Truck Accident Lawyer Los Angeles | Semi-Truck & Big Rig Claims

If you need a truck accident lawyer in Los Angeles, Mesriani Law Group is here to help. Collisions involving commercial trucks, semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and big rigs cause some of the most devastating injuries on California’s roads. The size and weight differential between a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle — often 20 to 1 or more — means that even relatively low-speed truck accidents can cause catastrophic and fatal injuries.

Truck accident litigation is fundamentally different from standard car accident cases. It involves federal safety regulations, multiple potential defendants, complex evidence preservation requirements, and large trucking companies and their insurers who have experienced defense teams. At Mesriani Law Group, our Los Angeles truck accident attorneys have the knowledge and resources to take on these cases and win.

Why Truck Accident Claims Are Different From Car Accident Cases

Trucking accidents introduce legal complexity not present in standard personal injury cases:

• Federal regulatory framework: Commercial trucking is governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which sets binding safety standards for all commercial trucks operating in interstate commerce. FMCSA violations are central to establishing negligence in most truck accident cases.
• Multiple defendants: A truck accident may involve the driver, the trucking company, the cargo loading company, the truck manufacturer, a parts supplier, and the owner of the trailer — each potentially sharing liability under different legal theories.
• Higher insurance coverage: FMCSA regulations require commercial carriers to maintain minimum liability insurance of $750,000 to $5,000,000 depending on the cargo. Higher coverage means larger potential recoveries — and more aggressive defense.
• Employer vicarious liability: Trucking companies are vicariously liable for the negligent acts of their employee drivers. They may also face direct liability for negligent hiring, training, supervision, and vehicle maintenance.
• Critical evidence: Electronic logging devices (ELDs), GPS systems, dashcam footage, black box data, and driver inspection reports are time-sensitive evidence that must be preserved immediately through legal hold letters.

Key FMCSA Regulations and How Violations Establish Negligence

When a trucking company or driver violates FMCSA regulations and those violations cause an accident, they may be found negligent per se — meaning the violation itself establishes the breach of duty. Key FMCSA regulations relevant to truck accident claims include:

• Hours-of-service (HOS) regulations (49 CFR Part 395): Limit how long a driver can be on duty and behind the wheel before mandatory rest. Property-carrying drivers may drive no more than 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. Violations cause driver fatigue — one of the leading causes of serious truck accidents.
• Electronic logging device (ELD) requirements: Commercial drivers must use ELDs to record hours of service automatically. ELD data is critical evidence in fatigue-related truck accident cases.
• Driver qualification regulations (49 CFR Part 391): Require CDL licensing, medical certificates, background checks, and drug and alcohol testing. Trucking companies that fail to properly vet drivers or keep them on despite disqualifying events may face direct liability for negligent hiring.
• Vehicle inspection and maintenance (49 CFR Part 396): Require regular inspection and repair of commercial trucks. Failure to maintain brakes, tires, lighting, and other safety systems is a common cause of truck accidents and a direct basis for trucking company liability.
• Cargo securement regulations (49 CFR Part 393): Require proper securing of all cargo. Improperly secured loads can shift in transit, causing loss of control, rollovers, and debris on the roadway that endangers other drivers.
• Drug and alcohol testing (49 CFR Part 382): Require pre-employment, random, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol testing for commercial drivers. A post-accident positive test is powerful evidence of negligence.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Los Angeles Truck Accident?

One of the most important aspects of truck accident litigation is identifying all potentially liable parties:

• The truck driver: Directly liable for negligent driving, HOS violations, impaired operation, or failure to follow traffic laws
• The trucking company: Vicariously liable for their driver’s negligence, and directly liable for negligent hiring, negligent training, failure to enforce HOS compliance, failure to maintain vehicles, and pressure on drivers to violate federal regulations
• The cargo shipper or loader: If improperly loaded or secured cargo caused or contributed to the accident, the party responsible for loading may share liability
• The truck or parts manufacturer: If a defective brake system, tire, coupling, or other component contributed to the accident, the manufacturer may face strict products liability
• The trailer owner: In some cases the trailer is owned separately from the cab. The trailer owner has independent maintenance obligations and may share liability for defects
• A government agency: If dangerous road design or conditions contributed to the accident, the responsible government agency may share liability — subject to the six-month tort claim deadline

