Truck Accident Lawyer in Tustin

Truck accidents can happen in any city at any time, including Tustin. All kinds of trucks drive around Tustin, including tow trucks, UPS trucks, semi-trucks, and other larger trucks. Other cities closer to the 405 freeway might see more semi-trucks on a daily basis, but Tustin has its fair share of 18-wheeler crashes. If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, contact truck accident lawyer, Daniel Kim, for a free consultation.

Why Contact Tustin Truck Accident Lawyer, Daniel Kim?

If you have been injured in a truck accident don’t wait for the insurance companies to help you.

It is very important to contact a truck accident attorney in Tustin immediately for help, for so many reasons.

Daniel Kim and his legal team of truck accident attorneys in Tustin have years of experience dealing with semi-truck accidents here in Orange County, and we have a 99% client satisfaction rating.

It is key to get proper medical treatment right away, and our truck accident lawyers in Tustin will make sure that you get the help you need.

The insurance companies have their own way of determining fault in a truck accident, and injury cases can take a long time to reach a settlement, especially if you don’t have a top lawyer on your side.

Tustin’s best truck accident lawyer, Daniel Kim is an expert negotiator and he knows how the insurance companies try to avoid paying out money.

Facts about Daniel Kim and his team of truck accident lawyers in Tustin:

• A+ rating on the BBB
• Over 1,000 positive reviews on Yelp, Facebook, and Google
• We will help you get the medical care you need
• Well-versed in truck accident cases in California
• 99% success rate

Dealing with the Insurance Companies

Insurance companies are notorious for being difficult to deal with. The best way to get an idea of your case average is to calculate the damages endured.

These compensatory damages often fit into three categories:

1. Economic damages usually make up a huge portion of a settlement amount.

• Past Medical Bills: These are the medical bills that the initial injury may have caused. Medical expenses add up very fast and normally make up the majority of a truck accident case.
• Future Medical Bills: Future medical bills are expenses that may be required after the initial injury but still were caused by the initial injury.
• Loss of Income: These damages are intended to reimburse the victim for any missed wages due to the injuries. This is found after doing an examination of salary history – can include sick and vacation time.
• Loss of Potential Income: Sometimes injuries are so severe that the victim won’t perform at their job as they did previously. To get an idea of this amount, a complex formula is used that involves an examination of a victim’s projected earnings and what future work issues you might have because of your injuries.

2. Non-economic damages: often referred to as general damages.

• this will provide financial compensation for losses that are often difficult to calculate and lack any definite monetary value. Having a Tustin truck accident lawyer like Daniel Kim will greatly help your case.

3. Punitive damages relate to pain and suffering.

• This damage is compensated based on the pain and suffering a victim has to deal with from the truck accident and the injuries they suffered. Call Tustin Truck Accident Lawyer Daniel Kim for answers.

Common Types of 18-Wheeler Accidents in Tustin

Undoubtedly, driving on the freeways of Orange County and the LA metropolitan area can be really dangerous but even more so when you are sharing the roads with 18-wheelers and large commercial trucks.

Large commercial truck accidents are far more common than people can imagine. They have enormous potential for damage and injury to those involved in an accident of this nature.

It is easy to understand that the large size and weight of these types of trucks make for the potential of devastation with the drivers of the smaller vehicles much more vulnerable. Even on the city streets in and around town, the accidents can cause great harm especially when you mix in pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, scooters, and compact cars.

It is always best to be very careful when driving near semi-trucks and keep a distance from them. Remember that they can have a hard time seeing smaller vehicles because they are sitting up so high and can have potential blind spots.

Below are some of the most common types of truck accidents:

• Jackknife – This usually is caused by breaking too fast and hard. The truck folds into a 90-degree angle from the trailer. Because of the weight of the trailer, it comes forward against the cab.
• Tire blowout – This can happen with all vehicles but when a big rig blows a tire can be even more dangerous. The size of the tire is much larger and can hit another car on the road causing a multitude of problems. It can also cause the truck to swerve.
• Wide turn – When a driver first swings wide to make a turn it can catch other vehicles off guard and hit unsuspecting cars or pedestrians. Drivers must be aware of their surroundings and drive with caution to avoid.
• Underride Accidents – This is especially dangerous when a smaller vehicle gets stuck under the larger truck’s trailer and usually happens when a truck stops quickly. Accidents like this can be deadly.

