Imperial County Truck Accident Lawyer

Who needs help from an Imperial truck accident lawyer? The MKP Law Group focuses on helping injury victims. When you were involved in a vehicle accident and are going up against a trucking company’s insurer, you know you need a quality truck accident lawyer who fights for you. The MKP Law Group takes on your case on a contingency fee basis to help you deal with the negligence of another party.

Who Hires an Imperial Truck Accident Lawyer?

Traffic accidents are the primary public safety issue in a county and city where truck transportation is a major aspect of the local economy. Because the county is instrumental in providing the agricultural products the state relies on during the winter, you will routinely see plenty of trucks on the roads that are transporting anything from general freight to alfalfa.

However, sharing the road can be scary when you ride a bike, cross a street, or drive in a vehicle that is much smaller than the trucks and trailers going past you. Heavy commercial vehicles have the power to cause catastrophic injuries in addition to destroying your personal property. The typical client who visits the MKP Law Group is someone who needs the resources, dedication, and expertise of a law firm to help them receive compensation for their losses.

A Closer Look at Imperial Vehicle Accidents

Males in Imperial County get into fatal vehicle accidents to the tune of 37.6 per 100,000 residents. Compare this to the California average of 15.4 deaths per 100,000, and it is clear that Imperial County is dangerous for drivers. Although these are older figures from LiveStories, you have to look no further than recent news to learn about how a collision between a tractor-trailer and an SUV led to 12 fatalities.

What makes driving in the area so dangerous is the setting of the county. It connects the I-8 with three state highways. The 2016 annual average daily truck traffic information on the California State Highway System shows heavier commercial vehicles routinely driver the roads of the county.

Local conditions underscore that while traffic typically flows well, there are some snarls where traffic slows down. This is frequently the case on the routes truckers rely on. Traffic volume shows that congestion is creating some problems.

What Makes Truck Accidents So Dangerous?

A triple-axle truck that is empty weighs around 33,000 pounds.

An 18-wheeler with its full legal cargo weight in place may weigh around 80,000.

In comparison, a standard midsize car weighs around 3.361 pounds.

Tow trucks, dump trucks, garbage trucks, and other commercial vehicles are somewhere between these figures.

A closer look at the gross vehicle weight rating shows that the heavier a vehicle is, the more damage it will do. Therefore, while you are driving in a standard car, consider that even a big rig that is driven by an experienced trucker can cause catastrophic injuries and damage. The difference between a car accident involving two cars vs. one involving a large truck will change the overall impact and result in a much more severe crash.

You Were in a Truck Accident in Imperial County, Now What?

If you were involved in an accident with a truck, the aftermath tends to look differently from what you might experience in a collision with another passenger vehicle. Examples include under-ride crashes and pile-ups.

Once you have ensured that you and your passengers are okay, our team suggests a six-step approach:

1. Obtain insurance information: It is always best to obtain insurance from all drivers involved in the accident as well as their contact information.
2. Obtain witness contact information: Often, car or truck accidents can result in a game of “he-said-she-said.” Collecting as much witness information as possible as soon as possible after the accident can prevent you from falling into that never-ending debate. Often independent witness testimony can have a huge impact on proving who caused the accident.
3. Call the police, document with photos: The police report from the scene of the accident documents the incident and creates a “Traffic Collision Report.” These reports can help determine and show who was at-fault in the accident. They also include essential information about the other driver that may prove helpful when negotiating the settlement. Photographs of the vehicles at the scene of the incident can also be helpful. It’s best to take photos before any vehicles have been moved. This will demonstrate the accident results best.
4. DO NOT provide a statement to any insurance company representatives: Whether recorded or not, do not give any statements before speaking with a lawyer. You are under NO obligation to do this. Do not speak to your injuries or make any comments about the incident. These statements can be used against you and damage your case. Insurance adjusters know how to ask tricky questions in order to get you to minimize your injuries or admit fault in some way. Insurance companies cannot talk to you if an attorney represents you.
5. Visit a doctor: Regardless of whether your injuries are serious the day of the accident, seek medical treatment and get a professional opinion. Often injuries from vehicle accidents do not become severe until a few days after the accident. Delays in treatment give insurance companies more reason to minimize the severity of your situation and claim they are unrelated to the accident.
6. Contact a legal professional: Our experts are ready to get you or your loved one the compensation you deserve. Call us now for your free consultation at 310-285-5353. At MKP Law Group, LLP, our truck accident lawyers are highly experienced in handling commercial truck auto accidents and have obtained significant settlements on behalf of our clients. We know how to deal with insurance companies so that you do not have to. We also work with medical doctors, therapists, and professionals who can treat injuries resulting from the accident so you can focus on getting better.

