Truck accidents can potentially cause catastrophic damage and severe injuries due to the sheer size and weight of commercial vehicles. One significant contributing factor to truck accidents is falling cargo. When cargo is not properly secured or loaded, it can shift or fall during transit, leading to hazardous situations on the road. If you were injured in a trucking accident involving falling cargo, contact a lawyer, as you may be entitled to compensation.

Dangers of Falling Cargo

Falling cargo poses numerous risks on the road, including:

• Impaired visibility – When cargo falls from a truck, it can obstruct the driver’s view, making it challenging to navigate and react to sudden changes in traffic or road conditions. This limited visibility can result in collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians, or objects on the road. 

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As parents, we all want to prioritize the safety of our children while allowing them to explore and pursue exciting activities. Imagine a sunny day in California when young soccer players are passionately engaged in a match, only to encounter sudden twists and falls due to hidden gopher holes on the field. These unanticipated hazards can easily lead to severe injuries like torn ligaments and broken bones. These injuries can be expensive to heal and may affect a budding athlete’s ability forever. According to a recent study, inadequate sports facilities and fields are the leading cause of soccer player injuries. If your child has been injured as a result of a poorly maintained soccer field, you may have a premises liability case on your hands.

Negligence of Field Maintenance

In California, those participating in sports must sign a waiver, acknowledging the risks involved. Consequently, if your child sustains an injury while playing soccer, legal action against the team or an aggressive teammate may not be feasible.

However, in cases where a personal injury results from the negligence of field maintenance, you might have a valid premises liability claim. The lack of proper maintenance and safety protocols on soccer fields significantly increases the risk of harm to young athletes, who are still growing and developing physically.

Hot roads and traffic congestion can make for a volatile combination during the summer when people are heading out on vacation. Add massive commercial trucks with defective parts to the mix and disaster is likely to strike. If you or a family member was injured in a truck accident as a result of equipment failure it is important that you seek legal representation. There are circumstances in which faulty equipment is the cause, however, if truck owners do not perform regular maintenance on their trucks to ensure that all safety standards are met, the driver can be found liable for a truck accident. At Maineri Law Firm, we have 25 years of experience providing trusted guidance and favorable results.

Defective Equipment

Defects in trucks can be wide-ranging and difficult to pinpoint. There are instances in which a manufacturer or a distributor may be liable for injuries caused as a result of defective parts. Trucks have numerous parts and when they are faulty, catastrophic accidents can occur. Here are some examples in which both the operator and defective equipment pose risks:

• Poorly maintained tires can cause decreased traction

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Under California law, all drivers should have car insurance. However, with increasing premiums, the Golden State is on the top ten list of states with the highest number of uninsured drivers. Essentially, 17 percent of all motorists in California do not have car insurance. Uninsured drivers put responsible, insured drivers at risk every day. If a driver who does not have car insurance is involved in a car accident and hits you, who will pay for your damages? Experienced personal injury lawyers can help answer such questions and pursue the financial assistance that you deserve after an accident.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

The California Department of Insurance reports that uninsured drivers are some of the most likely types of motorists to be involved in a crash compared to insured drivers. Ultimately, if you are involved in a car accident caused by a driver who does not have car insurance, you will have to seek compensation from your own car insurance through uninsured or underinsured coverage. The good news is that California law requires every car insurance policy to offer uninsured motorist coverage which usually matches liability limits. Underinsured motorist coverage may also be able to fill the gap when a party has insufficient coverage.

Protections Explained

Your uninsured motorist coverage also ensures that you and any passengers in your vehicle who may have suffered injuries in such a crash are protected. If another driver is using your car with your permission, that driver will also be covered by your uninsured motorist coverage. The minimum automobile bodily injury liability limit in California is $15,000 per person and $30,000 per occurrence. 

Suffering a fall at any age can be devastating but if you have a family that depends on you and your slip and fall injury leads to much more than a bruise, contacting an attorney may be in your best interest. A severe fall can significantly impact your life if you suffer a brain or spinal cord injury. As a result of someone else’s negligence, you may face lost wages and medical expenses. 

