Ontario Truck Accident Lawyer

If you or someone you love was hit by a commercial truck on I-10, I-15, or SR-60, you are likely dealing with serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and an insurance company that is already working to limit what they pay you. Ontario sits at the center of one of California’s busiest commercial freight corridors. Thousands of 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, and commercial vehicles move through the Inland Empire every day. When one of those trucks collides with a passenger vehicle, the damage is rarely minor.

The trucking company’s insurer does not wait. From the moment the crash happens, they are building their defense, deploying adjusters, attorneys, and accident reconstruction experts to protect their bottom line. Critical evidence such as black box data, driver logs, and dash camera footage can disappear within 30 days. Victims who try to handle these claims alone, or who wait too long to get legal help, may recover far less than their case is worth.

At Pérez Law, PC, our Ontario truck accident lawyer fights for truck accident victims throughout Ontario and the Inland Empire. We have recovered millions for injured clients, including $1,500,000 for a victim injured in a T-bone rollover on these same roads. Attorney Ricardo Antonio Pérez, California Bar (active), spent years inside insurance firms as a licensed claims adjuster before becoming a personal injury lawyer. He knows exactly how commercial carriers evaluate, delay, and minimize claims. He uses that knowledge to fight for every dollar his clients are owed.

Our Ontario office at 822 N Euclid Ave, Ontario, CA 91762 sits at the center of the I-10 corridor, the I-15/SR-60 interchange, and the Ontario International Airport freight district.

Call us 24/7 at (909) 983-2235. Se habla español. No Win, No Fee.

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FEATURED RESULT

30 Days to Act — How We Preserved the Black Box That Changed Everything

The carrier’s insurer called it a minor merge collision. Pérez Law, PC, sent a preservation letter within 48 hours demanding all ECM data, ELD logs, and driver qualification files. The black box showed the driver had violated his hours-of-service limits by 3.5 hours before the crash. The case settled for $1,500,000.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different.

Proven Results for Ontario Truck Accident Victims

Pérez Law, PC has gone up against commercial carriers and their insurers and won. These results reflect what aggressive, evidence-driven representation delivers for seriously injured truck accident victims in Ontario and the Inland Empire.

• $1,500,000, T-bone collision causing rollover accident, serious crash injuries. This result illustrates the high-impact collision dynamics common in commercial truck crashes on I-10 and SR-60.
• $2,600,000, Minor plaintiff after catastrophic facial injury incident, demonstrates capacity for complex, high-value catastrophic injury representation.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different. See our full case results page for additional outcomes across practice areas.

Why Truck Accident Cases Are Different From Car Accident Cases

A collision with an 18-wheeler, semi-truck, or other commercial vehicle is not simply a larger version of a car accident. The legal, regulatory, and financial landscape is fundamentally different, and those differences shape every decision an attorney makes from day one. Understanding them is the first step toward holding every responsible party accountable for the full scope of your losses.

Multiple Defendants, Not Just One Driver

In a typical car accident, one driver is at fault, and one insurer responds. In a commercial truck crash, liability can extend across multiple parties: the truck driver, the trucking company, the cargo loading company, the independent maintenance contractor, the trailer owner, and the truck or parts manufacturer. The trucking company faces liability under respondeat superior, which holds employers vicariously liable for their employees’ on-duty acts. The manufacturer may face a product liability claim if a defective part contributed to the crash. Each party carries separate legal counsel and separate insurance coverage. Identifying every liable party and preserving the evidence that connects each one to the crash requires a fundamentally different approach than a standard vehicle accident claim.

