Santa Rosa Truck Accident Lawyer
Our skilled attorneys bring extensive experience and legal knowledge to our clients’ truck accident cases. Schedule a consultation today to learn more.
Truck collisions can lead to devastating injuries and mounting medical bills. You may be dealing with financial stress on top of long recovery times. Fortunately, your incident may make you eligible for compensation.
Cutter Law is a California-based personal injury firm with experience helping truck accident victims in Santa Rosa. We can navigate your case from start to finish, keeping you informed at every step. Call our Santa Rosa truck accident lawyers today at 888-285-3333.
Why You Need a Truck Accident Lawyer From Cutter Law
When you choose to partner with Cutter Law, you gain a dedicated, hardworking legal team that stops at nothing to get you the financial recovery you deserve. We have decades of experience gathering evidence for personal injury cases and negotiating with insurers.
Our compassionate attorneys put you and your family first. With deep experience in the local court system, we build strong cases and push back against insurance company tactics. We negotiate from a position of readiness, and we are prepared to take your case to court when appropriate.
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Featured Truck Accident Lawyer
Brooks founded Cutter Law, P.C., with offices in Sacramento and Oakland, with a mission of providing injured people with great lawyers to help them get the compensation they deserve and the resources they need.
Brooks and his team are awesome. I can’t say enough about how professional they are.
Why Truck Accidents in Santa Rosa Are Different
Truck crashes tend to have worse outcomes than a typical car wreck. This is primarily due to factors such as the size and weight of the vehicle, the force of impact, and resulting injuries.
Another significant difference between truck and passenger vehicle collisions is the parties involved. While a car accident may lead to legal battles between two drivers, a trucking wreck could involve multiple parties, including the trucker’s company, maintenance teams, and cargo loaders.
Santa Rosa is home to numerous highways and trucking routes that can increase the likelihood of a catastrophic collision.
- U.S. 101: A major north-south route that links with key freight corridors like SR 12, SR 37, and SR 116, increasing commercial traffic through the area.
- State Route 12 (SR 12): Often narrow and congested in spots, including stretches through Sonoma Valley and near Sebastopol, with heavier traffic on weekends.
- State Route 37 (SR 37): An important connector within the regional freight network, tying into U.S. 101 and SR 12 and carrying significant truck traffic.
- State Route 121 (SR 121): A regional connector that links to routes like SR 37 and SR 128 and is used by both everyday drivers and commercial vehicles.
- State Route 128 (SR 128): A route that serves local traffic and some freight, including travel through more rural areas.
Each of these elements can further complicate a truck crash in Santa Rosa, making it crucial to work with an experienced lawyer.
Common Causes of Truck Crashes in Sonoma County
Several different factors can be the primary cause or a contributor to a truck accident. The most common of these involve negligence on the driver’s part, such as:
- Distracted driving: Anything that takes a trucker’s attention away from the road, including texting, talking on the radio, and eating, is considered distracted driving.
- Speeding and reckless driving: When a truck driver maneuvers their vehicle carelessly, either by speeding or by swerving into other traffic lanes without warning, this can lead to a serious accident.
- Failing to yield: Not giving the right-of-way can cause various types of collisions, including sideswipes, T-bones, and rear-end collisions. When a truck is involved, this can result in catastrophic injuries for the driver of the smaller vehicle.
- Driving under the influence: Truckers who choose to drink and drive put everyone around them on the road in danger. Not only can this lead to legal repercussions, but other drivers are put at risk of severe, sometimes fatal injuries.
- Driving fatigued: Fatigue is a significant concern for truckers who work long hours. This can lead to slower reaction times, inattention, and even falling asleep at the wheel.
Other parties could also contribute to a truck crash through overloading cargo, lack of maintenance, defective auto parts, and poor hiring practices. We will take a closer look at the parties who could be held liable in these instances later on.
What To Do Immediately After a Truck Accident in Santa Rosa
The immediate aftermath of a truck accident can leave victims in shock and unsure of what to do next. You can take proactive steps to prioritize your well-being and protect a potential legal claim.
- Get to safety and call 911: If you can, move out of traffic and call 911 right away. Truck crashes can involve serious injuries and dangerous conditions, including debris, blocked lanes, or fuel spills. Cooperate with first responders, but stick to the facts and avoid speculating about fault.
- Seek medical care immediately: Get checked by a medical professional as soon as possible, even if you feel “okay.” Some injuries take time to show symptoms, and prompt treatment also creates important records.
- Document the scene: If it is safe, take photos or videos of the vehicles, damage, skid marks, road conditions, signage, license plates, and visible injuries. Get contact information for the truck driver, any other involved drivers, and witnesses.
