An Experienced Truck Accident Attorney — Long Beach, CA

Were You Injured in an Accident with a Truck Driver?

Long Beach truck accident lawyer, Daniel Kim, and his legal team understand that being involved in an accident is traumatizing. Our personal injury lawyers are here to help them heal from their serious injuries overcome this difficult time.

If you or a loved one are involved in a crash with a tractor-trailer or big rig, contact our award-winning Long Beach personal injury lawyer. We offer a no-risk, no-obligation case assessment and is available to assist 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our team of legal professionals will fight for the rights of our clients and help them recover maximum compensation. It’s vital that victims of auto accidents equip themselves with a legal team who will advocate on their behalves. Our personal injury law firm offers a free case evaluation to get started and will provide the necessary legal backing to lead your case to a successful outcome. To learn more, schedule a free case evaluation today. We’re available to assist day or night, 24/7.

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Why Hire Daniel Kim as Your Long Beach Truck Accident Lawyer?

Daniel Kim is a top-rated Long Beach truck accident lawyer who has helped victims across Southern California recover compensation from trucking companies and other liable parties. Our personal injury law firm knows how to deal with the insurance company, and we are well-versed in the traffic laws in Los Angeles County.

When you work with our firm, you can expect quality care and white-glove services. Highlights include:

• 99% success rate
• Contingency fee payment structure
• Absolutely free, no-risk consultation
• We can come to you if you are unable to make it into our office
• Access to the best medical care in your area
• Over 1,000 Positive reviews on Yelp and Google
• You can contact us 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Truck accidents often result in catastrophic outcomes, as the sheer size of these vehicles can cause major damage to smaller cars. In addition, multiple parties are often involved, including the truck driver, other drivers, and the trucking company. The more people involved, the more complicated the case will be to investigate and establish fault.

The Law Offices of Daniel Kim has extensive experience dealing with these types of cases, and our firm possesses the necessary resources to hold all liable parties responsible for their role in causing the accident. To learn how we can help you with your truck accident case, schedule a free case assessment with us today.

How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me?

The benefits of working with a qualified personal injury lawyer who has experience in truck accident cases improve the likelihood of recovering maximum compensation. Understand that trucking companies are backed by a team of attorneys vying to protect the company’s bottom line.

Therefore, without a legal background and experience dealing with an insurance company, truck accident victims are more likely to miss important deadlines, incorrectly file legal paperwork, or make statements that can be misinterpreted as taking fault for the accident. However, legal representation will protect a victim’s rights in a personal injury case and prevent the case from being dismissed. Additionally, established law firms know how to identify all liable parties and prove why damages are owed to each.

Even as the injured victim, obtaining financial recovery will be difficult. The insurance company will put up a fight to prevent paying out damages and exert tactics to get you to agree to a low and unfair settlement. The Law Offices of Daniel Kim will advocate on your behalf and seize the opportunity to take the case to court if that is what is necessary to obtain full and fair compensation.

When considering legal representation, know that the statute of limitations gives victims a two-year deadline to file a claim. If the deadline is missed, the case will be dropped, and you will lose the opportunity to recover compensation. Our law firm offers a free consultation to truck accident victims who have questions but are not ready to hire.

What Losses Can I Recover From a Truck Accident?

Car accidents and motorcycle accidents with tractor-trailers or other large commercial trucks can be destructive and sometimes fatal. Surviving victims may be wondering “How much is my claim worth?”

In order to determine an accurate estimate, all negligent parties will need to be identified and damages must be accounted for. While an insurance adjuster will dispute the actual worth of damages, ultimately, the worth of a settlement will be based on varying economic damages, such as:

• Injuries – Common injuries that are sustained in an accident include bone breaks, fractures, scarring, disfigurement, spinal cord injuries, burns, head trauma, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and amputation.
• Medical Bills – All accumulated expenses to treat your injuries, like an ambulance ride, surgery, hospital care, medications, and physical therapy can be compensated. Future medical expenses are also taken into consideration.
• Lost Wages – If catastrophic injuries prevented you from working and you lost income as a result, you can be reimbursed for the time missed. If you suffered permanent disability and your earning capacity has been affected, you can be compensated for those losses, as well.
• Property Damage – Vehicle damage and other losses, like a broken cellphone or broken laptop, can be included in a personal injury claim.
• Pain and Suffering – Physical and emotional anguish are also accounted for and deemed as non-economic damages. These types of damages may not have an exact monetary value. However, pain and suffering can still be compensated and proven by pain management and therapy appointments.
• Wrongful Death – If a truck accident caused a victim’s death, surviving family members can collect compensation for their loss by filing a truck accident lawsuit. Lost income and loss of companionship are considered in a wrongful death claim.

Common Types and Causes of Truck Accidents

The Long Beach freeway, Interstate 710 (I-710), experiences traffic and accidents on a regular basis. The danger heightens when large trucks are sharing the same roads with smaller passenger vehicles and motorcycles. The most common types of accidents involving 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, and other commercial trucks include the following:

• Jackknife – When the trailer swings behind the cabin
• Bridge Strikes – If commercial truck drivers miscalculate the height of bridges, overpasses, and other structures that cross the roadway and collide with them
• Head-on Collision – Frontal collisions of a vehicle with a large truck
• Rollover – This occurs when a vehicle tips over on its side or onto the roof
• T-bone – A side-impact collision when a vehicle crashes into the side of a truck
• Spilled Cargo – When cargo is not properly loaded, the materials or goods that are being hauled can fall out and onto the roadways
• Rear-Ending – A truck crashes into the back of another vehicle

When any type of accident involves an oversized truck, severe injuries and damages are usually more serious than a crash with smaller passenger vehicles involved. The most common reasons for Long Beach truck accidents are:

• Overloaded cargo
• Distracted driving
• If proper training was not taught
• Negligent maintenance on the vehicle
• Speeding
• Faulty braking system
• Tailgating
• Driving under the influence
• Drowsiness
• Unsafe lane changes
• Inclement weather
• Disobeying state trucking laws

Are Truck Drivers Liable in a Truck Accident?

