Huntington Beach Truck Accident Lawyer

Commercial truck accidents can devastate lives in an instant. When a multi-ton vehicle collides with a passenger car, the occupants of the smaller vehicle typically suffer catastrophic injuries or death, while truck drivers often walk away unharmed. According to research from the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Irvine, large trucks accounted for 9.1% of fatal crashes in California in 2020 despite representing only 2.5% of vehicles and 5.6% of vehicle miles traveled.

At Younglove Law Group, our Huntington Beach personal injury attorneys understand the complexities of truck accident cases. We have recovered substantial compensation for victims throughout Orange County, including settlements that far exceeded insurance policy limits. Our attorneys bring more than 320 years of combined experience to each case and have secured over $60 million for clients injured in collisions with commercial vehicles.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Huntington Beach

Truck accidents occur for various reasons, many of which involve violations of federal and state trucking regulations. Driver fatigue remains a leading factor in commercial vehicle crashes. Federal hours-of-service rules limit how long truckers can drive without rest, but some drivers or trucking companies ignore these requirements to meet tight delivery schedules. When exhausted drivers get behind the wheel, their reaction times slow, and their judgment becomes impaired.

Distracted driving poses another significant threat. Truck drivers face long hours on the road, and some succumb to the temptation to use smartphones or other devices while driving. Taking eyes off the road for even a few seconds can prove disastrous when operating an 80,000-pound vehicle.

Mechanical Failures and Maintenance Issues

Proper maintenance is crucial for commercial trucks. These vehicles travel hundreds of thousands of miles and require regular inspections and repairs. When trucking companies or maintenance providers cut corners, brake failures, tire blowouts, and other mechanical problems can lead to devastating accidents. Our truck accident attorneys investigate maintenance records to determine if inadequate upkeep contributed to a collision.

Improper loading creates additional hazards. Cargo must be properly secured and distributed according to weight limits. Overloaded trucks or improperly balanced loads can cause vehicles to tip over in turns or make them impossible to stop safely. Loading companies and shipping facilities share responsibility for ensuring cargo meets safety standards.

Injuries Commonly Sustained in Truck Accidents

The force generated by a truck collision often causes severe, life-altering injuries. Traumatic brain injuries can occur when victims strike their heads during impact or when the brain collides with the inside of the skull. These injuries range from concussions to severe trauma requiring extensive medical intervention and long-term care.

Spinal cord damage represents another devastating consequence of truck accidents. Spinal cord injuries can result in partial or complete paralysis, fundamentally changing every aspect of a victim’s life. Treatment costs for spinal injuries can reach millions of dollars over a lifetime, making it essential to pursue maximum compensation.

Multiple bone fractures frequently occur in truck accidents. The violent forces involved can break arms, legs, ribs, and other bones. Complex fractures may require surgical intervention, lengthy recovery periods, and permanent hardware installation. Some fractures never heal properly, leaving victims with chronic pain and limited mobility.

How Truck Accident Cases Differ From Car Accidents

Truck accident cases involve unique legal and practical considerations. Federal regulations govern the trucking industry, including driver qualifications, vehicle maintenance, cargo securement, and hours of service. These regulations create additional avenues for establishing liability when violations contribute to accidents.

Multiple parties can share responsibility for truck accidents. Beyond the truck driver, potential defendants include trucking companies, vehicle owners, maintenance providers, loading facilities, and manufacturers of defective truck parts. Our attorneys conduct thorough investigations to identify all liable parties and maximize available compensation.

Commercial trucks carry substantially higher insurance coverage than passenger vehicles. Federal law requires minimum liability coverage of $750,000 for most commercial trucks, with higher amounts for hazardous materials transporters. This increased coverage means greater potential recovery for injured victims, but insurance companies fight harder to minimize payouts.

Building Strong Truck Accident Cases

Evidence preservation proves critical in truck accident cases. Commercial trucks contain electronic logging devices recording hours of service, speed, braking, and other operational data. This information can disappear if not secured quickly. We act immediately to preserve electronic data, obtain maintenance records, and secure other crucial evidence before it vanishes.

Black box data provides objective information about what occurred before and during an accident. This technology records vehicle speed, brake application, steering input, and other critical details. Our team works with accident reconstruction specialists to analyze this data and establish how the accident occurred.

Driver logs and employment records reveal whether trucking companies or drivers violated hours-of-service regulations. When drivers falsify logs to exceed driving limits, this evidence proves invaluable in establishing liability. We scrutinize these documents to uncover violations and demonstrate patterns of unsafe behavior.

Compensation Available in Truck Accident Cases

Truck accident victims can pursue compensation for all damages resulting from their injuries. Medical expenses represent a significant component of most claims. This includes emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, ongoing care, and future medical needs. We work with medical professionals to document the full extent of treatment requirements.

Lost wages and diminished earning capacity compensate victims for income lost due to injuries. Many truck accident victims cannot return to their previous employment or must accept lower-paying work due to permanent limitations. Economic experts calculate these losses to ensure settlements account for both past and future income reduction.

Pain and suffering damages address the physical discomfort and emotional distress caused by injuries. This includes compensation for chronic pain, anxiety, depression, loss of enjoyment of life, and reduced quality of life. California law allows recovery for these non-economic damages in personal injury cases.

Wrongful Death Claims

When truck accidents result in fatalities, surviving family members can file wrongful death claims to recover compensation for their loss. These claims can include funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and the emotional impact of losing a loved one. Our attorneys handle these sensitive cases with compassion while aggressively pursuing justice for grieving families.

Why Choose Younglove Law Group for Your Truck Accident Case

Our attorneys have established a proven track record in handling complex truck accident cases throughout Orange County. We have recovered policy limits and excess policy amounts through bad faith claims, demonstrating our ability to maximize compensation even when initial offers seem inadequate. This includes cases where we obtained settlements exceeding 15 times the defendant’s original insurance policy limits.

We provide attorney-only intake, meaning you speak directly with experienced lawyers from your first contact with our firm. This approach differs from most personal injury practices, where intake staff handle initial consultations. Direct attorney involvement ensures we properly evaluate cases and provide accurate guidance from the start.

Our firm handles truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. This arrangement removes financial barriers to accessing experienced legal representation during your recovery. We advance all case costs and only collect fees when we successfully resolve your claim.

Contact Younglove Law Group Today

If you suffered injuries in a truck accident in Huntington Beach or anywhere in Orange County, contact our experienced legal team to discuss your case. We can evaluate your situation, explain your legal options, and develop a strategy to pursue the compensation you deserve. 

Our attorneys understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll these accidents take on victims and families, and we dedicate ourselves to achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a Huntington Beach truck accident lawyer who can help you navigate the path to recovery.