Settlement Reached in California Wrongful Death Suit Against Trucking Companies

Two trucking companies who were named as co-defendants in a wrongful death suit arising from a truck accident have been found liable for $13.7 million for three deaths after a jury trial in Alameda, California. The accident began when a tractor-trailer transporting goods for Western Milling of Goshen tried to make a left turn across two lanes of a foggy freeway. Simultaneously, a tractor-trailer hauling 500-pound bales of cotton was approaching from the opposite direction and clipped the rear of the Western Milling truck. Bales of cotton were thrown from the truck to the highway, which caused another truck to swerve and collide head-on with a Honda Accord, killing its occupants instantly.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), vehicle crashes caused by tractor-trailers may involve different types of driver errors. These may include:

·      Performance failure, such as when a driver falls asleep or experiences a disabling and sudden health condition like a seizure or hearth attack;

·      Mental failure, such as when a driver was distracted and failed to pay attention to the road;

·      Poor decision-making, such as when existing conditions required a driver to slow down, but he or she failed to do so;

·      Substandard driving abilities, resulting in slower reaction times and poor directional control over the vehicle.

Additionally, the FMCSA identified the top driver errors in big rig crashes include driving too fast in light of the condition of the roads, unfamiliarity with routes, over-the-counter drug use, fatigue, and the pressures associated with being a commercial truck driver.

Truck accidents often cause much more serious injuries than standard vehicle accidents. They can also require complex investigation and analysis and may involve several expert witnesses, if tried in court. If you have been injured in a truck accident, you should consult Dejban Law to plan your strategy for obtaining compensation. Contact us now by email at info@dejbanlaw.com or by phone us at (818) 325-3820 for a free and confidential initial consultation.