Truck Accidents

What Makes Truck Accident Cases Different From Car Accidents?

Truck accident cases differ from car accidents because they involve federal regulations, multiple liable parties, and additional types of evidence. The difference starts with the regulations that govern the trucking industry and extends to the number of parties involved, the severity of injuries, and the evidence required to prove fault.

Federal Regulations Add a Second Layer of Law

Commercial trucks operating across state lines must comply with rules set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These rules cover how long a driver may operate before resting, how cargo must be loaded and secured, and how often vehicles must be inspected.

When a trucking company or driver violates an FMCSA regulation, that violation may serve as direct evidence of negligence. For example, hours-of-service rules under 49 CFR § 395.3 limit most truck drivers to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty. A driver log that shows a violation of this rule strengthens the connection between fatigue and the crash.

More Evidence, More Complexity

Truck accident claims often involve evidence that does not exist in a standard car crash. Electronic logging devices (ELDs) record driving hours. Event data recorders, sometimes called black boxes, capture speed, braking, and other data in the moments before a collision.

Maintenance logs, cargo manifests, driver training records, and drug testing results may all become relevant. Trucking companies are not required to preserve this evidence indefinitely, so early action matters. Olan Law moves quickly to request and preserve records before they disappear.

How Olan Law Approaches Truck Accident Claims

Olan Law starts every truck accident case by securing the evidence that matters most and building a clear picture of liability. The legal and factual complexity requires a team that knows where to look and how to build a case against companies with significant legal and financial resources.

Building the Claim from Day One

Olan Law begins every truck accident case by preserving evidence. We send spoliation letters to the trucking company to prevent the destruction of logs, inspection records, and electronic data. We obtain the police report, review available camera footage, and coordinate with medical providers to document the full scope of injuries.

David Olan and Garrett Brief bring a combined 50-plus years of legal experience to this work. As a boutique firm, we do not carry hundreds of cases at once. Every client works directly with an attorney who knows their case and returns their calls.

Prepared for Trial When It Matters

Most truck accident claims resolve through negotiation or mediation. But trucking companies and their insurers sometimes refuse fair offers. When that happens, our attorneys are prepared to take the case to trial. That readiness often influences how the other side approaches settlement discussions.

Call (310) 566-0010 to schedule a free consultation and learn how we may be able to help with your claim.

Who Is Liable in a California Truck Accident?

Liability in a truck accident rarely falls on one person alone. The driver, the trucking company, and several third parties may each bear a share of responsibility depending on what caused the crash.

Parties That May Share Fault

Identifying every liable party is one of the most important steps in a truck accident claim. Each party that holds some fault may also carry separate insurance coverage, which directly affects the total compensation available.

Parties that frequently share liability in truck accident cases include:

• The truck driver for fatigue, distraction, speeding, or impairment
• The trucking company for hiring unqualified drivers, pressuring unrealistic schedules, or failing to maintain vehicles
• A cargo loading company for improper weight distribution or unsecured loads
• A maintenance or repair provider for faulty brake work, tire failures, or missed inspections
• A truck or parts manufacturer for defective components that contributed to the crash

California’s pure comparative negligence system, outlined in California Civil Code Section 1714, allows an injured person to recover compensation even when they share partial fault. The recovery is reduced by the percentage of blame assigned to them.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Santa Monica

Commercial trucks travel through Santa Monica daily on the I-10 freeway, Pacific Coast Highway, and surface streets like Lincoln Blvd. The mix of heavy commercial vehicles, commuter traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians creates conditions where serious collisions happen regularly.

Driver Fatigue and Hours-of-Service Violations

Long hours behind the wheel remain one of the leading causes of truck accidents nationwide. According to the FMCSA’s Large Truck Crash Causation Study, driver fatigue is a factor in a significant percentage of serious truck crashes. Pressure to meet delivery deadlines pushes some drivers past legal limits.

Equipment Failures and Poor Maintenance

Brake failures, tire blowouts, and malfunctioning lights cause preventable collisions. Federal law requires regular inspections, but not every carrier follows through. When a mechanical failure contributes to a crash, the company responsible for maintenance may share liability.

Cargo Loading Errors

An improperly loaded trailer shifts weight during turns or sudden stops. This shift may cause a rollover or jackknife, especially on curved highway ramps or congested surface streets. The company that loaded the cargo often bears responsibility in these situations.

Distraction and Reckless Driving

Texting, phone use, eating, or adjusting GPS systems distract truck drivers the same way they distract anyone else. The difference is the size and stopping distance of the vehicle. A distracted truck driver on the I-10 at rush hour poses a far greater danger than a distracted driver of a passenger vehicle.