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Los Angeles

• Driver fatigue: Hours-of-service violations and pressure from carriers to meet delivery deadlines cause truck driver fatigue — one of the most dangerous conditions on the road
• Distracted driving: Phone use, GPS operation, and eating while driving are especially dangerous given the stopping distances and lane-change requirements of large trucks
• Speeding and improper speed for conditions: Commercial trucks require significantly longer stopping distances than passenger vehicles. Excess speed dramatically increases crash severity.
• Improper lane changes: Wide-turn accidents and blind-spot lane changes are a frequent cause of serious truck accidents on LA freeways
• Brake failures: Deferred maintenance, overheating on mountain grades, and improperly adjusted brakes cause brake failure crashes
• Tire blowouts: Underinflated or worn tires on commercial vehicles can cause sudden loss of control and debris hazards for other vehicles
• Improperly secured loads: Shifting cargo and debris falling from trucks create serious collision hazards for other drivers
• DUI: Drug and alcohol use by commercial drivers is subject to stricter BAC limits (0.04% vs. 0.08% for passenger vehicles) and federal testing requirements
• Negligent hiring: Trucking companies that hire drivers with disqualifying driving records, substance abuse histories, or inadequate training

Common Injuries in Los Angeles Truck Accidents

Given the mass differential between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles, truck accident injuries are among the most severe in personal injury litigation:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and skull fractures — see our brain injury claims page
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis — see our spinal cord injury claims page
• Severe crush injuries and traumatic amputations
• Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
• Multiple broken bones and complex fractures
• Severe burns from fuel fires and explosions
• Wrongful death — truck accidents have a significantly higher fatality rate than passenger vehicle accidents
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychological trauma

The Importance of Immediate Evidence Preservation

In truck accident cases, critical evidence can disappear within days. ELD data is overwritten after a short retention period. Dashcam footage loops. Black box data from the ECM may be stored for only a limited time. Driver logs and inspection records may be altered or destroyed.

Immediately after retaining Mesriani Law Group, our truck accident lawyers in Los Angeles will:

• Send legal hold letters to the trucking company, driver, and all involved parties requiring preservation of all data
• Retain independent accident reconstruction experts to inspect the vehicle before it is repaired
• Obtain ELD, GPS, and ECM data through formal legal process
• Request and preserve all driver qualification files, drug test results, and prior inspection reports
• Identify and secure dashcam footage from the truck and any nearby vehicles or businesses

The trucking company’s attorneys begin this process the moment an accident is reported. You need attorneys who move just as fast.

What Compensation Can You Recover After a Truck Accident?

Because truck accidents so frequently cause catastrophic and permanent injuries, compensation must account for the full long-term impact:

• Medical expenses: Emergency trauma care, surgery, hospitalization, and all related costs
• Future medical care: Ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care for permanent injuries
• Lost income: Wages lost during recovery and, for permanent injuries, the full value of reduced future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering: Physical pain, emotional distress, PTSD, and loss of enjoyment of life. California has no cap on non-economic damages in truck accident cases.
• Property damage: Repair or replacement of your vehicle and personal property
• Wrongful death damages: Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship if a loved one was killed in a truck accident — see our wrongful death claims page
• Punitive damages: When a trucking company knowingly violated safety regulations or pressured drivers to break HOS rules, courts may award punitive damages to deter future conduct

Truck Accident Filing Deadlines in California

• Claims against private trucking companies: Two years from the date of the accident under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1
• Claims against government entities: If a government vehicle or road condition contributed to the accident, a government tort claim must be filed within six months
• Wrongful death claims: Two years from the date of death

Important: The two-year deadline is far less urgent than the need to preserve evidence immediately. ELD data, dashcam footage, and inspection records can disappear within days of an accident. Contact a truck accident lawyer in Los Angeles the same day as the accident if possible.

Why Choose Mesriani Law Group as Your Truck Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles?

Truck accident litigation requires attorneys with specific knowledge of federal safety regulations, experience analyzing ELD and ECM data, and the resources to go up against large carriers and their insurers. At Mesriani Law Group we bring:

• Over 30 years representing truck accident and catastrophic injury victims in Los Angeles and throughout California
• Hundreds of millions of dollars recovered for clients
• Deep knowledge of FMCSA regulations and how violations establish negligence in commercial truck cases
• Immediate evidence preservation protocols — legal hold letters sent the same day
• Network of accident reconstruction experts, trucking industry specialists, and medical experts
• No Win, No Fee — you pay nothing unless we win your case
• Available 24/7 in English, Spanish, and Farsi