Hazards that Lead to a Premises Liability Lawsuit

Slip and fall accidents occur when you suffer injury on someone else’s property such as a store or a restaurant as a result of the owner’s negligence. Often, uneven carpeting, wet floors, and exposed cables play a role in such accidents. Under California law, all properties should be safe and hazard-free.

To recover damages for a slip and fall accident, the injured person must prove that the property owner is liable for the accident. In California, along with most other states, businesses and property owners have a duty of care to keep the premises safe for everyone.

Commercial trucks in California transport tons of vital goods. But the enormous trucks must share the roads with smaller vehicles that should not be taken for granted. In 2020, 398 people died in a crash involving a large truck in California. That is a 31 percent increase over the last decade. Trucking accidents continue to lead to substantial injuries and liability is not always obvious. But it is important to hold truck drivers and transportation companies accountable for negligent driving. Here we will take a closer look at the various parties that may be held liable for injuries sustained in a truck accident.

Truck Drivers

Truck drivers in California receive extensive training and must have a commercial driver’s license. However, most truck accidents are caused by driver error. Negligent behaviors can also include driving under the influence of drugs or speeding. These actions can lead a truck driver to be held liable for someone’s injuries.

Trucking Companies

Commercial truck companies also must make sure their drivers are qualified and competent. Drivers need a commercial driving license and they must agree to drug and alcohol screenings by the employer. If a trucking company does not meet legal standards, it will share in the liability.

Accidents involving 18-wheelers are simply more dangerous given their size and weight. Other drivers who share the road are often the ones who sustain the greatest injuries. What is unfortunate is that these truck accidents can be avoided. Truck accidents are commonly a result of driver fatigue. At Maineri Law Firm, we work with clients to prove negligence and hold at-fault drivers and transportation companies accountable for injuries they cause.

Truck Driver Fatigue

In the United States, drivers should not operate a commercial motor vehicle if they are too tired or sick to drive safely. Operating a truck however is at the driver's discretion and sometimes drivers are pressured to make as many deliveries as possible in a specific period. After long hours on the road, it is understandable that a driver would be tired or sleepy. But it is the decision to drive despite being fatigued that is simply irresponsible.

Tired drivers pose a threat not only to other people on the road but to pedestrians. An accident involving a large truck can be disastrous. When a driver is tired their judgment and reaction time may suffer, making it more difficult to make last-minute decisions.

The great weather in California allows cyclists to ride their bikes nearly all year long. In addition to being the responsible choice for the environment, riding your bike can save you money and help you stay fit - that is, unless you get involved in a serious bicycle accident.

Cyclists are at great risk of catastrophic injuries and even death in car accidents. Their small size relative to other vehicles on the road, and their relative lack of protection, means that they are easily exposed to very severe injuries that can lead to a long and expensive recovery process. Fortunately, even if you were partly to blame for an accident, you may still be able to recover damages to help you pay for any injuries you acquired. And if you lost a loved one in a tragic accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit. 

Common Bicycle-Auto Accident Injuries

Cars and other vehicles frequently do not see cyclists on the road, leading to a number of common types of accidents. These include sideswipes, t-bone accidents, crush injury accidents, and accidents that happen when a driver opens a door directly into a cyclist’s pathway. The injuries that a cyclist suffers from vary depending on the case, but very often include: 

As increasingly dramatic rain storms in California make national news, the rainy season is clearly upon us. Most Californians welcome this time of year and, despite the potential destructiveness of the rain, hope for an end to the ongoing dry conditions the state continues to suffer from. 

However, a major drawback of rainy weather is its impact on the frequency and severity of road crashes, especially relating to pedestrian accidents. Research shows that pedestrians suffer more from accidents with vehicles during rainy weather, and that the injuries they suffer are more severe. The likelihood of a fatal pedestrian-auto accident is also higher in rainy weather. If you have been injured or a loved one’s life has been tragically lost as a pedestrian getting hit by a car, you deserve to know your rights. A civil suit that obtains compensation for your injuries and losses cannot undo the accident, but it can help you on the pathway toward recovery. 

