Our Silicon Valley truck accident lawyer can help investigate a collision involving a tractor-trailer, delivery truck, box truck, construction vehicle, utility truck, commercial van, or another large vehicle.
Silicon Valley’s technology economy, construction activity, airports, retail centers, industrial areas, warehouses, office campuses, and residential neighborhoods generate constant commercial-vehicle movement. Trucks travel through regional freeways, county expressways, arterial roads, construction zones, business districts, and neighborhood delivery routes.
Major Silicon Valley transportation corridors include:
- U.S. Highway 101
- Interstate 280
- Interstate 880
- State Route 17
- State Route 85
- State Route 87
- State Route 92
- State Route 237
- El Camino Real
- Central Expressway
- Lawrence Expressway
- Montague Expressway
- San Tomas Expressway
- Capitol Expressway
A commercial-truck collision can cause severe injuries and present issues that are not usually involved in an ordinary passenger-car claim. The driver may work for one business, operate a truck owned by another company, carry cargo for a third party, follow dispatch instructions from a logistics company, and be covered by several commercial insurance policies.
Aria Law Group represents people injured in truck and commercial-vehicle accidents throughout Silicon Valley, the Peninsula, and surrounding Bay Area communities. We investigate the driver, employer, motor carrier, truck owner, cargo interests, maintenance history, electronic records, insurance policies, and other evidence that may help establish responsibility.
Primary button: Request a Consultation
Secondary button: Call 650-391-9630
Truck Accident Cases We Handle in Silicon Valley
Commercial-vehicle accidents may occur on freeways, expressways, local streets, construction sites, technology campuses, industrial properties, shopping centers, and residential delivery routes.
Rear-End Truck Collisions
A large commercial truck may require substantially more time and distance to stop safely than a passenger vehicle.
Rear-end crashes may result from:
- Excessive speed
- Following too closely
- Driver fatigue
- Distracted driving
- Delayed reaction
- Overloaded cargo
- Improper cargo distribution
- Defective brakes
- Worn tires
- Failure to account for traffic congestion
Even when responsibility appears straightforward, a commercial insurer may argue that:
- The passenger vehicle stopped suddenly
- Another vehicle contributed to the collision
- The impact was too minor to cause the claimed injuries
- The injured person had a preexisting condition
- The medical treatment was excessive
- A later collision caused some of the injuries
Relevant evidence may include dash-camera footage, vehicle-event data, driver logs, GPS records, maintenance documents, photographs, and witness testimony.
Intersection and Turning Accidents
Large trucks require additional room to turn and may move across more than one lane.
A collision may occur when a truck:
- Makes an unsafe right turn
- Makes an unsafe left turn
- Swings into an adjacent lane
- Fails to yield
- Runs a red light
- Blocks a crosswalk
- Turns across a bicycle lane
- Fails to account for pedestrians or cyclists
- Enters an intersection without sufficient clearance
Potential evidence includes:
- Traffic-camera video
- Business-surveillance footage
- Dash-camera recordings
- Witness statements
- Truck-camera footage
- Electronic vehicle data
- Roadway measurements
- Vehicle damage
Freeway Truck Accidents
Silicon Valley freeways carry commuters, freight vehicles, delivery trucks, construction traffic, airport vehicles, and commercial service providers.
Truck collisions may occur on:
- Highway 101
- Interstate 280
- Interstate 880
- State Route 17
- State Route 85
- State Route 87
- State Route 92
- State Route 237
Potential causes include:
- Unsafe lane changes
- Improper merging
- Excessive speed
- Following too closely
- Driver fatigue
- Distracted navigation
- Tire failure
- Brake problems
- Shifting cargo
- Construction-related lane changes
- Failure to adjust to congestion
Freeway crashes may involve multiple vehicles and several impacts. The investigation may need to determine which driver began the sequence and which impact caused or aggravated each injury.
Delivery-Truck Accidents
Silicon Valley residents and businesses rely heavily on parcel, grocery, food, furniture, technology-equipment, and retail deliveries.
