San Mateo Truck Accident Lawyer
Trucking Rules Exist for a Reason. We Use Them to Prove Your Case.
Commercial truckers and the companies behind them must follow strict state and federal safety rules. When a broken rule leads to a crash, our San Mateo truck accident attorneys find it, prove it, and hold every responsible party to account.
$75+ million
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When a Truck Hits You, a Company Is Involved Too
Most truck drivers are careful professionals. But a trucker who drives too many hours, or a carrier that overloads a trailer or skips an inspection, turns an 80,000-pound vehicle into a danger to everyone around it. When that truck hits a car, a motorcyclist, or a pedestrian, the injuries are rarely minor.
A truck crash claim is also different from an ordinary car accident claim. There may be a driver, an employer, and a commercial insurer, each with a reason to point at someone else, and the records that prove what happened sit in the trucking company’s files.
You may have a truck accident claim if:
A semi, tractor-trailer, delivery truck, or other commercial vehicle caused your crash
You were a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or cyclist, and you were hurt
You're facing a long recovery and bills you can't cover
The crash happened within roughly the last two years
You deserve fair compensation for what the crash has taken from you. We start by finding out who is really responsible.
After a Truck Crash in San Mateo: What to Do
Put your health first.
Call 911, accept medical care at the scene, and follow up with a doctor. Truck crash injuries are often worse than they first seem.
Identify the truck and the company.
Photograph the cab, trailer, company name, and any numbers painted on the doors. They tell us which carrier and insurer we’re dealing with.
Document the whole scene.
Vehicle positions, the cargo, road conditions, and your injuries; plus names and contacts of witnesses.
Keep conversations with the trucking company's adjuster short.
Don’t discuss fault or your injuries, and don’t agree to a recorded statement.
Call us so the records are preserved.
Driver logs, inspection reports, and onboard data belong to the carrier. A prompt demand from a lawyer helps keep them from being lost.
Track every cost.
Medical bills, missed paychecks, and out-of-pocket expenses all belong in the claim.
How We Prove a Truck Driver or Carrier Broke the Rules
Truck drivers must follow California law and the rules of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Those rules are a roadmap for our investigation: each one points to a record we can request and a question we can ask.
- Hours and rest: driver logs show when the trucker drove, stopped, and rested, and whether they drove beyond the hours the rules allow.
- Inspections: drivers must check the truck for mechanical problems before, during, and after each trip. We look for skipped or incomplete inspections.
- Size and weight: an overloaded or oversized rig is unstable and harder to stop.
- Licensing and training: we confirm the driver held the right commercial driver’s license and met the age and training requirements.
- Onboard data: electronic logs and the truck’s own recorded data can show speed, braking, and driving time.
A violation increases the chance of a crash, and it can be strong evidence of negligence. We pair it with the police report, witness accounts, and your medical records to build a claim the trucking company’s insurer has to take seriously.
Who Can Be Held Responsible?
The truck driver
The trucker whose careless or reckless driving caused the crash.
The trucking company
Under vicarious liability, a carrier can be responsible for its driver’s negligence, and for its own failures, such as pushing drivers past their hours or neglecting maintenance.
Commercial insurance
Interstate carriers must carry far more liability insurance than ordinary drivers, with higher minimums for trucks hauling hazardous cargo. That coverage can make full recovery possible, but the insurer defends it hard.
Your losses, counted in full
- Hospital care, surgery, therapy, and future treatment
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering and emotional distress
- Property damage to your vehicle
If your losses exceed the available coverage, or the insurer refuses to negotiate fairly, we can take the claim to court.
Truck Accident Law: What Injured San Mateo Drivers Should Know
State and federal rules both apply
Truckers must hold a commercial driver’s license, keep logs of their driving and rest, inspect their trucks, and stay within FMCSA hours-of-service limits. California also limits truck length and weight. A broken rule can help prove negligence.
