Truck accidents can be debilitating to suffer through due to the size of the vehicles and the resulting injuries. Many individuals are involved in truck accidents each year; they are hurt while traveling on freeways, residential streets, country roads, and more. These truck drivers are usually transporting goods and merchandise from one location to another; their companies hire them to drive well across state lines and to meet deadlines of just a few days. Long trips in unwieldy vehicles raises the risk of accidents, and victims should be aware of the next steps. If you have been involved in a truck accident, you can take legal action against the company that employs the trucker. Insurance companies must provide coverage for these truck drivers; Wilshire Insurance Company is one such business. It is a Lancaster-based company that essentially provides numerous insurance packages for transporters. Our lawyers with experience in truck accident cases against Wilshire Insurance Company can help you file a claim if you were struck by a driver who is employed by Wilshire Insurance. Without a doubt, the best law firm to sue Wilshire Insurance Company for a truck accident is Normandie Law Firm in Los Angeles, and we will do all we can to win your claim.
Why Truck Accidents Happen
If you are on the road, you should always take care to drive cautiously around trucks and large vehicles. You may be more likely to get in an accident if you try to pass the truck on the right where its blind spots prevent the driver from noticing you, or you may be hurt if you tailgate the truck. There are also blind spots behind it, so if it has to suddenly stop, you may not be able to react in time and could rear end it. Essentially, it is safe to be away from the truck, so you should take measures to carefully pass it.
Truck drivers, of course, can have accidents because of their own mistakes. Here is a list of the most common errors that cause accidents with trucks:
- Faulty vehicles: Trucks may have broken brakes, inadequate headers, improperly filled tires, and other engine, electrical, or structural troubles that could cause them to fall apart or malfunction while on the road.
- Hitches and trailers: Any hitches and trailers need to be properly affixed to the truck and not overfilled. If the containers are closed and the truck is towing merchandise or goods, the contents must have proper weight distribution to prevent fishtailing and swerving during turns. These trailers could potentially unhitch and cause devastating accidents.
- Driver fatigue: Often, truck drivers must be on the road for over 12 hours a day to get from destination to destination. They may take an excessive amount of caffeine and will drive with next to no sleep; whatever sleep they get may not actually rest them, especially if they were sleeping in the truck near a freeway or rest station. Fatigued drivers have loss of focus, lowered reflexes, blurry vision, and other troubles that could cause them to run off the road.
- Road violations: Many truck drivers will speed, which can make it harder for the vehicles to stop due to their size and weight. The drivers will also sometimes drive in lanes they are not legally allowed to or will tailgate other drivers. They may turn without signaling, take turns too sharply, or run stop signs and red lights.
- Weather: Although driving at night time is dangerous for truck drivers, they may also be subjected to troublesome weather, including fog, heavy rain, snow, sleet, and more. It is already difficult to maneuver such vehicles on regular roads, so when the same roads are slick or when vision is reduced, the potential for accidents greatly increases.
- Terrain: Truck drivers may not be able to navigate through hilly areas that have steep inclines and declines. They may mistakenly take their trucks out of certain gears and be unable to stop at higher speeds.
If you were injured because of any of the above reasons, you should contact an attorney in Los Angeles who can sue Wilshire Insurance Company for a truck accident. The sooner you connect with a law firm that can file a lawsuit against Wilshire Insurance Company for a truck accident, the faster you will receive compensation for your damages.
Proving Negligence of a Truck Driver
If you were involved in a truck accident, you may not have been at fault at all. The troublesome part would be proving this fact to an insurance agent or to a judge and jury. If you have ample evidence, it will be much easier. You should not try to prove the four points of negligence by yourself; a lawyer that can sue Wilshire Insurance Company for a truck accident injury will be able to greatly assist you.
You must be able to show these points as true:
- You were owed a duty of care
- The duty of care was breached by the truck driver
- The breach caused an accident of some kind
- The accident resulted in actual physical injuries
The fourth point is extremely important. If you were not actually physically harmed, you won’t be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. A scrape or a bruise may not be enough to warrant a claim. This is why it is crucial that you document your injuries and get medical attention as quickly as possible – the more evidence you have of your bodily harm, the more likely it is that your case will be favorable.
