Big rigs, 18-wheelers, semi-trucks — these huge and powerful vehicles go by many names and normally fall under the category of large commercial vehicles — trucks carrying cargo for private companies across the country. They dominate our roads and when a crash occurs, highways are often completely shut down and victims deal with complicated injuries sometimes the wrongful death of a loved one. A Los Angeles truck accident lawyer who knows the industry is an essential ally during these difficult times.
If you need immediate assistance in the aftermath of an accident involving a big rig truck, please reach out day or night to the Law Offices of David Azizi by calling 800-991-5292. We are here to help you find the way forward with the justice you and your loved ones deserve.
What Is A Big Rig?
A big rig is simply another name for a semi-truck or tractor-trailer, large powerful trucks that consist of two parts:
- tractor – which includes the cab where the driver sits, the engine and the hitch
- trailer – the container that gets attached and pulled and carries all of the cargo.
California big rig accidents can be horrific and the recovery process can cost victims not only severe injuries, but extensive loss of work, and a long battle with pain and suffering. Not everyone feels inclined to file a lawsuit or fight for a settlement, but when you are a victim and your life has been dramatically harmed in a big rig truck accident, you deserve justice and to be made whole in the eyes of the law through financial compensation known in the the court system as damages.
Paying For Medical Expenses and Extended Care
Driver negligence is a massive problem in the trucking industry. The cases we win for our clients include settlements and verdicts that are able to cover crucial and common emergency medical expenses including:
- Transportation via ambulance and emergency room services
- Inpatient hospital stay for as long as needed
- Surgery and/or multiple surgeries save limbs from amputation or repair crushed bones
- Ongoing outpatient treatment by physicians skilled in dealing with these injuries
- An ongoing physical therapy regimen to treat problem areas
- Specialized medical equipment including wheelchairs and walkers
Compensation When Your Vehicle Is Destroyed By A Big Rig
Losing the use of your vehicle is never easy. David Azizi and team recognize that when a crash with a big rig occurs, cars often become un-drivable, require extensive repairs, and in many cases, mean the total loss of the vehicle. In many cases, personal property inside the vehicle gets destroyed as well.
We keep these factors in mind and aggressively demand the money damages you are legally entitled to from the trucking companies. We will investigate the market value of your vehicle and seek replacement when needed. California residents cannot function without transportation. A rental vehicle may become necessary and we will fight to get you compensated for that added expense right along with payment for your damages personal property.
How a Big Rig Accident Law Firm Recovers Your Lost Income
If you’ve missed days, weeks or months at work as a result injuries resulting from a big rig accident, there is positive news for to keep in mind. The big rig accident claim we pursue for you includes lost wages. California law allows the recovery of lost income in most of these circumstances, even if you are self-employed.
David and the California big rig crash team also partner with forensic experts to investigate and project future lost work to assist your claim in recovering compensation for:
- Promotions and raises you missed out on
- Bonuses you were not there to earn or collect
- Contributions to retirement funds that had to be skipped
- Career shifts that have now become required, resulting in lost earning potential in your current trade
Los Angeles Big Rig Accident Lawsuits Can Recover Millions of Dollars
Settlement award amounts are unique to each case. The truck crash injury calculator can give you an educated guess as to what financial compensation for your truck claim might look like. A free case review with David will provide the most accurate picture of the money involved for your case. Call us 24/7 at 800-991-5292 to get your free case evaluation started.
Los Angeles Big Rig Crash Lawyer Discusses $5 Million Truck Case
California big rig accident attorney David Azizi recaps a settlement of $4,950,000 won for an injured client who was harmed in a crash involving a big rig.
Causes For Big Rig Accidents Handled By Our Law Firm
The Law Offices of David Azizi deal regularly with the many causes of big rig crashes. Investigators link 89 percent of collisions caused by truckers to these common reasons:
- Falling asleep behind the wheel and fatigue (noted in 7 percent of truck wrecks)
- Trucker medical emergencies
- Distracted driving that eat, text or hold a device (24 percent of cases)
- Speeding, tailgating and aggressive driving (38 percent of the time)
- Trucker DUI
- Blind spot accidents
- Brake and vehicle maintenance issues (10 percent of the time)
Determining Who Is At Fault After a Big Rig Truck Accident
Our L.A. big rig crash team also works immediately in the investigation process to determine liability — the important element of designation responsibility to a party or parties after a crash.
When an accident is not your fault, we’ll put our full force into demanding justice and compensation from the trucker and trucking company.
However, there may be times when a client we represent might be partially at fault (Ex: not using a turn signal or speeding). Even when you think you might hold some responsibility for the crash, it is imperative to note how California “Pure Comparative Negligence” laws work. Simply put, in California, even when a judge or jury determines that you are partly at fault, you can still file a lawsuit and pursue a legal claim. The only difference is that your final award of compensation will be reduced by the percentage you were at fault.
Example:
If you were hit by a big rig and the total damages awarded to you equal $1,000,000, but you were also 10 percent at fault, you’d receive $900,000 (the full award minus 10 percent for your partial fault).
This is definitely something to keep in mind in Los Angeles big rig lawsuits which can and often do involve millions of dollars.
Filing A Lawsuit Against a Big Rig Truck Driver or Company?
It’s important to know the legal steps to take after an accident with a big rig. The clock is ticking from the moment the wreck occurs, and there is a deadline — known as the statute of limitations — for a lawsuit to be filed.
In this audio podcast, big rig truck accident lawyer David Azizi answers the most essential questions about crashes with semi-trucks, big rigs, buses and other large trucks and commercial vehicles. Play the episode below.
Negligence In Los Angeles Big Rig Accident Cases
In California, big rig crashes kill more people than in any other state in the U.S. Driving a big rig truck requires extensive training, a specialized commercial driver’s license, and an elevated duty of care that places additional demands of safety and responsibilities on these drivers.
When a truck driver fails to live up to any of these dozens of known legal standards and causes an accident, they’ve broken laws, and those violations quite often fall under the most common lawsuit category in truck accident cases: negligence.
Negligence is not using proper and reasonable care and injuring people in the process.
For a truck that would mean many scenarios including:
- Texting and driving
- Speeding
- Driving Intoxicated on drugs or alcohol (DUI)
- Failing to perform routine and essential vehicle maintenance
- Not getting enough sleep and driving
- Other unintentional driving-related acts that caused harm
Build Your Case With An L.A. Big Rig Crash Law Firm
In order to begin your road to legal recovery and justice, it’s time to tell your important story to a proven Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer. We don’t want to assume we know every detail about every case, so conducting a free case review gives all parties a chance to evaluate the known facts, ask important questions, build trust, and get to work on developing a solid case strategy that points toward justice, victory, and the compensation that you and your loved ones deserve.
Ready to get started?
David Azizi and team have a 98 percent success rate with these types of truck accident and personal injury cases.. Fill out the request form on this page or call the team at The Law Offices of David Azizi at 800-991-5292 and we’ll schedule your free case evaluation.
