California Truck Accident Lawyer

California's economy depends on trucks. Containers from the ports, produce from the Central Valley and online orders from Inland Empire warehouses all move by road, often on freeways crowded with commuters.

Where do California truck crashes happen most often?

Near the ports, in warehouse districts and on the long freight corridors that link them. Each area brings different risks.

• Freeways near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and the Port of Oakland carry heavy drayage traffic.
• The Inland Empire's warehouse district sends trucks onto I-10, I-15 and SR-60 at all hours.
• I-5 and SR-99 carry Central Valley produce and long-haul freight, with tule fog in winter.
• The Grapevine on I-5 and Cajon Pass on I-15 combine steep grades, wind and snow closures.
• I-80 over Donner Pass brings chain controls and jackknife risks in winter.

What safety rules can prove a California trucking company was careless?

Federal motor carrier safety rules apply to interstate trucks, and California has its own rules for many carriers that operate only within the state. Violations are strong evidence of negligence.

• Hours-of-service limits, recorded on electronic logging devices, which differ in some ways for California intrastate drivers.
• California's speed limit for large trucks, generally 55 mph.
• Inspection, maintenance and brake rules, including California's own inspection programs for carriers.
• Driver qualification, licensing and drug and alcohol testing requirements.
• Cargo securement rules for containers, produce loads and building materials.

Engine control modules, dash cameras and GPS data can show speed and braking before the crash. A preservation letter sent quickly helps keep these records from being overwritten.

How does California divide fault among trucking companies?

Your recovery is reduced by any share of fault assigned to you, but it is never barred. Among defendants, economic damages can generally be collected from any responsible party, while pain and suffering is divided by each defendant's share.

A worked example: a drayage truck leaving a port terminal changes lanes into a car on the 710. The car driver's damages total $900,000, including $400,000 in economic losses and $500,000 in pain and suffering. The jury assigns 60% of the fault to the motor carrier, 20% to a chassis provider that supplied a trailer with faulty lights, 10% to a broker and 10% to the car driver. The car driver recovers $810,000 in total. The economic portion can generally be collected from any of the defendants, but each pays the pain and suffering portion only by its share. Leaving out the chassis provider would have cost $100,000 of noneconomic damages.

Who can be responsible besides the truck driver?

Several companies may share fault in a single crash:

1. The motor carrier and the driver.
2. A freight broker that chose an unsafe carrier.
3. A shipper or warehouse that overloaded or poorly loaded the trailer.
4. A chassis or equipment provider, common in port trucking.
5. A maintenance shop that missed a brake or tire problem.
6. A parts maker, which may lead to a product liability claim.
7. A public agency or contractor responsible for a work zone, which requires a government claim within 6 months.

California also has ongoing disputes over whether some port and delivery drivers are employees or independent contractors. That classification can affect who is responsible, so contracts and dispatch records should be reviewed early.

What should you do after a truck crash in California?

Get medical care, then protect the evidence. On freeways and state highways, the California Highway Patrol usually investigates, and serious truck crashes may receive a detailed reconstruction, so ask how to obtain the report and any supplemental findings. Those reports take time, and the trucking company will not wait for them before building its defense. Photograph the truck, trailer, container number and scene. Write down the carrier name and USDOT number. Keep your vehicle for inspection. Avoid recorded statements to the carrier's insurer, and talk with a lawyer about preservation letters.

Most California truck injury claims must be filed within 2 years. For life-changing injuries, our catastrophic injury page explains how future care is measured. If a loved one was killed, see our California wrongful death page. For other claim types, visit our California injury guide. We offer a free case review, and you pay no fee unless we win.