Tow truck accidents are different. The size, the weight, and the way these trucks operate create risks that ordinary vehicles don’t. If you’ve been involved in a tow truck crash in Burbank, you might be facing questions about medical bills, missed work, or how to deal with insurance.
You’re not alone. Every year, people in Burbank find themselves dealing with the fallout from accidents involving tow trucks. The roads here, like the I-5 and major local routes, see heavy truck traffic daily, and when accidents happen, the injuries can be serious.
At the Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti, we focus on helping people who have been injured in truck accidents, including tow truck crashes. As a trusted Burbank tow truck accident lawyer, Adrianos Facchetti knows the local courts, understands how these cases work, and has helped many clients recover what they need to move forward.
If you’re looking for a Burbank truck accident lawyer who speaks your language, listens to you, and knows how to handle these cases you’re in the right place.
Tow Truck Accidents in Burbank – What You Should Know
Tow truck accidents are more common here than you might expect. With busy roads like the I-5 and Ventura Freeway running through Burbank, commercial trucks, tow trucks, and passenger cars often mix in tight spaces. When traffic slows suddenly or drivers lose focus, accidents happen fast.
According to recent data from the California Office of Traffic Safety, hundreds of commercial truck accidents, including tow trucks, occur every year across Los Angeles County. Many of these crashes lead to severe injuries and property damage. The heavier the vehicle, the greater the risk. Tow trucks are no exception.
You may have been driving to work or picking up your kids when a tow truck veered into your lane or couldn’t stop in time. The noise, the shock, the questions that follow it’s a lot. But you don’t have to figure this out alone.
Common Causes of Tow Truck Accidents
Tow truck crashes often happen because of a mix of things. It’s not always just a driver mistake or a mechanical problem. Many times, it’s a combination. Understanding why these crashes happen can help you see who might be responsible.
- Driver Negligence - Truck drivers are under pressure. Many are rushing between jobs, dealing with long shifts, or distracted by calls and GPS devices. This leads to common problems like speeding, rear-end collisions, or drifting into blind spots. Some drivers push through fatigue, ignoring the warning signs until it’s too late. Others might take risks, like looking at their phones or rushing through busy Burbank streets. Sadly, these choices put everyone around them at risk.
- Mechanical Failures - Tow trucks are complex machines. A small failure like worn-out brakes or a faulty hydraulic system can cause a serious crash. Picture a tow truck trying to stop on a downhill slope in Burbank, but the brakes give out. The result? A multi-car pile-up and serious injuries. When trucking companies cut corners on maintenance, they put everyone else on the road in danger.
- Poor Vehicle Maintenance - Tow trucks carry heavy loads daily. They need frequent inspections, new parts, and careful attention. Yet, many companies skip routine checks to save time or money. That’s when problems like tire blowouts or failed towing equipment show up. If you’ve seen a tow truck with worn-out tires or dragging equipment, you’ve seen the warning signs firsthand. These shortcuts often lead to real harm.
- Weather and Road Conditions - Burbank doesn’t have harsh winters, but weather still plays a role. Fog, sudden rain, and slick roads make it harder for drivers to see and stop safely. Add in busy construction zones or narrow streets, and even experienced truck drivers face real challenges. A distracted driver meeting poor visibility or a slippery road is a recipe for disaster.
Types of Tow Trucks Involved in Accidents
The kind of tow truck involved can make a big difference in how serious a crash is. Tow trucks aren’t all the same. Some are built for small cars, others for massive rigs or buses. The size, weight, and job of the truck play a huge role in how accidents happen and how much damage they cause. For someone hit by a tow truck, the type of truck often explains why the injuries are so serious.
Light-Duty Tow Trucks
These trucks are usually seen helping stranded passenger cars or pulling small vehicles off the freeway. They might seem harmless because they aren’t as big as others, but they still weigh much more than most vehicles. When a light-duty tow truck rear-ends a smaller car in stop-and-go traffic, it can cause more damage than people expect including neck injuries, concussions, or broken bones.
Medium-Duty Tow Trucks
These are common around Burbank and Southern California. They handle heavier loads like SUVs, delivery vans, or small commercial vehicles. They are harder to stop and take up more space on the road. Imagine driving through a narrow Burbank street when a medium-duty tow truck suddenly crosses the line it happens. Victims of truck accidents like this often face injuries requiring long-term medical care or physical therapy.
Heavy-Duty Tow Trucks
These trucks handle semi-trucks, cement trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles. They are massive often weighing tens of thousands of pounds. In a crash, they don’t just dent cars; they crush them. Heavy-duty tow truck accidents often lead to the most serious cases we see, like spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or even wrongful death claims. Survivors may face life changes like the loss of mobility, emotional distress, and the loss of enjoyment of life.
Common Injuries from Tow Truck Accidents
Tow truck crashes often leave lasting scars physical and emotional. Injuries from these kinds of crashes don’t just hurt at the accident scene. They linger for months or years. In some cases, they change a person’s life forever.
Traumatic Injuries
Traumatic injuries are common in tow truck accidents, especially when heavy-duty or medium-duty trucks are involved. Victims may suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or even paralysis. For example, a driver in a compact car involved in a T-bone crash with a tow truck may lose the ability to walk, affecting every part of daily life work, family, and independence.
