San Diego Garbage Truck Accident Attorney

We typically think of our local garbage trucks as large, lumbering neighborhood vehicles that help the environment and make little boys smile. While this may be true, garbage trucks are also huge and heavy, weighing up to 25 tons when fully loaded. They make frequent stops, have poor rear-views, and cause more accidents than you’d expect from slow-moving trucks. Sadly, occupants of other vehicles face a significant risk in an accident with a garbage truck.

Garbage truck accident victims in San Diego may be unsure where to turn after the accident, particularly since accident claims against a city or county government agency have unique challenges and special timelines. A San Diego truck accident attorney with years of experience navigating garbage truck accident claims is the best ally to move forward on a claim for compensation.

How Do Garbage Truck Accidents Occur?

Garbage truck accidents caused over 1400 injuries and 107 deaths in a single recent year, usually due to driver error or negligence. Common causes of garbage truck accidents include the following:

• Distracted driving
• Poor visibility (garbage trucks often navigate streets before sunrise)
• Frequent stops and starts
• Driver fatigue
• Inadequate training
• Blind spots
• Unbalanced loads
• Stops in the middle of the street to save time
• Defective equipment
• Reverse accidents (backovers)

Garbage truck drivers rely on the workers on the back of the truck to guide them because of extended blind spots and poor visibility from the driver’s seat. Collisions, unsafe lane changes, and back-up accidents may result, sometimes causing severe injuries to the occupants of smaller vehicles.

Who Is Liable for Damages After a Garbage Truck Accident?

A garbage truck accident claim can be challenging due to the difficulty of determining the correct liable party. Even if the garbage truck driver caused the accident, they may not be personally liable for the injury victim’s damages. Liability could lie with a waste management company, a recycling center, the manufacturer of a defective truck part, a truck maintenance company, or —most commonly—with a city or county government refuse agency. A claim against a government entity requires special handling because different time limits and other requirements apply. For example, the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits in California is two years, but when filing a lawsuit against a government agency, injury victims only have six months.

What Can I Get From a Garbage Truck Accident Claim in San Diego?

Injuries in garbage truck accidents range from mild to severe. Some accidents end in wrongful death. A successful garbage truck accident claim brings compensation for damages such as the following:

• Property damage to a vehicle
• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Future income loss
• Diminished future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Disfigurement, loss of one of the senses, loss of limb, diminished quality of life, or PTSD

Insurance companies and waste management agencies commonly dispute claims in garbage truck accidents or attempt to assign blame to the other driver. A successful claim for the maximum compensation available requires skilled legal representation.

How Can a San Diego Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer Help?

Instead of dealing with the insurance company and government agency alone, it’s always beneficial to have a powerful voice behind your claim. An experienced San Diego personal injury attorney from Haffner & Morgan will investigate all aspects of the accident, document evidence of liability, and carefully calculate your damages to achieve the largest possible settlement. We are also more than ready to take your claim to court in a lawsuit if necessary to get the compensation you deserve. Contact the garbage truck accident lawyers at Haffner & Morgan today for a free consultation about your garbage truck accident claim.