Federal Regulations Apply on Top of California Law

Commercial trucking in California is governed by both state law under California Vehicle Code Section 34501.12 and federal regulations issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These rules set minimum standards for driver qualification, Hours of Service (HOS) limits, vehicle maintenance, and Electronic Logging Device (ELD) requirements. A violation of any FMCSA regulation is not just an administrative infraction. It is admissible evidence of negligence that can shift the entire claim in a victim’s favor. Truck accident lawsuits in Ontario are filed at San Bernardino Superior Court, located at 247 West 3rd Street, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210. Federal claims against carriers may also proceed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Higher Damages, Higher Resistance

Federal law requires commercial trucking carriers to carry minimum liability insurance of $750,000 for general freight and $1 million for hazardous materials. Many larger carriers carry $5 million or more. That larger pool of available recovery means the carrier’s insurer will deploy experienced defense counsel, accident reconstruction experts, and medical experts from the earliest stages of a claim. Commercial truck cases on the I-10, I-15, and SR-60 corridors through Ontario require an attorney who has dealt with these defense tactics before and knows how to counter them.

Where Do Most Ontario Truck Accidents Happen?

Ontario sits at the intersection of three major California freight corridors, the I-10, I-15, and SR-60, and serves as a primary distribution hub for goods moving through the Inland Empire and across Southern California. That concentration of truck traffic creates significant crash risk for every passenger vehicle on these roads.

I-10, I-15, and SR-60: Where Most Crashes Happen

Interstate 10 is the primary east-west freight artery through the Inland Empire, carrying truck traffic between the Los Angeles Basin, the desert Southwest, and national distribution points. Interstate 15 connects Ontario northward through Fontana and southward toward San Diego, with heavy volumes converging at the I-10/I-15 interchange. State Route 60 runs through Ontario and Pomona toward Los Angeles County, adding a third freight corridor through the region.

Ontario International Airport and the Warehouse District

According to Federal Aviation Administration data, Ontario International Airport handled 835,129 tons of cargo in 2025, making it the eighth-busiest airport in the United States by cargo volume. It serves as the West Coast air and truck hub for UPS Airlines and a major distribution point for FedEx Express. The warehouse and distribution facilities surrounding the airport along Milliken Avenue, Archibald Avenue, and the industrial corridors near Philadelphia Street feed continuous truck traffic directly onto I-10 and SR-60. Commercial vehicles making wide turns and merging onto freeway on-ramps in this district are a documented source of collision risk for passenger vehicles in the area.

Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents

Commercial truck accidents rarely have a single cause. When our attorneys investigate these cases, we often find overlapping failures: a fatigued driver, an undermaintained vehicle, and a carrier schedule that made compliance with federal safety rules impossible. Identifying every contributing cause determines who we can hold liable and what evidence we must preserve before it disappears.

Driver Fatigue and Hours of Service Violations

FMCSA Hours of Service rules under 49 C.F.R. Part 395 exist because driver fatigue in a vehicle weighing up to 40 tons creates lethal crash risk. When a carrier sets delivery schedules that cannot be met without violating driving hour limits, the carrier shares liability for your crash. Our attorneys use the carrier’s own records to expose that pressure directly.

Distracted Driving

Federal regulations under 49 C.F.R. Parts 392.80 and 392.82 prohibit commercial drivers from texting or using handheld mobile phones while operating a commercial vehicle. Violations of these rules are admissible as evidence of negligence in your case. Our team requests and preserves forward-facing dash camera footage immediately after your crash, as it can capture distracted driving behavior in the minutes before impact.

Improper Loading and Overweight Loads

Federal weight limits under 23 U.S.C. 127 cap gross vehicle weight at 80,000 pounds. Trailers loaded beyond that limit have longer stopping distances and are more prone to rollover. Improperly secured cargo under 49 C.F.R. Part 393 can shift in transit, causing the driver to lose control or the trailer to jackknife. We identify the cargo company or shipper as a liable party when loading failures contribute to your crash.

Brake Failure and Inadequate Maintenance

Carriers must maintain inspection records and maintenance logs for every vehicle in their fleet under 49 C.F.R. Part 396. When brakes fail because maintenance was deferred, our attorneys obtain those records to document the carrier’s knowledge of the defect and their failure to correct it. California Vehicle Code Section 34501.12 imposes additional state-level inspection standards, and CHP enforcement records from those inspections are obtainable in discovery.

