Best Truck Accident Lawyer in Santa Clarita

Located just 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Santa Clarita is a booming city for both residents and businesses alike.

With a population of nearly 404,000 people (2021) and growing, Santa Clarita is the third-largest city in Los Angeles County and the 23rd largest city in the State of California.

Santa Clarita is perhaps best known for its quiet and pleasant residential neighborhoods, wide and well-maintained roads, great school district and education facilities, countless retail, malls, and shopping plazas, and of course the world-famous Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park.

But there is more to Santa Clarita than just people looking to escape the escalating Los Angeles housing market, and preferring instead to commute into LA whilst living in a safe neighborhood with more space.

Santa Clarita also has a tremendous amount of commercial and industrial areas and facilities, with approximately 30 million sq ft currently developed, and another combined 10 million sq ft either approved or under construction.

That combined with the fact that Santa Clarita sits along the I-5 freeway on its western border, California State Highway 14 to its south and east, and California State Route 126 which runs from I-5 to US 101 connecting Santa Clarita and Ventura, mean that there are large numbers of trucks in and around the city day and night.

And the reality is that whenever there are a lot of semi-trailers, big rigs, delivery trucks, box trucks, or any commercial trucking vehicles for that matter sharing the road with passenger cars and motorcycles, the risk of accidents and serious injuries multiplies.

If you’ve been involved in an accident with a truck in Santa Clarita you’ll need an expert personal injury attorney in Santa Clarita that knows all the ins and outs of trucking laws and trucking insurance companies.

Contact Daniel Kim today for a free consultation.

Practice Areas We Specialize In

At The Law Offices of Daniel Kim, our personal injury attorneys in Santa Clarita exclusively handle motor vehicle accident cases. This sets us apart from other law firms that take any case just to make a quick dollar. Our outstanding attorneys focus on motor vehicle accidents. This allows us to offer the best service to our clients who want real experience and knowledge.

Car Accidents – This can involve any type of crash from an Uber wreck, to maybe a teenage driver hitting you, or maybe an old lady ran a red light and rear-ended your car. Call us for any automotive-related accident. 

Motorcycle Accidents – As we all know riding a motorcycle is very dangerous, and almost all motorcycle accidents lead to severe injuries.

Pedestrian Accidents – These are always bad accidents because a pedestrian has no chance against a 2,000 lb. car that runs them over.

Bike Accidents – Bike accidents always lead to a serious injury, even if you are wearing a helmet. Broken bones and road rash are common in bike accidents.

Uber Accidents – Uber and Lyft have become so popular that sometimes it seems like every other car on the road is an Uber or Lyft driver.  Uber has a unique commercial insurance policy. Uber passengers and other cars who were hit by an Uber driver can file a claim.

Why Contact A Truck Accident Lawyer In Santa Clarita?

Car Accident Lawyer Daniel Kim – 다니엘김 교통사고 변호사
Address: 600 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: (213) 839-3442

With years of experience dealing with and specializing only in motor vehicle-related accidents, The Law Offices of Daniel Kim know exactly how to represent truck injury accident victims and get the maximum amount of compensation available.

Our truck accident lawyers in Santa Clarita have been representing the residents of Santa Clarita for many years and has over 1000 positive reviews on websites such as Google and Yelp among others from previous clients that were extremely satisfied with the results Daniel and his team got for them.

We treat all clients and prospective clients with empathy, compassion, and respect, and will fight for you and your family to make sure you are compensated fairly.

We are not intimidated by Allstate, Geico, State Farm, or any of the big insurance companies and will negotiate your case aggressively for as long as it takes.

The Law Office of Daniel Kim is available to contact 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and whether it’s the first time calling and not knowing where to start, or you need a second opinion, we are here for you. And if you can’t come to us, we can come to you.

We work on a contingency basis so there are no fees until we win your case. Contact us today for a free consultation and initial case review.

Common Causes Of Truck Accidents

Commercial trucking is the lifeblood of the nation and services many industries, including consumer goods, retail, food, and construction.

Large commercial trucks such as big rigs and 18 wheelers seem to be everywhere you look, and that is especially evident in Santa Clarita.

Without these trucks traversing the country we would not eat, work, shop, or play. We certainly need the trucking industry and truck drivers, but with more trucks on the road now than ever, the number of truck accidents has also increased.

Some of the most common reasons for truck accidents include:

Fatigue – one of the most common causes of truck accidents is driver fatigue. Although truck drivers are regulated by how many consecutive hours they can drive in a 24-hour period, unrealistic schedules and delivery demands mean that sometimes drivers drive too long and without adequate breaks. If this can be proven as the reason behind a truck accident, then both the trucking company or employer and the truck driver could be held liable.

