Los Angeles Truck Accident Attorneys

How our attorneys build a case for compensation after a truck accident

Our skilled Los Angeles truck accident lawyers have extensive experience litigating accident cases. We know that the following areas of investigation are critical to the success of these matters:

• Operator’s driving record. The truck operator’s driving record may demonstrate a history of negligent or reckless driving behaviors. This not only supports the liability of a truck driver, but it also provides information about the hiring practices of the company. Trucking companies have a duty to hire and contract drivers who demonstrate an ability and willingness to operate these large vehicles in a safe manner.
• The truck’s maintenance history. The vehicle maintenance records may reveal past defects or malfunctions with the truck. Truck operators and owners are responsible for adequately maintaining the vehicle. Putting a truck on the freeway with known mechanical issues places the driver and people in other vehicles at risk. These records can also help to identify key witnesses who may have worked on the truck in the past.
• The trucking company’s accident rate. A pattern of negligent behavior may be identified by analyzing the company’s accident rate. In cases of repeated negligence, the court may be inclined to award punitive damages as a method of punishing the trucking company.
• The operator’s training. Driving a truck is no easy task. Operators should receive extensive training on safe driving practices, proper maintenance of the truck and appropriate emergency response. By analyzing these records, we can determine whether the operator was properly trained.
• Cellular telephone records. Distracted driving is a major cause of trucking accidents. By obtaining the cell phone records of the operator, we can determine whether any distracting telephone calls or text messages were being made at the time of the accident.
• The operator’s driving log. Like distracted driving, fatigued driving is also a major cause of trucking accidents. Drivers are legally bound to limit the number of consecutive hours that they operate their trucks before taking an adequate number of hours to rest. Driving logs catalog the number of hours driven by each truck operator. By viewing these records, we can see if the driver was operating the vehicle beyond the statutorily allotted number of hours.