Delivery-truck accidents may result from:
- Pressure to meet delivery schedules
- Navigation-app distraction
- Unsafe parking
- Double parking
- Sudden stops
- Improper backing
- Inexperienced drivers
- Failure to check blind spots
- Fatigue
- Frequent entry into residential driveways
- Carrying oversized or unsecured items
Potential evidence includes:
- Delivery-app records
- Route history
- Package scans
- Delivery timestamps
- Dispatch communications
- GPS records
- Driver phone information
- Employment agreements
- Contractor agreements
- Vehicle-ownership records
- Commercial policies
The driver, delivery company, vehicle owner, logistics provider, contractor, or another business may be responsible depending on the actual operating relationship.
Box-Truck Accidents
Box trucks are commonly used by:
- Moving companies
- Furniture stores
- Contractors
- Retail businesses
- Local delivery companies
- Event companies
- Equipment-rental businesses
- Technology-service providers
A driver may have limited experience operating a vehicle that is substantially larger and heavier than a passenger car.
Claims may involve:
- Inadequate training
- Unsafe loading
- Overloading
- Poor maintenance
- Improper vehicle rental
- Limited rear visibility
- Unsafe backing
- Failure to account for vehicle height
- Failure to inspect the vehicle
A rental company’s responsibility depends on the circumstances and applicable law. The vehicle’s rental, maintenance, inspection, and driver records should be reviewed rather than assuming every company connected to the truck is liable.
Construction-Truck Accidents
Silicon Valley’s continuing residential, commercial, technology, and infrastructure development places dump trucks, concrete trucks, flatbeds, equipment haulers, and other heavy vehicles on regional roads.
Construction-truck accidents may involve:
- Improper backing
- Falling debris
- Unsecured equipment
- Mud or construction material on the road
- Unsafe entry from a job site
- Missing warning devices
- Poorly marked work zones
- Inadequate spotters
- Oversized loads
- Vehicles blocking pedestrian or bicycle routes
Potentially responsible parties may include:
- The driver
- General contractor
- Subcontractor
- Developer
- Vehicle owner
- Equipment company
- Site operator
- Traffic-control contractor
- Public entity
Relevant evidence may include permits, construction contracts, daily logs, site video, delivery records, inspection reports, and traffic-control plans.
Utility and Service-Vehicle Accidents
Utility trucks, garbage trucks, tow trucks, landscaping vehicles, maintenance trucks, and other service vehicles frequently stop or reverse near pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles, and residential driveways.
Important questions may include:
- Was the driver trained in backing procedures?
- Was a spotter required?
- Were mirrors and cameras functioning?
- Was the reverse alarm working?
- Was the vehicle stopped in a safe location?
- Did the driver follow company policy?
- Was the work performed for a public agency or private company?
Pedestrian and Bicycle Truck Accidents
Commercial trucks have substantial blind spots and may present particular risks during:
- Right turns
- Left turns
- Backing
- Loading operations
- Lane changes
- Entry into driveways
- Movement through crosswalks
These cases may require examination of:
- Mirror placement
- Camera systems
- Driver sight lines
- Crosswalk locations
- Bicycle-lane configuration
- Warning devices
- Vehicle speed
- Driver attention
- Turn signals
- Vehicle dimensions
- Driver training
An insurer may argue that a pedestrian or cyclist entered the truck’s blind spot. That allegation does not automatically resolve liability. The driver’s lookout, speed, turning method, route, and use of available safety equipment should also be evaluated.
Jackknife Accidents
A tractor-trailer may jackknife when the trailer swings outward and forms an angle with the tractor.
Potential causes include:
- Sudden braking
- Excessive speed
- Improper brake balance
- Slippery pavement
- Driver inexperience
- Shifting cargo
- Mechanical problems
- Abrupt steering
A jackknife collision may block several lanes and involve multiple passenger vehicles.
Truck Rollover Accidents
A truck may roll over because of:
- Excessive speed
- Sharp steering
- Cargo shift
- Improper loading
- High center of gravity
- Tire failure
- Road conditions
- Driver inexperience
Relevant evidence may include cargo documents, weight tickets, electronic data, maintenance files, photographs, inspection records, and driver-training materials.
Cargo-Spill and Lost-Load Accidents
Cargo that is improperly loaded, secured, or inspected may shift or fall into traffic.
