How Does a Trucking Company Become Liable for a Crash?

A trucking company can be held liable for its driver's crash under respondeat superior, even without proving the company itself did anything wrong. Lem Garcia of Lem Garcia Law walks through why a truck accident case in West Covina runs on a completely different set of rules than a car accident case, from federal trucking regulations to the evidence that disappears within weeks of a crash. Questions answered in this episode: Why is a truck accident case so different from a regular car accident case? How does the trucking company become liable for what its driver did? What is the FMCSA, and why does it matter in a truck accident case? Why is acting fast so important before trucking evidence disappears? Why do truck accident cases usually involve much larger insurance policies? What is the deadline to bring a truck accident claim in California? Topics covered: respondeat superior, negligent hiring, FMCSA regulations, hours-of-service rules, electronic logging devices, black box data, preservation letters, spoliation of evidence, jackknife and underride crashes, punitive damages, wrongful death claims, and the two-year California statute of limitations. Lem Garcia on respondeat superior: "It just means that an employer is responsible when an employee causes a crash while doing the job." Lem Garcia on evidence that disappears: "The deadline to file may be two years. The deadline to protect the evidence, that's right now." Lem Garcia on early settlement offers: "A quick settlement offer is usually the insurance company just trying to buy the case before everyone knows what the case is truly worth." Free consultation: lemgarcialaw.com Phone: (626) 337-1111 Office: West Covina, CA #RespondeatSuperior #WestCovinaTruckAccidentLawyer #FMCSARegulations #NegligentHiring #SpoliationOfEvidence #SanGabrielValleyTruckAccident #WrongfulDeathClaim The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Every case is different. To discuss your specific situation, contact Lem Garcia Law or a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome back to Car Accident Playbook 00:01:14 Why Is a Truck Accident Case So Different From a Car Accident Case? 00:03:55 Why Are Injuries in Truck Crashes Usually More Severe? 00:05:51 Beyond the Driver, Who Else Can Be Held Responsible for a Truck Crash? 00:08:00 How Does a Trucking Company Become Liable? Respondeat Superior 00:09:43 What Is Negligent Hiring, and How Does It Expand Who Can Be Sued? 00:11:04 What Is the FMCSA and Why Does It Matter to a Truck Case? 00:12:50 What Are Hours of Service Rules and How Does Fatigue Cause Crashes? 00:14:44 How Do Electronic Logging Devices and Black Box Data Prove What Happened? 00:16:18 What Do Drug and Alcohol Testing Rules Add to a Trucking Case? 00:17:59 Why Act Fast on I-10, SR-60 and I-605 Truck Crash Evidence? 00:19:39 How Do CSA Scores and Safety History Affect a Truck Case? 00:21:32 What Are the Most Common Causes of Truck Crashes on West Covina Freeways? 00:23:08 What Are Jackknife, Underride, and Rollover Crashes in the San Gabriel Valley? 00:24:54 Why Do Truck Accident Cases Involve Much Larger Insurance Policies? 00:26:40 What Is a West Covina Truck Accident Case Typically Worth? 00:28:28 When Can Punitive Damages Come Into a Trucking Case? 00:30:50 What Happens When a Truck Crash Takes a Life in California? 00:33:16 What Should You Do Right After a Truck Crash in West Covina? 00:35:24 What Is the Deadline to File a Truck Accident Claim in California? 00:37:05 How Does the Contingency Fee Work in a Truck Accident Case?