Wide Turns and Blind Spot Errors

An 18-wheeler requires a significantly wider turning radius than a passenger vehicle. A driver who swings wide without checking mirrors can pin your vehicle against a curb or median, strike a motorcycle, or hit a pedestrian. On surface streets near the Ontario International Airport warehouse district and at freeway on-ramps along I-10 and SR-60, our attorneys know these crash patterns and the evidence needed to prove them.

Improper Lane Changes and Freeway Merging

On I-10 and I-15 near the Ontario Mills interchange and the I-10/I-15 interchange, commercial trucks changing lanes without confirming your vehicle’s position can cause severe side-impact collisions. The size and weight disparity between a loaded commercial truck and your vehicle means you absorb the full force of the impact. Our team acts immediately to preserve the evidence that proves what happened.

Serious Injuries Caused by Commercial Truck Accidents

A fully loaded 18-wheeler can weigh up to 40 tons, approximately 20 times the weight of an average sedan. At highway speeds on the I-10, I-15, and SR-60 corridors through Ontario, the forces involved are severe. The injuries that follow often require years of treatment and, in the most serious cases, lifelong care.

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): TBI ranges from concussion with post-concussive syndrome to diffuse axonal injury requiring permanent care. Documented outcomes include cognitive deficits, memory impairment, personality changes, and inability to return to work. Our attorneys build TBI claims with the medical documentation and expert support needed to reflect the full long-term impact on your life.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: Damage to the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine can produce permanent partial or complete paralysis. Defense medical examiners may attempt to attribute pre-existing degenerative conditions to your MRI findings rather than the crash. Our team works with life care planners and vocational rehabilitation experts to counter those arguments and present the full scope of your damages.
• Broken Bones and Orthopedic Injuries: Truck crashes can cause fractures of the femur, pelvis, ribs, wrists, and ankles, some of which require surgical intervention followed by months of physical therapy. Permanent reduced range of motion, chronic pain, and loss of function are compensable damages our attorneys document through your treating physicians.
• Internal Injuries: Blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen can cause liver lacerations, spleen injuries, pneumothorax, and internal bleeding. These injuries may not be apparent for hours after the crash. Severely injured victims from the Ontario area may be treated at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center operated by San Bernardino County at 400 N Pepper Ave, Colton, CA 92324.
• Wrongful Death: When a truck crash takes a life, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim under California law. Recoverable losses include funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and the decedent’s pre-death pain and suffering.

What to Do After a Truck Accident in Ontario

Black box and ELD data can be overwritten within 30 days. Here is what to do immediately after a commercial truck crash on I-10, I-15, SR-60, or any Ontario-area road.

Step 1: Get to Safety and Call 911

Move out of traffic if you can do so safely. Ask responding officers to record the truck’s vehicle identification number, commercial registration, carrier name, and DOT number in their report. Those identifiers are how we locate the carrier’s insurance and driver qualification file.

Step 2: Seek Emergency Medical Evaluation

Go to the emergency room even if you do not feel seriously injured. Internal injuries are not always immediately apparent. Severely injured victims may be transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center operated by San Bernardino County at 400 N Pepper Ave, Colton, CA 92324. Kaiser Permanente Ontario Medical Center is located at 2295 S. Vineyard Ave, Ontario, CA 91761. Your medical records and imaging reports are the foundation of your damages claim.

Step 3: Photograph and Document the Scene

Photograph the trucks, your vehicle, skid marks, debris, traffic signals, and any visible road defects. Photograph your injuries. Collect contact information from any witnesses. Trucking companies send investigators to contact witnesses fast; our team does the same.