Broken Bones and Fractures
Tow truck crashes often lead to broken bones. Whether it’s arms, legs, ribs, or hips, these injuries are painful and can take months to heal. Some victims need surgery, while others are left with limited mobility even after the bones heal. Broken bones might seem less serious than head or spinal injuries, but they still disrupt life, causing missed work and mounting medical bills.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries like whiplash, torn muscles, or internal organ damage are often invisible at first but can be just as serious. Many accident victims walk away thinking they’re okay, only to find themselves in severe pain days later. Without proper treatment, these injuries can turn into chronic problems that interfere with work, daily activities, and sleep.
The CDC and California injury data show that trucking accidents, including those involving tow trucks, continue to be a leading cause of severe injuries requiring hospitalization in Southern California. These aren’t just numbers. Behind every statistic is a person trying to get their life back on track.
Who is Liable for a Tow Truck Accident?
Liability can be complex. It’s rarely just the driver. Tow truck accidents often involve multiple parties who all share some blame. Understanding who is responsible is key to holding the right people accountable and getting fair compensation.
Tow Truck Driver
Sometimes, the driver made a choice that put others at risk. Maybe they were speeding through a Burbank intersection or texting while towing a vehicle. Other times, drivers may not even have the proper training or license required to operate commercial vehicles safely. We've seen cases where a driver failed to spot a car in their blind spot, leading to a serious rear-end collision. In these situations, it’s the driver’s lack of care that causes harm.
Tow Truck Company
The trucking company has a big role, too. Some push drivers to meet unsafe schedules, cutting corners on rest or rushing repairs. Others fail to properly screen or train drivers.
Poor maintenance is also common worn brakes, faulty tow equipment, or bald tires can turn a simple job into a serious traffic accident. In one local case, a company skipped regular brake checks, leading to a runaway tow truck on a curved road. The injured party needed months of physical therapy and a legal team to get fair compensation.
Third Parties
Sometimes, it’s not just the driver or the company. Faulty parts from auto manufacturers or poorly maintained roads managed by local agencies can contribute to accidents. Other motorists, too, may swerve unexpectedly or drive aggressively, setting off a chain reaction. Proving these factors often requires accident reconstruction and working closely with experts to understand what really happened.
What Should I Do After a Tow Truck Accident?
In the moments after a tow truck crash, it’s easy to feel unsure. Here's what helps most:
- Move to a safe spot if you can.
- Call 911 and make sure help is on the way.
- Get medical care, even if you feel okay some injuries don’t show up right away.
- Document everything. Take photos of the scene, damage, license plates, and road conditions. Get witness information and the police report.
- Before you deal with insurance companies, talk to a Burbank tow truck accident lawyer. This helps protect you from unfair blame or low offers.
How Can a Tow Truck Accident Lawyer Help You?
Getting help from a lawyer isn’t just about paperwork. It’s about giving you space to focus on your recovery while someone else handles the stress.
A good lawyer looks deeper than just the police report. They track down dashcam footage, review maintenance logs, and bring in accident reconstruction experts if needed. These details often reveal if the company skipped inspections or if the driver missed key safety steps.
Insurance carriers are skilled at shifting blame to accident victims or offering quick, low settlements. Your lawyer handles the adjusters, pushes for full and fair compensation, and helps you avoid common traps. This means you don’t have to second-guess every call or letter from the insurer.
If insurance companies won’t budge, your lawyer prepares the case for trial. They present the facts clearly and fight for maximum compensation, covering your medical costs, lost income, and emotional stress. Many cases settle, but knowing you have someone ready to take it all the way makes a difference.
Tow Truck Accidents vs. Other Commercial Truck Accidents
Tow truck accidents aren’t like other commercial truck accidents. They come with their own set of challenges, often making the legal process more involved. The difference isn’t just about the truck it’s about what the truck is doing and who is involved.
Unique Challenges
Tow trucks carry more than just cargo they often haul vehicles in distress. This adds a second layer of risk. A poorly secured vehicle can come loose, creating a hazard for unsuspecting drivers. These trucks also work in tricky situations, like busy streets or highway shoulders, where reaction times are cut short.
What makes tow truck cases even more complex is that more than one party might be responsible. It’s not just about whether the driver was careful. It could be the towing company that failed to train the driver properly, a manufacturer whose equipment failed, or even a commercial driver in another vehicle who caused a chain reaction. Sorting out who is truly responsible is not always simple.
In one recent case, a client was driving through Burbank when a tow truck’s winch system malfunctioned, releasing a towed car into traffic. It took a full investigation to uncover that both the equipment manufacturer and the towing company shared fault.
Similarities
Like other commercial vehicle accidents involving semi-trucks, dump trucks, or even cement trucks tow truck accidents often lead to severe injuries. Broken bones, head trauma, and spinal cord injuries are common, especially in head-on collisions or rollovers.
These cases also share a common challenge: complicated rules. Commercial drivers and companies must follow state and federal regulations, but violations are common. Whether it’s hours-of-service violations leading to driver fatigue or poor maintenance leading to brake failure, these factors often play a role.
On top of that, insurance companies are usually quick to defend these cases aggressively. They know the stakes are high, so they often try to blame accident victims, delay claims, or offer less than what’s fair. Having experienced truck accident attorneys who understand these tactics is key to making sure you aren’t taken advantage of.
Contact a Trusted Burbank Commercial Truck Accident Lawyer Today
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a tow truck or other commercial truck accident, you don’t have to figure this out alone. The Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti knows how to handle these cases, from investigating what happened to dealing with insurance companies who may try to pay you less than you deserve.
No fees unless we win. No pressure. Just answers.
Call now for a free legal consultation with an experienced Burbank truck accident lawyer. You’ll get straight talk, honest advice, and help getting back to the life you want.
