Los Angeles Unsecured Load Accident Lawyer

Unsecured loads present a significant safety hazard for Los Angeles motorists. A commercial truck, pickup truck or another vehicle with a haphazard load of objects, furniture or cargo may drop items in transit and cause a serious traffic accident. 

If a poorly secured load caused your recent car accident, contact the attorneys at Rose, Klein & Marias LLP for a free legal consultation. You may be entitled to financial compensation from one or more parties.

Why Choose Us for Your Case?

• Our car and truck accident attorneys have represented injured victims in California since 1936. We have a thorough understanding of the laws and nuances surrounding lost load accidents.
• We have recovered more than $5 billion for our clients. Our track record of success includes a $3.9 million settlement for a trucking accident that catastrophically injured our client.

• At Rose, Klein & Marias LLP, we handle unsecured load accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means we will charge $0 in legal fees unless we win your case.

How Can an Unsecured Load Accident Attorney in Los Angeles Help You?

Accidents involving cargo or objects falling off a vehicle involve many complex laws. Navigating these laws and negotiating with an insurance company can be difficult, especially if you are dealing with painful or debilitating injuries. Hiring an experienced Los Angeles car accident attorney to handle legal matters for you can allow you to focus on your recovery.

An attorney can investigate the crash to determine the cause of the object or debris that fell and struck your vehicle, such as a careless or reckless driver. Then, your attorney can gather evidence against the at-fault party or defendant, such as crash reconstruction data, the black box of a commercial truck, eyewitness statements, accident reports and expert testimony.

A lawyer can take over communications with an insurer to fight for a settlement that adequately covers your losses. While most motor vehicle accident cases reach settlements, a lawyer can also go to trial to pursue maximum compensation if necessary. A lawyer allows you to even the scales when going up against a powerful adversary, such as a trucking company or insurer.

Types of Unsecured Cargo Accidents

An unsecured load accident may involve many different crash dynamics, as items falling from a vehicle can cause an accident in several ways. Examples include:

• Objects or debris striking a vehicle.
• A fallen item smashing through a vehicle’s windshield.
• A vehicle running over lost cargo, causing a tire blowout.
• A driver swerving to avoid a falling item or road debris, resulting in a rollover.
• A driver leaving the road or entering another lane to try to avoid falling objects.
• A semi-truck tipping or rolling over due to an imbalanced load.

Unsecured load accidents involving tractor-trailers are especially dangerous due to the size and weight of these vehicles; however, any type of lost load accident has the potential to be catastrophic.

Cargo Securement Rules and Regulations 

Federal and state laws are in place to control the loading and securement of cargo into motor vehicles. Commercial trucks, as common carriers, must comply with federal cargo securement rules. These rules include a minimum number of load tiedowns, cargo placement parameters and special rules for hazardous materials.

Federal cargo loading laws are enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is responsible for inspecting tractor-trailers and monitoring trucking companies to ensure compliance. State laws in California also prohibit motorists from driving with unsafe, unsecured loads, such as California Vehicle Code Sections 23114, 23115 and 24002.

Liability for an Unsecured Load Accident in Los Angeles

If an individual violates a cargo law and drives with an unsafely loaded vehicle, he or she could be held financially responsible, or liable, for a subsequent accident. The at-fault driver may be required to pay for the victim’s injuries, medical bills and property damage. All drivers in California are required to carry minimum amounts of liability insurance to make these payments.

California is a fault state, meaning the person or party at fault for causing a car accident is liable for resultant damage. In an unsecured load accident, the liable party could be an individual driver, trucking company, cargo company, product manufacturer or maintenance crew. An attorney from Rose, Klein & Marias LLP can investigate to determine the liable party/ies in your case.

Trucking Company Liability for Lost Cargo Loads

In a case involving a semi-truck that dropped cargo onto the road and caused an accident, the trucking company can most likely be held responsible. Truck companies are liable for most accidents involving their trucks and drivers, even if the driver is an independent contractor and not an employee.

A trucking company can also be held directly liable for its part in contributing to the unsecured load accident. This may include issues such as unqualified drivers, inadequate worker training, poorly maintained equipment, improper loading procedures, unbalanced trucks and pressure on drivers to meet tight delivery deadlines. Our Los Angeles truck accident attorney can work with vitcims and hold the responsible parties liable. 

What to Do After a Lost Load Accident in Los Angeles

If you are the victim of an accident caused by objects falling from another person’s vehicle, take the following steps to protect yourself after the crash: 

1. Pull over in a safe location and check for injuries.
2. If you or anyone else is injured, get medical care immediately.
3. Call 911 to report the automobile accident.
4. If you can do so safely, move your disabled vehicle out of the road.
5. Exchange information with the driver of the other vehicle.
6. Take photographs of any evidence, including the other vehicle’s haphazard load.
7. Speak to the police and write down your police report number.
8. Follow your doctor’s orders and treatment plan as you recover from your injuries.
9. File an injury claim with the at-fault party’s insurance provider.
10. Speak to an attorney about your case before accepting an insurance settlement.

An attorney can carefully review your case, explain your rights and help you take further action to pursue fair financial compensation for your losses.

Contact Us Today for a Free Case Review in Los Angeles

As the victim of an unsecured load accident in Los Angeles, you may be eligible for financial compensation that can help you pick up the pieces and rebuild your life as much as possible. Discuss your case in detail with one of our attorneys at no cost or obligation to learn more.

Schedule your free case consultation at Rose, Klein & Marias LLP by calling (866) 674-5150 or contacting us online anytime. Our Los Angeles office is located at 801 S. Grand Avenue, 11th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017.