Step 4: Do Not Give a Recorded Statement

The carrier’s insurer will contact you quickly. Their adjusters ask questions designed to reduce your claim. Do not give a recorded statement to any insurer before speaking with our attorneys.

Step 5: Contact an Ontario Truck Accident Lawyer

The 30-day evidence window is the most urgent reason to call without delay. Our Ontario office is available 24/7 at (909) 983-2235. Se habla español.

Step 6: Let Us Manage Evidence Preservation and the Claim

Once you retain Pérez Law, PC, we act immediately to preserve all critical evidence, engage an accident reconstruction expert if warranted, and coordinate with your medical providers to ensure your treatment is fully documented.

Black Box and Electronic Logging Device Data

Commercial trucks store crash data digitally in onboard systems that can be overwritten if not preserved immediately. Our attorneys issue preservation demands to the carrier the day we are retained.

What the Black Box Records

Commercial trucks are equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR), commonly called the black box, governed by 49 C.F.R. Part 563. It captures pre-crash vehicle speed, brake application, throttle position, steering inputs, and seat belt status in the seconds before impact. This data can directly contradict a truck driver’s account of the crash. Depending on the truck’s systems, additional telematics may record GPS location history and engine performance data.

Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Data and Hours of Service

FMCSA regulations under 49 C.F.R. Part 395 Subpart B, effective December 2017, require most commercial carriers to install an Electronic Logging Device in their trucks. The ELD records driving time and enforces compliance with Hours of Service rules, which limit drivers to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour on-duty window and require 10 consecutive hours off duty before driving again. When our attorneys obtain ELD records showing a driver violated HOS rules before your crash, that is direct, timestamped evidence of federal regulatory negligence.

The 30-Day Preservation Window

EDR and ELD data are typically overwritten within 30 days unless the carrier receives a legal hold demand. Driver qualification files, drug and alcohol test results, and maintenance logs face similar destruction timelines under 49 C.F.R. Parts 391, 382, and 396. The moment you retain Pérez Law, PC, we issue preservation letters to every liable party.

Call our Ontario office at (909) 983-2235 the same day or night you can; we are available 24/7.

Who Can Be Held Liable in an Ontario Truck Accident Claim

Identifying every liable party in a commercial truck case determines the full value of your recovery. Attorney Ricardo Antonio Pérez spent years working inside insurance firms as a licensed claims adjuster before becoming a lawyer. He knows how commercial carriers are structured and how multiple insurers divide and dispute coverage obligations. Our job is to find every liable party and preserve the evidence that connects them to your crash before it disappears.

• Truck Driver: Direct negligence, including speeding, fatigue, distraction, and improper lane changes, is the starting point for liability. California Vehicle Code violations, HOS violations on ELD records, and post-crash drug and alcohol test results are all evidence of driver fault.
• Trucking Company: Under respondeat superior, the trucking company is vicariously liable for its driver’s negligent acts performed within the scope of employment. The company may also face independent claims for negligent hiring, negligent entrustment, and negligent maintenance.
• Cargo Company or Shipper: If improperly loaded or secured cargo contributed to the crash through a shifting load, broken tie-downs, or an overweight configuration, the entity responsible for loading may share liability with its own insurance coverage.
• Maintenance Contractor: Some carriers outsource vehicle maintenance to third-party contractors. When a brake failure or tire blowout can be traced to a maintenance error, the contractor is a proper defendant with its own liability policy.
• Truck or Parts Manufacturer: A defective brake system, tire, or steering component that fails under normal operating conditions can give rise to a product liability claim under a strict liability theory, without requiring proof of fault.
• Government Entities: If a road defect, missing signage, or negligently designed intersection contributed to the crash, a government entity may be liable. California Government Code Section 911.2 imposes a strict 6-month deadline from the date of injury to file a government tort claim. Missing this deadline permanently bars the claim, separate from and shorter than the standard two-year personal injury statute of limitations.

