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Orange County 18-Wheeler Truck Accident Lawyer

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The road is meant to be shared and be safe so we are sorry that you have had a collision or accident that involved an 18-wheeler. You have found the right firm to help you and your family as the 18-wheeler accident lawyers at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo has over three decades of experience helping injured truck drivers and truck accident victims get the maximum compensation they are due under the law. We strive to be the best Orange County 18-wheeler truck accident injury lawyers and we are ready to fight the legal battle for you. We work tirelessly for our clients so they can focus on healing.

18-Wheeler Definition

An 18 wheeler is also called a big rig, semi-truck, tractor-trailer or semi-trailer truck. It usually consists of two parts: the tractor and the trailer. The tractor is what pulls the trailer and where the engine and driver are (also called the cab). The tractor typically has three axels. The front axel is for steering whereas the back two axels are used to hold the large wheels that support the load and the trailer. The back two axels of the truck or tractor have double wheels thus accounting for the ten wheels upfront.

The trailer usually only has two axels but they can hold four wheels each. Thus, the trailer has eight wheels. That is where 18 wheelers get their name: they have 18 wheels in total. The trailer is coupled with the road tractor by being bolted or being coupled by fifth wheel coupling or automatic coupling. Tractor-trailers are, of course, in heavy use by shipping companies and freight companies all throughout the State of California. The 18-wheeler can take a bit heavier load than its “cousin,” the 16-wheeler.

18-Wheeler Workers’ Compensation

Like all workers in California, truckers who drive 18-wheelers are required by law to be covered by workers’ compensation by their employer. The workers’ compensation insurance held by your employer could pay medical expenses, death benefits, temporary disability, income, permanent disability compensation, medical benefits, and vocational rehabilitation when the injury and circumstance warrants.

Third Party’s Also Responsible

Third parties are people, companies, or government entities who are also responsible for all or part of your workplace injury other than just your employer. This may include a road or highway construction firm, 18 wheeler mechanic, truck manufacturer, and others. Call one of our local workers’ comp accident lawyers today to discuss your case and your options.

Common 18-Wheeler Truck Accident Injuries

Due to the size and speed of 18 wheelers, many of the possible results of truck accidents can be rather traumatic. Concussions, amputation, neck injury, whiplash, becoming deformed, brain injury, burns, muscle strains, ligament sprains, contusions, cuts, being crushed, back injury, heavy bleeding, blindness, lacerations, coma, broken bones, and wrongful death are all possible outcomes of trucking accidents. The 18 wheeler accident injury attorneys of DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo have over thirty years of experience helping those hit by trucks and truckers with their legal cases for all the above injuries, results, and more.

How Do 18-Wheeler Accidents Happen?

Truckers can be on the road for many hours on end and so they invariably encounter many types of challenges and dangers. A main reason truck accidents cause so many injuries each and every year is that 18 wheelers can be forty or more times heavier than the car or van it crashes with. Over two-thirds of truck accident injury victims were not the ones in the 18-wheeler. Truck accidents can happen in many ways including a car got in the way of the wide turn, rollover, load shift, an intoxicated driver (DUI), a drunk driver, poor road design, improper loading, out of control downhill, poor repair, or maintenance of the truck or car who started the accident, rear-ender, brake failure, speeding, jack brake failure, run-off-road collision, side collision, hit road debris, swerved off-road, drugged driver, overworked driver, load too heavy, driver on a cell phone, negligent hiring, illegal loads, under the influence driver, driver on drugs, improperly secured load, and animal collision. It is important that the trucking company you work for always keeps up on the maintenance of your 18-wheeler.

Additional Causes of Tractor Trailer Accidents

Some more types of causes of trucking accidents include colliding with a pole or stoplight, sleep deprivation, poor eyesight, spill, unsafe lane change, illegal lane change, collision with a median or barrier, hit a pedestrian, hit a deer, the driver fell asleep at the wheel, poor road construction, poor reflexes, head-on collision, air-brake failure, jack-knife, equipment failure, poor road condition, too much downhill speed, another driver hit the truck, blind spot accident, swerved into a car, sideswiped a car, driver eating or calling, low bridge clearance, trucker texting, inexperienced UHaul driver, low building clearance, low warehouse clearance, or a distracted trucker on a cell phone while driving. As is obvious, 18 wheelers need to be taken seriously.

What to Do After an 18-Wheeler Accident

After an accident, it is important to try and remain as calm as possible. Decisions made after a truck accident matter, so be sure to call family or friends for help after you call 911. Be sure to document and retain as much evidence from the trucking accident scene as possible including taking your own pictures and watching over your vehicle that was involved in the crash. Our 18-wheeler truck accident attorneys will want to investigate the vehicle for signs of defect or evidence to help with the case. If you believe you have a case, consult with our Orange County personal injury lawyer.

Major California Truck Roads

California has some of the country’s biggest ports, airports, farms, manufacturers, refineries, and stores that need to ship their raw materials, products, supplies, produce, and merchandise all across the state and country. Some of the major 18 wheeler truck routes in California where trucking accidents happen are: Interstate Highway 5 (I-5), Interstate Highway 8 (I-8), Interstate Highway 405 (I-405), Interstate Highway 80 (I-80), Interstate Highway 10 (I-10), Interstate Highway 60 (I-60), Interstate Highway 395 (I-395), Interstate Highway 15 (I-15), Interstate Highway 99 (I-99), Interstate Highway 40 (I-40), Interstate Highway 19 (I-19), Interstate Highway 14 (I-14), Interstate Highway 215 (I-215), Interstate Highway 805 (I-805), Interstate Highway 905 (I-905), and Interstate Highway 710 (I-710). Be sure to drive carefully throughout the state and keep our phone numbers handy in case of an accident.

Contact Our Orange County 18-Wheeler Truck Accident Attorneys For Help

Even if you are unsure whether your 18 wheeler accident case has merit, please contact us anyway as we will be able to discuss that with you over the phone and give you prudent advice as to your legal options.  As top tractor trailer accident lawyers in Orange County, we offer a free initial consultation and case evaluation for all injured truckers or those hit by 18 wheelers or any other type of truck. Even after that first no-cost meeting, we work on a contingency basis where you won’t owe us anything unless we win your injury case. The Orange County truck accident attorneys at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo are willing to have the meeting at your home or hospital room if you are unable to come to our office. We are available to meet Monday through Friday between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm and we can also set up appointments on Saturdays, Sundays, and in the evening. Contact us today at (714) 783-2205 or fill out our online form.

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