Truck Accidents

From June 8-10, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) conducted its 2010 Roadcheck, inspecting approximately 65,327 trucks and buses at 2,482 locations throughout North America. According to the CVSA, over 9,856 certified inspectors participated in the 72-hour Roadcheck examination of commercial vehicle brakes, tires, lights, and every other major truck or bus component. Drivers’ commercial driver’s licenses, medical examiner’s certificates, and records of duty status were also examined.

Although this commercial vehicle safety campaign has occurred every year since 1988, roadside inspections take place every day throughout the United States to help prevent serious injury or fatal auto accidents. In 2009, over 3.8 million inspections were conducted to help enforce truck and bus safety standards and regulations.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator, Anne S. Ferro, stated, “Roadcheck has once again successfully reinforced the critical importance of safety, compliance, and crash prevention – lives depend on both safe and well maintained trucks and safe and well trained drivers.”

With Brake Safety Week scheduled for September 12-18, the CVSA hopes that more commercial drivers, governments, industry associations, owner-operators, and motor carriers will take part in actively maintaining and inspecting brakes for potential defects. In the 2010 Roadcheck, brake-related defects accounted for half of all out-of-service violations, which was consistent with the results from prior years.

While manufacturing defects and maintenance issues pose serious risks for occupants of any vehicle, defective or faulty vehicle components in large commercial trucks and buses are especially dangerous. Cases involving auto product liability or commercial vehicles are often highly complex and require significant experience to litigate. At Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, our aggressive and skilled California auto product liability lawyers and commercial vehicle accident attorneys have obtained numerous successful jury verdicts and settlements for injury victims and family members of wrongful death victims. As a nationally recognized Plaintiffs’ law firm, we have the necessary legal resources to develop a strong and effective case on your behalf. Contact our firm today for a free consultation by calling 877-800-1700.

Two big rigs were involved in an accident on Interstate 5 in Castaic on the morning of July 12, 2010, according to an LA Times article. One of the large trucks collided into the rear of the other, causing the closure of three of four southbound lanes and the backup of traffic. One of the big rigs caught fire as a result of the crash. There was reportedly no risk of hazardous material leaks since the truck that caught fire was only carrying bread.

The article does not discuss the exact cause of the collision. However, some of the most common causes of big rig accidents in California and throughout the United States include inexperienced drivers, legal and illegal drug use, traveling too fast, unfamiliarity with the roadway, and driver fatigue. Big commercial truck accidents, especially those that involve more than one big rig, are particularly dangerous, especially for smaller cars on the road.

Truck accident litigation is highly complex and requires a firm that will dedicate substantial resources to investigating and prosecuting cases against negligent truck drivers and trucking companies. The Los Angles truck accident lawyers at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have handled numerous truck accident cases and recently obtained the largest verdict ($21 million) for a stroke victim in California history resulting from a truck accident involving a negligent driver. The case was included in the June 28, 2010 edition of The Recorder for the largest California verdicts of 2009. Our dedicated and aggressive Plaintiffs’ firm is prepared to handle any big rig accident case, no matter how serious or complex. Call 877-800-1700 today for a free consultation or visit www.psblaw.com for more information.

According to a recent www.10news.com report, a San Diego trucker has been killed in Nevada after his 18-wheeler went airborne, crashed into a home and caught fire. Fortunately, a woman inside the home was able to escape safely, and no other fatalities or injuries were reported. The 41-year-old man was reportedly driving over 100 miles per hour while transporting a load of lumber. The article suggests that the truck driver was not speeding intentionally, and that he reached 100 mph as a result of his brakes failing.

The Nevada Highway Patrol is investigating the truck’s maintenance records as well as the condition of the runaway truck ramp, which failed to slow down the speeding truck. While trucking companies are responsible for enforcing brake maintenance and repair, if a truck’s brakes fail, either because of improper maintenance or a defect, loose gravel on a runaway ramp is supposed to slow the truck down. One report of the Nevada wrongful death truck accident noted that the gravel along the runaway truck ramp was piled up instead of spread out. Even when truck drivers have decades of experience on the road, serious accidents resulting in injuries and death can still take place. These crashes not only put the truck driver at risk, but also place the lives of pedestrians and other motorists in danger.

The commercial truck accident lawyers at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP are recognized nationally for their success in obtaining full and just compensation for family members of wrongful death truck accident victims, as well as for those catastrophically injured. Named as one of the top Plaintiffs’ firms in the country by the National Law Journal, Panish Shea & Boyle LLP can be relied upon to guide you through this challenging time. Call 877-800-1700 for a free consultation today.

Making cell phone calls and sending text messages while operating commercial vehicles have become a growing epidemic throughout the nation. A recent fatal truck collision in Kentucky that killed the truck driver and 10 other people reminds us that distracted driving while using a cell phone is especially problematic at the hands of those operating heavy and large tractor-trailers.

