Van Nuys Truck Accident Lawyer

Were you injured in a truck accident in Van Nuys, CA?

At Cohen Injury Law Group, we take on trucking companies and their insurers to recover full compensation for catastrophic injuries.

If a collision with a large commercial truck has left you seriously hurt, a Van Nuys, CA truck accident lawyer can identify every party at fault, from the driver to the trucking company, and pursue what you are owed. Trial experience carries weight against a trucking insurer, and our founding attorney, Wayne Cohen, has tried injury cases since 1991. We work on a contingency basis, so you owe no attorney fee while the case is pending. Contact us to get started.

Truck Accident Lawyer Van Nuys, CA

A truck accident case involves a collision with a large commercial vehicle, such as a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, delivery truck, or big rig. Because these vehicles can weigh many times more than a passenger car, the people in the smaller vehicle bear the force of the impact, and the injuries are frequently catastrophic.

These cases are more complicated than a standard car crash because responsibility often extends beyond the driver. A trucking company, a cargo loader, a maintenance contractor, or a parts manufacturer may each share the blame, and federal regulations govern how these companies operate. Our Van Nuys truck accident attorneys move quickly to preserve the driver’s logs and vehicle data, identify each responsible party, and document the full extent of the harm before that evidence is lost. Trucking companies often send investigators to the scene within hours, and an injured person deserves the same diligence on their side.

Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle in Van Nuys

Commercial trucks are involved in serious crashes throughout the San Fernando Valley and along the freeways that cross it. In 2022, large trucks were involved in 5,837 fatal crashes and roughly 114,000 injury crashes nationwide, according to FMCSA crash data. We handle truck claims of many kinds throughout Van Nuys, CA. Each type points to a different set of responsible parties and a different body of proof.

• Jackknife accidents. A trailer that swings out of line can sweep across several lanes on the 405 or 101. Improper braking and unsafe speed are common causes.
• Rollover accidents. A loaded truck can roll on a curve or ramp, crushing nearby vehicles. Cargo that shifts or is loaded improperly often contributes.
• Rear-end and underride collisions. A truck that cannot stop in time can override a smaller car, causing severe injury. Following distance and brake maintenance are frequently at issue.
• Occupants of other vehicles. Drivers and passengers in cars struck by a truck suffer the majority of serious truck-crash injuries. Their claims run against the driver and the carrier.
• Blind-spot and wide-turn crashes. A truck’s large blind spots and wide turning radius create the risk of a collision the car driver never sees coming. The truck driver’s care is central to these cases.
• Pedestrian accidents. A person on foot near a loading zone or intersection faces grave danger from a turning or reversing truck. These injuries are often the most severe.
• Brain injuries. The force of a truck collision can leave a victim with lasting head trauma that requires long-term care. These injuries often drive the value of the claim.
• Cargo-spill crashes. An unsecured load can cause a crash that involves several vehicles at once. A maintenance contractor or loader may share responsibility.

Why Choose Cohen Injury Law Group as my Truck Accident Attorney in Van Nuys, CA?

Trial Experience Against Trucking Insurers

Trucking companies and their insurers defend these claims aggressively, and preparation is what answers that. Our founding attorney, Wayne Cohen, is among the more recognized personal injury trial attorneys in the country and has represented injured people since 1991. He graduated with distinction from the University of Michigan and earned his law degree, cum laude, at the University of Miami School of Law, and he has recovered millions of dollars for clients with serious injuries. We build each case as though it will be tried, because that readiness is often what moves a carrier to pay what a claim is worth.

A Firm That Identifies Every Responsible Party

A truck crash rarely comes down to a single defendant. As a personal injury lawyer in Van Nuys, CA, we examine the roles of the driver, the motor carrier, the cargo loader, and any maintenance or parts company. Pursuing each source of recovery, rather than the most convenient one, is often what allows a seriously injured client to be made whole. That work begins with a prompt investigation and a demand for the records a carrier is required to keep.

What Is Important to Understand About a Truck Accident Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Truck Accident Cases

The size of a commercial truck means the injuries in these crashes are frequently catastrophic, with costs that continue for a lifetime. California law allows a recovery that can include:

• Care from emergency treatment through extended rehabilitation.
• Lost income and any permanent reduction in your capacity to work.
• The physical pain and the disruption a serious injury brings to daily life.
• Future medical needs when the injuries prove permanent.

Because the lifetime cost of a serious truck injury runs far beyond medical bills, we account for the years of care ahead. Responsibility may be shared, and a trucking company can answer both for its driver’s conduct and for its own choices in hiring, training, and maintenance. If a defendant argues you were partly at fault, California’s partial fault rule reduces a recovery by your percentage rather than barring it.

What Are Important Aspects of a Truck Accident Case?

A truck claim depends on preserving evidence that a carrier controls and may not keep for long. Some parts of the claim matter more than others:

• The driver’s hours-of-service logs and the truck’s electronic data.
• Maintenance and inspection records for the vehicle.
• The police report and any citations issued at the scene.
• The conduct of the insurer, since insurance adjusters often work to limit a serious claim early.

A carrier may discard logs and vehicle data on its normal schedule unless it is told to preserve them, so timing is essential here. We often send a formal preservation notice soon after we are retained.

What Is the Truck Accident Case Timeline?

Every claim is different, but most follow a recognizable order. A typical claim moves through these stages:

• We investigate the crash and move to preserve the truck’s data and the driver’s records.
• We identify each responsible party, from the driver to the motor carrier.
• We compile your medical records as your treatment continues.
• We present a demand, and file suit if the offer does not reflect the harm.
• The case resolves through a settlement or at trial.

California places firm filing deadlines on injury claims, and preserving trucking records early often requires action long before that deadline approaches.

What Should You Bring to Your Truck Accident Consultation?

If available, please bring the following:

• Any police report or the responding officer’s information.
• Photographs of the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries.
• The name of the trucking company, if you have it.
• Medical records and bills connected to the crash.

If any of this is out of reach, we can secure it, including records the trucking company holds. The meeting is a candid discussion of the collision, the parties involved, and how a claim would proceed. There is no charge and no commitment, and the sooner we begin, the sooner critical trucking records can be preserved.

What Are Important California Legal Resources for Truck Accident Cases?

California law sets the time you have to file, defines the duty drivers and companies owe, and describes what an injured person can recover. The references below are a place to begin, though how each applies depends on the facts:

• California’s statute of limitations allows most injury claims two years from the date of the crash.
• California’s duty of care law makes drivers and businesses accountable for harm caused by a lack of ordinary care.
• The state’s measure of damages law governs compensation for harm that does not arise from a contract.
• The California Courts self-help guide explains these deadlines, including the shorter windows for claims against a government agency.

General references like these cannot address the particulars of your claim.

Reach Out to Cohen Injury Law Group to Schedule a Consultation

Facing a trucking company and its insurer alone puts an injured person at a disadvantage. Our attorneys will move to preserve the driver’s records, name every responsible party, and carry the claim through settlement or trial. We are paid only if your claim succeeds, out of the recovery we secure. To discuss your case, contact us and we will respond promptly.