Potential evidence includes:
- Bills of lading
- Cargo manifests
- Loading diagrams
- Weight tickets
- Securement equipment
- Warehouse video
- Driver inspections
- Shipping records
- Cargo photographs
Responsibility may involve the motor carrier, driver, shipper, warehouse, loading company, freight broker, or another contractor.
Underride Accidents
An underride accident may occur when a smaller vehicle travels beneath the rear or side of a larger truck or trailer.
Relevant issues may include:
- Trailer visibility
- Lighting
- Reflective markings
- Rear-impact guards
- Sudden stopping
- Improper parking
- Roadway lighting
- Vehicle maintenance
Accidents Involving Parked or Stopped Trucks
Commercial trucks may create hazards when parked or stopped:
- In traffic lanes
- Near freeway shoulders
- In bicycle lanes
- In delivery zones
- Near intersections
- At construction sites
- In poorly lit areas
The investigation may examine whether hazard lights, warning devices, reflective markings, cones, or other safety measures were used.
Uninsured or Underinsured Commercial Vehicles
Although many commercial vehicles carry liability insurance, coverage disputes may arise when:
- The driver used an unauthorized vehicle
- The driver acted outside assigned work
- Several contractors were involved
- The insurer disputes commercial use
- The truck owner and operator were different businesses
- The company disputes the driver’s employment status
Other coverage may be available through:
- The employer
- Motor carrier
- Vehicle owner
- Leasing company
- Delivery company
- Contractor
- Excess insurer
- Injured person’s uninsured- or underinsured-motorist policy
Fatal Truck Accidents
When a commercial collision causes death, eligible family members may have a wrongful-death claim.
A separate survival claim may also arise depending on the circumstances.
The proper claimants, recoverable damages, and relationship between the claims depend on California law and the family circumstances.
Truck Accidents Throughout Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is not a single city with a legally fixed boundary. For purposes of this practice page, the region includes Santa Clara County and southern Peninsula communities commonly associated with Silicon Valley, including:
- San Jose
- Santa Clara
- Sunnyvale
- Mountain View
- Palo Alto
- Menlo Park
- Redwood City
- Cupertino
- Los Altos
- Campbell
- Milpitas
- Saratoga
- Los Gatos
The region’s technology campuses, industrial properties, airports, distribution routes, construction activity, shopping centers, and residential neighborhoods create several distinct commercial-traffic environments.
North San Jose and Milpitas Commercial Traffic
North San Jose and Milpitas contain:
- Technology campuses
- Industrial properties
- Warehouses
- Hotels
- Retail centers
- Interstate 880 access
- Highway 101 access
- State Route 237 connections
- Montague Expressway
- Delivery and service routes
Commercial collisions in this area may involve freight, airport, construction, delivery, and technology-service vehicles.
Peninsula Commercial Traffic
Highway 101 connects San Jose with Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, and communities farther north.
Commercial traffic may include:
- Parcel deliveries
- Office and technology equipment
- Hotel and restaurant suppliers
- Construction vehicles
- Utility trucks
- Moving trucks
- Airport-related transportation
- Shuttle and service vehicles
Technology-Campus Deliveries
Technology campuses receive deliveries involving:
- Office equipment
- Food and catering
- Construction materials
- Computer hardware
- Laboratory supplies
- Furniture
- Maintenance equipment
- Event materials
A collision may involve a company employee, delivery contractor, logistics provider, campus operator, or third-party vendor.
Airport and Hotel Traffic
San José Mineta International Airport and San Francisco International Airport generate traffic involving:
- Freight vehicles
- Hotel shuttles
- Catering trucks
- Rental-car transport
- Delivery vehicles
- Maintenance vehicles
- Construction trucks
Applicable evidence may include airport video, dispatch records, access logs, route data, and company communications.
State Route 85 Truck Restrictions
Caltrans identifies a truck restriction on the Santa Clara County portion of State Route 85 between Highway 101 in San Jose and Interstate 280 in Cupertino.
The official Caltrans State Route 85 truck-restriction page explains the restriction and its history.
A truck’s presence on State Route 85 does not automatically establish a violation or civil liability.
