Truck Accident Lawyers in California
Independently reviewed truck accident attorneys across Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Riverside, Orange County, San Francisco, Bakersfield, San Jose, Fresno, San Bernardino, Concord, Long Beach, Stockton, Anaheim, Burbank, Santa Ana, Ontario, Santa Rosa, Folsom, Irvine, Oxnard, Fremont and Victorville. 87 firms reviewed, with verified data from the State Bar of California, Google Maps, and our editorial methodology.
California has the largest commercial trucking economy in the United States, anchored by the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach — collectively the busiest container ports in the Western Hemisphere. The Cal. Highway Patrol reports roughly 7,000 commercial-vehicle-involved injury crashes annually. Strong consumer-protective civil code and progressive juries make California a plaintiff-friendly forum for catastrophic truck cases — and a high-stakes jurisdiction with some of the largest verdicts in US history.
California truck accident law — key points
Three legal questions affect almost every truck accident case in California. Each is governed by a public statute we link below — you can verify everything.
Statute of limitations
2 years for personal injury
2 years for wrongful death
Two years from the date of injury for personal injury claims. Wrongful death follows the same deadline. If the defendant is a government entity, a 6-month claim presentation deadline applies first.
Comparative negligence rule
Pure comparative negligence
California follows pure comparative negligence (Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 13 Cal. 3d 804). You can recover damages even if you were 99% at fault, with your recovery reduced by your fault percentage. This is one of the most plaintiff-favorable rules in the country.
Damages caps
No cap on compensatory damages
No cap on economic or non-economic damages in standard truck accident cases. (MICRA medical malpractice caps were updated in 2023, but do not apply to non-malpractice cases.) Punitive damages are not capped but must meet the Cal. Civ. Code § 3294 "malice, oppression, or fraud" standard.
Top 5 truck accident law firms in California
Sorted by our editorial score. Each firm has been reviewed with our public methodology and verified across multiple data sources. Click any firm to see the full side-by-side comparison.
- 1
Amicus Legal Group – Ontario Car Accident and Personal Injury Attorneys
Google ★ 5 · 66 reviews Editorial 10/10 · Local Ontario personal-injury practiceSee full profile and sources → - 2
Attorney Jeff Car Accident Lawyer
Google ★ 5 · 128 reviews Editorial 10/10 · Local Fresno personal-injury practiceSee full profile and sources → - 3
BHL Accident Lawyers
Google ★ 5 · 281 reviews Editorial 10/10 · Local Long Beach personal-injury practiceSee full profile and sources → - 4
Car Accident Attorney Group
Google ★ 5 · 66 reviews Editorial 10/10 · Local Riverside personal-injury practiceSee full profile and sources → - 5
Colvin Accident Lawyers
Google ★ 5 · 235 reviews Editorial 10/10 · Local Bakersfield personal-injury practiceSee full profile and sources →
Looking for firms in a specific city? Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Riverside, Orange County, San Francisco, Bakersfield, San Jose, Fresno, San Bernardino, Concord, Long Beach, Stockton, Anaheim, Burbank, Santa Ana, Ontario, Santa Rosa, Folsom, Irvine, Oxnard, Fremont and Victorville.
Frequently asked questions about California truck accident cases
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to sue after a California truck accident?
Two years from the accident date for personal injury (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1). If a government entity (like a city or Caltrans) might be liable — a state-owned vehicle, road defect, etc. — you must file a government claim within 6 months under the California Government Claims Act before you can sue.
Can I recover if I was mostly at fault?
Yes — California uses pure comparative negligence. Even if a jury finds you 90% at fault, you can still collect 10% of your damages. Most jurisdictions have a 50% or 51% bar; California does not.
California truck accident guides
Deadline
Statute of limitations
2-year deadline, tolling exceptions, government claim deadlines.
Action guide
What to do after a truck accident in California
24-hour, 7-day, 30-day checklists. What to never do. State-specific warnings.
Settlement data
Average settlement amounts in California
Typical ranges by injury severity, calibrated to California jury tradition and damages caps.
Fault rules
California comparative negligence explained
How California divides fault, with recovery examples at every fault percentage.
Browse California cities
All US states we cover (legal framework + firms where reviewed): Texas, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, Washington, Colorado, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming.
States with similar laws to California
Same comparative-fault rule (pure): Arizona, New York, Missouri, Washington.