According to an Associated Press report, it is believed that the truck driver was using his cell phone before crossing the median at high speed and colliding with a van. The accident report notes cell phone use and distraction on the part of the truck driver as “human factors” involved in the wrongful death tractor-trailer collision. In addition, the truck was traveling above the 70 mph speed limit, greatly diminishing the amount of control the truck driver had over the vehicle.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is investigating Hester Inc., the trucking company that employed the truck driver, for an unsteady safety rating and its role in contributing to the crash. Apparently, the FMCSA had already carried out 194 driver inspections of the company within the 30 months before this particular accident. As a result of these inspections, 21 drivers were found to have both violated log book regulations and exceeded the 11-hour driving limit or the 14-hour on duty limit.

In addition to determining whether the trucker did in fact use his cell phone before the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board is also examining vehicle design and operation, highway engineering, and other issues.

Truck accident injury victims often face life-altering consequences on a physical and emotional level while simultaneously coping with unexpected financial burdens. When the negligence of a truck driver or trucking company contributes to a serious injury or fatal accident, injured victims or family members of wrongful death victims may receive compensation for their losses and other damages.

The tractor-trailer accident attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have a solid and unmatched record of achievement in litigation involving truck collisions, wrongful death and personal injury. To find out more about how Panish Shea & Boyle LLP can help you during this challenging time, please visit www.psblaw.com or call 877-800-1700.

On Saturday, February 13, 2010, four people were killed in a multi-vehicle pile-up after a passenger car was sandwiched between two large tractor-trailers in Ontario, California. According to a Los Angeles Times report, the smaller passenger vehicle erupted in fire, and the four individuals inside, including two children, died at the scene. Three other individuals were injured, and the cause of the crash is still being investigated by the California Highway Patrol. The car accident took place on Interstate 15 in the Ontario area.

All traffic accidents are different; however, the repercussions stemming from collisions can often be similarly catastrophic for individuals involved and their families. Whether an auto accident involving a tractor trailer is caused by a defective auto part or a reckless truck driver’s failure to follow traffic laws, injured individuals or the family members of wrongful death victims may be able to seek compensation from negligent parties.

In May of 2008, the personal injury law firm of Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP helped a teenage boy receive compensatory damages of $15 million after a Southern California Gas Company-owned truck errantly ran a red light, striking the teenager’s family’s car. In this trial case, Tilton v. Southern California Gas & Electric, the young man received $10 million in past and future pain and suffering, $3.57 million in future medical expenses and $1 million in future loss of earnings in the jury verdict. Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP also obtained a record $21 million trial and jury verdict in October of 2009 in Michael Nelsen v. Hillyard, Inc., et al. for an Iraq War veteran hurt in a car accident caused by a negligent van driver employed by Hillyard, Inc. Mr. Nelsen sustained catastrophic injuries that rendered him incapable of caring for himself, and relegated him to 24-hour care for the remainder of his life.

If you have been injured or have lost a family member in a Southern California tractor trailer accident, the skilled truck accident injury attorneys at Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP can help. In their many achievements as a personal injury law firm, Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP have successfully represented clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases involving defective auto parts and negligent truckers. For more information about the unmatched success record of Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP, visit their website at www.psandb.com or call 800-591-8116 for a case evaluation of your auto accident.

Source:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/02/four-dead-in-pileup-on-interstate-15-in-ontario-.html

The Los Angeles Times reported on November 10, 2008 that I-40 proved to once again be the scene of a fatal car pileup.  The crash involved at least 11 vehicles including semi trucks.  The cars were traveling near Newberry Springs heading eastbound on the I-40 in the Mojave desert just 23 miles east of Barstow at 8:30 a.m.  The pile up left four people dead according to the California Highway Patrol.

The auto and truck accident crash scene was still being investigated but the CHP investigators said that a high wind advisory was in effect when the accident took place.  The CHP also said that one of the cars ended up on top of a truck.  It was not clear if this was due to the force of the winds or the force of the actual collisions.

The victims identities were not released and two of the injured were flown by helicopter to Arrowhead regional medical center in the town of Colton.  Their condition was not known.  Car accidents take place everyday all around us.  We must make sure we all take measures in order to prepare ourselves for driving on our highways, including planning ahead and checking for road and weather advisories before undertaking a road trip.  The roads can quickly become perilous if one is distracted for a fraction of a second.

Panish, Shea, & Boyle L.L.C. is a renowned plaintiff law firm that specializes in representing those that have been seriously hurt by the negligence of individuals, corporations, or the government.  If you have been involved in a serious auto accident in Los Angeles, contact our attorneys for a free consultation of your case. Our clients owe no fee unless we obtain a recovery for them.  Please call 1-866-992-1700 today to discuss the specifics of your incident.