The investigation may need to determine:
- Gross vehicle weight
- Number of axles
- Origin and destination
- Whether an exception applied
- Whether the truck was making a local delivery
- Whether the driver followed an assigned route
- Whether navigation or dispatch instructions directed the truck there
Route evidence may provide context for driver conduct, employer planning, dispatch decisions, and the operation of the vehicle.
A Silicon Valley Truck Accident Example
Consider a box truck traveling from a commercial property in North San Jose toward Highway 101.
The driver is using a delivery application while attempting to complete several scheduled deliveries. As traffic slows near an interchange, the truck rear-ends a passenger vehicle and pushes it into another lane.
The delivery company and insurer may argue that:
- The passenger vehicle stopped suddenly
- Another vehicle caused the chain reaction
- The injured person’s condition was preexisting
- The driver was an independent contractor
- The company did not own the truck
- The impact was too minor to cause the reported injuries
Relevant evidence may include:
- Electronic logging information, when applicable
- GPS and navigation data
- Delivery schedules
- Dispatch communications
- Driver phone records
- Dash-camera footage
- Vehicle-event data
- Brake-maintenance records
- Employment or contractor agreements
- Insurance policies
- Witness statements
- Vehicle-repair records
This example illustrates why a truck-accident claim may require investigation of both the collision and the business relationships behind the vehicle.
Attorney Observation About Silicon Valley Truck Claims
One recurring issue in Silicon Valley commercial-vehicle cases is whether delivery demands, navigation technology, scheduling requirements, or company communications affected the driver’s decisions.
A driver may be:
- Watching a delivery application
- Searching for an unfamiliar address
- Communicating with dispatch
- Attempting to meet a delivery window
- Looking for a campus entrance
- Trying to complete a route within a limited period
These activities may contribute to:
- Distraction
- Unsafe lane changes
- Sudden stops
- Improper parking
- Hurried backing
- Failure to inspect the truck
- Excessive speed
- Fatigue
Relevant evidence may include application data, route history, delivery timestamps, text messages, GPS information, vehicle data, and company communications.
Because electronic information may be routinely deleted or overwritten, a Silicon Valley truck accident lawyer may need to identify the businesses controlling the evidence and request preservation promptly.
Who May Be Responsible for a Truck Accident?
A commercial-truck claim may involve more than the person driving the vehicle.
Potentially responsible parties may include:
- The truck driver
- The driver’s employer
- A motor carrier
- A delivery company
- The truck owner
- The trailer owner
- A vehicle-leasing company
- A contractor
- A subcontractor
- A freight broker
- A logistics company
- A shipper
- A cargo-loading company
- A warehouse
- A maintenance provider
- A repair facility
- A vehicle manufacturer
- A component manufacturer
- A construction company
- A public entity
Driver Responsibility
A driver may be negligent for:
- Speeding
- Following too closely
- Unsafe merging
- Distracted driving
- Driving while fatigued
- Improper backing
- Failing to inspect the vehicle
- Failing to secure cargo
- Ignoring traffic or weather conditions
- Operating while impaired
Motor-Carrier or Employer Responsibility
A company may be responsible for the driver’s conduct or its own practices, including:
- Negligent hiring
- Inadequate training
- Unsafe scheduling
- Poor supervision
- Failure to investigate complaints
- Failure to enforce safety policies
- Allowing an unqualified driver to operate
- Failure to maintain the truck
- Encouraging unsafe delivery practices
Truck and Trailer Ownership
The company operating the truck may not own it.
Ownership and leasing records may show:
- Who maintained the vehicle
- Who selected the driver
- Who controlled its use
- Which company obtained insurance
- Whether defects had been reported
- Whether the vehicle was used as authorized
Cargo and Loading Responsibility
A warehouse, shipper, loader, or logistics company may be responsible when cargo movement, overloading, poor distribution, or inadequate securement contributed to the crash.
Maintenance and Repair Responsibility
A maintenance provider or repair facility may be relevant when the collision involves:
- Brake failure
- Tire failure
- Steering problems
- Lighting defects
- Camera or warning-system failure
- Trailer coupling problems
- Other mechanical defects
Independent-Contractor Disputes
The use of an “independent contractor” label does not necessarily resolve responsibility.
