Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer

An 80,000-pound big rig can weigh 20 to 30 times more than the average passenger car. When one collides with you on the I-710, the SR-60, or a crowded street in downtown Los Angeles, the results are often life-changing. Medical bills pile up, work stops, and the trucking company’s insurer is already working to limit what it pays.

Sonya Tien, founder of Tien Law Firm, is an award-winning Los Angeles truck accident lawyer with more than a decade of experience taking on trucking companies, freight carriers, and their insurers. She knows how commercial carriers defend these cases, and she builds every claim to counter them from day one.

Injured in a truck accident anywhere in Los Angeles County? Call (626) 509-5250 today for a free consultation. No fees unless we win.

Why Truck Accident Cases Are Different From Car Accidents

A truck accident claim is not just a bigger car accident claim. Three things set it apart.

Strict federal and state safety rules. Interstate truck drivers and carriers must follow Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations, and California adds its own rules for carriers operating within the state. These rules limit driving hours, require electronic logging devices, mandate drug and alcohol testing, set a 0.04% blood alcohol limit for commercial drivers, and require regular vehicle inspections. Proving a violation can be powerful evidence of negligence.

More parties and more insurance. A single crash can involve the driver, the motor carrier, a cargo loader, a broker, a trailer owner, and a maintenance shop. Commercial carriers generally must carry far more liability coverage than ordinary drivers, which means more money is available, and more lawyers are fighting to protect it.

Evidence that disappears quickly. Trucks record speed, braking, and hours of service electronically, and carriers are not always required to keep that data long. Without prompt action from a truck accident lawyer, critical proof can be lost within weeks.

Truck Accidents We Handle in Los Angeles

Tien Law Firm represents people hurt by every type of commercial vehicle on LA County roads, including:

• Semi-trucks, big rigs, and 18-wheelers
• Port drayage trucks hauling containers from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
• Tanker trucks and hazardous materials carriers
• Cement mixers, dump trucks, and construction vehicles
• Garbage and recycling trucks
• Box trucks, moving trucks, and rental trucks
• Delivery trucks and vans, including Amazon, UPS, and FedEx vehicles
• Tow trucks and flatbeds

Common Causes of Truck Crashes

Most truck accidents are preventable. The causes we see most often in Los Angeles County include driver fatigue and hours-of-service violations, speeding to meet delivery deadlines, distracted driving, wide right turns at city intersections, unsafe lane changes into a driver’s blind spot, improperly loaded or unsecured cargo, brake and tire failures from poor maintenance, impaired driving, and inadequate driver training. Common crash types include rear-end collisions, jackknifes, rollovers, underride crashes, and sideswipes on crowded freeways.

Where Truck Accidents Happen Across Los Angeles County

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handle a huge share of the nation’s container imports, and much of that freight leaves by truck. That traffic, plus local construction and delivery vehicles, makes these some of the highest-risk roads in Southern California:

Port and freight freeways: The I-710 Long Beach Freeway, one of the most truck-heavy routes in the region; the SR-47 Terminal Island Freeway and Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro; the I-110 Harbor Freeway; the SR-91 Artesia Freeway; and the I-105 Glenn Anderson Freeway near LAX.

Major interchanges and bottlenecks: The East Los Angeles Interchange; the SR-60/SR-57 interchange in Diamond Bar; the I-405/US-101 interchange in Sherman Oaks; the I-5/I-605 interchange near Downey and Santa Fe Springs; and the I-5/SR-14 Newhall Pass interchange.

Long-haul corridors: The I-5 Golden State Freeway through Burbank, Sylmar, Santa Clarita, and Castaic toward the Grapevine, where steep grades test truck brakes; the SR-14 Antelope Valley Freeway to Palmdale and Lancaster; the I-10 through the San Gabriel Valley; and the I-210 Foothill Freeway through Pasadena and the foothill cities.

Industrial surface streets: Alameda Street through Vernon, Commerce, and Compton; Anaheim Street in Wilmington; Pacific Coast Highway and Sepulveda Boulevard in Carson; Valley Boulevard in City of Industry; Slauson Avenue; Washington Boulevard; Firestone Boulevard; Rosecrans Avenue; and San Fernando Road in Sun Valley and Pacoima.

Trauma Care After a Truck Accident in Los Angeles County

Truck crash victims are often transported by paramedics to the nearest designated trauma center. Depending on where the crash happened, that may be:

• Central LA and Downtown: LAC+USC Medical Center in Boyle Heights, California Hospital Medical Center on Grand Avenue, or Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
• Westside: Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood
• South LA and the Harbor Area: Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, or MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center
• San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys: Northridge Hospital Medical Center, Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, or Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia
• San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys: Huntington Hospital in Pasadena or Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
• Antelope Valley: Antelope Valley Medical Center in Lancaster
• Children: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Get checked even if you feel fine. Adrenaline can mask serious injuries, and a gap in treatment is one of the first things a trucking company’s insurer will use against you. If you are uninsured or underinsured, we can connect you with providers who treat on a lien, so care is paid from your recovery.

Who Is Responsible for a Los Angeles Truck Accident?

