Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer

If a big rig, semi-truck, or delivery truck hits you or someone you love in Los Angeles, J&Y Law can start on your case today. Our Los Angeles truck accident lawyers take on trucking companies and their insurers to ensure our clients receive the best results possible for their case. We act fast to secure the driver’s logs, drug test results, and truck data before they can be lost. The consultation is free, and there is no obligation to hire us.

We secured a $5.25 million settlement in a wrongful death case arising from a collision between a scooter and a car. The insurer had made no offer. Top Verdict ranked it among the top 50 wrongful death settlements in the U.S. for 2023. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. You can read what clients say about working with us on our reviews page.

Why Los Angeles Truck Crashes Are Different

Los Angeles is one of the busiest freight hubs in the country, and that truck traffic shapes how these cases are built.

The Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro and Wilmington handled about 10.2 million container units in 2025. It was the port’s 26th straight year as the busiest in the United States. LA Metro’s freight study of the Long Beach to East Los Angeles corridor found port truck trips concentrated on the I-710. The study counted nearly 40,000 heavy-duty trucks a day on the southern end of the freeway. Even farther north, between the 5 and the 60, it counted about 15,000 a day.

Many of these are drayage trucks. Drayage means short trips that move containers from the docks to nearby rail yards and warehouses. Metro’s study traced these trips to warehouse and rail areas in Carson, Rancho Dominguez, and East Los Angeles. 

California also sets its own speed limit for big rigs. A truck with three or more axles, or any truck pulling a trailer, may not go faster than 55 mph on any highway (Vehicle Code § 22406). Cars around it may go 65, or 70 where posted. The truck’s onboard data can show whether the driver broke that limit.

Serious freeway crashes may also draw the California Highway Patrol’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT). The CHP bases one of its teams in its Southern Division in Los Angeles. Each team pairs CHP officers with a motor carrier specialist who inspects the vehicles and a Caltrans engineer who studies the road. When MAIT investigates, we request its report and check it against the trucking company’s own records.

Preserve the Evidence Before It Disappears

The strongest evidence in a truck case belongs to the trucking company, and federal rules let carriers discard much of it after set periods. For example, a carrier only has to keep a driver’s hours-of-service records for six months (49 C.F.R. § 395.8(k)).

Evidence	What it can show	What the federal rule requires
Post-crash alcohol test	The driver’s alcohol level soon after the crash	The carrier must conduct the alcohol test as soon as possible. If delayed beyond 2 hours, it must document why and stop testing attempts after 8 hours.
Post-crash drug test	Recent drug use. A positive result alone does not prove the driver was impaired at the moment of the crash.	The carrier has up to 32 hours, if no test is performed it must say why no test was given.
Electronic logs (ELD records)	Hours driven, breaks, and rest	Kept for 6 months
Accident register	The carrier’s past crashes	Kept for 3 years
Driver qualification file	License, medical certificate, and driving record	Kept while the driver works there, plus 3 years. Some items, such as annual driving record reviews and medical certificates, may be removed 3 years after they were created.
Engine data and dash camera video	Speed, braking, and the moments before impact	No set federal period

Post-crash testing is not required after every truck crash. It is required after a fatal crash. It is also required when the truck driver gets a ticket for a moving violation and either someone needed treatment away from the scene or a vehicle had to be towed. If a required test was never given, the carrier’s written explanation becomes evidence too.

If you are able, take these steps now:

1. Get medical care and keep every follow-up visit. Symptoms of a brain injury can take hours or days to appear.
2. Write down the company name and USDOT number. Federal rules require both to appear on both sides of the truck.
3. Get the police report number. The CHP usually handles freeway crashes. The LAPD handles crashes on city streets in Los Angeles.
4. Decline a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer. The adjuster works for the company that may owe you money.
5. Call a lawyer quickly. We send the carrier a written demand to keep every log, test result, and video.

Identify Everyone Responsible for the Crash

A truck crash claim usually involves more than the driver. We look at every company that touched the truck, the load, and the trip.

• The trucking company. A carrier is responsible for its employees’ driving on the job. Some carriers argue the driver was an independent contractor, but that defense does not always work. In Serna v. Pettey Leach Trucking, Inc. (2003), the Second District Court of Appeal, which sits in Los Angeles, held a motor carrier liable for its contractor driver’s negligence. The carrier was subject to federal safety and insurance rules, and the court treated those safety duties as nondelegable, meaning the carrier could not hand them off. Whether that rule reaches a given company depends on how the company is regulated, so we review each carrier’s operating authority.
• The carrier’s hiring and scheduling. A company can be at fault for putting an inexperienced truck driver on the road or pushing drivers past their hours. Federal rules limit interstate drivers to 11 hours of driving after 10 hours off. Drivers hauling purely intrastate loads follow California rules that allow 12 hours of driving and no driving after the 16th hour on duty (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 13, § 1212.5(a)(2)). We confirm which rule applies before we read the logs.
• Maintenance shops. Worn brakes and bad tires can trace back to skipped repairs. Learn more about a truck accident caused by brake failure.
• Loaders and shippers. An unbalanced or unsecured load can shift and tip a trailer. See how we handle an improper loading truck accident.
• Manufacturers. A defective part, such as a faulty brake system or tire, can make its maker responsible.
• Government agencies. A dangerous road design or missing signal can bring Caltrans or a city into the case. Claims against public agencies have a much shorter deadline, explained in the FAQ below.

