Understanding Wrongful Deaths in California Truck Accidents

Jimmie Kang Law Firm has an entire team ready to help victims. Truck accident victims and their families need help! Many die each year from truck accidents. These incidents can be completely life-altering, even if no one dies. If someone dies in a truck crash, then it is even more devastating. More must be done to right the wrong if someone dies. However, our experienced group members can come in and assist you. We will protect your legal rights. We will preserve your claim and maximize its value. To understand truck accident lawsuits, review the next few sections. Give us a call to learn more. We can show where and just how much you can recover.

  1. How Fatalities Happen in Truck Accidents
  2. Fatality Statistics in California Truck Accidents
  3. Claims and Defenses in Wrongful Death Lawsuits After a Truck Accident
  4. What is the Value of Truck Accident Wrongful Death Claims?
  5. California Truck Accident Lawsuits With Wrongful Deaths
  6. Truck Accident Lawyers That can Fight for You in Orange County!

How Fatalities Happen in Truck Accidents

The trucking business is a fundamental part of our economy. We get used to and acquiescent to the crashes that they produce. They crash into trucks, cars, motorcycles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. When they do, the consequences can be severe. Peoples’ whole lives can be irreparably altered. In fact, many people die every year because of truck accidents.

How do people die in truck accidents across California? The Department of Transportation has conducted a wide-ranging study with the trucking industry. It looked to find to out how accidents occur. It wanted to know why they leave so many people injured or killed. The results surprised people. Most truck accidents that cause fatalities do not happen because of driver error. They generally come about through external forces such as distractions. It is normally from overreactions (like oversteering) or fatigue rather than irresponsibility. Here are some causes of fatalities in California truck accidents.

  • Rollovers
  • Drivers falling asleep
  • Bad road conditions
  • Inclement weather
  • Cargo spill
  • Tire blowouts
  • Truck malfunction
  • Intervening vehicle
  • Stopped car
  • Lane changing

Trucks get into accidents thousands of times every year. These take many lives and cost millions of dollars. It is important to get the facts on truck crashes. This will help you better prepare yourself on the road. Make sure you don’t get into a similar incident!

Fatality Statistics in California Truck Accidents

What are the facts on truck accidents? People want info after tragedies like this happen. This helps them understand how a horror like this could have happened. It also gives them bit of context. Here are some facts and figures that touch upon truck accidents and wrongful deaths:

  • Almost 3,852 people died in 2015 from a large truck crash.
  • Passengers in cars die almost six times more than those in large trucks when the two get into an accident.
  • Over the last forty years, truck fatalities have decreased by almost twenty percent.
  • In truck accidents, the vast number of fatalities are actually people travelling in cars. Their deaths outnumber the deaths of people in trucks involved in these incidents by a factor of four or five.
  • Tractor-trailer trucks are three times more responsible for fatalities in accidents than single-unit trucks.
  • More than half of the time that someone dies in a truck accident, more than one truck is involved in the collision.
  • Over the last forty years, the rate of fatalities for truck accidents have decreased per mile driven by almost a factor of four.
  • Most deaths from truck accidents occur on major roads, freeways, or interstates.
  • Nearly half of all deaths from truck accidents occur during 3 pm and midnight.
  • The day of the week is normally not an indicator of a potential truck accident fatality because they are pretty evenly split from Sunday to Saturday.

Hopefully, this information gives you some more insight. California truck accidents pose grave dangers. To get a better understanding, call our offices. Speak to someone from the Jimmie Kang Law Firm. We can show what you can do to recover. We can show you how much you can recover. Demand justice! Contact us today!

Claims and Defenses in Wrongful Death Lawsuits After a Truck Accident

People bring wrongful death claims for truck crash fatalities. Plaintiffs allege that the defendants caused someone’s death. They blame it on unreasonable or inappropriate behavior. The plaintiffs must have some type of special relationship with the decedent. Otherwise, they cannot bring a claim in California. Siblings, parents, and spouses qualify as persons entitled to bring actions. Different people might be allowed to as well. Here are the boilerplate elements to truck accident wrongful death claims.

  1. Someone died.
  2. Due to the intentional or negligent conduct of the defendant.
  3. The plaintiffs suffered economic or non-economic damages.

How do most defendants respond to these allegations. They use certain tactic to defeat wrongful claims in California truck accident lawsuits. First, they might say the driver was an independent contractor. Thus, the driver and not the company should be held responsible. Second, they might say it was the decedent’s fault. Third, they say the death was the result of an act of God. Intervening forces remove them from fault. Intervening forces might be another driver or lightning. They might use other means to show that they are blameless.

Jimmie Kang Law Firm builds and protects successful claims. Wrongful death claims are no exception. We help plaintiffs dismiss the defenses noted above. We can help you craft a solid legal case. It will preserve every ounce of recovery allowed in California. Call us today to find out more. If a truck crash took your loved one, you can do something! We can show you how!

What is the Value of Truck Accident Wrongful Death Claims?

“What are wrongful death claims worth?” This is an important questions because lawsuits take time and effort. Grieving families don’t want to go through the process if they don’t have to. It is completely understandable. Consider these points if you lose a loved one. They will help you estimate the value of your claims.

  1. Did the person suffer prior to passing away? California allows plaintiffs to recover for the pain, suffering, grief, and agony before death. Defendants are still on the hook after someone dies.
  2. How much did the loss cost you? Deaths create unexpected and significant expenses. There is more than just funeral bills and burial costs. Loved ones miss out on the income that the decedent would have made. California lets recover for all of these things. You can also get money for other bills the tragedy created.
  3. How much did the loss affect your life? Many times, a loved one’s passing can intangibly damage our lives. We lose their affection, compassion, and support. If you were close to the decedent, you might get money for quality of life. You must show it was reduced when the person died. The closer you are to that person, the easier it is to show. These non-economic claims can mean a lot of money.

These questions shed light on your wrongful death claim value. They are common in California for truck accidents. To get a tailored answer to your facts, contact our office. Our attorneys are experienced. They can help you estimate your potential recovery.

Truck Accident Lawyers That can Fight for You in Orange County!

Hopefully this information shows you that you have options if your loved one is taken in a truck accident tragedy. Remember, we can fight for you to make sure that you successfully achieve every option available under the law. Our lawyers work on contingency so that you don’t need to worry about anything upfront. Just contact our offices and tell us what happened so that we can tell you what you can do!

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