There are approximately 500,000 trucking accidents every year in the United States, and many of those happen in California. Trucks are heavy, and their sheer size and weight, combined with the fact that drivers travel thousands of miles with little rest, make them very dangerous on freeways. On a fast-moving freeway, trucks and their inherent blindspots may prevent them from seeing a smaller vehicle in the lane next to them. This makes for potentially dangerous situations for all drivers who share the freeway with trucks. Moreover, freeway conditions can often be dangerous in and of themselves. Truck driver error, trucking company incompetence and oversights, maintenance issues, and poor conditions such as bad weather can all too easily lead to disaster.
If you have been in an accident on the highway with a semi-truck due to the negligence of another party, contact a California truck accident attorney immediately. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. The experienced big rig accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates can help recover the damages you sustained in the truck accident. With multiple offices located in Irvine, Anaheim, Los Angeles, El Segundo, San Diego, and Riverside, our truck accident injury lawyers represent victims across California. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our attorneys, please call 949-727-9300.
If you have been in an accident on the highway with a semi-truck due to the negligence of another party, contact a California truck accident attorney immediately. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. The experienced big rig accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates can help recover the damages you sustained in the truck accident. With multiple offices located in Irvine, Anaheim, Los Angeles, El Segundo, San Diego, and Riverside, our truck accident injury lawyers represent victims across California. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our attorneys, please call 949-727-9300.
Truck Accidents on the Highway
Trucks tend to weigh approximately 30 times more than an average car. This, combined with high speeds on the freeway, can all too easily lead to serious, and sadly often fatal, accidents. Trucks are also hard to drive and maneuver, meaning truck drivers must exercise reasonable care not to injure others while driving on the freeway. Unfortunately, when a truck accident occurs, it tends to be the occupants of any passenger vehicles involved that fare the worst.Common Causes for Big Rig Crashes in California
Due to the potential for dangerous circumstances, trucks are subject to special laws intended to protect other freeway users and minimize the risk of accidents occurring. State and federal laws require trucks to be routinely inspected and properly maintained. In California, there are also specific regulations related to the size and weight limits of trucks and the freight being carried. Moreover, truckers must also comply with specific rules, they must have special licenses, and abide by hourly driving limits. However, in spite of these rules and regulations, trucks are commonly involved in accidents that result from:- Negligence on behalf of the truck company
- Truck driver error
- Unsafe or unsecured loads
- Fatigue
- Distracted driving
- Poor maintenance
- Overweight trailers
- Transport of hazardous material
- Bad weather and road conditions
Types of Compensation for Freeway Truck Accidents
Injuries are common if you or a loved one have been involved in a truck accident, and often, those injuries are severe or cause detrimental long-term consequences. Personal injuries arising from truck accidents may lead to different types of compensation. If you or someone you know has been involved in a truck accident, you may be able to recover compensation for the following:- Medical bills, including future surgeries, medical care, or rehabilitation
- Lost wages or lost earning ability of a spouse or family member who was involved in a fatal truck accident.
- Pain and suffering, both presently and in the past or future
- Physical impairment
- Disfigurement
- Other non-pecuniary damages
What to Do After a Truck Crash on the Freeway
Truck accidents are common, and often, the accident is the fault of the truck driver or the trucking company, but it’s the victims are the ones who fare the worst. The first thing you should do after being involved in a truck accident is alert the necessary authorities and ensure you receive proper medical treatment for your injuries. Upon receiving proper care, the next step is to speak to a professional attorney specializing in truck accidents. An experienced lawyer can gather documents pertaining to the driver, showing:- Information regarding how long a truck driver may have been driving in a single stretch Reported rest stops
- Whether a truck driver might have been operating the vehicle under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
- Driver negligence or inattentiveness
- Help for Big Rig Accident Victims
Contact an Experienced California Freeway Truck Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been in a freeway truck accident involving debris in California, you should discuss your legal options with an attorney as you may be entitled to compensation. The California freeway truck accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates can help you recover damages for your injuries. With multiple offices located in Irvine, Anaheim, Los Angeles, El Segundo, San Diego, and Riverside, our semi-truck accident injury lawyers represent victims across California. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with an attorney, please call 949-727-9300.faq
I was in a multi-vehicle pileup that started with a truck. Am I only able to recover from the driver who hit my car directly?
No. California allows you to pursue every party whose negligence contributed to the chain reaction, not just the vehicle that struck you. If a truck driver’s sudden stop or unsafe lane change triggered the pileup, that driver and their employer can share liability even for impacts several cars back, alongside any other driver who was following too closely or distracted.
How does fault get divided when ten or more vehicles are involved?
Investigators reconstruct the sequence using CHP collision reports, black box data from involved vehicles, freeway camera footage, and witness statements to assign each driver a percentage of responsibility. California’s pure comparative fault system then allows each injured party to recover from every at-fault party in proportion to their share of blame, which is why pileup cases often name several defendants rather than just one.
Why do freeway truck accidents tend to happen in the same stretches of road?
Congestion, sudden braking in stop-and-go traffic, and steep grades are the common threads. Certain corridors around Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and mountain grades on major freight routes see disproportionately more truck-involved chain reactions because of a mix of heavy commercial traffic volume and terrain that makes it harder for loaded trucks to stop quickly.
If I was hit by a car that was itself pushed into me by a truck, do I sue the driver or the trucking company?
Both can potentially be liable. If the truck’s negligence set off the chain reaction, its driver and the motor carrier remain responsible for downstream impacts even though the truck didn’t physically strike your vehicle, as long as the sequence of events can be traced back to their conduct. This is exactly the kind of causation issue that requires an accident reconstruction expert to establish clearly.
What should I do if the insurance company offers me a settlement right after a freeway pileup?
Don’t accept it before speaking with an attorney. Early offers in multi-vehicle crashes are almost always calculated before the full scope of injuries, lost income, or long-term medical needs is known, and once you sign a release you typically can’t go back for more even if your condition worsens later.
Can weather or road conditions make Caltrans or another government agency liable too?
In some cases, yes. If poor drainage, missing warning signage, or an unaddressed road hazard contributed to the crash, a government entity can share liability alongside the drivers involved, though claims against public agencies come with a much shorter six-month filing deadline under California’s Government Claims Act.
How is evidence preserved in a fast-moving freeway pileup before it disappears?
Attorneys typically send legal preservation letters to every trucking company and involved commercial driver’s employer within days, specifically requesting black box data, dashcam footage, and driver logs before routine data cycles overwrite them. Caltrans and CHP freeway camera footage is also time-limited, so requesting it early is critical rather than waiting until a claim is formally filed.
Do I still have a claim if I was found partly at fault for following too closely?
Yes. California’s pure comparative negligence rule means even a driver found 30 or 40 percent at fault can still recover the remaining percentage of their damages from the other responsible parties. Insurance companies frequently lean hard on this argument in pileups specifically because it’s harder to disprove with multiple vehicles involved, so having your own investigation matters.