- Make sure the crash is documented and notify your insurer: Ensure law enforcement is notified and ask how to obtain the traffic collision report information. Also report the crash to your insurance company within any required deadlines under your policy.
Who May Be Liable in a Truck Accident Case?
Liability in a truck accident is not always straightforward. Depending on what caused the crash, more than one person or company may share responsibility for your injuries, such as:
- The truck driver: A driver’s careless actions, such as speeding, distraction, or impairment, can cause a serious collision. To recover compensation, you must be able to show the driver’s conduct caused or contributed to the crash and your injuries.
- The trucking company: A carrier may be liable if its practices played a role in the wreck, including negligent hiring, training, supervision, or safety policy violations.
- Cargo loaders or shipping companies: Improper loading, unsecured freight, or overloading can lead to rollovers, jackknifes, or debris spilling into the roadway, creating major hazards for other drivers.
- Maintenance providers: If poor inspections, inadequate repairs, or skipped maintenance contributed to equipment failure, the shop or contractor responsible for the work may share fault.
- Parts manufacturers or distributors: When a crash involves a defective component, such as brakes, tires, or steering parts, the company that made or sold the part may be responsible for the resulting harm.
California follows pure comparative negligence, meaning each party is responsible for damages in proportion to their percentage of fault. This means that even if you are partially at fault, you can still recover compensation, but your share of responsibility reduces your recovery.
Due to the state’s fault and compensation system, it is vital to work with an experienced legal team. Our well-versed truck accident attorneys in Santa Rosa will launch an in-depth investigation into your case to identify the at-fault parties and hold them responsible.
How Does Compensation Work in a Truck Accident Case and What Can You Recover?
Truck wreck victims may be able to secure numerous forms of compensation, depending on the severity of their injuries and the strength of their evidence. The two primary forms of compensation are known as economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages compensate the victim for tangible losses, such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. Non-economic damages are much more subjective, including pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and reduced quality of life. Our knowledgeable attorneys could review the details of your case and help determine the types of damages you are entitled to.
The amount of compensation that you can receive in a truck accident case really depends on the severity of your injuries, the financial status of the person who hit you, and whether or not they have insurance. But really, it comes down to the severity of the accident.”
Attorney Margot Cutter
Frequently Asked Car Accident Questions
How Soon Must I File a Claim After a Truck Accident in Santa Rosa?
In California, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a city, county, or other government entity may be involved, the deadline can be much shorter, so it is important to act quickly.
Will My Case Go to Trial or Settle Out of Court in Sonoma County?
Most truck accident cases settle out of court, but if the insurance company disputes liability or damages, your attorney may recommend taking the case to trial to seek full compensation.
What if the Truck Driver Was an Independent Contractor?
Even if the driver is labeled an independent contractor, the trucking company may still be liable depending on how much control it exercises over the driver’s work, vehicle, or safety compliance.
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51 E St Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Get Trusted Legal Help From a Santa Rosa Truck Accident Lawyer
If you have been injured in a truck crash, you do not have to navigate the legal and insurance maze on your own—Cutter Law is here to help. Our team offers free consultations to answer your questions, explain your options, and guide you through the following steps.
While you focus on healing, we will handle the investigations, insurance negotiations, and legal work needed to protect your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve. Reach out today and let our Santa Rosa truck accident lawyers handle the heavy lifting.
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Start with a free consultation. We listen to what happened, how it’s affected your life, and what you need to move forward.
You’ll have a direct line to our attorneys. We keep communication open and ensure you always know what’s happening with your case.
From day one, we go all in—gathering evidence, negotiating with insurers, and preparing for trial if needed. You pay nothing unless we win compensation for you.
After a truck accident in California, get medical help, report the incident, gather evidence, and contact a truck accident lawyer to protect your rights.
In California, leaving the scene of an accident can result in misdemeanor or felony hit and run charges, and victims or accused drivers should consult an attorney immediately.
California is an at-fault state, requiring claims to be filed with the at-fault driver’s insurance, with options for uninsured motorist coverage.
As a family run California law firm we pride ourselves in providing every client personal attention and representation. The outstanding results we have gotten for our fire clients are a direct result of our commitment to understanding and presenting all aspects of their case.
Hear from our previous clients about the relationships we build together.
The attorneys at Cutter Law are knowledgeable and client-focused. They’re easy to work with and they deliver quality results. I highly recommend them if you’re looking for a personal injury attorney in California!
My experience with Cutter Law has been extremely positive. The staff are professional, responsive, and passionate about their clients. Highly recommend this law firm.
Brooks has a long-established, respected reputation as a skilled trial attorney and a record of proven success.