Truck Accident Injuries You May Have

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety understands that the increased weight and braking lengths will result in serious injuries.

• Fatalities. In 2019, there were 4,119 fatalities involving large trucks.
• Injuries. The National Safety Council shows a steep increase in injuries sustained by vehicle occupants, to the tune of 68.8%.
• Severity. Frequently, passenger vehicle occupants deal with traumatic brain injuries, lacerations to the head, spinal cord injuries, neck fractures, whiplash, amputation, or disfigurement. Organ and soft tissue injuries may also occur.

Work with an Imperial Truck Accident Lawyer to Recover Damages in Your Case

In the aftermath of the accident, you may have injuries, pain, ongoing medical expenses, suffered trauma, and find that you are dealing with a loss of earning capacity. You might have missed out on a promotion or raise. All of these damages may be recoverable.

The damages one can recover for a semi-truck personal injury claim are essentially the same damages recoverable in any ordinary passenger vehicle accident. These damages may include the following:

• Medical expenses and bills
• Lost income
• Loss of earning capacity
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional Distress
• Loss of Consortium
• Property Damage
• Wrongful death: In wrongful death actions, a family member of the deceased victim can file a lawsuit to recover damages on behalf of the victim, including funeral/burial expenses.

In rare cases, special damages known as “punitive damages” are awarded. Punitive damages function is to make an example of and punish the at-fault party with the hope of deterring future wrongful conduct.

Determining Liability in Imperial County Truck Accidents

Having all the accident facts is imperative to recover maximum compensation for your injury case. Often, hiring experts to engage in a fact-finding investigation allows legal teams to fully understand the accident’s circumstances and who is at fault. Our semi-truck accident attorneys have the experience and resources to conduct a thorough investigation,

Commercial truck accidents often involve multiple parties making them more complex. In general, the tractor or truck is owned by one entity and the trailer by another. So, semi-truck accidents involve the truck driver AND multiple trucking companies AND their insurance companies. This means there could be numerous parties responsible for your injuries and several attorneys defending the claim.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (or “FMCSA”) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates the trucking industry in the U.S.

To combat the issue of driver fatigue and promote safety, the trucking industry is highly regulated by federal law with safety regulations on how many consecutive hours truckers can drive for, mandatory break periods, and rules requiring logs detailing trucker work hours.

Unfortunately, oftentimes these logs are manipulated or altered by the trucker or the trucking company to skirt federal laws and safety regulations. MKP Law Group, LLP’s truck accident lawyers know how to analyze these logs and determine if they are falsified and, if so, how to hold the trucking company fully accountable.

Contact an MKP Law Group, LLP Imperial County Truck Lawyer Attorney Today

Do not put off contacting someone to help you if you've found yourself injured following a truck accident. You only have a limited time to file a personal injury claim. Having an experienced Imperial County truck accident lawyer on your side makes a significant difference when it comes to dealing with insurance companies.

So, either if you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck accident, feel free to contact our law firm today at 310-285-5353 so that we can start fighting to get you the compensation you deserve.

At MKP Law Group, LLP, we have personal injury attorneys that are highly experienced in handling truck accidents and strives to make the process as easy and quick as possible for you. Our highly specialized attorneys are experienced, attentive, dependable, and tenacious, so call us today to schedule your 100% consultation. As always, if we don’t win your case, you don’t owe us a dime.