Any auto accident can cause massive damage. However, when there is a commercial truck or 18-wheeler involved, the consequences can be severe. These are huge vehicles, and a minor accident can often cause catastrophic injuries. If you were injured in such a crash in Huntington Beach, you need to seek legal advice and help. Truck accidents are complex for various reasons, and more importantly, you may end up with injuries that can impact your entire life ahead. In this post, we are sharing more on why you need injury attorneys Huntington Beach and how such crashes are unique from regular road accidents.
Understanding the state laws
Since California is a fault state, the at-fault party is responsible for your injuries and liable for your losses. It is not as simple as just blaming the trucker. There could be different defendants in a truck accident lawsuit. For instance, what if the trucking company didn’t do a thorough check when hiring the driver? What if the loading company overloaded the vehicle? In some cases, even the vehicle maintenance service or manufacturer could be a defendant in such lawsuits. Also, there is limited time to take action. As per the statute of limitations in California, you only have two years to file an injury lawsuit. The investigation of the accident can take considerable time, but the clock continues to tick from the date of the crash.
When do you need an injury attorney?
No matter the situation, hiring an injury attorney is always advantageous when it comes to truck accidents. Just because you were injured doesn’t always mean you have a valid lawsuit. You need to prove that the other party was negligent. If you were also to blame for the crash, your fault would determine what you get from the final settlement. In the case of truck accidents, compensation can be considerably higher as injuries are often serious. Although not common, it is possible to recover punitive damages for such road accident cases in California. You need an injury attorney because it won’t be easy to win the battle otherwise. Insurance companies are shrewd, and you may end up accepting a much lower settlement for what you have endured.
The good news is most injury attorneys in Huntington Beach work on a contingency fee. The first meeting with an attorney is usually free, and you can discuss all the relevant details before deciding on the key aspects and strategy for the case.
