Costa Mesa Underride Truck Accident Lawyer | Law Office of Jasminder Gill

Protecting Victims of Serious Underride Truck Accidents Throughout Costa Mesa & Orange County

Few motor vehicle collisions are as devastating as an underride truck accident. When a passenger vehicle slides underneath the rear or side of a commercial truck, the results are often catastrophic. These collisions frequently cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, permanent disabilities, and wrongful death.

Because commercial trucks sit significantly higher than passenger vehicles, smaller cars can become trapped beneath a trailer during a collision. Even modern safety features found in passenger vehicles may not prevent life-changing injuries when an underride crash occurs.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in an underride truck accident in Costa Mesa or  Orange County you may be entitled to significant compensation. The Law Office of Jasminder Gill represents victims injured by negligent truck drivers, trucking companies, commercial carriers, and other parties whose negligence caused preventable truck accidents.

Attorney Jasminder Gill has spent more than 15 years representing injury victims throughout Costa Mesa & Orange County. Our firm understands the unique challenges involved in commercial trucking litigation and works aggressively to preserve evidence before it disappears.

We provide:

• Free Consultations
• No Fee Unless We Win
• Direct Access to Attorney Jasminder Gill
• Punjabi-Speaking Attorney
• Spanish Consultations Available

What Is an Underride Truck Accident?

An underride accident occurs when a passenger vehicle becomes trapped underneath the rear or side of a commercial truck or semi-trailer.

Unlike most passenger vehicle collisions, underride crashes often involve direct impact to the windshield, roofline, or upper portion of the vehicle. Because the trailer sits significantly higher than most cars, traditional vehicle safety systems such as airbags and crumple zones may provide little protection.

Underride accidents commonly involve:

• Semi-trucks
• Tractor-trailers
• Big rigs
• Delivery trucks
• Flatbed trucks
• Box trucks
• Construction vehicles
• Commercial trailers

These crashes often occur at highway speeds, making them among the deadliest commercial truck accidents on California roads.

Types of Underride Truck Accidents

Rear Underride Accidents

Rear underride accidents occur when a passenger vehicle strikes the back of a commercial trailer.

Common causes include:

• Sudden truck braking
• Disabled trucks stopped in traffic
• Poor trailer lighting
• Missing reflective tape
• Inadequate rear underride guards
• Low visibility
• Heavy fog
• Nighttime driving

Because the passenger vehicle slides beneath the trailer, occupants often suffer catastrophic head and neck injuries.

Side Underride Accidents

Side underride crashes occur when a passenger vehicle travels underneath the side of a trailer while the truck crosses traffic or turns.

These accidents frequently happen when:

• Trucks make wide turns
• Truck drivers fail to yield
• Drivers cross intersections
• Commercial trucks enter highways
• Drivers ignore oncoming traffic

Side underride crashes are particularly dangerous because many trailers have limited side protection.

Why Are Underride Truck Accidents So Dangerous?

Commercial trailers are much taller than passenger vehicles.

When a car slides beneath a trailer, the strongest parts of the vehicle—including the engine compartment—often fail to absorb the impact.

Instead, the trailer may strike:

• The windshield
• Roof
• Driver compartment
• Front occupants

This creates an extremely high risk of:

• Fatal head injuries
• Brain trauma
• Neck fractures
• Spinal cord injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Crush injuries
• Permanent paralysis
• Wrongful death

Many underride crashes result in life-changing injuries even at moderate speeds.

Common Causes of Underride Truck Accidents

Underride accidents rarely occur because of one factor alone.

Many involve multiple acts of negligence.

Examples include:

Driver Fatigue

Truck drivers who violate Hours-of-Service regulations may have slower reaction times and fail to avoid collisions.

Distracted Driving

Commercial drivers distracted by:

• Cell phones
• GPS devices
• Dispatch communications
• Eating
• Electronic logging devices

may fail to recognize slowing traffic.

Poor Trailer Visibility

Federal regulations require commercial trailers to use reflective markings and lighting.

If these safety devices are missing or damaged, approaching drivers may not see the trailer until it is too late.

Improperly Maintained Equipment

Broken lights

Missing reflectors

Damaged underride guards

Poor brake maintenance

can all increase the risk of catastrophic crashes.

Unsafe Lane Changes

Commercial trucks have significant blind spots.

Drivers who change lanes without properly checking surrounding traffic can force smaller vehicles underneath trailers.

Improper Turns

Wide right turns and unsafe left turns frequently create side underride accidents throughout Orange County intersections.

Speeding

Truck drivers operating too fast for traffic conditions often cannot stop safely.

This greatly increases crash severity.

FMCSA Violations

Many underride crashes involve violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations, including:

• Hours-of-Service violations
• Driver qualification violations
• Maintenance violations
• Cargo securement violations
• Inspection failures
• Recordkeeping violations

Evidence of these violations can play an important role in proving negligence.

Where Do Underride Truck Accidents Occur in Costa Mesa & Orange County?

Because Orange County contains several major commercial trucking routes, underride accidents often occur on heavily traveled freeways.

Common locations include:

• Interstate 5 (I-5)
• Interstate 405 (I-405)
• State Route 55
• State Route 57
• State Route 22
• State Route 91
• State Route 73
• Interstate 605
• Harbor Boulevard
• Bristol Street
• MacArthur Boulevard
• Jamboree Road
• Katella Avenue

Heavy commercial traffic traveling between the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach contributes to thousands of truck movements  each day.

