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Truck Accident Law Firm Visalia | Colvin Accident Lawyers

Looking for a truck accident law firm Visalia families can call? Colvin Accident Lawyers represents people hurt in crashes with semi trucks and other commercial vehicles. We also represent families who lose a loved one in one of these crashes. Our office is in Bakersfield, California, and Donald Norman Colvin is the lawyer handling these matters. Below, you’ll find what a truck claim covers, how the case moves, and what to do next.

What a Truck Accident Lawyer Does for Visalia Crash Victims

A truck accident lawyer looks into who caused the crash and pursues compensation for the injured person or family. This page is for people hurt when a big rig, semi, or other commercial truck was involved. It also helps families facing a wrongful death after a truck collision on roads in Visalia and Tulare County.

Truck cases are more complex than an ordinary car crash. The truck is often owned or run by a company, not just the driver. Several insurers may be involved. Federal trucking rules can shape both fault and the evidence that matters.

Donald Norman Colvin is the California lawyer on each matter. Our team of assistants and office staff supports each case with records, scheduling, and updates.

What a Truck Accident Claim Covers

A truck accident claim can seek money for losses caused by the crash. For purposes of California Civil Code section 1431.2, the term “economic damages” means “objectively verifiable monetary losses including medical expenses, loss of earnings, burial costs,” and similar losses, and the term “non-economic damages” means “subjective, non-monetary losses including, but not limited to, pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental suffering, emotional distress” and similar losses. Economic damages are objectively verifiable money losses, such as medical bills, lost earnings, and repair costs. Non-economic damages are subjective losses, such as pain, suffering, and emotional distress (Civ. Code § 1431.2).

Common truck injuries include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, severe burns, broken bones, and internal injuries. Serious injuries like these often bring long medical care and long recovery times. Each claim is different.

When a truck crash causes a death, certain family members may bring a wrongful death claim. Under Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60, the decedent’s surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, and certain other listed people may assert the claim. The decedent’s personal representative may also bring it on their behalf.

The value of any claim depends on the facts: the injuries, the proof of fault, and the losses documented. No one can know the result in advance.

Common Causes of Truck Crashes and Who May Be Responsible

Truck crashes often come from driver fatigue, speeding, unsafe lane changes, blind-spot collisions, rollovers, or poorly loaded cargo. Fatigue gets close attention because federal rules limit driving hours. For example, under the federal hours-of-service rule for property-carrying commercial motor vehicles, a driver may not drive after a period of 14 consecutive hours after coming on-duty following 10 consecutive hours off-duty.

Responsibility can reach beyond the driver. Under Vehicle Code § 17150, every owner of a motor vehicle is liable for injury caused by a negligent act of anyone operating it with the owner’s permission. A cargo loader, a maintenance contractor, or a parts maker may also share fault in some crashes.

Fault is then divided. For non-economic damages, Civ. Code § 1431.2(a) makes each defendant liable only for its own percentage of fault. That is why identifying every responsible party early matters.

Evidence to Preserve After a Truck Accident in Visalia

Company records are often the most important evidence in a truck case, and they do not last forever. Federal rules set minimum retention periods for carrier records. Under the federal record-retention rule, after the required retention periods, the records may be destroyed at the discretion of each company’s management, but this does not excuse compliance with the lawful requirements of any other governmental body that prescribes longer retention periods.

Records that often matter include electronic logging device data, driver logs, dispatch messages, maintenance and inspection history, and cargo manifests. Under the federal post-accident testing rule, as soon as practicable following an occurrence involving a commercial motor vehicle operating on a public road in commerce, each employer shall test for alcohol for each of its surviving drivers, under the conditions the regulation sets out.

Physical evidence matters too. Photos of the truck, the roadway, skid marks, and vehicle damage show what happened. Dashcam or traffic camera footage, witness names, and the police report add detail. Write down what you remember soon after the crash, while it’s fresh.

The biggest mistake is waiting. A written preservation request asks the carrier to keep its records. Sending it early helps protect that evidence.

How a Truck Accident Case Works, Step by Step

A truck accident case usually moves from a first talk to investigation, proof of damages, negotiation, and, if needed, a lawsuit. Timelines differ from case to case.

1. First consultation. We talk through the crash, your injuries, and your immediate needs.
2. Investigation. We gather the police report, medical records, and carrier and insurance information. We also send preservation requests.
3. Damages and fault. We document medical care, wage loss, and property damage. We build the proof of who caused the crash.
4. Negotiation. We present the claim to the responsible insurers and negotiate. Some claims resolve at this stage. Others do not.
5. Lawsuit. If a fair resolution isn’t reached, we can file in the proper California court. The case then moves through discovery and possibly trial.

Deadlines matter at every step. Most injury and death claims have a two-year deadline (Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1). If a city, county, or other public agency may be responsible, a claim for death, injury to a person, or damage to personal property or growing crops must be presented not later than six months after the accrual of the cause of action; a claim for any other cause of action must be presented not later than one year after the accrual of the cause of action (Gov. Code § 911.2).

Why Work With Colvin Accident Lawyers for a Visalia Truck Crash

Colvin Accident Lawyers is a Bakersfield personal injury practice. The firm represents accident victims and families in Visalia, Tulare County, Kern County, Fresno, and nearby communities.

We handle car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, bus, train, dog bite, premises liability, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death cases. Truck crashes often overlap with these other claim types, so we work across them.

Donald Norman Colvin is the California lawyer handling these matters. Our assistants and office staff support each case with records, scheduling, and updates.

Our approach is plain. You get clear explanations at each step and direct contact with our office.

Truck Accident Questions Visalia Families Ask

Most families ask whether they need a lawyer, how long they have, and what to do when an insurer calls.

What if I was partly at fault?

Talk With Colvin Accident Lawyers About Your Visalia Truck Crash

If a truck crash has left you hurt, or a family member has died, you don’t have to sort out insurance calls and deadlines alone. Our first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue.

Call the office, or send a message through our contact form. Reach out to Colvin Accident Lawyers now about your truck crash, the truck accident law firm Visalia families can contact from anywhere in Tulare County.