We handle every type of truck crash, including jackknife truck accidents, wide turn truck accidents on city streets, and delivery truck accidents.

Recover the Full Cost of Your Injuries

California law lets injured people recover both financial losses and personal losses.

• Economic damages: Past and future medical bills and lost income, plus the cost of home care and vehicle repair.
• Non-economic damages: Physical pain, emotional distress, and the loss of activities you enjoyed. California does not cap these damages in truck crash cases.
• Punitive damages: These are rare. A jury may award them only on clear and convincing evidence of malice, oppression, or fraud.

Trucking companies running big rigs that haul general freight must carry at least $750,000 in liability insurance under California law (Vehicle Code § 34631.5). Federal rules set the same minimum for for-hire interstate carriers. Carriers hauling some hazardous materials must carry $1 million to $5 million.

That minimum can run short when several people are badly hurt in the same crash. Every injured person’s claim draws on the same policy, and the money can run out before each claim is paid in full. In those cases, we look for every other source of payment:

• Excess or umbrella policies above the trucking company’s primary coverage
• Insurance held by other responsible companies, such as a maintenance shop or parts maker
• Your own underinsured motorist coverage

Plan for a Lifetime of Care After a Catastrophic Injury

When a truck crash causes paralysis, a severe brain injury, or an amputation, the claim has to account for care you may need for decades. That figure is built from medical and financial evidence.

The starting point is a life care plan. A life care plan is a written, itemized forecast of your future medical needs, often prepared by a nurse or physician who specializes in this work. It can include:

• Future surgeries and hospital stays
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• Wheelchairs, lifts, and other equipment
• Changes to your home and vehicle
• Attendant care

Attendant care can be one of the largest items. A person who cannot safely bathe, dress, or move alone may need a trained caregiver around the clock. Around-the-clock care adds up to 8,760 hours a year. The life care plan prices those hours, and doctors testify that each need traces back to the crash. California law lets a jury award the cost of future medical care that the evidence shows you are reasonably certain to need.

An economist then turns decades of costs into one amount. California juries must reduce future economic damages, such as medical care and lost earnings, to present cash value (CACI No. 3904A). Present cash value is the amount that, if invested today, would cover each cost when it comes due. The defense bears the burden of presenting expert evidence on that reduction. Future pain and suffering is not reduced to present value.

If you cannot return to your job, the claim also covers your lost earning capacity. That means what you would have earned over your working life, not only the paychecks missed so far. Our catastrophic injury lawyers work with these experts from the start of the case.

Hold Trucking Company Accountable After a Fatal Crash

When a truck crash takes a life, California allows two separate claims. A wrongful death claim covers the family’s losses. A survival action covers losses the person suffered before death.

A spouse, domestic partner, or child can bring a wrongful death claim (Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60). If the person left no children or grandchildren, the relatives who would inherit under California law may bring it. Parents and stepchildren who depended on the person financially may also qualify.

California’s jury instructions list what the family can recover:

• The financial support the person would have provided
• Gifts or benefits the family expected to receive
• Funeral and burial costs
• The value of household services, such as childcare and home repairs
• The loss of the person’s love, companionship, comfort, care, protection, and moral support

The jury is told not to award damages for the family’s grief or sorrow. The case centers on what the person did for the family each day, so we gather that proof from relatives, coworkers, and friends. All eligible family members share one case, and the jury returns a single amount that the court divides among them.

The survival action belongs to the person’s estate. It can recover losses the person had before death, such as medical bills and lost wages, along with any punitive damages. For cases filed on or after January 1, 2026, California law no longer allows the estate to recover the person’s pain and suffering before death. Our Los Angeles wrongful death lawyers can explain which claims fit your family’s situation.

Find Answers to Common Questions

How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in California?

In most cases, you have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. A wrongful death claim has two years from the date of death. If a public agency shares fault, you must first file a written claim with that agency within six months (Government Code § 911.2). A late-claim application is possible but not guaranteed, so call early.

Can I still recover if I was partly at fault?

Yes. California uses pure comparative fault. Your award is reduced by your share of the blame. If you were 20% at fault, you can still recover 80% of your damages.

Should I talk to the trucking company’s insurance adjuster?

You can decline. You do not have to give the trucking company’s insurer a recorded statement. After you hire us, we handle all calls with the trucking company’s insurer.

What does it cost to talk to J&Y Law?

Nothing. The consultation is free, and you are under no obligation to hire us. If you do, we give you a written fee agreement that explains our fee and how case costs are handled before you sign.

Talk to a Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer Today

J&Y Law was founded by attorneys Jason B. Javaheri and Yosi Yahoudai. Our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers handle every type of serious crash.Tell us what happened, and we will tell you what we can do. The consultation is free.