Relevant facts may include:
- Who assigned the route
- Who controlled the schedule
- Who could discipline the driver
- Who owned the truck
- How the driver was paid
- Whose branding appeared on the vehicle
- Which company obtained insurance
- Whether the work was part of the company’s regular business
The actual relationship should be evaluated rather than relying only on the written label.
Evidence to Preserve After a Truck Accident
Commercial evidence may be controlled by the driver, employer, motor carrier, insurer, vehicle owner, maintenance company, logistics provider, or another business.
Potential evidence includes:
- Electronic logging-device data
- Driver records of duty status
- GPS and route information
- Vehicle-event data
- Dash-camera footage
- Cab-camera footage
- Dispatch communications
- Driver logs
- Phone and text records
- Delivery schedules
- Delivery-app data
- Bills of lading
- Cargo documents
- Weight tickets
- Driver qualification records
- Training documents
- Inspection reports
- Maintenance and repair records
- Drug and alcohol testing records
- Employment agreements
- Contractor agreements
- Insurance policies
- Prior complaints
- Prior accidents
- Nearby surveillance footage
Electronic Logging Devices
FMCSA’s Electronic Logging Devices resource explains that an ELD synchronizes with a commercial vehicle’s engine and automatically records driving time.
Not every commercial driver must use an ELD. Applicability depends on whether the driver is required to maintain records of duty status and whether an exception applies.
When ELD data are unavailable, other evidence may include:
- Paper logs
- Timecards
- Payroll records
- Fuel receipts
- Toll records
- Delivery records
- Gate-entry records
- Dispatch information
- Phone and GPS data
Vehicle Preservation
A commercial truck may contain:
- Event data
- Camera recordings
- Electronic-control information
- Mechanical evidence
- Cargo-securement equipment
- Tire and brake evidence
The truck should not be destroyed, materially altered, or returned to service without considering whether an inspection is necessary.
Surveillance and Third-Party Records
Video may exist at:
- Nearby businesses
- Technology campuses
- Parking facilities
- Warehouses
- Residential properties
- Construction sites
- Transit facilities
The video may be overwritten quickly.
Read our detailed guide to evidence to preserve after a truck accident.
What to Do After a Silicon Valley Truck Accident
Move Away From Danger
Truck collisions may involve unstable vehicles, fuel, cargo, broken equipment, or hazardous materials.
Move away from active traffic and follow instructions from emergency personnel.
Call 911
Report:
- Injuries
- Blocked lanes
- Spilled cargo
- Fire risks
- Hazardous materials
- Unsafe roadway conditions
Obtain Medical Care
Seek appropriate medical evaluation based on your symptoms.
Truck collisions may cause head, spinal, orthopedic, internal, and other serious injuries.
Photograph Commercial Identifiers
When safely possible, photograph:
- Company names
- USDOT number
- Truck number
- Trailer number
- License plates
- Vehicle identification
- Cargo markings
- Hazardous-material placards
- Damage to all vehicles
- The surrounding roadway
- Skid marks and debris
Identify Witnesses
Collect names, telephone numbers, and email addresses from anyone who saw the truck before or during the collision.
Preserve Your Vehicle
Do not authorize destruction of a seriously damaged vehicle before considering whether physical inspection or electronic data may be important.
Use Caution With Commercial Insurers
A commercial insurer may request:
- A recorded statement
- Broad medical authorization
- Immediate vehicle inspection
- Early settlement
- A release
- Access to electronic information
Understand the request and the extent of the injuries before agreeing.
For a detailed checklist, read what to do after a truck accident in California.
Federal Motor-Carrier Safety Issues
Depending on the driver, vehicle, cargo, route, and operation, federal regulations may address:
- Driver qualifications
- Hours of service
- Records of duty status
- Electronic logs
- Vehicle inspections
- Maintenance
- Cargo securement
- Drug and alcohol testing
- Commercial vehicle operation
A regulation must apply to the particular driver, truck, and operation before an alleged violation can be evaluated.
A regulatory violation also does not automatically establish the entire civil claim. The connection between the violation, collision, and injury must be shown.
