Any car accident can be a legal and financial headache for a family in the Los Angeles area.
Aside from medical bills and other expenses piling up while the victim is off work, too often, those responsible for the accident or their insurance companies may refuse to pay or delay paying it.
California accidents involving semi-trucks and other large commercial vehicles often require special handling because of the unique legal issues involved.
Truck accidents frequently involve serious injuries
Because trucks are so much larger and heavier than the typical passenger car, victims of semi-truck accidents often suffer serious injuries, especially if the accident happens at high speed.
Spinal cord injuries and moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries happen too frequently. The cost of treating these injuries and providing rehabilitative care can run into the millions of dollars. Moreover, someone who suffers one of the is unlikely ever to have the same quality of life as before the injury.
It is unfortunately very easy to underestimate the true lifetime cost of these injuries, and too many people accept settlements that turn out not to fully provide for their loved one’s needs after a severe injury.
Other legal issues are also involved in truck accidents
Truck accidents are also complicated affairs because of the additional legal issues involved in them.
As one example, truck accidents frequently involve questions about who is ultimately responsible for the accident, as the driver, the trucking company which hired the driver, and even in some cases the shipper of the cargo can be held accountable.