clients.

We’re proud to have helped countless clients across California achieve justice and compensation.

Sofia Martinez

"After my car accident in Irvine, I didn’t know where to turn. This team took care of everything, from dealing with insurance to getting me a fair settlement. Highly recommend!"

Sara Richmond

"I was injured in a truck accident on the freeway near Riverside. They fought hard for me and won my case in record time. Professional and caring every step of the way."

Aldo Z.

"Nordean Law is working in my injury case and can't thank them enough. Sam and his team have been reaching and keeping me informed with all pending matters. I appreciate that because with all that is currently going in right now, I need some stress off my shoulders. Thank you Nordean Law!!!"

Raydrea E.

"The best lawyer in the area! He and his team will take great care of you. They are very good with taking questions and answering them without lying to you. I will use Sam and his firm for any cases I might encounter. Highly recommend!!"

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"If you are worried about your claim you should contact Nordean Law. Sam Nordean and his team are not only true professionals with integrity, but also sincerely care about their clients well being and state of mind throughout the process."

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