Potential regulatory evidence may include:
- Driver qualification file
- Medical certification
- Hours-of-service records
- Inspection reports
- Maintenance records
- Out-of-service orders
- Drug and alcohol testing documents
- Cargo-securement records
California Comparative Negligence
A trucking company or insurer may argue that the injured person:
- Followed too closely
- Drove in the truck’s blind spot
- Changed lanes unsafely
- Stopped suddenly
- Was speeding
- Was distracted
- Failed to avoid the collision
California allows responsibility to be divided among the parties.
Shared responsibility does not necessarily eliminate a claim. Compensation may be reduced according to the percentage of fault assigned to the injured person.
These allegations should be compared with:
- Physical evidence
- Video
- Vehicle data
- Witness testimony
- Driver logs
- Truck-camera footage
- Electronic records
- Road configuration
Learn more about California comparative negligence.
California Truck-Accident Filing Deadlines
California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally provides two years for many lawsuits involving injury or death caused by another person’s wrongful act or neglect.
Different deadlines and exceptions may apply.
Claims Involving Government Vehicles or Roadways
A government entity may become relevant when a collision involves:
- A city or county truck
- A public-works vehicle
- A utility vehicle
- A transit vehicle
- Road construction
- A defective traffic signal
- A dangerous roadway condition
- Missing or obscured signs
California Government Code section 911.2 generally requires a personal-injury or wrongful-death claim against a public entity to be presented within six months after accrual.
Presenting a government claim is different from filing a lawsuit. Additional deadlines may apply after the agency responds.
Evidence May Disappear Earlier
Commercial evidence may be lost before the legal filing deadline because:
- Vehicles are repaired
- Electronic data are overwritten
- Video is deleted
- Drivers leave the company
- Cargo is destroyed
- Logs are discarded
- Witnesses become difficult to locate
Prompt preservation may be critical.
Injuries Caused by Truck Accidents
Commercial-truck collisions may cause:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Spinal-cord injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Disc injuries
- Fractures
- Crush injuries
- Internal injuries
- Burns
- Amputations
- Permanent disability
- Scarring
- Psychological trauma
- Fatal injuries
The seriousness of an injury is not determined solely by visible vehicle damage.
Medical causation may depend on:
- Direction of impact
- Vehicle size and weight
- Occupant position
- Seat-belt use
- Sequence of impacts
- Prior medical history
- Timing of symptoms
- Diagnostic findings
- Medical opinions
Compensation After a Silicon Valley Truck Accident
Depending on the evidence and available insurance, compensation may include:
- Ambulance expenses
- Emergency care
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Diagnostic testing
- Specialist treatment
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Medication
- Future medical care
- Lost wages
- Lost bonuses or commissions
- Lost business income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent impairment
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Vehicle and property damage
- Towing and storage
- Rental expenses
- Home-care assistance
- Mobility equipment
- Accessibility modifications
- Wrongful-death damages when applicable
The value of a truck-accident claim depends on:
- Liability evidence
- Injury severity
- Medical treatment
- Future limitations
- Responsible parties
- Available insurance
- Comparative-fault allegations
- Lost income
- Future needs
- Litigation risks
No attorney should promise a particular settlement or outcome before reviewing the case.
