Whether you drive primarily in a city or along the highways that connect the cities, when you drive, you’re share the road with tens of thousands of trucks. Annually, over 5,000 people in the U.S. are killed in truck-related accidents. Tragically, it can happen to anyone. The vast majority of the fatalities in car-vs.-truck accidents – 85 percent – were riding in the car, not the truck. The figures are even more dramatic when looking exclusively at automobile-vs.-tractor-trailer accidents. In those, 98 percent of the fatalities were people in the cars rather than the trucks.

Because of the size of their trucks, some truckers act as if they “own” the highway. They realize that if they pull out in front of other drivers, it’s likely they will not be the ones who are injured. The figures speak for themselves.

Through litigation, California personal injury attorneys work to hold negligent truck drivers and trucking companies accountable for their failures to follow safety regulations. Making the negligent pay for injurious, irresponsible behavior sends a message to the trucking industry that violating the safety regulations will not be tolerated. Of course, litigation can never replace one’s parents, spouse, or children. Litigation does, however, hold defendants to account, and it’s almost always deeply significant to victims and their families.

Experienced personal injury attorneys who defend the victims of truck accidents have seen too many families torn apart by sudden deaths and tragic permanent injuries. Truck companies and drivers can never be allowed the “option” to ignore safety regulations. Our loved ones’ lives are too important. At more than 50 feet long and weighing up to 40 tons, the immense size and weight of semi-tractor trailers pose real dangers to the innocent travelers on our highways, including you and your family.

If you are injured in a truck-related accident, a good personal injury lawyer will fight for your rights and for your rightful compensation. It’s possible that you may recover medical expenses, lost wages, and more. Protecting your well-being and your legal rights must be your priority after any accident, and an experienced personal injury attorney is the person who will help. In the San Diego area, if you or a family member has suffered a personal injury in a truck-related accident, please contact attorney Gary Sernaker to discuss your rights and options under California Law.