Rain Contributes to Adverse Driving Conditions

Bad weather makes pedestrian-auto accidents more likely for a number of reasons. Visibility is reduced, especially at night, making it dangerous for pedestrians to cross the street even at designated crossings. Furthermore, drivers are often distracted in bad weather, paying closer attention to other cars, the rain on the windshield, or the many other things that distract drivers even in good weather. 

A car accident is always a hassle to deal with, but if you were injured in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, managing the aftereffects of the accident can be even more difficult - especially if you need compensation for your injuries and car damage. When purchasing car insurance policies, however, many people do not anticipate the high likelihood of getting into an accident with someone who has insufficient car insurance coverage, and therefore opt out of paying for this important feature.

If you are wondering whether you really need uninsured motorist coverage, know the answer is yes - and then secure coverage before you need it. If you have already been in a car accident, having legal representation from an experienced California personal injury attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve. Here are four common questions about uninsured driver insurance. 

Will My Health Insurance Pay For an Accident with an Uninsured Driver? 

If you have health insurance, your health insurance coverage should cover any injuries you sustain in a car accident. But if you have an accident that causes long-term damage that makes it difficult or impossible to work, your health insurance will not help you recover lost wages. It will also not compensate you for things like wrongful death, loss of quality of life, and other non-health-related injuries.  

Being in a serious car accident is not only physically damaging, but psychologically traumatizing as well. Feelings of confusion, anger, fear, and even guilt are normal, especially if you suffered a traumatic head injury in the accident. You may want to put the whole thing behind you and just get on with your life, but are prevented by expensive medical bills and troubling symptoms that just do not seem to go away. 

If you have been in a bad California car accident, especially if someone else was responsible for the crash, it is essential to meet with a personal injury attorney. While legal action is not available in every case, you may be surprised to learn that you can take action to recover money for the pain, suffering, and financial losses you have suffered because of the crash. 

Steps to Take After a California Car Crash

The first thing you need to do after a crash is to make sure you are physically okay. If you are suffering from serious injuries, get medical help right away - do not stop to take photos or argue with the other driver. Depending on the seriousness of the crash, police may be on the scene right away. However, other accidents, while causing major damage, may depend on you to call the police - especially if the other driver is trying to negotiate with you. Whatever the circumstances, making sure you get a police report is absolutely essential, even if your injuries only seem minor. 

Every year, thousands of people die in truck accidents. Many tens of thousands more are seriously injured. After losing a loved one or suffering personal injury in a serious California truck accident, you may be overwhelmed and unsure of where to seek help. This might be especially true if you are unable to return to work because of your injuries, or if you are suffering from the grief of losing a parent, child, or spouse. If this sounds familiar to you, you have options. A California personal injury attorney can examine your case and work to get you the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering. 

Meet with a Personal Injury Lawyer

Truck accidents are often complex events that have more than one cause. Determining which driver or condition was responsible for an accident can require extensive investigation by someone who is experienced in truck accidents, California personal injury law, insurance company negotiations, and courtroom litigation. A personal injury attorney is just the person who can help with all of these areas. Amassing evidence, reconstructing a crash scene with the help of accident professionals, and managing negotiations to make sure you get a fair payout are just some of the ways that personal injury attorneys can help after a truck crash. 

What Kind of Damages Can I Recover? 

The kind of damages (money) you can recover will depend on the seriousness of the accident, the losses you experienced, and the percentage of the accident for which each involved party was at fault. The answer is different in every case. However, many cases involve damages for physical pain and suffering, the cost of medical treatment, lost wages, and even other, harder to quantify categories, like loss of consortium (the loss of the benefits of a close relationship). Except for medical malpractice cases, California does not place maximum limits on personal injury damages.