Main Reasons for Truck Accidents in Tustin

18-wheelers and semi-trucks cause accidents every day on the freeways of Tustin and all of Orange County, and the damage and injuries that can occur from them can be severe. The vehicle drivers and passengers for the most part will always suffer the worst injuries in a big rig crash.

Even though there are federal and state regulations concerning the safety of truck drivers, like the size of loads, hours drivers can be on the road, etc., these accidents can still happen.

Common causes for semi-truck accidents in Tustin are listed below:

1. A tired and often fatigued driver
2. Poor truck maintenance
3. Improper or lack of training
4. Unsecured loads
5. Driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol
6. Excessive speeds
7. Carelessness or negligence
8. Bad weather conditions
9. Overweight loads
10. Distracted driving

Commercial Truck and Stopping Distances

The large size and weight of commercial vehicles make them extremely dangerous on the freeways and roads of Tustin.

The stopping distance these large trucks take is far greater than cars and smaller vehicles on the road and is something to consider when it comes to safety.

The reaction distance of the regular vehicle and the truck driver are relatively similar but the time it takes to slow the vehicle to a stop is almost double the number of feet.

The 3 most common factors in determining stopping distance for 18-wheelers

1. Weight – Commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds whereas cars average about 5,000.
2. Speed – The faster the truck or car is going the longer it will take to come to a complete stop.
3. Height – Because the truck driver can see potential danger from a heightened position is important in allowing him to safely slow down.

Tustin Truck Accident Statistics

Because Tustin is part of the Los Angeles metropolitan community, and because its town streets are so closely intertwined with the rest of Orange County – and to LA in particular – there’s a lot of truck and commercial vehicle traffic that goes up and down their streets.

This has led to a couple of traffic accidents involving commercial trucks each year, though in 2017 the overall rate of these accidents was quite low.

Fewer than 127 total accidents of this variety were reported in 2017.

Truck Accident Injuries and Deaths in Tustin

Luckily, there were no fatalities reported stemming from the truck and commercial vehicle accidents during 2017 in Tustin. Injuries were quite common, however, which is what you would expect when you’re talking about large commercial vehicles striking pedestrians or regular automobiles.

The injury rate here was just above 70%.

Percentage of These Accidents Involving Drugs or Alcohol

While the government of California at the state and local level continues to chip away at DUI issues California struggles with, the truth of the matter is things are still quite bad and haven’t shown signs of turning around just yet.

According to the state, nearly 11% of all automobile accidents – including commercial truck accidents – are found to have been linked to motorists operating their vehicle while under the influence of drugs.

The amount of DUI arrests in the state of California over the last five years has also climbed by nearly 30%.

Registered Truck Drivers in Orange County

California has a decent amount of people with their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).

In fact, it has the second-highest number of commercial drivers registered in a single state throughout the entirety of the United States – and it isn’t really all that far behind the number one state in the nation, either.

As of 2017, the California Department of Transportation reports that just below 140,000 drivers in the state have already registered a Commercial Driver’s License.

On top of that, California has more than 140 different C.D.L. schools throughout the state – and 5.6 million commercial vehicles are registered to California operations.

Dangerous Intersections in Tustin for Truck Accidents

Dangerous Tustin accidents when it comes to commercial vehicles have to be the intersections of:

• Irvine Boulevard and Newport Avenue
• W. 1^st St. and Newport Avenue
• 17^th St. and Costa Mesa Freeway
• 17^th St. and Holt Avenue

Tustin Freeways and Roads with the Most Truck Accidents

The overwhelming majority of commercial and truck traffic in Tustin is relegated to major roadways like Newport Avenue, 17^th St., Irvine Boulevard, and the Costa Mesa Freeway.

These are where you’re going to see the most accidents in the town.

What We Specialize In

Tustin’s #1 personal injury lawyer, Daniel Kim handles any type of personal injury cases that involved – Motorcycle, Uber, Pedestrian, Car, and Bike.

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

Uber Accidents – Uber has become so popular that sometimes it seems like every other car on the roads here in Tustin is an Uber or Lyft driver.  Uber has a unique commercial insurance policy, so if you were injured as an Uber passenger, and Uber driver, or if you were hit by an Uber driver call us.

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

Car Accidents – This can involve any type of crash from an Uber wreck, to maybe a teenage driver hit you, or maybe an old lady ran a red light and rear-ended your car. Call us if you have been in any type of car accident and you were injured, we are here to help.

Bike Accidents – Bike accidents always lead to a serious injury, even if you are wearing a helmet. Broken bones and road rash are almost a guaranteed result if you have been hit while riding a bike in Tustin.