Who Can Be Held Liable for an Underride Truck Accident?

Unlike many passenger vehicle collisions, underride truck accidents often involve multiple responsible parties. Determining liability requires a thorough investigation because responsibility may extend beyond the truck driver alone.

Depending on the circumstances of the crash, liable parties may include:

• The commercial truck driver
• The trucking company
• The owner of the tractor or trailer
• The company responsible for maintaining the truck
• A cargo loading company
• A truck or trailer manufacturer
• A manufacturer of defective underride guards or safety equipment
• A maintenance contractor
• Government entities responsible for dangerous roadway conditions

An experienced Costa Mesa underride truck accident lawyer will investigate every potentially liable party to maximize the compensation available to injury victims and their families.

Truck Driver Negligence

Truck drivers owe a duty to operate their commercial vehicles safely and follow both California traffic laws and federal trucking regulations.

A truck driver may be negligent for:

• Distracted driving
• Texting while driving
• Fatigued driving
• Speeding
• Following too closely
• Improper lane changes
• Unsafe turns
• Driving under the influence
• Failing to inspect the vehicle
• Ignoring weather conditions
• Violating Hours-of-Service regulations

Even a brief lapse in attention can result in a catastrophic underride collision.

Trucking Company Negligence

Many underride accidents occur because trucking companies prioritize deliveries over safety.

Examples include:

• Hiring unqualified drivers
• Failing to train drivers
• Encouraging Hours-of-Service violations
• Ignoring maintenance issues
• Skipping required inspections
• Overloading trailers
• Failing to replace defective equipment
• Pressuring drivers to meet unrealistic deadlines

Under California law, trucking companies may be held responsible for the negligent actions of their employees.

Defective Underride Guards

Federal regulations require many commercial trailers to be equipped with rear underride guards designed to reduce the severity of rear-end collisions.

Unfortunately, underride guards do not always prevent catastrophic injuries.

Some crashes involve:

• Broken underride guards
• Improperly installed guards
• Guards that fail during impact
• Poorly maintained safety equipment
• Defective trailer components

When defective equipment contributes to an underride collision, additional claims may exist against manufacturers, distributors, or maintenance providers.

FMCSA Regulations That May Apply

Commercial trucking companies must comply with regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Violations of these regulations may provide important evidence in a truck accident lawsuit.

Common violations include:

Hours-of-Service Violations

Drivers who exceed legal driving limits are more likely to cause fatigue-related crashes.

Driver Qualification Violations

Companies must ensure drivers are properly licensed, medically qualified, and adequately trained.

Vehicle Inspection Violations

Federal law requires routine inspections before and after trips.

Maintenance Violations

Commercial trucks must be properly maintained to reduce the risk of catastrophic mechanical failures.

Cargo Securement Violations

Improperly secured cargo can destabilize a commercial vehicle and contribute to serious accidents.

Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)

Nearly every commercial trucking company now uses Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs).

These devices record:

• Driving hours
• Rest periods
• Vehicle movement
• Speed
• Engine activity

ELD data may reveal whether a truck driver exceeded federally permitted driving hours before the collision.

Because this evidence may be overwritten, it should be preserved as quickly as possible.

Black Box Data Can Be Critical Evidence

Many commercial trucks contain an Event Data Recorder (EDR), commonly referred to as the truck’s “black box.”

The black box may record valuable information immediately before the crash, including:

• Vehicle speed
• Brake application
• Steering input
• Engine RPM
• Cruise control usage
• Sudden deceleration
• Seatbelt status
• Airbag deployment
• Throttle position

This information often helps accident reconstruction experts determine exactly how the collision occurred.

Our firm works quickly to preserve electronic evidence before it is lost or destroyed.

Other Important Evidence

Underride truck accident claims often depend on evidence that disappears quickly.

Examples include:

• Dash camera footage
• Traffic camera video
• Surveillance footage
• Truck maintenance records
• Inspection reports
• Driver qualification files
• Employment records
• Dispatch communications
• Cell phone records
• GPS tracking data
• Bills of lading
• Cargo loading documents
• Witness statements
• Police reports
• Accident reconstruction reports

Prompt legal representation may improve the chances of preserving this critical evidence.

Common Injuries in Underride Truck Accidents

Because passenger vehicles often become trapped beneath the trailer, victims frequently suffer catastrophic injuries.

Common injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Skull fractures
• Facial fractures
• Eye injuries
• Neck injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Herniated discs
• Internal bleeding
• Organ damage
• Broken bones
• Crush injuries
• Amputations
• Severe lacerations
• Burns
• Permanent disability
• Psychological trauma
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Many victims require months or years of medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Compensation Available After an Underride Truck Accident

Every case is unique, but injured victims may be entitled to compensation for:

• Emergency medical treatment
• Hospitalization
• Surgery
• Physical therapy
• Rehabilitation
• Chiropractic treatment
• Future medical care
• Prescription medications
• Lost wages
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Permanent disability
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Property damage

Because commercial trucking companies often carry significantly larger insurance policies than private motorists, serious truck accident claims frequently involve substantial damages.