CA Truck Wreck & Accident Injury Lawyers Attorneys
Do Not Lose Twice
Oakland | San Francisco | Santa Rosa | San Jose
When an auto is involved with a truck in an accident, one outcome is for sure: the auto loses. If you do not select Gordon & Elias as your truck accident attorneys, you could lose twice. Hiring dedicated truck accident lawyers may mean the difference of receiving tens of thousands of dollars or millions of dollars. Simply put, if you hire just any lawyers and not a truck accident law firm, you may be making a serious mistake.
You do not have to retain a firm in California if the accident occurs in California. You need to retain a firm that specializes in truck accidents. Often times, firms from other states, such as ours, are retained because of their experience and knowledge. Many times, though the injured auto occupants may live in California, the truck company is from a state other than California. You need truck accident attorneys that do the following:
- Answer the phone when you make that first call
- Send out an investigator to obtain photos and make measurements and, if forensic work is necessary, send out a trucking accident reconstructionist
- File any necessary equitable relief, e.g., writs of sequestration, pleadings to protect the truck from any repairs that would alter the evidence
- Get you to Board Certified Physicians to make sure that you receive the best medical care possible for your injuries
- File your suit as soon as possible and aggressively fight for your rights taking depositions, sending out discovery and building your legal case
- Where ethically permitted, advancing you monies, interest free, to pay for necessary expenses since your income is stopped due to an inability to work
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, treating you like family instead of just a client. We know full well what a severe disabling and permanent injury, or worse yet, the death of a loved family member means to you. We find that some law firms around the country have lost their way and often times forget that they are representing a person, and not just a paper file. We pledge to you that you will always be able to call us and ask whatever you want and get a full explanation. Please do not misunderstand, we like to make money just like the next guy. However, we know that if we work hard and do a good job, always with compassion for our client, the money will follow.
At Gordon & Elias, L.L.P., we encourage clients to contact us immediately following a truck accident. This is no time to "do it yourself" and negotiate with an insurance company on your own. Too much is at stake. Finances may be strained following the mishap, feeding reluctance to retain an experienced attorney from a firm known nationwide. But all truck accident cases are handled on a contingency basis at our firm, meaning that there are no fees unless and until we recover compensation for you.
Diligent Tractor-Trailer Wreck Claim Lawyers
At Gordon & Elias, L.L.P., we represent clients injured in truck accidents caused by:
- Head-On Crashes and Jackknives
- Poor Maintenance, including Tires and Brakes
- Driver Fatigue
- Unsecured Loads and Cargo
- Aggressive Driving
- DWI / Drug Use
- Lack of Reflectors and Poor Visibility
- Dangerous Roads
If you have been injured in a big rig crash that occurred in Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, San Jose or anywhere throughout Northern California, contact us toll free at 800-773-6770.
Holding Drivers and Trucking Companies Accountable for Trucking Accidents
Truck drivers work long hours and are often pressured by their employer to complete their tasks by any means necessary. That results in shortcuts that amount to negligence. Drivers are required to adhere to regulations involving time on the road, number of breaks, and weight of the load they carry. Under the law, a trucking company can be held liable for the negligence of its drivers.
Experience and Resources to Mediate or Litigate Your Trucking Accident Claim
We use experience and thorough legal knowledge, coupled with vast resources, to build your tractor-trailer crash injury claim based on the facts. Expertise comes from our network of trucking industry experts and accident reconstructionists. From there, we seek the best resolution, through negotiation, mediation or litigation.
Catastrophic Injuries When Safety Was Not a Priority
Before getting into the truck cab, a driver is required to perform a pre-trip inspection so that when a truck driver before the driver turns the ignition key, they are doing so with the notion that everything is safe. The pre-trip inspection is to detect problems before the rig gets on the street. There have to be periodic brake checks, including caliper settings, hydraulic, pneumatic and air brakes, adequate sleep and rest time in accordance with federal laws, and a trailer load that is properly secured, loaded and manageable. If they fall short, each and every car they pass is at risk of an accident. Every driver could suffer injury or death. These requirements apply to all interstate drivers and the failure to do any of these things often results in negligent driving and is often the cause of a truck accident resulting in serious injury. It does not matter what kind of truck as these requirements apply to:
- Tanker Trucks - Oilfield Trucks- Pipe Haulers- Chemical Trucks and other trucks with trailers carrying hazardous materials
- Slow Moving - Log Trucks, Garbage Trucks, Dump Trucks, Cement Trucks, Gravel Trucks and Construction Zone Trucks entering and exiting a highway construction zone, Wide-Load Convoys, Bulldozers, Farm Equipment and slow moving Paving Equipment
- Freight Liners, UPS, DHL, Fed-Ex, U-Haul, Mayflower and other van lines
- Shuttle Bus, Casino Buses to and from Colusa, Red Hawk, Thunder Valley and River Rock. Additional bus lines include: Vacation Bus, Tour Bus, Greyhound Buses
- Most all other 18-wheeler, Big-Rig, Flatbeds, Tractor/Trailer combinations
Commercial Trucks Not Large In Size But With A Large Insurance Policy
The difference in size of cash settlements in commercial truck cases are potentially much larger than auto to auto accidents generally for one reason: the size of the policy of insurance. You know that your personal auto policy is sometimes as low as the California state mandatory minimum limits of $15,000. When there is a commercial vehicle, such as a company van, company pick-up, tow trucks, etc ., the policies of insurance coverage are usually much larger and you can be fairly and fully compensated when the driver is negligent.
The Need for Justice § The Need for Compensation
Sadly, it does not require a great deal of effort by a truck driver to cause an accident. Simple negligence turns catastrophic when carrying heavy loads or operating the truck impaired or sleep-deprived. They are not only violating the law, but putting others at risk. An 18-wheel truck becomes a menace to all drivers sharing the roads of Northern California. Accidents causing serious injuries or even death can occur.
Contact us if you have been injured in a trucking accident while driving on I-380, I-880, I-980, I-238, Hwy 4, Williams Freeway, Eastshore Freeway, MacArthur Freeway, Nimitz Freeway, Foster City Boulevard or Guadalupe Parkway.
Fighting For Your Rights To Secure Just Compensation
While emotions may run high in the fight to secure justice, we take a fact-based approach in building your truck accident case. Diligent investigation begins with the review of witness statements, accident reports, and driving records. Experts are brought in, allowing you to benefit from their professional acumen. Attending to all the details helps you secure the compensation you need and deserve.
We Have A National Network of Competent Truck Accident Lawyers
At times, we need a local California law firm to assist us perform various functions. In light of this, we have already put in place an arrangement with California-based competent counsel that we have already vetted and that we can call on in a moment's notice and at no additional fee charge to you.
Contact Us
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an experienced personal injury lawyer regarding a truck accident, please contact us.
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