Chico Truck Accident Lawyer

The roadways in and around Chico are not strangers to truck traffic. Large commercial trucks pose unique hazards to others that can cause devastating injury and even death.

If catastrophe upended your life, the team at Reiner, Slaughter, Mainzer & Frankel can guide you with personalized legal help. With over 40 years of experience, we have helped our clients obtain more than $600 million in compensation. Call us for your free case evaluation to get started.

Call (855) 248-5659 for a free case evaluation

About Truck Accidents in Chico
Seeking Compensation After a Chico Truck Accident
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Hire Us to Assist You With Your Chico Truck Accident Claim?

About Truck Accidents in Chico

California sees more than 350 fatal crashes of large commercial trucks each year. Chico has a strong manufacturing and agricultural backbone, with many commercial trucks.

On average, commercial trucks-commonly known as semi-trucks or tractor-trailers-in the U.S. measure around 72 feet long, 8.5 feet wide, and 13.5 feet tall. They can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded.

Trucks present many hazards, including:

Significant blind spots on all four sides of the vehicle;
An increased stopping distance;
Higher ground clearances, allowing smaller vehicles to slip under the truck in an underride;
A higher center of gravity, leading to rollovers; and
Truck cargo, which may include caustic chemicals or heavy objects.

Common Causes

Truck drivers must obtain a special license to operate their vehicles, and they must electronically log their hours to limit their driving to safe levels. The driver must inspect their vehicle before every trip and regularly service the truck to ensure its safety. Truck owners must purchase higher liability insurance than owners of other vehicles.

Truck drivers cause semi-truck accidents with risky actions, such as:

Fatigued driving;
Impairment by drugs or alcohol, including prescription or over-the-counter medications;
Speeding;
Distracted driving from texting or other cell phone use, using GPS and electronic logging systems, eating, drinking, smoking, and more; and
Failure to yield the right-of-way.

Other factors, such as the actions of other drivers and defective vehicles, also cause truck accidents.

Call (855) 248-5659 for a free case evaluation

The Injuries Associated With Truck Accidents

Trucks are generally larger than other vehicles and can cause serious injuries, including catastrophic injuries involving the brain and spinal cord, amputated limbs, or damage to the spinal vertebrae and discs.

Other types of injuries resulting in a truck accident claim include:

Broken bones
Facial trauma
Soft tissue injuries
Internal injuries
Burns

Seeking Compensation After a Chico Truck Accident

If a Chico truck accident left you injured, you can use the California civil court system to seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. A personal injury claim can show who caused the accident resulting in your injury and help you recover the incurred expenses.

Most truck accident claims begin as a demand for payment to the at-fault party’s insurance carrier.

The carrier has three options after receiving a claim

They can accept the liability of their insured and process the claim for payment.
They can deny the liability of their insured and provide the claimant with a reason for the denial. If the insurance company denies your claim, you and your attorney can discuss filing a lawsuit.
They can accept some liability for their insured’s actions and offer to settle the claim for less than the demanded value. When this happens, your attorney can negotiate a higher settlement amount.

As the statute of limitations draws close, if you do not have a settlement, you can file your claim as a lawsuit, and your attorney will prepare for trial. Settlement agreements can take place at any point before the court renders a decision.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chico Truck Accidents

How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in Chico?

The statute of limitations is the legal deadline for filing your truck claim in court. This deadline varies depending on the state in which the accident took place. In California, personal injury claimants are generally provided two years from when the accident occurred to file their claim in court.

You do not need to resolve your claim within this timeframe; you must merely file it in court.

How do I prove liability for a Chico truck accident?

The term liability refers to an individual’s legal responsibility to pay for losses incurred by others from an accident. Usually, the individual or entity whose careless actions led to the accident will be liable. Truck accidents, however, are complex.

While the truck driver is legally responsible for compensating the losses incurred by others in an accident they caused, these sources of liability may exist as well:

The trucking company that employs the truck driver. Trucking companies must vet the safety of their drivers through criminal and driving history checks, ensure that drivers are properly licensed and trained to handle the rigors of the job, and regularly maintain and properly insure the truck. Beyond all these requirements, the trucking company can be liable for an accident because their driver represents their company while they are on the clock.
Other drivers whose actions contribute to the accident.
The manufacturer and distributor of defective parts used on the truck or other vehicles involved in the accident.

What type of expenses and effects can I seek compensation for after a Chico truck accident?

Chico truck accident claimants can seek compensation for expenses and effects such as:

All medical expenses associated with the injury, including emergency treatment, ambulance transport, hospitalization, the services of physicians and surgeons, diagnostic and laboratory testing, prescription medication, long-term care or home-based services, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and assistive devices such as a wheelchair or a prosthetic limb;
Wage loss for the time missed from work during recovery;
The loss of earning capacity from permanent disabilities from the accident affecting a person’s ability to earn an income;
Property damage incurred during the accident, such as the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle;
Physical pain and suffering as a result of your injuries, or the medical interventions required to treat them; and
Emotional distress from the incident and the inability to participate in activities that the claimant previously enjoyed.

I can’t afford an attorney. Can I seek compensation on my own?

Our legal team understands people’s reluctance to hire a personal injury attorney. We offer a contingent fee billing method so you can withhold payment for our services until you receive a positive outcome to your claim.

Truck accidents involve extensive investigation to determine any violations of trucking industry laws.
Commercial truck insurance carriers carry a lot of power in the courtroom. They may have corporate attorneys who have little patience or mercy for claimants who are not well-trained in the legal aspects of this type of claim.
Truck accidents often result in catastrophic injuries, which require a higher level of compensation to account for a lifetime’s worth of medical expenses. Our lawyers can help you recover the damages you deserve.

What type of expenses and effects can I seek compensation for after a Chico truck accident?

attorney russel reiner - Reiner Slaughter Mainzer & Frankel - california injury attorney

Russel Reiner, Chico Truck Accident Lawyer

The experienced truck accident attorneys at Reiner, Slaughter, Mainzer & Frankel have over 150 years of combined experience helping our clients with the consequences of an imperfect world. While many law firms resolve cases as quickly as possible, accepting settlements for far less than the value of their claims, we take 98 percent of our cases to trial to obtain the maximum amount of compensation available for our clients.

Chico has many truck accidents with its congested roadways and numerous trucks. Truck accident claims investigate cases’ legal, medical, and insurance aspects. We bring the experience necessary to handle all these areas and provide the personal touches that our clients expect of a trusted neighbor or friend.

Contact the legal team of Reiner, Slaughter, Mainzer & Frankel online or by calling (530) 891-1909 for your free case evaluation.