How Aria Law Group Handles Truck-Accident Claims
Initial Evaluation
We discuss:
- How the collision occurred
- Type of commercial vehicle
- Companies involved
- Injuries
- Medical treatment
- Police investigation
- Available photographs and records
- Immediate concerns
Evidence Preservation
We identify:
- Electronic records
- Company documents
- Video footage
- Physical vehicles
- Cargo information
- Driver records
- Maintenance evidence
- Insurance documents
Driver and Company Investigation
We examine:
- Driver’s role
- Employer
- Motor carrier
- Contractor relationships
- Driver qualifications
- Training
- Safety history
- Route assignment
- Companies operating or controlling the truck
Insurance Investigation
We review potentially applicable:
- Commercial automobile policies
- Employer coverage
- Vehicle-owner policies
- Leasing coverage
- Delivery-company insurance
- Excess and umbrella policies
- Cargo-related policies
- Uninsured- or underinsured-motorist coverage
Medical Review
We evaluate:
- Medical records
- Diagnoses
- Imaging
- Surgery
- Treatment
- Prior conditions
- Work restrictions
- Prognosis
- Future-care recommendations
Witness Interviews
Witnesses may help establish:
- Truck speed
- Lane position
- Turning movement
- Cargo condition
- Driver behavior
- Sequence of impacts
- Statements made after the collision
Damage Documentation
We document:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Disability
- Pain
- Daily limitations
- Future losses
Settlement Negotiation
When the claim is ready, we may prepare a demand explaining:
- Driver conduct
- Company responsibility
- Commercial relationships
- Injuries
- Medical treatment
- Lost income
- Future needs
- Other damages
Litigation When Appropriate
A lawsuit may become necessary when a trucking company or insurer:
- Disputes responsibility
- Withholds records
- Challenges the injuries
- Denies insurance coverage
- Blames another company
- Refuses a reasonable resolution
Silicon Valley Truck-Accident Resources
Additional information is available through these pages:
- What to do after a truck accident in California
- Evidence to preserve after a truck accident
- California comparative negligence
- Silicon Valley personal injury lawyer
- Bay Area personal injury lawyer
Local Truck Accident Lawyer Pages
Our city pages provide more focused information about local commercial corridors, accident conditions, medical resources, court venue, and public-entity issues.
San Jose
San Jose truck accident lawyer
Palo Alto
Palo Alto truck accident lawyer
Mountain View
Mountain View truck accident lawyer
Menlo Park
Menlo Park truck accident lawyer
Redwood City
Redwood City truck accident lawyer
San Mateo
San Mateo truck accident lawyer
Add Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Saratoga, San Carlos, Belmont, and other city pages as they are published.
Silicon Valley Truck Accident Lawyer FAQs
What should I do immediately after a truck accident?
Move to a safe location when possible, call 911, seek medical attention, photograph the vehicles and commercial identifiers, collect witness details, preserve electronic evidence, and report the collision to the appropriate insurers.
What identifying information should I photograph?
When it is safe, photograph:
- Company name
- Truck and trailer
- License plates
- Vehicle numbers
- USDOT number
- Cargo
- Hazardous-material placards
- Damage
- Roadway conditions
- Safety markings
Does every truck have an electronic logging device?
No. The federal ELD rule applies mainly to drivers required to maintain records of duty status, and exceptions exist. Paper logs, timecards, delivery records, GPS data, fuel receipts, and dispatch communications may still be available.
Can several companies be responsible?
Potentially. The driver, employer, motor carrier, truck owner, trailer owner, delivery company, cargo loader, maintenance provider, logistics company, or other businesses may share responsibility.
What if the company calls the driver an independent contractor?
The label does not necessarily determine responsibility. The actual degree of control, route assignment, working relationship, vehicle ownership, insurance arrangements, and other facts should be evaluated.
What if the commercial driver was uninsured?
Other coverage may be available through the employer, motor carrier, vehicle owner, contractor, leasing business, excess insurer, or an applicable uninsured- or underinsured-motorist policy.
Can I recover if I was partly responsible?
Potentially. California comparative-fault principles may allow recovery even when an injured person shares responsibility, although compensation may be reduced.
How long do I have to file a truck-accident lawsuit?
California generally provides two years for many personal-injury lawsuits. Claims involving public entities may require presentation within six months, and other exceptions may apply.
How much is a truck-accident claim worth?
Value depends on liability, responsible companies, medical evidence, injury severity, future limitations, lost income, insurance coverage, comparative fault, and litigation risks.
Do I need a Silicon Valley truck accident lawyer?
Not every commercial-vehicle collision requires representation. Speaking with a Silicon Valley truck accident lawyer may be helpful when injuries are serious, several businesses may be responsible, electronic evidence may disappear, or a commercial insurer disputes fault, coverage, causation, or damages.
About Attorney Aria Vatankhah
Aria Vatankhah is an active member of the State Bar of California and has been licensed in California since June 2, 2010.
Attorney: Aria Vatankhah
California Bar No.: 269999
License status: Active
Office: 260 Sheridan Avenue, Suite 200, Palo Alto, California 94306
Telephone: 650-391-9630
Clients may verify current licensing information through the official State Bar of California attorney profile.
