Oakland Truck Accident Lawyer

Semi-truck, eighteen-wheeler, tractor-trailer, or “big rig” accidents can cause loss of life, serious injuries, and lifelong disability. In addition to the risks posed by any traffic accident, semi-truck accidents involve vehicles weighing tens of thousands of pounds and often carrying heavy equipment or hazardous chemicals. The consequences of large truck crashes are rarely minor. When a driver, company, or mechanic is at fault, anyone injured or killed is entitled to compensation.

Large truck accidents implicate a combination of federal and state laws. They often involve multiple parties and a complicated set of factors leading to the crash. If a truck accident has resulted in injury or death to you or a loved one, you need a knowledgeable truck accident attorney in your corner. The Oakland truck accident lawyers at Venardi Zurada have the specialized knowledge you need to protect your rights and obtain the compensation you and your family deserve.

Big Rigs, 18-Wheelers, & Other Commercial Truck Accidents

Large commercial trucks, including 18-wheeler tractor-trailers, are massive vehicles that can cause significant property damage and serious physical injuries when accidents occur. A variety of factors can lead to a large truck accident, many of which are the result of unsafe practices by truck drivers and their employers. Some common causes of truck accidents involving negligence include:

• Poor truck maintenance
• Brake failure
• Truck defects
• Inadequate driver training
• Overloaded trucks
• Driver fatigue
• Speeding
• Drunk driving

Early investigation is extremely important in truck accident cases. The truck crash lawyers at Venardi Zurada have the resources to retain the best experts, perform accident reconstructions, and get you the compensation you deserve. Our experienced Oakland truck accident attorneys can help you recover medical expenses, lost wages, compensation for pain and suffering, and other damages. The sooner you speak to an attorney, the better your chances are of making a substantial recovery.

Driver Fatigue and Truck Safety Regulations

One of the biggest contributing factors to truck accidents is the long, punishing, and boring hours that truck drivers spend behind the wheel on long hauls. Truckers have an incentive to finish their trips as quickly as possible, to get more work for themselves and earn more for their employers. For that reason, they may be encouraged to push on, take limited breaks, and avoid long rests at night. Freight companies might turn a blind eye to this behavior or even encourage it to maximize their bottom line. Truckers might even feel the need to self-medicate with pills to keep themselves alert or drink alcohol to pass the time.  Drowsy, drugged, intoxicated, and overworked truckers put everyone on the road at risk.

State and federal lawmakers put restrictions on how many hours truck drivers can operate in between rests and on a given haul to stop this dangerous behavior. Truckers are required to log their hours behind the wheel, making sure to take sufficient breaks between stints behind the wheel and to take enough breaks throughout the day and week. At Venardi Zurada, we know where to look to find out if truck drivers and their employers are following these critical “hours of service” (HOS) regulations. If a trucker gets into an accident because they were violating HOS rules and operating their truck unsafely, especially at the behest of their employer, anyone hurt or killed as a result has the right to compensation from the truck driver and the freight company that allowed it to happen.

Help With Your Oakland Truck Accident Claim

If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in an accident with a large truck in Oakland, reach out to the seasoned and trial-ready truck accident lawyers at Venardi Zurada, LLP. Call 833-893-6763 or contact us online today for a free consultation. We operate on contingency fees for truck accident claims, which means that you will only pay us when we recover compensation for you.

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