Speeding – driving too fast is the number one cause of all motor vehicle accidents across the United States, but when it comes to a speeding truck the results can be even more catastrophic. It generally takes an 18 wheeler 40% more time to stop than a smaller vehicle or passenger car. Of course, this depends on the weight of the load they are carrying, weather conditions and the truck’s actual speed, but it stands to reason that a speeding truck is a recipe for disaster.

Distracted driving – there’s a lot going on when you’re driving a truck. It is much more complicated than driving a car, and when you factor in potential distractions such as texting, cell phone use, listening to music, talking on the radio, looking at delivery manifests, or navigating the GPS, you can see why an inattentive truck driver could cause a major accident.

Overloading – an 18 wheeler has a legal weight of 80,000 pounds which is roughly 40 tons. In comparison, the average car weighs around 5000 pounds. For a truck to carry more than their legal weight, they are required to have an oversized and/or overweight permit. If a truck is overloaded it makes the vehicle much less safe and can be very hard to stop in time to avoid a rear-end collision.

Improper loading – if the cargo a truck driver is hauling is not loaded or secured properly, it can cause an uneven weight distribution and make the truck unstable. Not only can this make the truck hard to stop, but it could also cause the truck or trailer to tip over, or lose its load and crush any vehicle or anything in the lane next to it.

Intoxicated drivers – a recent FMCSA study shows that almost 45% of truck drivers involved in a reported accident had tested positive for either prescription or over-the-counter medication. In a similar study, the Insurance Institute for Traffic Safety reports that approximately 15% of truck drivers tested positive for marijuana use, 12% tested positive for non-stimulants, and 2% tested positive for cocaine. Alcohol use is significantly less common with truck drivers than regular car drivers, but being under the influence of any drug or alcohol is both highly illegal and incredibly dangerous.

Whatever the reason or cause of your accident involving a truck in Santa Clarita, the Law Offices of Daniel Kim are ready and able to take on your case and get you the maximum compensation available.

Common Trucks On Santa Clarita Roads

Because Interstate 5 runs the full length of the Western United States from Canada to Mexico, it is one of the busiest trucking routes in the country.

But it’s not only the big rigs and 18 wheelers on the freeways that people of Santa Clarita will need to deal with daily.

Some of the other trucks that could pose a danger or threat to pedestrians and motorists in Santa Clarita include:

Garbage trucks – you’ll see these at least weekly in most residential areas.

Fire trucks – you know you have to give way to emergency services when the sirens are blaring, but also remember that these are heavy trucks with a large load and traveling very fast finding it difficult to stop quickly.

Delivery trucks – UPS and FedEx are two of the biggest trucking companies in the entire United States, and chances are you will see multiple delivery trucks daily in your neighborhood.

Box trucks – this could include moving trucks from companies like U-Haul or Penske, as well as plumbers, handyman, and other commercial services.

Tanker trucks – whilst these are usually fairly slow-moving, they carry hazardous material such as liquid oxygen, oil, gas, or petroleum.

Anytime there is a truck of any size around, make sure to give them plenty of room especially when they are turning. Trucks have pretty serious blind spots, so also remember that they may not see you, even if you see them.

Santa Clarita Truck Accident Stats

In 2013, there were 5 fatal accidents involving a truck in the greater Santa Clarita Valley area.

In the state of California in 2017, there were 27,982 reported truck accidents which resulted in 9,694 injuries and 359 deaths.

The leading cause of all semi-truck accidents was prescription drugs with 26%, then speeding at 23%, and fatigue at 13%.

Interstate 5 which runs through Santa Clarita is one of the top two freeways in the state for truck accidents, averaging more than 1000 accidents per year.

Most Dangerous Roads And Intersections In Santa Clarita

Easily the busiest and most dangerous stretch of roadway in or around Santa Clarita is the I-5 Freeway. It is especially dangerous when Caltrans are doing roadwork. Always give trucks some extra room, don’t try and cut them off, and remember that they cannot stop quickly.

Roads to watch out for in Santa Clarita include:

Railroad Avenue.

Valencia Boulevard.

Golden Valley Road.

McBean Parkway.

Wiley Canyon Road.

Problem intersections include:

Sierra Highway and Soledad Canyon Road

Bouquet Canyon Road and Newhall Ranch Road

Langside Avenue and Soledad Canyon Road

Bouquet Canyon Road and Seco Canyon Road

Langside Avenue and Soledad Canyon Road

Soledad Canyon Road and Whites Canyon Road

Consult With A Truck Accident Lawyer In Santa Clarita

Daniel Kim is a top truck accident Lawyer in Santa Clarita and is well-versed in helping accident victims seek compensation.