Aria Law Group represents people injured in truck and commercial-vehicle accidents throughout Silicon Valley, the Peninsula, and surrounding Bay Area communities. Each matter is evaluated according to the driver’s conduct, businesses involved, available insurance, electronic records, medical evidence, and the client’s long-term needs.
Button: Learn More About Aria Vatankhah
Contact a Silicon Valley Truck Accident Lawyer
A commercial-truck collision can leave an injured person facing hospitalization, lost income, permanent limitations, damaged property, and negotiations with several businesses and insurance companies.
Contact a Silicon Valley truck accident lawyer at Aria Law Group to discuss a tractor-trailer, delivery-truck, box-truck, construction-vehicle, utility-truck, or other commercial-vehicle accident.
We can review the circumstances, identify potentially responsible parties, determine which evidence may require preservation, evaluate available insurance, and explain the legal options that may be available.
Primary button: Request a Consultation
Secondary button: Call 650-391-9630
Aria Law Group
260 Sheridan Avenue, Suite 200
Palo Alto, California 94306
Telephone: 650-391-9630
CONTACT-FORM IMPLEMENTATION
These are WordPress implementation notes. Only the visible form heading, fields, button, and disclaimer should appear publicly.
Tell Us About Your Truck Accident
Recommended fields:
- Full name
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Accident date
- Accident city
- Accident location
- Type of commercial vehicle
- Company name shown on the vehicle
- USDOT number, if known
- Whether medical treatment was received
- Whether a police report was prepared
- Whether photographs or video exist
- Brief description
- Preferred contact method
- Consent checkbox
Submit button:
Request a Truck Accident Consultation
Form disclaimer:
Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not submit confidential or time-sensitive information until Aria Law Group confirms that it can represent you.
Hero Image
Use an original professional photograph of Aria Vatankhah rather than a generic staged truck collision.
Suggested alt text:Silicon Valley truck accident lawyer Aria Vatankhah
Use this only when the image actually depicts the attorney.
Regional Commercial-Traffic Image
Use an original or properly licensed photograph showing:
- Highway 101 commercial traffic
- Interstate 880 freight traffic
- State Route 237
- A Silicon Valley delivery truck
- A construction vehicle on a regional roadway
Suggested alt text:Commercial truck traffic in Silicon Valley
Truck-Evidence Graphic
Create an original graphic showing:
- USDOT number
- Electronic logs
- GPS history
- Dash-camera footage
- Cargo records
- Maintenance files
Suggested alt text:Evidence used in a Silicon Valley truck accident claim
Responsible-Parties Graphic
Create an original diagram showing:
- Driver
- Employer
- Motor carrier
- Truck owner
- Cargo loader
- Maintenance provider
- Insurer
Suggested alt text:Potentially responsible parties after a commercial truck collision
Attorney Photograph
Suggested alt text:Aria Vatankhah, California truck accident attorney
Do not place the exact focus keyphrase in every image-alt attribute.
Add these contextual links after the destination pages have been published:
https://www.arialaw.com/santa-clara-truck-accident-lawyer/https://www.arialaw.com/sunnyvale-truck-accident-lawyer/https://www.arialaw.com/cupertino-truck-accident-lawyer/https://www.arialaw.com/los-altos-truck-accident-lawyer/https://www.arialaw.com/los-gatos-truck-accident-lawyer/https://www.arialaw.com/milpitas-truck-accident-lawyer/https://www.arialaw.com/trucking-company-liability/https://www.arialaw.com/delivery-truck-accident-claims/https://www.arialaw.com/improperly-loaded-truck-accidents/https://www.arialaw.com/case-results/https://www.arialaw.com/client-testimonials/
Do not place links to unpublished pages in visible body content until the destination pages exist.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Trucking regulations, liability rules, insurance coverage, filing deadlines, government-claim procedures, and legal standards may apply differently depending on the driver, carrier, vehicle, cargo, route, injuries, and evidence.
Viewing this page, submitting a contact form, sending an email, or contacting Aria Law Group does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship. Do not send confidential information until an attorney-client relationship has been confirmed.
Every matter is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Attorney advertising.