Truck Accidents

Trucking companies run very tight delivery schedules, and there’s a lot of pressure on drivers to make their deliveries on time. Sadly, that means many truckers end up driving at unsafe speeds and putting themselves and others at risk. Large vehicles are difficult enough to turn and stop when they’re driving at legal speeds; when truckers choose to break the speed limit, serious accidents can ensue.

Because of the sheer amount of force involved when a speeding truck collides with another vehicle, the injuries caused can be severe and even fatal. You’ll need one of our attorneys on your side to find evidence proving that the trucker was speeding. We’ll also pore over the trucking company’s records to see if the driver was under any pressure to break the speed limit.

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Rollover

Commercial trucks have low roll stability, which means they’re prone to rolling over in an accident – especially when overloaded or speeding. Rollover accidents are among the deadliest of all accident types, and they represent more than half of all truck driver fatalities. Often, negligence on the part of the trucking company is to blame, either for overloading the truck, failing to properly secure the cargo or putting pressure on the driver to exceed safe speeds.

If you were involved in a rollover accident, you need an experienced attorney from Ardalan & Associates on your side. Our legal team will start preparing your case from day one, closely examining documents to determine exactly who caused the rollover. We’ll stand up for you throughout the process and fight to hold the negligent party accountable.

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Jackknife Accident

“Jackknifing” is a commonly used term for accidents in which a large truck’s trailer swings out and comes to rest at a 90-degree angle from the cab of the truck. These accidents are typically caused by braking issues when the truck goes into a skid. A jackknifing trailer can strike other vehicles and people, causing massive injuries and property damage. Jackknifing is also sometimes a precursor to a rollover accident.

Accidents involving jackknifing can be difficult cases in terms of proving negligence. Sometimes, the truck driver is to blame for speeding or otherwise recklessly handling the vehicle. In other cases, a maintenance issue with the brakes causes the truck to jackknife, meaning liability may fall on the trucking company or even a mechanic. If the trucker had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting another vehicle, the driver of the other vehicle might be responsible, depending on the circumstances. At Ardalan & Associates, we have the expertise needed to carefully investigate your jackknifing case, find the responsible party, and help make you whole again.

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Improper Passing

Truck drivers are required by law to make safety their top priority whenever making decisions behind the wheel. However, truckers often make poor decisions, and one of the most common is improper passing. Truckers may cause accidents by passing despite limited visibility, without checking blind spots or without using proper signals. Driving conditions may make passing unsafe, and truck drivers are trained and expected to recognize those conditions; when they do not, serious injuries can occur.

After an accident involving an improperly passing trucker, you can turn to Ardalan & Associates to handle your case. We’ll consult eyewitnesses and applicable documentation to find out exactly what happened. Our legal team will study records to see if negligence from the trucking company was involved – for instance, if the truck was behind schedule and the company pressured the driver to pass a slow vehicle on order to make a delivery on time.

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Tire Blowout

By law, truck drivers and trucking companies have a responsibility to keep their trucks in good working order. Tire blowouts are always dangerous, but when a large commercial vehicle loses a tire, it’s especially deadly. Before every trip, the driver is expected to conduct a full inspection of the truck, including brakes, steering, load, mirrors, lights and tires.

If you were injured in an accident involving a truck tire blowout, there are several steps our attorneys can take to hold the responsible parties accountable. Our attorneys will examine the trucking company’s documents to determine whether that mandatory inspection was conducted – and, if not, whether the failure to inspect was a result of negligence on the part of the trucker or the trucking company. We’re committed to holding the party responsible for the blowout accountable and, more importantly, getting you the compensation you need to rebuild your life.

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Driver Tired/Fell Asleep

Because truck drivers work such long hours, they’re often at risk of driving while exhausted and falling asleep at the wheel. The law requires truck drivers to take regular breaks throughout the day and work only a certain number of hours per week. However, some drivers choose to ignore those laws – and some trucking companies pressure their drivers to work through those breaks in order to make deliveries sooner. A truck driver who falls asleep at the wheel can cause devastating injuries.

At Ardalan & Associates, we know what evidence to look for in asleep-at-the-wheel trucking cases, including a lack of skid marks on the road – showing that the driver didn’t hit the brakes before the collision – and records that may indicate that those mandatory breaks were not taken. We hold negligent truckers and trucking companies accountable, and we’ll fight for maximum recovery for you.

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Cargo Fell Off Truck

Failure to properly secure cargo is a common cause of truck accidents – and a potentially deadly one. Before every long trip, the truck driver has a responsibility to inspect the truck and ensure that everything is in working order, including the cargo area. Strict limits exist to make sure trucks are not overloaded or otherwise unsafe. Unfortunately, many truck drives ignore those laws and put others at risk.

An accident involving cargo may result in a liability claim against the truck driver, the trucking company, or even the shipper of the cargo. For instance, if the truck was carrying hazardous materials which were not properly secured and the shipper failed to adequately warn the trucking company of the danger, you might have a product liability claim against the shipper. Our legal team will carefully investigate your case and help you find the best way to proceed.

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Truck Rear-Ended Car

Rear-end collisions involving truckers most often happen in places where traffic slows down – whether that’s Los Angeles gridlock, a construction zone, or near the scene of another accident.

Distracted driving is also often to blame – a driver may be talking to a dispatcher, adjusting the radio or eating behind the wheel. Because of the sheer size of commercial trucks, rear-end collisions can cause serious damage even when they happen at slow speeds.

In theory, it should be easy to prove that a trucker who hit you from behind was negligent. In practice, these cases can be significantly more complicated than you might think. An experienced and dedicated attorney from Ardalan & Associates can stand up for you and fight for all the compensation you need.

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