California and Federal Laws Governing Truck Accident Claims

Truck accident claims in California operate under state tort law, California vehicle statutes, and federal regulations. Each layer creates standards whose violation becomes evidence of negligence in your case. Our attorneys use every applicable violation to build a complete claim for your recovery.

Pure Comparative Negligence

California follows pure comparative negligence under Civil Code Section 1431.1. Even if you are found partially at fault, you can still recover compensation proportionally reduced by your fault percentage. If your total damages are $1,000,000 and you are found 20 percent at fault, you recover $800,000, not zero. Defense insurers use comparative fault arguments to reduce their exposure, which is why documenting the truck driver’s conduct from the first hours after a crash is critical.

Statute of Limitations

Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, you have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing that deadline generally means losing your right to sue permanently. Building a complete case record, including accident reconstruction, expert opinions, and medical analysis, takes time. Retaining counsel promptly protects all deadlines simultaneously.

Government Entity Claims

If a government vehicle or a public road defect contributed to your crash, you must file a government tort claim under Government Code Section 911.2 within six months of the incident. This deadline runs separately from and is shorter than the two-year personal injury statute of limitations. Failure to meet it bars the claim entirely with very limited exceptions. Ontario-area crashes involving Caltrans-maintained roads on I-10, I-15, or SR-60 may trigger this requirement.

FMCSA Regulations

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issues regulations governing commercial trucking nationwide. Key rules applicable to Ontario truck accident claims include Hours of Service limits, Electronic Logging Device requirements, driver qualification standards, post-accident drug and alcohol testing, and vehicle inspection and maintenance standards. A violation of any FMCSA regulation is admissible as evidence of negligence in a California civil proceeding.

California Vehicle Code

California Vehicle Code Section 34501.12 governs motor carrier inspection and enforcement in California. CHP enforcement of this statute produces inspection records obtainable in discovery that document a carrier’s compliance history on California roads, including the I-10, I-15, and SR-60 corridors through Ontario.

Commercial Truck Insurance: Why Multiple Policies Complicate Your Claim

Ontario truck accident cases may involve more than one insurance policy. When multiple insurers are involved, each disputes whether their policy applies, argues another party is responsible, and works to minimize their individual exposure. Coverage disputes between insurers can delay your recovery.

Federal law under 49 C.F.R. Part 387.9 requires interstate commercial carriers to maintain minimum liability insurance of $750,000 for general freight and $1 million for hazardous materials. Some larger carriers carry $5 million or more. Multiple policies may apply to a single crash: the carrier’s commercial auto policy, a separate umbrella or excess policy, the cargo insurer’s policy, and the maintenance contractor’s general liability policy. Each policy carries different limits, exclusions, and conditions. Our attorneys determine which policies apply, in what order, and how to stack them to maximize your recovery.

If the driver was employed as a commercial driver and the crash occurred in the course of that employment, a workers’ compensation claim may run parallel to the third-party personal injury case. These overlapping claims require careful coordination to protect the full value of both.

Why Hire Pérez Law, PC for Your Ontario Truck Accident Case

Multi-party commercial cases need a firm with catastrophic injury experience and direct knowledge of how commercial carriers operate. Here is what separates Pérez Law, PC from general personal injury firms handling the occasional truck case.

• Adjuster Who Became the Attorney: Ricardo Antonio Pérez began his career in 1985 working inside insurance firms as a licensed claims adjuster and manager before earning his law degree and being admitted to the California Bar. He knows how commercial carriers evaluate, delay, and handle claims from the inside. Our firm has applied that knowledge to Ontario truck accident cases for 28 years.
• Trial-Ready Representation: Most commercial truck cases settle before trial. Our attorneys prepare every Ontario truck accident case for trial from day one, building the evidentiary record and expert support that gives us maximum leverage in every negotiation.
• Catastrophic Injury Experience: Our attorneys handle TBI, spinal cord damage, and permanent disability cases requiring long-term damages analysis and expert support. A $2,600,000 recovery for a minor plaintiff after a catastrophic facial injury reflects our capacity at the most serious end of the injury spectrum.
• Bilingual Representation: Our team serves clients in both English and Spanish. Se habla español.
• No Win, No Fee: We handle Ontario truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover for you. We advance expert costs, accident reconstruction, and litigation expenses throughout your case.
• 24/7 Availability: We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call us at (909) 983-2235 any time.

