Two Killed in San Joaquin County Truck Accident
At least two people were killed in a San Joaquin County truck accident on the morning of May 23, 2019. The incident happened after a series of collisions on northbound Interstate 5 in the vicinity of Highway 12 just before 7:30 a.m. The first accident involved a big rig that overturned, and the second collision occurred when a truck crashed into several cars and caught fire. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) said a total of five tractor-trailers and multiple vehicles were involved in the collisions and at least two people have passed away. Officials have withheld the identities of the deceased due to pending notification of their family members. I would like to send my healing thoughts and prayers to the loved ones of the decedents in their time of loss.
Common Causes of a San Joaquin County Truck Accident
A truck accident can be caused by a wide array of factors. Injured people and families of deceased parties may have the grounds to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim in a trucking collision if there was:
- Failure to follow the rules of the road by not using turn signals, speeding, or running through stop signs or red lights
- Fatigue or impairment of the truck driver
- Inattentiveness or carelessness on the part of the trucker
- Inexperience or insufficient truck driving training
- Poorly secured cargo or inadequately attached trailers
- Vehicle failures or malfunctions that can cause a crash such as tire blowouts or difficulty steering
How Are Truck Accident Settlements Calculated?
The value of a truck accident settlement is calculated by various contributing factors. These include:
- Age of the injured party
- The type and severity of the injury sustained
- Prognosis, time, and expenses of the anticipated recovery
- Whether there is a life-long injury or permanent disability
- Inability to continue working or time away from work to recover from an injury or attend a medical appointment
- Lifestyle and health of the injured party before the accident
- The impact of the crash on the injured person’s life
- If there is a case of any wrongful death due to the collision
Can an Insurance Company Deny a Truck Injury Claim?
Dealing with the aftermath of a truck accident can be overwhelming, especially when dealing with insurance companies. Insurance carriers will often attempt to pinpoint blame from their truck driver to the other motorist. This tactic is used by insurers to devalue a claim or deny it altogether. In these situations, an experienced Stockton truck accident lawyer can help investigate the sequence of events leading up to the crash and hire a team of experts to analyze the collision site to properly determine fault. An attorney can also send preservation of evidence letters to every defendant for any physical evidence to be retrieved such as the trucker’s electronic logging device, maintenance records for the truck, and the black box that may reveal the truck driver’s actions during the accident.
What Do I Need a Stockton Personal Injury Attorney For?
Suffering a serious injury or losing someone you love in a truck accident is tragic. An injured person can face mounting expenses for medical treatment and ongoing care while being left to deal with the inability to work or perform their duties in their previous occupation. Conversely, surviving family members of a decedent may be left with many, unexpected expenses. These may include costs of a loved one’s funeral and burial and end-of-life medical care. Such expenses can be compounded if the deceased person was the primary provider for the family. In either of these cases, a Stockton injury attorney can help build a strong case against the party responsible for the accident. This will help the injured person and their family obtain the compensation they need and deserve to move forward from their loss.
Stockton Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Stockton personal injury lawyer. There are few things as devastating as being seriously injured or losing a loved one in a car wreck, especially if the collision was caused by the carelessness or negligence of another party. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a crash caused by the fault of someone else, I am here to provide you with free, friendly case advice. Please reach out to me anytime at (209) 227-1931 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
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