Speak with a lawyer who is experienced with truck accident cases with Wilshire Insurance Company for more assistance. Many times, individuals will try and handle their cases by themselves, and they will not be able to negotiate a deal if they even manage to convince the insurance agent to not throw the case out. Don’t take such a risk – call a Los Angeles truck accident attorney that can sue Wilshire Insurance Company today.
Steps to Gathering Evidence for a Lawsuit
If you have been in a truck accident, you need all the evidence you can get to file a claim against the responsible company. You will need to speak with a lawyer for Wilshire Insurance Company truck accident claims to fully succeed with your case. In the immediate aftermath of the accident, you should do the following:
- Get medical help from the paramedics or go to the hospital
- Hold on to your medical bills and receipts
- Request any copies of medical notes
- Take photos of your injuries, the damage to your car, the scene of the accident, and more
- Record the contact details, personal information, and insurance information of the truck driver who hit you
- Record eyewitness statements and passenger testimonies
- Request a copy of the police report
It is imperative that you contact an attorney who can fight Wilshire Insurance Company for a truck accident injury lawsuit.
Statute of Limitations on Your Claim
In California, you only have 2 years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover damages. If you do not file the claim within 2 years of the occurrence, you will not be able to collect any compensation at any point in the future. You can avoid this pitfall by speaking with an attorney who can handle your case and determine how much time you have left.
You may be eligible for an exception to the statute of limitations as well. You could have been hit by the truck when you were underage, meaning that your statute would have started from the day you turned 18. You may also have been severely hurt and left mentally or physically incapable of taking legal action. If and when you recover, your deadline would begin counting down; otherwise, a family member could sue on your behalf.
One of our lawyers for Wilshire Insurance Company injury claims will be able to assist you.
Sample Settlements
Clients often ask us how much they can expect from a claim involving a truck accident. There is no calculator that determines the damages you are entitled to, but you can look at other cases to understand how much they are worth and how damages are weighed. Severe and permanent injuries that have a high impact on daily lives and current and future career opportunities will generally be worth more than those that are impermanent and do not carry such damages. We have provided sample settlements and verdicts below for you to consider.
- $1,000,000 Settlement: A woman was walking with her son when a truck suddenly made a U-Turn near her. The driver did not properly calculate the distance and he struck the woman, killing her. Her son was not injured. The family was able to collect wrongful death damages from the truck accident.
- $2,800,000 Verdict: A construction worker was killed when a coworker leaves a dump truck in neutral instead of in park. The worker was dragged below the truck after it hit him, resulting in his death. The company stated that he was partially responsible due to being near the truck, but the jury saw it the other way. The family collected numerous wrongful death damages for the untimely passing of their loved one.
- $1,000,000 Verdict: A woman and her son were hit by a truck carrying petroleum. The truck tried to beat the red light as it turned from yellow, and the woman proceeded through the green like normal. The woman broke her leg in the incident, while her child suffered minor injuries.
Spanish Speaking Truck Accident Attorney
If you are in need of an attorney who speaks Spanish to help you with your truck claim, we can help. Our lawyers speak Spanish because we know that some victims do not speak English and still wish to take legal action. We believe that no one should be barred from filing a claim, and if you are unsure of how to proceed, merely contact our firm and we will help.
Normandie Law Firm: The Best Choice
Normandie Law Firm in Los Angeles can provide you with an expert attorney to secure you damages for your medical bills, property damage, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more. We can help you win expenses if a family member or loved one died. We will aggressively work to secure you whatever compensation you need and deserve, and we won’t give up until we receive a satisfactory offer.
Call our firm today for a free legal consultation with an expert lawyer. We encourage you to ask questions about your case and we’ll tell you what we believe it’s worth. Further, we’ll tell you about our zero fee guarantee, which essentially promises that you will not pay for our services with your own money. We’ll only get paid if we win, and if we lose, you won’t owe us a dime.
Contact us today to speak with the best attorney for Wilshire Insurance Company truck accident claims.