Truck Accident Attorney Serving Ontario and the Inland Empire

Pérez Law, PC serves truck accident victims throughout Ontario and the broader Inland Empire, handling cases arising from crashes on I-10, I-15, and SR-60. We serve clients in the following communities:

• Ontario, including the I-10/I-15 interchange and Ontario International Airport freight district
• Fontana, I-10 and I-15 corridor
• Rancho Cucamonga, I-15, and Foothill Boulevard commercial zones
• Chino, SR-60, and Euclid Avenue industrial corridors
• Upland, Mountain Avenue, and I-10 commercial areas
• San Bernardino, I-10 and I-215 interchange areas
• SR-60 through Ontario, Pomona, and into Los Angeles County
• Ontario International Airport area, Milliken Ave, Archibald Ave, and Philadelphia St distribution zones

If you were injured in a commercial truck crash anywhere in the Inland Empire, contact us for a free case evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accident Claims

How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in California?

Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, you have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a government entity is involved, Government Code Section 911.2 imposes a separate six-month government tort claim deadline. Missing either deadline permanently bars that portion of your claim.

How Is Fault Determined, and What If I Was Partially at Fault?

California follows pure comparative negligence under Civil Code Section 1431.1. Each defendant’s liability is apportioned separately, and you can recover even if you are partially at fault. Your recovery is reduced by your fault percentage. If you are 15 percent at fault and your total damages are $800,000, you recover $680,000. Defense insurers may attempt to inflate your fault percentage. Our attorneys document the truck drivers’ and carriers’ conduct from day one to counter those arguments.

How Much Is My Truck Accident Case Worth?

There is no accurate answer without a full evaluation of your specific facts. Recoverable damages include past and future medical expenses, lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, property damage, and, in cases of egregious conduct, punitive damages. Commercial truck cases may involve multiple insurers with combined policy limits that exceed $1 million.

What If the Trucking Company Claims the Driver Was an Independent Contractor?

Carriers sometimes attempt to classify drivers as independent contractors to avoid vicarious liability. California courts apply a strict test under Labor Code Section 2775. FMCSA regulations under 49 C.F.R. Part 376 impose independent liability on motor carriers for leased drivers regardless of employment classification. Our attorneys address this defense from the outset.

Can I Still File a Claim If the Truck Driver Was Charged With a Crime?

Yes. Criminal proceedings and civil personal injury claims are legally separate. A criminal conviction supports your civil case, but is not required. You can pursue a civil claim regardless of the outcome of any criminal prosecution.

Do You Handle Truck Accident Cases Anywhere in the Inland Empire?

Yes. We serve truck accident victims throughout the Inland Empire, including Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino, Upland, San Bernardino, and surrounding communities. Our Pomona office is at 522 W Holt Ave, Pomona, CA 91768.

Contact an Ontario Truck Accident Lawyer Today

A commercial truck crash changes everything in an instant. The evidence that will determine the value of your claim begins disappearing within hours. The trucking company moves quickly to build its defense. You need an attorney who knows how commercial carriers operate and who has been on the other side of these claims.

Trusted Injury Lawyers. Decades of Experience. Millions Recovered.

Pérez Law, PC, represents Ontario truck accident victims on a contingency fee basis. No upfront costs. No hourly fees. You pay nothing unless we recover for you. Available 24/7.

Call us at (909) 983-2235 now or start a free case evaluation online. Se habla español. Our office is at 822 N Euclid Ave, Ontario, CA 91762.