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Being struck by a semi-truck on a California highway is among the most dangerous traffic accidents possible. A commercial semi-truck weighs 20,000 to 80,000 pounds, and a passenger vehicle weighs approximately 3,500 pounds. At highway speeds, that gap frequently causes catastrophic or fatal injuries. If you or a loved one survived a highway semi-truck accident, specific immediate actions are critical to protect your health and your legal claim. Attorney Damoun Yazdi at The Accident Network Law Group handles semi-truck highway accident cases throughout Southern California.
Key Takeaways
- Highway semi-truck accidents require immediate 911 response and emergency medical evaluation even when injuries seem minor
- Move your vehicle to the shoulder if safely possible to prevent secondary accidents from passing traffic
- The CHP will typically respond to highway accidents and conduct a detailed accident investigation
- The trucking company dispatches its own response team rapidly; your attorney must act equally fast
- Evidence from the semi-truck’s electronic logging device (ELD) and black box must be preserved immediately
Immediate Safety Steps on the Highway
Highway accidents create immediate secondary dangers from passing traffic. If your vehicle is drivable and moving it to the shoulder can be done safely, do so. Turn on your hazard lights. If your vehicle cannot be moved, stay inside with your seat belt fastened until emergency responders arrive. Standing in a highway travel lane is extremely dangerous.
Call 911 immediately. On California highways, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) typically responds to accidents involving commercial vehicles. The CHP accident investigation will include measurements, photographs, witness statements, and an evaluation of the truck driver’s documents, registration, cargo manifest, and log books. The CHP report is a critical piece of evidence in your case.
If you can do so safely without interfering with traffic or emergency responders, photograph the scene: the positions of the vehicles, the truck’s DOT number and company name, any road markings, and your injuries. These photographs capture conditions before the scene changes.
What the CHP Investigates in Semi-Truck Accidents
The CHP conducts more thorough investigations of commercial vehicle accidents than standard passenger car collisions. Officers are trained to inspect commercial vehicles and look for FMCSA violations including hours-of-service violations (was the driver too fatigued to drive?), overweight loads, improper cargo securement, defective lights or brakes, missing safety equipment, and driver qualification issues.
If the officer issues a citation to the truck driver or the trucking company, that citation creates strong evidence of negligence. If the officer determines the truck was in violation of federal regulations, those violations can be used to establish negligence per se.
Highway Speed and Injury Severity
Highway accidents involving semi-trucks at speed produce forces far beyond what safety equipment in passenger vehicles is designed to handle. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, internal organ injuries, severe fractures, and burn injuries from fires ignited by fuel tank ruptures are common outcomes. Many semi-truck highway accidents result in multiple surgeries and extended hospitalizations.
The severity of these injuries makes early, comprehensive medical evaluation essential. Even if the initial emergency room evaluation finds no acute life-threatening injury, follow-up with specialists is critical because some injuries, particularly TBI symptoms and spinal injuries, may not fully manifest for days or weeks.
The Trucking Company’s Response
Commercial trucking companies maintain emergency response protocols for accidents involving their vehicles. Within hours of a major accident, the trucking company may dispatch a specialized accident response team, preserve driver log data from its own systems, send a representative to the scene or hospital, and contact its insurer to begin claim management.
This response is organized, experienced, and focused on protecting the trucking company’s interests. Attorney Yazdi counters this by sending preservation letters to the trucking company and the truck driver within 24 hours, requiring preservation of all data, records, and physical evidence. He began his career as a paralegal at a personal injury firm, and his experience as a law clerk at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office gave him the investigation and documentation skills to match the trucking industry’s response.
California Laws Relevant to Highway Semi-Truck Accident Claims
California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1 sets the two-year statute of limitations. Government Code Section 911.2 requires a six-month tort claim if a government entity’s vehicle or road maintenance is involved. FMCSA regulations (49 CFR Parts 390 through 399) govern commercial trucking safety. California Vehicle Code Section 16056 (amended by SB 1107, effective January 1, 2025) sets standard auto insurance minimums, while FMCSA rules require most interstate carriers to hold $750,000 to $5,000,000 in commercial truck liability coverage depending on cargo type. California follows pure comparative negligence (Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 1975).
Nicky C
I can't explain in this short review how much Damoun and his team mean to us, but I'll try. My husband was in a near fatal motor cycle accident. He was T-boned by a pick up truck 4 months after we had our baby girl. The stress, fear and sadness I felt could not be measured I had no idea what to do or what happened. I'm so lucky we connected with Damoun and his group. It was a weekend and of course he was working lol. They really took care of us and put our minds at ease. The care and love they give their clients is unreal and I still can't believe how lucky we were to find them. Please if you need help, want someone who cares and will work for you this is the group. Damoun Yazdi you are amazing and so is your group we love you guys. Thank you for changing our lives for the better and for caring.
Contact The Accident Network Law Group About Your Semi-Truck Accident Claim
If you or a loved one was struck by a semi-truck on a California highway, Attorney Damoun Yazdi at The Accident Network Law Group can move immediately to request the truck’s electronic logging device data, dispatch records, and driver qualification file before the trucking company’s own systems overwrite them, while coordinating with your treating physicians to document the full scope of your injuries. Consultations are always free, and we handle these cases on a contingency basis under our No Recovery, No Fee policy, so you owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Our team serves clients in Costa Mesa, Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, Apple Valley, Victorville, and Bakersfield, and throughout Southern California. Se habla espanol. Contact us today so we can begin preserving the evidence your highway accident claim depends on.
Legal Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The outcome of any case depends on its specific facts and circumstances. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Contact The Accident Network Law Group for advice about your individual situation.