A trucking accident in San Bernardino can cause tremendous distress for you and your loved ones. Financial obligations mount quickly when you are receiving medical treatment and unable to work. If you are feeling the extreme stress of a commercial truck accident, you do not have to face these difficulties on your own.
KJT Law Group knows how a truck collision challenges your mental, physical, and financial health. Our personal injury attorneys have successfully represented accident victims in negotiations and litigation for over a decade. We can help you seek the monetary recovery you need to rebuild your life. Call today for a free claim review and learn more about working with a truck accident attorney in San Bernardino.
We Will Do the Hard Work to Win Your Case
After a serious accident with a tractor-trailer, you may lose income or miss important life events while you recover from your injuries. Hospital bills and other medical costs can snowball quickly while you fight to regain your health.
Our team provides legal support to help you recover current and future costs related to your truck collision, including:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Diminished earnings
- Loss of enjoyment
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
We work closely with you and your loved ones to establish the full extent of your injuries and losses. Do your injuries prevent you from handling household tasks like childcare and cleaning? Are you unable to participate in activities you once enjoyed? Did you lose a successful career because of your injuries? You deserve a fair settlement that accounts for all your unique challenges, and we are here to help you get it.
Our truck accident lawyers make sure your case addresses the total effects of the truck crash on your quality of life, both now and in the future. Rest assured, we know how to fight for full damages, so you don’t leave money on the table.
Our Case Results Speak Volumes
KJT Law Group is focused on getting the best possible results for your case. We have helped truck accident victims recover millions of dollars for their injuries, including:
- $3 million for a semi-truck driver who was hit by another large truck
- $2.8 million arbitration award for a client who was rear-ended by a garbage truck
Every injury claim is different, which is why our team takes a personalized approach. We limit our caseload to provide exceptional care and attention to each and every case.
Our clients know they are our first priority, and their testimonials reflect this. We demonstrate our commitment through consistent communication, ready availability, and steady, competent support throughout your claim.
Secure Representation Regardless of Your Financial Situation
At KJT Law, we believe everyone deserves legal representation, regardless of their financial circumstances. Our team provides free legal consultations to truck accident victims in need of guidance. During your initial assessment, we answer your questions and explain how the legal process works. You are under no obligation to hire our firm or proceed with a claim after you meet with us.
If you hire us, we manage your case from start to finish with no upfront payment. Our fees and costs are recovered as part of your final settlement or award, which means you pay nothing if we don’t win your case.
Don’t let current financial worries prevent you from getting the money you need to secure your future. Contact KJT Law today for your free consultation.
Understanding Trucking Accidents in San Bernardino, CA
Southern California is one of the largest freight shipping regions in the United States, with the two largest ports in the country (Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach). Semi-trucks, trains, and other transport methods convey several tens of millions of tons of goods and products between SoCal’s international ports, regional manufacturing facilities, local businesses, and cross-country distribution networks.
With all this freight in motion, it is no surprise that San Bernardino’s interstates, state highways, and local roads see extensive commercial truck traffic. The sheer number of tractor-trailers on San Bernardino’s highways and city streets creates significant risks for commuters and others sharing the area’s already busy roads.
How Negligence Leads to Trucking Accidents
When a truck operator is careless, inattentive, or reckless, the resulting damage is magnified by the vehicle’s mass. Multi-vehicle accidents, catastrophic injuries, and fatalities are just a few of the dire consequences that arise from trucker negligence.
Common ways that negligent drivers and trucking companies cause collisions include:
- Distracted driving: Drivers may be distracted by eating, talking on the phone, texting, or fiddling with navigation equipment.
- Drunk driving: Alcohol-involved crashes accounted for approximately 1,400 motor vehicle fatalities in California in both 2021 and 2022.
- Drug-impaired driving: Approximately 50% of drivers killed in California motor vehicle crashes tested positive for legal and illegal drugs in 2021.
- Fatigued driving: Truck drivers may display poor judgment and impaired motor function if they violate federal hours of service regulations.
- Speeding: Truck operators driving too fast for conditions lose critical response time, resulting in more serious accidents and injuries.
- Component defects: Vehicles with defective or poorly maintained parts and systems can fail unexpectedly and cause dangerous accidents.
While the truck driver may be directly responsible for an accident, their employer typically shares liability. Our team has experience investigating the causes of trucking collisions and holding all responsible parties fully accountable.
How We Prove Negligence After a Truck Collision in San Bernardino
Even with a straightforward crash timeline, quality evidence is crucial for establishing fault and liability. KJT Law Group’s personal injury team skillfully secures evidence, such as delivery schedules, truck driver’s logs, dashcam footage, and witness statements, to determine the accident’s cause.
Once we compile evidence, we build a case based on the following elements of negligence:
- Duty of care: The driver, trucking company, or other responsible party had a duty to avoid causing harm.
- Violation of duty: The at-fault parties violated their duty of care.
- Causation: Their breach of duty of care caused your truck collision.
- Damages: You sustained damages due to the truck crash.
California’s negligence laws can be complicated, so you benefit from hiring a team of truck accident attorneys familiar with state and local laws. We are ready to investigate your accident and create a compelling claim for maximum compensation.
Filing Claims and Negotiating With Insurers
Once we have sufficient evidence to prove your case, we file an insurance claim with the appropriate insurer. Commercial truck drivers and trucking companies may have different insurance coverage for the cab and trailer, which may mean filing multiple insurance claims.
KJT Law Group has the experience and resources necessary to identify all the liable parties and navigate complex legal claims with multiple insurers. Unlike other firms in the area, we don’t refer out complex claims. We try them – with outstanding results.
We will negotiate with pushy insurance companies and giant trucking corporations to secure a fair settlement for your injuries. If they won’t agree to a reasonable settlement amount, our trial attorneys are prepared to face them down in the courtroom.
What You Can Do After a Trucking Accident
Although our legal team will handle all the communication and legal work related to your claim, there are things you can do to protect your right to a fair settlement.
Document Everything
Keep medical records, correspondence, receipts, and any other documentation related to your claim. When you have a moment, write down your account of the accident and keep a log of the ways your injuries affect your daily activities and quality of life.
Listen to Your Doctor
Go to all your follow-up appointments, use recommended assistive equipment, and complete your physical therapy sessions as instructed. Deviation from your doctor’s orders can be used against you by an insurance company looking to reduce your claim.
Stay Off Social Media
You may be tempted to tell people about your accident and healing journey, but even innocent-seeming social media posts can be used against you. For instance, say you make a post about doing something active. The insurer may use this post as evidence that you are not as injured as you say. Play it safe and avoid posting to social media while your case is ongoing.
Don’t Discuss Your Case
Even though your friends and family may be curious, keep details about your accident, injuries, and ongoing legal claim to yourself. Any information you share could be used to compromise your case. If you aren’t sure whether to discuss something, ask your attorney first.
Get Help from a Lawyer Sooner Rather Than Later
The quality of certain evidence can diminish over time. Dashcam videos are often overwritten, and witnesses may forget important details about your accident. We can preserve critical evidence and file your case within the appropriate legal timeframe.
You usually only have two years to file a lawsuit against the responsible party, sometimes less. Don’t wait; contact KJT Law Group as soon as possible to get started.