Thousand Oaks
Truck Accident Lawyer
If you live in or around Thousand Oaks, you shouldn’t be surprised when you encounter semi-trailer and other large truck traffic on roadways like the Ventura Freeway or the Moorpark Freeway.
Unfortunately. given the hurried schedules that most truck drivers have, residents of Thousand Oaks and surrounding communities can turn into injured truck accident victims or even fatalities.
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 5,005 people in the United States lost their lives in crashes involving large trucks, and more than 118,000 others were injured.
Of those who died in truck crashes that year, 71% were drivers or passengers in other vehicles. About 11% were bicyclists or pedestrians.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
While some truck crashes are caused by the lack of maintenance or improper loading, most of such accidents are the direct and proximate result of truck driver error. These are perfectly preventable accidents too. Some examples of them follow:
- Speeding or driving too fast for traffic or weather conditions.
- Following a vehicle ahead too closely.
- Distracted driving.
- Fatigued or drowsy driving.
- Driver inexperience.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or both.
Insurance Companies Don’t Look Out for Your Best Interests
When a vehicle is more than 70 feet long and weighs up to 80,000 pounds, it’s far more difficult to maneuver or stop than a passenger car, especially on wet roads. When that truck and trailer crash into a passenger car, the property damage will be extensive, and injuries are likely to range from severe to catastrophic or even fatal.
Trucking remains a huge industry in the United States. About 95% of all goods reach retailers by truck. What comes to issue is that even the largest trucking companies are covered by even larger insurance companies that dwarf them.
Those insurers are looking out for their own best interests and not the best interests of truck accident victims or the families those who perished in truck accidents. That’s why if you were injured or lost a family member in a truck accident in or around Thousand Oaks, you should contact us at Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC as soon as you can.
We’re always prepared and available to consult with victims and their family members about accidents caused by drivers of 18-wheelers, tanker trucks, flatbed trucks, garbage trucks, dump trucks and delivery trucks and vans.
Damages in Truck Accident Cases
After being injured in an accident that was caused by a careless and negligent truck driver, you’re probably eligible to be compensated for your injuries and damages. California law recognizes any of the following types of damages:
- Past medical bills and medical bills reasonably expected to be incurred in the future.
- Past lost earnings and earnings reasonably expected to be lost in the future.
- Any permanent disfigurement or disability.
- Pain and suffering.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Other compensatory damages in the event of a wrongful death of a family member.
Contact a Thousand Oaks Truck Accident Lawyer Today
After a truck crash, many victims struggle physically, financially and emotionally. At the Thousand Oaks law firm of Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC, we help those victims continue on and move forward after a truck crash has changed their lives.
Our thorough and aggressive approach toward truck drivers and others who contribute to truck crashes frequently leads to the full settlement amounts that our clients deserve, and if a case doesn’t settle, we’re fully prepared to take it to trial. If we’re going to represent you in a truck accident, we don’t ask for a cash retainer either. We’ll represent you on a contingency fee basis in return for a percentage of any sums that we derive on your behalf through a settlement or award.
Becoming the victim of a truck accident is likely to change your life. If you have questions about what to do, contact us and we’ll arrange for a free consultation and case review. We’ll be pleased to listen to you carefully, answer your questions and advise you on all of your legal options.