Truck crash in California?Talk to a lawyer for free.

You generally have two years from the crash to sue (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). If the truck belonged to a city, county, school district or the state, a written claim usually has to reach that agency within six months. Drivers' logs can be discarded long before the two-year deadline, so it helps to call early.

No. We handle truck accident cases throughout California, from big rigs to delivery trucks. Our offices run from Stockton to Palm Desert, and if you can't travel, we'll come to your home or the hospital.

Often more than one: the driver, and usually the company behind them. A trucking company is generally responsible for a crash its driver causes on the job, and can answer for hiring an unsafe one. Under federal leasing rules, a carrier that leases an owner-operator's truck takes complete responsibility for operating it during the lease. A loader or repair shop may share the blame, and in May 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court held that federal law doesn't rule out claims against a freight broker that carelessly hired an unsafe carrier.

Every crash is different, but common causes include a tired or distracted driver, speed too fast for the road, an unsafe lane change, worn brakes and badly loaded cargo. Big rigs also roll over more easily, and trailers can jackknife, folding against the cab. Proof usually comes from the driver's logs, the truck's data, video, maintenance records, and the driver's training and phone records, along with the delivery schedule.

Usually not from the scene. Interstate truck drivers may drive 11 hours after 10 hours off; drivers working only inside California, 12. The hours are usually kept on an electronic logging device. If the driver needs a commercial license, the trucking company must test them after a crash that kills someone, or after an injury or tow-away crash in which the driver is cited: for alcohol within 8 hours, for drugs within 32. The logs and test results stay with the trucking company, so they're usually requested in writing early in the claim.

That alone doesn't settle who was at fault. The DMV warns that trucks have large blind spots, or No Zones, but no driver, truck drivers included, may change lanes or turn until it can be done with reasonable safety. And if you share some of the blame, pure comparative fault reduces what you recover by your percentage of fault; it doesn't wipe it out.

Only in narrow cases. California allows them only on clear and convincing evidence of malice, oppression or fraud (Civil Code §3294). For a company to pay them for its driver's conduct, an officer, director or managing agent usually has to be involved: for example, by knowing the driver was unfit and keeping them on in conscious disregard of others' safety. They come on top of compensation, never in place of it.

Nothing upfront. Your consultation is free, and no attorney's fees are owed unless we recover compensation for you. You may be responsible for case-related costs and expenses; we'll explain them before you sign.