Mar 13, 2025 - Blogs by Sky Law Group
All throughout our busy freeways and roads, California highways are filled with large semi-trucks and commercial vehicles transporting goods from some of the busiest ports and distribution centers in the entire world. The movement of such goods is important to our economy; however, due to the sheer size and weight of such vehicles, they can pose significant dangers to motorists. One of the most common calls we receive involves semi-truck accidents making lane changes and sideswiping our clients due to improper or unsafe lane changes.
A sideswipe with a very large and heavy semi-truck that can weigh north of 80,000 pounds can have huge consequences for motorists in smaller vehicles. Not many vehicles can withstand the forces generated by semi-trucks, as most are carrying goods during transport, making them exceptionally heavy. Victims of accidents with semi-trucks suffer from large and serious injuries, including death. Aside from the injuries, the emotional trauma and property damage can lead a person to give up entirely on their claim. It is very important to understand your rights following such accidents and how to protect your legal rights if you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a semi-truck.
How Common Are Sideswipe Accidents?
Sideswipe accidents usually occur when two vehicles are headed in the same direction and one of the vehicles makes a lane change into the side of the other vehicle. While these accidents are quite common, when they involve a semi-truck, the crashes and risk increase significantly when a semi-truck is involved. Some of the common reasons truck drivers cause sideswipe accidents are as follows:
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Failure to Check Blind Spots
Based on the large size of semi-trucks, they have very large blind spots located on both sides of the truck. Such blind spots are referred to as “No-Zones” and are located in the front of the truck and behind the trailer area. A truck driver who fails to look into such areas can cause significant damage to a smaller vehicle, causing a collision or even causing the other vehicle to veer off the road or sometimes into opposing traffic. In either case, the force and impact of such a collision are major and cause serious damage.
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Unsafe Lane Changes
Truck drivers often need to change lanes to get into their correct point of destination due to various traffic conditions or simply to merge into lanes. Merging too quickly or abruptly without taking adequate safety precautions, such as failing to signal or switching lanes too quickly, can result in a sideswipe accident.
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Driver Fatigue
As often is the case, driver fatigue and sleep-deprived drivers cause fatigue and lead to slow reactions and poor judgment by the semi-truck driver. Drifting into another lane is quite common and unintentionally hitting opposing vehicles before they realize what occurred.
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Distracted Driving
If fatigue and being sleep deprived are not enough, distracted drivers in semi-trucks are another common occurrence. Cellphone usage, eating inside the vehicle or even adjusting the radio can cause a truck driver to lose focus and cause a major collision on the roads. Distracted driving is one of the most common calls we receive for semi-truck drivers leading to sideswipe collisions.
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Driving Under the Influence
Some drivers driving under the influence of a substance or alcohol can pose a major risk to motorists and pedestrians. This reckless disregard for the lives of others can significantly increase the risk of these types of accidents, including sideswipe accidents.
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Speeding
Speeding with a large, heavy semi-truck is both reckless and dangerous. By failing to adequately follow the speed limit, which in many cases is much lower for semi-truck drivers, semi-trucks going to fast for the road conditions may struggle to keep their vehicle within their respective lane and cause sideswipe accidents.
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Poorly Trained or Inexperienced Drivers
Not all semi-truck or truck drivers receive the same training on proper lane changes, etc. Such inexperienced drivers fail to adequately check their blind spots or even misjudge the amount of space between them and vehicles in the lane next to them, causing sideswipe accidents.
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Poor Weather or Road Conditions
Weather can also play a significant factor in sideswipe accidents. Semi-trucks are difficult to operate with blind spots and no zones in regular conditions, let alone adding the elements of rain, fog, snow and icy conditions, etc., which can cause semi-trucks to drift into other lanes.
Common Injuries in Semi-Truck Sideswipe Accidents
Due to the size and magnitude of semi trucks, a sideswipe accident can have catastrophic injuries, including those below: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) – Resulting from head trauma during the collision.
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones and fractures – Usually leading to surgery and extended recovery time.
- Whiplash and neck injuries – Sudden jerks in neck or whiplash
- Lacerations and burns – Shattered glass, debris and fires
- Internal injuries – Injuries to organs, which can be life-threatening
What to Do Immediately After a Semi-Truck Sideswipe Accident in Southern California
Taking immediate steps following a semi-truck accident can make a huge difference in your personal injury claim. Focus on your health and legal rights following an accident. Do not let the insurance carriers dissuade you from protecting your rights. Here is what you need to do:
1. Call 911 and Seek Medical Attention
Health is your main priority. Often following an accident, you may not feel immediate pain due to adrenaline running through your body. Don’t ignore your body’s aches and pains, which can yield significant injuries. Always get immediate medical attention and keep track of your visits.
2. Call the Police
A police report can significantly help your claim. Although a police report is not conclusive, it can gather important evidence and details and possible witness information to help bolster or improve your claim.
3. Get Evidence, Think Like an Investigator
Take photos and videos of the accident scene and include damage to your vehicle, the other vehicle (meaning the semi-truck), weather and road conditions, traffic signs and possibly any injuries to your body.
4. Gather Information
Exchange insurance information with the truck driver and take pictures of the vehicle, which may include the employer’s name and gather the license plate number. Gather witness information and look for any businesses nearby that may have video footage.
5. Do Not Admit Fault or Speak to the Trucking Company’s Insurance
Do not speak to the insurance carrier on the other side, never give a recorded statement to them of the accident and do not speak to them in general without hiring an attorney. Insurance companies are trained to find loopholes and use your own words against you.
Call Sky Law Group and Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer Today
An experienced truck accident lawyer can help you navigate the legal process, collect evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Insurance companies have deep pockets and tricks up their sleeves. We level the playing field and fight against insurance companies to get the maximum compensation our client’s deserve. Don’t settle without calling us first. We are a five-star-rated litigation firm and we don’t play games with insurance companies.
Let us fight for you so you can focus on your health and well being. Semi truck accidents, as stated earlier, are common in Anaheim, as the 5 freeway hums with them on a daily basis, the 91 freeway is filled with semi trucks transporting large amounts of goods and local streets such as Katella feel their fumble. If you have been hit and injured by a semi-truck, you are not alone. Insurance companies have large teams; let our team go to bat for you. An Anaheim personal injury lawyer that fights for the locals from Downtown Anaheim to Yorba Linda. We have you covered.
If you’ve been involved in a rear-end accident in Orange, California, don’t wait. The statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim in California is generally two years from the date of the accident. The sooner you act, the stronger your case will be.
Call Sky Law Group, APC today at 1-866-868-5005 or fill out our online form to schedule your free consultation. Let us fight for the compensation you deserve!