If you or a loved one were injured in an accident as a result of truck driver fatigue, trust the experienced personal injury team at MI ABOGADO ® to help you get justice. We will fight relentlessly to hold any and all negligent parties accountable for their actions and to secure you the maximum possible settlement.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, California has the highest number of truck accidents in the country. The overwhelming majority of those accidents, despite safety rules in place at the state and federal levels, are due to driver fatigue. The National Transportation Safety Board estimates that 30-40% of truck accidents can be at least partially attributed to driver fatigue. Fatigued truck drivers present a huge risk to those around them, especially considering they are maneuvering a vehicle that is about twenty-five times the weight of every other vehicle on the road. When truck accidents happen, their impact can lead to catastrophic injuries, if not fatalities.
Litigation following a fatigued truck driver accident presents new complexities as there are usually many parties involved. Beyond the drivers and their insurance companies, there could be trucking companies, truck manufacturers, shipping companies, mechanics, third-party drivers, and even governmental agencies to contend with. That’s why it is critical that you seek representation from an experienced personal injury attorney who will fight tirelessly for you, your best interests, and your future.
Based in Los Angeles but serving clients from San Diego to San Jose, MI ABOGADO ® is a boutique personal injury law firm. We have proudly served over a quarter of a million clients with a 96% success rate, recovering millions for injured parties like you in the process. One of our core beliefs is that seeking justice shouldn’t be a burden. That’s why we take every personal injury case on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don’t get paid until you see a rightful settlement. We are ready to start fighting for you today. Contact us for a free consultation or second opinion.
What is Truck Driver Fatigue?
Truck driving is a difficult and high-pressure occupation, involving strict deadlines and countless hours spent behind the wheel. Driving a truck requires more energy, concentration, and skill than driving a traditional vehicle due to the truck’s size, poor turning radius, and heavy cargo, and thus can be more tiring.
Moreover, trucking companies have been known to set unreasonable deadlines and expectations for their drivers. They often put their drivers under immense pressure to complete jobs and make deliveries on time, so it is not uncommon for drivers to sacrifice sleep to keep their jobs. Many truck drivers are paid by the mile rather than the hour, meaning that if they are delayed for one reason or another – be in construction, traffic, or an accident – they may feel compelled to drive for longer to make up for the time they lost.
It is also not uncommon for truck drivers to medicate with “uppers” to improve their concentration and to help them feel more alert. While these may be a short-term fix, they can increase the risk of impaired driving.
The Laws Surrounding Truck Driver Fatigue
There is legislation in place at both the state and federal level to regulate the number of hours that truck drivers can work, to reduce the potential for fatigued driving. These include caps on the number of hours per shift and per week, mandatory breaks, and mandatory rest periods.
There are harsh penalties for violating these regulations. Drivers may be taken out of service until they can accumulate sufficient off-duty time and they may be fined by local and state law enforcement. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration may also impose civil penalties on truck drivers and trucking companies in the form of a fine between $1,000 and $11,00 per violation, depending on the severity. If a trucking company or carrier has repeated violations, their safety rating may be downgraded. Moreover, in rare cases, drivers and carriers could even face criminal penalties if their violations were known and willful.
However, just because the legislation and harsh penalties exist doesn’t mean that violations do not occur. In fact, they are relatively common.
Common Fatigued Truck Driver Accident Injuries
Truck accidents are more likely to result in serious injuries and fatalities due to the size, weight, and momentum of the vehicle, paired with the inability to stop short and the potential for rollover accidents. The injuries resulting from a fatigued truck driver accident can be catastrophic, with a lifelong impact, if not fatal altogether. Additionally, following an accident, the truck’s cargo can still pose a great risk to everyone on the road.
Common truck accident injuries include, but are not limited to:
- Head injuries, including skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries
- Back and neck injuries, including whiplash and spinal cord damage, which may result in paralysis.
- Fractured bones
- Internal injuries
- Bruises
- Lacerations, cuts, and scrapes
- Burns
- Nerve damage
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Amputations
- Crush injuries
- Wrongful death
How California Personal Injury Law Firm MI ABOGADO ® Can Help You Recover
The experienced personal injury team at MI ABOGADO ® knows that nothing should ever come before your recovery. That’s why we make it our mission to take care of everything else so you can dedicate your valuable time to what truly matters: your health, your family, and your future. Let us take care of the rest.
Our comprehensive services begin on day one. We will put our vast network of trusted medical professionals across the state of California to work so that we can ensure that you are receiving the highest quality medical care. Once we know you’re in capable hands and on the road to recovery, we begin a comprehensive investigation of the accident, reviewing all available evidence and interviewing witnesses to ascertain who can be held accountable for their negligence.
From there, we build the strongest possible case, tailored to your unique circumstances, for maximum settlement. Our goal is to reach a settlement through negotiations, to save you the stress and uncertainty of taking your case to trial. However, if we cannot reach a settlement that truly reflects the entirety of your harm, we are prepared to take your case in front of a judge and jury so you can see justice.
MI ABOGADO ® does things differently, providing the timely, responsive, and effective representation that only a boutique practice can. Founding Attorney Javaheri worked at one of the big-name law firms and was stunned by the way clients were treated. Their concerns were handled by case managers, who are customer service professionals with no legal training, and the brunt of the casework was passed off to inexperienced associates or paralegals with minimal oversight. That’s why he founded MI ABOGADO ® and limits the number of cases he takes to ensure that he can be available to every client who trusts MI ABOGADO ® with their case. We believe that bigger isn’t necessarily better. Better service is better.
Contact Our Experienced Los Angeles Fatigued Truck Driver Accident Lawyer Today
The personal injury team at MI ABOGADO ® knows that, following a devastating fatigued truck driver accident, there is no amount of money that can ever fully address or begin to undo the harms you have suffered. However, you deserve to see justice for your losses and you have the right to hold all parties accountable for their negligence. Not only will a settlement allow you to rebuild your life on the best possible footing, but pursuing a case can keep your community safer by publicly holding truck drivers and trucking companies to proper safety standards.
MI ABOGADO ® also believes that, following a tragic accident, nobody should have to be further burdened to seek justice for their losses. With medical bills and lost wages weighing heavily on your mind, and an uncertain future ahead, we won’t ask you for a single penny upfront for our services. Put simply, we don’t get paid until you see just compensation for your losses.
MI ABOGADO ® offers free and confidential consultations and second opinions. Let us get started helping you get justice today.