In a regular crash, typically one person is at-fault. However, in a truck accident, multiple defendants can be found liable, including the truck driver, the truck companies, the manufacturer of the trucking industry, trucking company employees who loaded the vehicle, mechanics who recently serviced the truck, or other drivers. Therefore, proving fault can be complicated and requires an independent investigation into the accident case.

Because of California’s vicarious liability laws, all contributing parties will be legally responsible for paying for the victim’s economic and non-economic damages. Therefore, even if the truck driver directly caused the crash, other parties involved who indirectly caused the crash, will be considered liable, as well. For example, an employer is liable if they pressured a driver to meet a drop-off deadline and instructed the driver to not take a rest break. If the driver became tired and did fall asleep at the wheel, resulting in the crash, both the employer and the trucker will be liable.

Similarly, comparative negligence laws can find that the plaintiff (victim) also contributed to the crash. For instance, if a driver of a smaller vehicle was driving below the speed limit and the trucker rear-ended that driver, both could be found liable. However, in this instance, the plaintiff can still collect compensation. Instead of recovering a full monetary award, the plaintiff’s compensation is reduced by his or her percentage of fault, as decided by the courts. An experienced truck accident attorney who has won multiple truck accident cases, Daniel Kim can clarify these details during the case assessment.

What to Do After a Long Beach Truck Accident

The physical injuries, recovery time, financial stress, and emotional distress can easily overwhelm an injured victim following a truck accident. That is why it’s so important to consult with a Long Beach truck accident lawyer.

At The Law Offices of Daniel Kim, our legal team will guide you through the whole truck accident claims process and work to get you maximum compensation. To get your case started on the right track, it’s best to follow these steps.

1. Call 911 and Get a Police Report – Even if the accident appears minor, or if your injuries do not seem severe, contact the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) or California Highway Patrol (CHP) for help. They will provide assistance and create a police report, which works as valuable evidence in a truck accident claim.
2. Seek Medical Treatment – After an accident, immediately see a doctor. Even if you don’t think you feel pain, it doesn’t mean you are not injured. Often, right after a collision, the victim doesn’t feel (or see) any injuries. Regardless, it is wise to get medical help and make sure you don’t have any internal injuries or injuries that could show up later. Having medical records of the treatment you received and/or paid for will help prove damages.
3. Collect Evidence – Take photos and videos with your smartphone of the accident scene, damage to your vehicle, and any visible injuries you suffered. In addition, collect contact numbers, insurance information, and the information of the trucking company. Speak to witnesses and obtain their contact numbers, as well.
4. Call a Long Beach Truck Accident Lawyer – Consulting with attorneys is the best course of action. Consulting is not the same as hiring, and at The Law Offices of Daniel Kim, we offer a free consultation, so that we can share our legal knowledge with concerned victims. Our office is available to assist at any time of the day.

What Is Considered a Commercial Truck?

Truck drivers and other motorists must be careful and follow all safety laws to avoid crashes. Otherwise, collisions with the following vehicles can end in serious injuries and damages:

• Tow Trucks
• Flatbed Trucks
• 18-Wheelers
• Tractor Trailers
• Delivery Trucks
• Garbage Trucks
• Buses
• Post Office Vehicles
• City Vehicles

Statistics for Long Beach Truck Accidents

California has the second-highest number of Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) after Texas. In fact, there are more than 137,930 commercially licensed drivers in CA. In order to obtain a CDL, individuals must complete a CDL program. Therefore, there are standards and guidelines that must be met in order to operate these large vehicles. However, accidents still happen.

Long Beach has a population of approximately 500,000 residents. Additionally, there are 5.6 million commercial vehicles registered with various businesses throughout California. When considering both statistics and with numbers that high, accidents are bound to happen.

The city ranks 133rd as the most accident-prone in the US. In fact, drivers have a 15.8% higher chance of being involved in a motor vehicle crash in Long Beach than anywhere else in the nation.

When it comes to DUIs, 11% of all fatal accidents in the state result from driving under the influence. In addition, DUI arrests have increased by 30% over the last five years.

Dangerous Roads and Intersections

Like any other major metropolitan area in the United States, Long Beach has certain intersections that are more dangerous than others. The most hazardous streets and intersections include:

• Traffic Circle
• Cherry Avenue
• Second Street
• Pacific Coast Highway
• 8th St. and Termino Ave.
• East Stearns St. and Palo Verde Ave.
• West 27th St. and Daisy Ave.
• East Los Coyotes Diagonal and East Stearns St.
• East 7th St. and Redondo Ave.
• Bay Shore Ave. & East 2nd St.
• 54th Pl. and East Ocean Blvd.
• East 4th St. and Redondo Ave.
• Martin Luther King Ave. and 7th St.
• Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) just past 7th St.

Directions to Our Long Beach Office

Our Long Beach office is conveniently located next to where the 405 and 710 Freeway meets.

Car Accident Lawyer Daniel Kim — Long Beach, CA
Address: 3646 Long Beach Blvd #201, Long Beach, CA 90807
Phone: (562) 512-5550
 
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