Not All Accidents Are Equal: Why Truck and Delivery Vehicle Crashes Require a Different Legal Strategy
Being in any kind of car accident shakes you up. But when you crash with a massive truck or even a delivery van, it feels different, bigger, and often, much scarier. The simple truth is, these accidents bring a whole different set of problems and rules compared to bumping fenders with another car.
Because the stakes are higher and the laws are more complex, you need a different kind of help. Right away, know that getting legal advice is important. Call William D. Shapiro Law, Inc. at 909-890-1000 to talk about what happened. Our San Bernardino truck accident attorneys will guide you through everything that comes next.
Why Size Matters So Much
Did you know that a fully loaded semi-truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds? A common delivery van, like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or the electric vans made by Rivian that Amazon uses, can weigh up to 10,000 pounds. Your average car weighs around 4,000 pounds. When something that much bigger hits you, the damage and injuries are often far worse.
Serious injuries like broken bones, head injuries, spinal cord damage, and internal injuries happen much more often in commercial truck and delivery truck accidents. The sheer size and weight change everything about the crash itself and what happens to the people inside the smaller vehicle.
More Rules, More Ways Things Go Wrong
Driving a big truck isn’t like driving your family car. Truck drivers and the companies they work for have to follow special federal and state laws. These rules cover everything from how many hours a driver can be on the road without rest (these are called “hours of service” rules set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA) to how often trucks must be inspected and maintained.
In California, like everywhere, truck drivers must have special licenses (Commercial Driver’s Licenses, or CDLs). They also have strict rules about things like weight limits, how cargo must be secured, and keeping detailed logs of their driving time.
When an accident happens, figuring out if anyone broke these rules is a big part of the puzzle. If a driver was tired because they drove too long, or if the truck’s brakes weren’t fixed right, that directly connects to the crash. Finding these violations makes the legal path different from a regular car accident, where you just look at who didn’t follow the rules of the road.
It’s Not Always Just the Driver
In a regular car crash, you’re usually dealing with the other driver and their insurance company. In a truck or delivery vehicle accident, the picture gets much bigger. Yes, the driver might be at fault, but who else could be responsible?
This often includes the company that owns the truck or hired the driver, like big names you see every day, such as Amazon, FedEx, or UPS. These companies have a duty to make sure their drivers are safe and follow the rules, and they can be held responsible if their actions or lack of action contributed to the crash.
Beyond the employer, other parties might include:
- The Company Loading Cargo: If the truck was loaded incorrectly, the weight could shift, causing the driver to lose control.
- The Maintenance Company: If a mechanic didn’t fix the truck right, and a mechanical failure caused the crash, they could share the blame.
- The Truck or Parts Manufacturer: If a defect in the truck itself, like faulty brakes or tires, caused the accident, the company that made them might be responsible.
Because so many different people and companies could be involved, figuring out who did what wrong is much more complex. It takes a lot more digging to find all the parties who might share responsibility for the crash.
Finding the Right Evidence After a San Bernardino Truck Accident
Gathering evidence after any accident is important, but for truck crashes, there’s unique information you need to look for. Besides photos of the vehicles and the scene, witness statements, and the police report, truck accidents often involve:
- Black Box Data: Many commercial trucks have electronic logging devices (ELDs) or other recording devices that are like an airplane’s black box. They record speed, braking, steering, and hours of service. This data is incredibly valuable for understanding what happened right before the crash.
- Driver Logs: These show exactly when a driver was driving, resting, and on duty. They help show if the driver was breaking hours of service rules.
- Maintenance Records: These documents show when and how the truck was serviced. They can reveal if the company neglected necessary repairs.
- Company Policies: What rules does the trucking company have for its drivers? Do they encourage safe practices or push drivers to rush?
What About Video Evidence?
Beyond the paperwork and electronic data, sometimes the most powerful evidence comes from cameras. Think about security cameras on nearby buildings, traffic cameras at intersections, or even dashcams that the delivery truck or other cars might have. They can capture things like how fast the truck was going, if someone ran a red light, how the vehicles moved, and sometimes even the driver’s actions right before the crash.
Unfortunately, this video footage doesn’t always stick around. This means if you don’t act fast to ask for this video, it could be gone forever. Getting legal help quickly allows someone to officially request and make sure this important visual record is saved before it’s lost.
Contact Our San Bernardino Truck Accident Attorneys
Accidents involving trucks and delivery vehicles are incredibly serious and legally complicated. They involve different rules, more potential responsible parties, and specific types of evidence that are not part of a regular car crash case. Trying to handle this on your own while you’re hurting and stressed is incredibly difficult. You don’t have to go through this alone. Getting skilled legal help right away makes a real difference in protecting your rights and seeking the recovery you deserve.
Let William D. Shapiro Law, Inc. help lift some of this burden. Call us today at 909-890-1000 or fill out our confidential contact form.
William Shapiro has handled catastrophic injury/wrongful death actions for over 4 decades obtaining numerous seven and eight-figure verdicts and settlements. Honors include: 2022, 2016 and 2013 OCTLA “Top Gun” TLY; 2022 CAOC TLY Finalist; 2018 “Lifetime Achievement Award” Western State College of Law, 2021 & 2017 Best Lawyers, Lawyer of the Year; 2016 WSBCBA “TLY”; 2015 CAL-ABOTA “TLY”; 2014 “TLY” Consumer Attorneys of CAOIE; 2011 “Hall of Fame,” Western State College of Law; Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers; International Academy of Trial Lawyers; International Society of Barristers; Diplomat, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA); National Board of Trial Advocacy; specialist in Trial Advocacy, State Bar of California; “Best Lawyers in America” and “Tier 1 Best Law Firms” U.S. News; AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell; SuperLawyers; Past President of: San Bernardino/Riverside chapter ABOTA; San Bernardino County Bar Association; Consumer Attorneys of Inland Empire; The Joseph. B. Campbell American Inn of Court; Consumer Attorneys of California; IE ; National Sec of ABOTA, Adjunct professor, Western State College of Law. Learn more here.