Hurt in a Truck Accident? Talk With a Bakersfield Lawyer Today

Fresno Truck Accident Law Firm | Colvin Accident Lawyers

A truck accident law firm in Fresno can explain who may be responsible after a crash with a commercial truck, which deadlines apply, and what a claim may cover. Colvin Accident Lawyers is based in Bakersfield, California, and helps injured people and families from Fresno and nearby communities. Donald Norman Colvin is the California lawyer responsible for this practice. This page explains the basics so you can decide what to do next.

What a Truck Accident Lawyer Handles in Fresno

A truck accident lawyer represents people hurt in crashes with commercial trucks, and families of people killed in them. This page is for drivers, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and relatives of someone who died in a truck crash.

Commercial trucks include tractor-trailers and big rigs, delivery and box trucks, and other vehicles used for business. Crashes on Fresno-area roads, including routes like Highway 99, can involve any of them.

The firm’s office is in Bakersfield, Kern County. It helps clients from Fresno. The practice also handles car, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, bus, dog bite, premises liability, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury cases. A truck crash can overlap with several of these. A pedestrian struck by a delivery van raises the same questions of fault and proof.

Who Can Be Held Responsible in a Truck Crash

More than one party may be responsible, including the driver, the trucking company, and the truck’s owner. Each one’s role depends on what the investigation shows.

Driver mistakes often start the analysis. Speeding is covered by Vehicle Code § 22350, which bars speed greater than is reasonable or prudent for conditions. Section 392.3 of the federal motor carrier safety regulations bars a driver from operating a commercial motor vehicle, and bars a motor carrier from requiring or permitting a driver to do so, while the driver’s ability or alertness is so impaired, or so likely to become impaired, through fatigue, illness, or any other cause, as to make it unsafe to begin or continue operating the vehicle. In a case of grave emergency where compliance would increase the hazard to occupants of the vehicle or other users of the highway, the driver may continue to the nearest place at which that hazard is removed. California makes it unlawful for a commercial driver with 0.04 percent or more alcohol in the blood to drive, under Vehicle Code § 23152.

Under Vehicle Code § 17150, every owner of a motor vehicle is liable for death or injury to person or property caused by a negligent or wrongful act or omission in the operation of the vehicle by anyone using it with the owner’s express or implied permission. Under Civil Code § 1431.2, each defendant pays non-economic damages only in proportion to its own share of fault.

How Truck Accident Claims Differ From Car Accident Claims

Truck claims usually involve federal safety rules, more records, and more parties than a typical car crash. Those differences shape how the case is built.

Federal hours-of-service rules limit driving time. Section 395.3 of the federal hours-of-service rules provides that a driver of a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle may not drive after a period of 14 consecutive hours after coming on-duty following 10 consecutive hours off-duty, and no motor carrier may permit or require that driver to do so. The federal hours-of-service regulation states that its rules apply to all motor carriers and drivers, except as provided in paragraphs (b) through (x) of that section. Logs can show whether a driver stayed within these limits.

Insurance requirements differ too. Section 387.9 of the federal financial responsibility rules sets $750,000 as the minimum level of public liability financial responsibility for for-hire carriage of nonhazardous property in interstate or foreign commerce by vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds. These are federal minimums. They do not show what any claim is worth.

Electronic logging devices, dash cameras, GPS data, dispatch messages, and inspection records can show what happened. Section 379.7 of the federal record-preservation rules allows all records to be kept by any technology that accurately reflects all of the information in the record and remains accessible in a form that can be accurately reproduced later for reference. Electronic data can be overwritten or discarded, so early requests matter. Federal rules may also require drug and alcohol testing of commercial drivers after some crashes, according to FMCSA testing requirements.

How the Process Works, Step by Step

A truck claim usually moves from consultation to investigation, medical documentation, negotiation, and, if needed, a lawsuit. The timing of each stage depends on the facts of your case.

1. Consultation. Contact the firm to schedule a meeting. The first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue.
2. Investigation. The firm can request the police report, driver logs, and maintenance and inspection records. It can also send letters asking the trucking company to preserve evidence.
3. Medical documentation. Treatment records show the nature and extent of your injuries, which the claim relies on.
4. Negotiation. The claim goes to insurers. Adjusters may ask for a recorded statement early, so talk with a lawyer before you give one.
5. Lawsuit, if needed. If a fair resolution can’t be reached, a lawsuit may be filed.

Deadlines matter. California generally requires an injury or wrongful death lawsuit within two years, under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1.

What a Truck Crash Claim May Include

A truck crash claim may include medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and property losses. The amount depends on the facts of each case, and no outcome is promised.

Under Civil Code § 1431.2, economic losses are objectively verifiable monetary losses, such as medical bills and lost earnings. Non-economic losses are subjective, such as pain, emotional distress, and loss of companionship.

• Past and future medical care, including emergency treatment, surgery, and rehabilitation.
• Lost wages and reduced future earning ability.
• Pain, suffering, and emotional distress.
• Damage to vehicles and personal belongings.
• For catastrophic injuries, lifetime care, home modifications, and assistive equipment documented by treating providers.

For a fatal crash, Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 lists who may bring a wrongful death claim. These include the surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, and certain dependent relatives. Losses may include funeral and burial costs, lost financial support, and loss of companionship.

About Colvin Accident Lawyers and Fresno Clients

Colvin Accident Lawyers is a California personal injury practice based in Bakersfield. Donald Norman Colvin is the responsible lawyer for the practice.

Support staff help with intake, scheduling, and records requests. Our team works with clients to explain each step in plain language. The practice focuses on accident and injury matters, including truck, bus, car, motorcycle, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury claims.

The firm serves clients from Fresno, Kern County, Visalia, and the Antelope Valley. At your consultation, you can ask the lawyer about the firm’s experience with truck cases and how it would approach yours.

Common Questions Before You Call

These are short answers to common questions about truck crash claims.

Talk to Colvin Accident Lawyers About Your Fresno Truck Crash

If a semi or delivery truck hurt you or someone you love, you may have a claim, and the early weeks matter. Contact Colvin Accident Lawyers or call the firm to schedule a consultation about your Fresno truck crash.