Commercial trucks can weigh 80,000 pounds or more, and when a tractor-trailer is involved in a collision, the results are often catastrophic. These crashes are especially devastating when a large truck strikes a passenger vehicle, motorcycle, or pedestrian. Injuries are frequently severe, life-altering, or fatal.
At Colvin Accident Lawyers, our Bakersfield truck accident attorneys have extensive experience handling distracted driving truck accident cases. We stand up to trucking companies, commercial drivers, and insurance carriers to pursue full and fair compensation for injured victims. Contact our team today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help protect your rights.
Being injured in a truck accident alone is not enough to recover compensation under California law. To succeed in a distracted driving truck accident claim in Bakersfield, you must prove that another party owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused your injuries as a result.
Commercial truck drivers have a legal duty to operate their vehicles safely and responsibly. Trucking companies also have obligations to hire qualified drivers and enforce safety regulations. A breach of this duty may occur when a driver or company fails to:
Maintain proper commercial licensing
Follow federal hours-of-service and rest requirements
Comply with drug and alcohol testing regulations
Enforce safety policies and training standards
One of the most common and dangerous breaches of duty is distracted driving.
A truck driver is considered distracted when their attention is not fully on the road. Common forms of distracted driving include:
Texting or using a mobile device
Talking on the radio or dispatch system
Eating or drinking while driving
Adjusting GPS or onboard technology
Even a brief distraction can cause a truck driver to miss traffic changes or hazards, leading to a serious truck accident in Bakersfield. Because of a truck’s size and stopping distance, these moments of inattention often have devastating consequences.
Proving that distracted driving caused a truck accident can be one of the most challenging aspects of a claim. Our experienced Bakersfield truck accident lawyers may investigate by:
Interviewing witnesses
Reviewing crash scene evidence and photographs
Examining electronic logging devices (ELDs)
Analyzing cell phone and driver activity records
Reviewing company safety and employment records
Establishing causation requires careful investigation and legal experience. Having a skilled attorney manage this process can significantly improve your chances of success.
Once liability is established, the next step is identifying the damages you suffered. Under California law, damages generally fall into three categories.
These are measurable financial losses, including:
Past and future medical expenses
Lost wages and missed work
Reduced earning capacity
Vehicle and property damage
These compensate for personal and emotional losses, such as:
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress, anxiety, or PTSD
Loss of consortium or companionship
Punitive damages may be awarded in cases involving extreme negligence or misconduct. For example, a jury may consider punitive damages if a truck driver was intoxicated or if a trucking company knowingly violated safety laws by forcing drivers to exceed legal work limits.
At Colvin Accident Lawyers, we have decades of experience representing victims of serious and catastrophic truck accidents throughout Bakersfield and surrounding communities. Our firm is known for securing substantial settlements and verdicts for injured clients.
We are prepared to negotiate aggressively with insurance companies—and take your case to court if necessary—to pursue the compensation you deserve.
Contact Colvin Accident Lawyers today to speak with a Bakersfield distracted driving truck accident attorney and schedule your consultation.
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