Identifying every liable party is often the difference between a modest settlement and full compensation. Depending on the facts, responsible parties may include:

• The truck driver, for speeding, fatigue, distraction, or impairment
• The motor carrier or trucking company, for negligent hiring, training, supervision, or pressuring drivers to break hours-of-service rules, and as the driver’s employer
• The cargo shipper or loader, for overloaded, unbalanced, or unsecured freight
• The freight broker, in some cases, for hiring an unsafe carrier
• The truck or trailer owner, when it is a different company than the carrier
• Maintenance and repair shops, for faulty brakes, tires, lights, or couplings
• Manufacturers, for defective trucks, parts, or underride guards
• Government agencies, for dangerous road design or conditions (these claims must usually be filed within six months)

Evidence Tien Law Firm Secures Early

We send spoliation letters demanding that the carrier preserve evidence, then investigate independently. Key evidence includes:

• Electronic logging device (ELD) data and hours-of-service records
• Engine control module (“black box”) data showing speed and braking
• Dash camera and forward-facing camera video
• Driver qualification files, drug and alcohol test results, and training records
• Inspection, maintenance, and repair records
• Bills of lading, dispatch records, and cargo weight tickets
• The carrier’s FMCSA safety record and prior violations
• Traffic and business surveillance video, CHP or police reports, and witness statements
• Accident reconstruction analysis

Truck Accident Injuries and Compensation

The force of a commercial truck often causes catastrophic harm. Our clients have faced traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and paralysis, fractures, amputations, burns, crush injuries, internal organ damage, and serious neck and back injuries. When a crash takes a life, we help families pursue wrongful death claims.

Compensation in a California truck accident case can include:

• Emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, and future medical treatment
• Physical therapy, rehabilitation, and home modifications
• Lost income and reduced ability to earn in the future
• Pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life
• Vehicle repair or replacement
• Funeral costs and loss of support for surviving family members
• Punitive damages in rare cases involving malice, oppression, or fraud

California’s pure comparative fault rule means you can still recover even if you share some blame, though your award is reduced by your percentage of fault.

Meet Sonya Tien, Award-Winning Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer

Sonya Tien founded Tien Law Firm with a simple goal: to give injured people in Los Angeles County the same level of preparation and determination that big trucking companies buy for themselves. For more than a decade, she has represented truck accident victims and families against commercial carriers and their insurers. 

What clients can expect:

• Personal attention from Sonya. Your case is not handed off and forgotten.
• An immediate investigation. We act fast to lock down ELD data, video, and witness accounts.
• Trucking-specific knowledge. We know the FMCSA and California rules carriers must follow and how to prove they broke them.
• Courtroom readiness. We prepare cases for trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court, which strengthens your hand in negotiations.
• No fees unless we win. You owe no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
• Convenient meetings. We meet at our office, your home, the hospital, or by video. 

What to Do After a Truck Accident in Los Angeles

1. Get to safety and call 911. Freeway crashes are handled by the California Highway Patrol; surface street crashes by the LAPD, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, or your city’s police department.
2. Accept medical care at the scene or go to an emergency room the same day.
3. Photograph everything: the truck, trailer, company name, USDOT number on the cab door, license plates, skid marks, debris, and your injuries.
4. Get names and contact information for the driver, the trucking company, and any witnesses.
5. Do not talk fault with the driver, and do not give a recorded statement to the trucking company or its insurer.
6. Keep records of medical visits, missed work, and expenses.
7. Call Tien Law Firm at (626) 509-5250 as soon as possible so we can demand that the carrier preserve its electronic data.

Serving Truck Accident Victims Throughout Los Angeles County

We represent truck accident clients across the county, including:

• Los Angeles neighborhoods: Downtown, Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, Koreatown, Hollywood, South LA, Watts, San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City, Sun Valley, Pacoima, Sylmar, Van Nuys, and Chatsworth
• San Gabriel Valley: Pasadena, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead, El Monte, Baldwin Park, Azusa, Covina, West Covina, City of Industry, Diamond Bar, and Pomona
• Gateway Cities: Vernon, Commerce, Bell Gardens, Downey, Norwalk, Whittier, Santa Fe Springs, Paramount, and Lynwood
• South Bay and Harbor: Long Beach, Carson, Torrance, Compton, Gardena, Hawthorne, and Inglewood
• North County: Glendale, Burbank, Santa Clarita, Castaic, Palmdale, and Lancaster

Los Angeles Truck Accident FAQ

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

Generally two years from the date of injury, and two years from the date of death for wrongful death claims. If a public agency or government vehicle is involved, a claim usually must be filed within six months. Evidence can disappear much sooner, so it is best to call right away.

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

Not before speaking with a lawyer. Adjusters often call quickly, sometimes within days, hoping for a recorded statement or a fast, low settlement before you understand the full extent of your injuries.

What if the truck driver says the crash was my fault?

Fault is decided by the evidence, not the driver’s account. Data from the truck, camera footage, and accident reconstruction often tell a different story. Even if you were partly at fault, California law still lets you recover reduced compensation.

How much is my truck accident case worth?

It depends on your injuries, medical costs, lost income, long-term effects, and the available insurance. We will give you an honest evaluation in a free consultation, with no pressure to hire us.

What does it cost to hire Tien Law Firm?

Nothing upfront. We work on a contingency fee, so attorney fees are paid only if we recover money for you.

My crash happened outside the city of Los Angeles. Can you help?

Yes. We represent truck accident victims throughout Los Angeles County, from Long Beach and the South Bay to Pasadena, the San Gabriel Valley, the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, and the Antelope Valley.

Speak With a Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyer Today

The trucking company has a team protecting its interests. You should too. Whether your crash happened on the I-710 near the port, the I-5 through Santa Clarita, or a busy intersection on Alameda Street, Sonya Tien and Tien Law Firm are ready to fight for the full compensation you may deserve.

Call (626) 509-5250 or send us a message for a free, confidential consultation. No fees unless we win.