Employers can be liable for their drivers
Vicarious liability can make the trucking company pay for its trucker’s negligence, which matters because the company usually carries the larger policy.
Partly at fault? You can still recover
California follows pure comparative negligence; your compensation is reduced by your share of fault, never eliminated.
Two years, and don't wait
California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1 generally gives you two years from the crash to file a lawsuit, and a claim involving a government vehicle can require notice within six months. Truck records can be lost far sooner.
Protect the Value of Your Truck Accident Claim
A trucking company’s defense team looks for anything that makes your injuries seem smaller: missed appointments, a quick return to work, or an offhand comment to an adjuster. Follow your doctors’ orders, attend every appointment, and keep going until you’re discharged from care.
Three habits protect you:
- Keep a recovery journal. Pain, mobility, sleep, and the ways your daily life has changed since the crash.
- Save paper and photos. Bills, pay stubs, receipts, and pictures of your injuries as they heal.
- Say nothing to the carrier. Refer the trucking company, its insurer, and its lawyers to us.
We coordinate with your medical providers so billing can wait until your case resolves.
Adjusters offer more when they know a firm can prove its case — and take it to trial. Recent recoveries for our clients:
$600,000
Big-rig chain collision
Knee surgery
$550,000
I-280 commercial truck crash
Insurer refused to make an offer
$428,500
Box truck collision
Three-vehicle chain reaction
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different.
See More Case Results →What Our Clients Say
This was my first time to have a car accident, so I did not know what I had to do. My friends suggested I contact Jimin since they all had…
Kwon Soonhyung
I would like to share a good experience that I had with Ms. Jimin’s office and hopefully it will help people save time, frustration, and stress. Jimin is just very…
Claudia R.
From start to finish Jimin has been on my case and very informative about where they are in the process of things... every time it seems like I thought about…
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Your San Mateo Legal Team
Founding attorney Jimin Oh has handled thousands of auto accident cases and is a member of Million Dollar Trial Lawyers. She founded the firm after her own husband was seriously injured in a car accident, and she knows how a long recovery strains a family. When a trucking company brings its own team, you get yours: an attorney, a case manager, and a treatment coordinator on every case. San Mateo clients are served from our San Jose office at 1253 Park Ave.
San Mateo Truck Accident FAQs
What should I do immediately after a truck accident?
Get to safety and get medical care. Photograph the truck, the scene, and your injuries, collect witness details, and avoid long conversations with the trucking company’s adjuster. Then call us so we can move to preserve the carrier’s records.
What evidence matters most in a truck accident case?
The police report, medical records, witness statements, and the trucking company’s own records: driver logs, maintenance and inspection records, and data from the truck’s electronic systems.
What special rules apply to commercial trucks?
Truckers and carriers must follow federal safety regulations, including hours-of-service limits, vehicle inspections, and cargo safety standards, along with California’s rules. A violation can strengthen your case.
Can I recover if I was partly at fault?
Yes. California’s comparative fault system reduces your compensation by your share of responsibility but doesn’t bar your claim.
What if the trucking company's insurance isn't enough?
Other responsible parties and your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may help cover the gap. If the losses exceed the coverage, we explore every legal option.
Are most truck accident claims settled?
Many are resolved through negotiation. If the insurer won’t make a fair offer, we’re prepared to file suit and take the case to trial.
How long do I have to file?
Generally two years from the date of the crash, and as little as six months when a government vehicle is involved. Call as soon as you can; the evidence can disappear long before the deadline.
What does it cost to hire you?
Nothing upfront. We work on contingency and are paid only if we recover compensation for you.
Get Your Free, Confidential Case Review, 24/7
The trucking company’s records won’t wait for you to feel better. Call now or send the form, and we’ll start protecting them; we respond fast, 24/7, in English, Spanish, or Korean. Your consultation is free and confidential. No fee unless we win.
Call (408) 256-2871Free Case Review
Solution Now Law Firm
1253 Park Ave
San Jose, CA 95126
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