Have you been hurt in an accident in San Diego, CA, involving a lost load of cargo from a truck? When a commercial truck loses its cargo, it can have devastating consequences for other drivers, especially at highway speeds.
These truck accidents often cause multi-vehicle pile-ups as other vehicles strike cargo on the road and other cars while trying to swerve out of the way. An experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer can help you pursue fair compensation from the party at fault for your crash.
Since 2010, Mission Personal Injury Lawyers has represented accident victims hurt by improperly secured cargo or negligent truck drivers. Contact our law office or call us at (619)777-5555 to schedule a free consultation with a San Diego lost load truck accident lawyer to discuss how we can help you.
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How Mission Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Lost Load Accident in San Diego, CA
When a truck loses its load, it creates dangerous conditions for other drivers, potentially with no time to react. Trucking companies, truck drivers, and cargo loading companies have a legal duty to adhere to strict regulations designed to avoid lost load accidents.
When negligence leads to a lost cargo load, the parties responsible should be held accountable for the serious harm they have caused. A San Diego truck accident lawyer can help you seek justice and the compensation you need to move forward with your life after your crash.
At Mission Personal Injury Lawyers, we have over 43 years of combined experience representing injury victims. We have recovered tens of millions for accident victims in San Diego, California, with a 99% track record of success. We have been recognized as a Best of the Bar Law Firm by the San Diego Business Journal and Super Lawyers based on peer ratings.
When you hire us to represent you, we will:
- Investigate your accident
- Gather evidence and work with experts to prove liability
- Identify parties who are at fault for your accident
- Negotiate on your behalf
- Defend you against allegations you did not mitigate damages or contributed to the crash
- Take your case to court when necessary
Mission Personal Injury Lawyers is ready to give you the tireless representation you deserve. Contact our personal injury law firm in San Diego, California, today to schedule a free consultation.
What Is a Lost Cargo Load Truck Accident?
A lost load accident can happen in many ways. It may happen when a truck tips over, spilling its cargo across the road. It can also happen when a trailer comes unhitched or a loose load simply falls off a flatbed or out of the back of a trailer.
Lost cargo loads are incredibly dangerous. A semi-trailer may be carrying 40,000 pounds or more of cargo, such as pallets of furniture, appliances, crates of food, or even vehicles. If even a small portion of this load falls off the truck onto the road, it can trigger a deadly chain reaction as multiple vehicles attempt to avoid debris.
As frightening as it is to imagine several appliances falling off a truck on a highway, another type of cargo can be even more dangerous: hazardous waste. In 2024, a commercial truck overturned and caused a nitric acid spill that shut down I-10 and resulted in a shelter-in-place order for nearby neighborhoods.
In 2023, a truck transporting 40,000 pounds of toxic soil from East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment crashed and spilled its cargo.
What Causes Lost Load Truck Accidents in San Diego, California?
Most lost load truck crashes are caused by negligence. According to a study from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the major causes of truck rollover accidents were:
- Taking curves too fast
- Load problems
- Brake conditions
- Road surface
- Intersection conditions
- Lack of attention, including distracted driving or fatigued driving
- Oversteering or overcorrecting
Sometimes, truck driver impairment is responsible for a lost load accident. There are strict federal laws regarding alcohol use for CDL holders and a lower legal alcohol limit. Still, driving under the influence happens. The truck driver involved in the 2024 nitric acid cargo spill had a blood alcohol concentration eight times over the limit.
Improper loading is one of the leading causes of spilled cargo load accidents. There are strict federal regulations regarding proper cargo securing, loading, and inspection. Accidents may be caused by:
- An oversized load which makes it more likely to tip over
- Cargo that isn’t distributed properly to prevent shifting during transit or issues with steering and braking
- Unsecured cargo, which can shift and fall off a truck or cause the truck to flip
- Failing to use the proper devices to secure a load
- Defective tiedown straps or chains
- Failure to inspect the truck before and after it’s loaded
An experienced truck accident lawyer will investigate the cause of your accident to determine who can be held liable. Depending on the cause of the accident, the trucking company, truck driver, shipper, loader, and even truck manufacturer may be held responsible.
What Damages Are Available To Accident Victims After a Lost Load Crash in San Diego, CA?
After proving negligence, accident victims are entitled to recover compensatory damages from the at-fault party. There are two types of compensatory damages: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are compensation for financial damages you suffered. Non-economic damages compensate you for emotional and psychological harm without financial value. Common damages in a truck accident claim include:
- Lost wages
- Lost or reduced earning capacity if you are disabled
- Medical expenses, including future anticipated medical bills
- Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Scarring or disfigurement
In rare cases, a jury may award punitive damages. These damages punish a defendant for despicable conduct or willful disregard for others. Drunk driving might meet this threshold, while speeding likely would not.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Lost Load Truck Accident in San Diego, California?
The statute of limitations in California for a truck accident claim is just two years from the date of the crash. If you miss this deadline, you lose your legal right to compensation.
It’s crucial to take action quickly to preserve evidence and build your case. It can take time to investigate a truck accident and determine liability. Waiting too long can weaken your claim and may prevent you from recovering damages completely. There are also exceptions that can change the filing time limit in some cases.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Truck Accident Law Firm in San Diego
Have you suffered serious injury in a truck crash in San Diego, California, caused by a lost load? You may be entitled to compensation. Mission Personal Injury Lawyers is here to fight for you and hold the negligent parties responsible.
We have recovered tens of millions in jury awards and settlements for accident victims. We will give you the same aggressive legal representation to help you secure your financial future and get the care you need.
Contact our law firm today for a free consultation with a San Diego lost load truck accident lawyer to discuss your legal options and how we can help.
