Plumbers, electricians, HVAC(s), roofers, contractors, construction (company trucks, box trucks, dump trucks), utilities (electric, gas, water, internet, trash, think Edison, Southern California Gas, AT&T, Spectrum, CR&R), deliveries/rideshare (cars, vans, buses, big rigs, gas tankers, think Uber/Lyft, OCTA, LA Metro, Amazon, Fed Ex, UPS, USPS), first responders (fire, police, ambulance/EMTs): They all play a vital role in the maintenance, production, survival and advancement of our society.
But what happens when these fine folks are having a bad day behind the wheel and crash into an innocent driver, passenger, or pedestrian? Unfortunately, with millions of people constantly on the move, this happens every day on our California roads and freeways. Most (if not all) of the vehicles mentioned above are commercial in classification and considerably heavier than your average family vehicle. A respected plumber once told me: "I can't park in someone's driveway because the sheer weight of my truck will damage their foundation." Imagine what these vehicles can do on impact, even at slower speeds. Keep in mind that these commercial vehicles must carry substantial liability insurance (typically a million dollars or more in coverage), and if they drive a little too fast, forget to brake in time and cause a crash, their insurance company must pay the bill. While these crashes happen all the time (next time on the freeway, count how many commercial trucks you see), insurance companies are notorious for lowballing victims and their attorneys, knowing who they can take advantage of and who they must respect. If you are ever the unlucky victim of one of these accidents, make sure you contact a lawyer who knows the machinations of these commercial insurance companies and how they operate in an effort to shortchange injury claims.
At Barrios & Machado, we have both the experience and the results to prove how to deal with these difficult insurance adjusters and their lawyers. We hold the record for top jury verdict in Los Angeles County for emergency vehicle accidents in 2023 and have recovered tens of millions of dollars for our clients. Don't hire a law firm that forces you to settle quickly for less than you deserve. We take cases all the way to a jury when justice requires it. Call us for a free case evaluation.
