California
Top 5 Truck Accident Lawyers in Oakland, California
- 5 firms listed
- 5 questions answered
Firms to call in Oakland
- GJEL Accident Attorneys Oakland, CA (contact for office address) (510) 858-1600 gjel.com
- Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C. (BV Law) Oakland, CA (also San Francisco) (415) 835-6777 bvlawsf.com
- Venardi Zurada, LLP Oakland, CA (contact for office address) (833) 893-6763 vzlawfirm.com
- The Barnes Firm Oakland, CA (multiple national offices) (800) 800-0000 thebarnesfirm.com
- Hassell Law Group San Francisco, CA (serving all Bay Area including Oakland) (415) 334-4111 hasselllawgroup.com
The five law firms below handle truck accident cases in Oakland; each listing gives the firm’s phone number and website, and where a listing names only the city or area, confirm the office address with the firm before a visit. When a truck crash is fatal, California law decides which family members can bring the claim, so the questions after the listings cover that along with the state’s filing deadlines.
1. GJEL Accident Attorneys
About the Firm: With over 40 years serving injured clients in Oakland and across California, GJEL Accident Attorneys has recovered over $950 million in truck, serious, and catastrophic injury cases statewide. The firm boasts a reported 99% success rate and specializes in complex cases involving Oakland’s port and freeway corridors, where commercial truck crashes frequently involve federal violations and multi-vehicle damage. They analyze carrier policies, black-box data, and maintenance records to pursue corporate liability.
Services:
- Commercial truck and port corridor accidents
- Tractor-trailer and 18-wheeler crashes
- Wrongful death
- Catastrophic and spinal cord injury claims
- Federal FMCSA violation investigations
Address: Oakland, CA (contact for office address)
Phone: (510) 858-1600
Website: https://www.gjel.com/oakland
2. Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C. (BV Law)
About the Firm: Bracamontes & Vlasak is an Oakland truck accident law firm that handles trucking accidents and commercial vehicle accidents throughout the Bay Area, Northern California, and statewide. The firm acts swiftly to preserve critical evidence and works with accident reconstructionists, automotive engineers, and industry experts. They are trial-ready and prepared to take cases all the way through verdict if necessary.
Services:
- 18-wheelers, freight trucks, and delivery vans
- Utility trucks and construction vehicle accidents
- Evidence preservation and accident reconstruction
- Wrongful death
- Full damages litigation including future medical care and lost earnings
Address: Oakland, CA (also San Francisco)
Phone: (415) 835-6777
Website: https://bvlawsf.com/motor-vehicle-accidents/truck-accidents/
3. Venardi Zurada, LLP
About the Firm: Venardi Zurada is a seasoned Oakland truck accident law firm with specialized knowledge of the federal and state laws governing large commercial trucks. The firm has the resources to retain leading expert witnesses and conduct full accident reconstructions. They represent clients on a contingency fee basis and move quickly after accidents to ensure evidence isn’t lost or destroyed by trucking companies.
Services:
- Tractor-trailer and large truck accidents
- Multi-party trucking liability cases
- Federal and state trucking regulation violations
- Wrongful death
- Catastrophic injury cases
Address: Oakland, CA (contact for office address)
Phone: (833) 893-6763
Website: https://www.vzlawfirm.com/oakland-truck-accident-lawyer/
4. The Barnes Firm
About the Firm: As one of America’s largest personal injury law firms, The Barnes Firm has been helping Oakland and California residents for decades. Their attorneys have been recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review, Super Lawyers, and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The firm is available 24/7 with offices in Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City, Long Island, Buffalo, and Rochester.
Services:
- Truck and commercial vehicle accidents
- Catastrophic injury claims
- Wrongful death
- Insurance claim negotiations
- Statewide and national representation
Address: Oakland, CA (multiple national offices)
Phone: (800) 800-0000
Website: https://www.thebarnesfirm.com/oakland-personal-injury-lawyers/
5. Hassell Law Group
About the Firm: The Hassell Law Group has nearly 25 years of experience fighting aggressively for truck accident victims throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including Oakland. The firm holds an undefeated record at trial and has secured results including a $12.5+ million confidential result for a woman seriously injured in a head-on collision with a commercial truck driver. They work on a contingency fee basis with no fees unless they win.
Services:
- Commercial truck and tractor-trailer accidents
- Semi-truck and 18-wheeler crashes
- Wrongful death and catastrophic injury
- Bay Area trucking litigation
- Multi-million-dollar case handling
Address: San Francisco, CA (serving all Bay Area including Oakland)
Phone: (415) 334-4111
Website: https://hasselllawgroup.com/san-francisco/truck-accident-lawyers/
Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents in Oakland, CA
What is the filing deadline for a truck accident case in California?
Two years under Code of Civil Procedure 335.1, which covers an action for injury to, or death of, an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another.
Who can bring a wrongful death claim after a fatal truck crash?
Under Code of Civil Procedure 377.60, the claim may be brought by the decedent’s surviving spouse, domestic partner, children and issue of deceased children, or, if there is no surviving issue, by the persons who would inherit the decedent’s property by intestate succession. The decedent’s personal representative may also bring it on their behalf. The statute adds further categories of dependents, so the family’s exact relationships matter.
What if a public vehicle or agency was involved?
A written claim must be presented to that public entity within six months after the claim accrues, under Government Code 911.2. After that, Government Code 945.6 allows six months from a written rejection to file suit, or two years from accrual if no written notice is given.
Can I recover if I was partly at fault?
Yes. Under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, California assigns responsibility in proportion to each party’s negligence, so the injured person’s damages are reduced by that share rather than barred.
Which truck records are kept, and for how long?
A motor carrier must keep its drivers’ records of duty status and supporting documents for at least six months under 49 CFR 395.8(k). A driver working under the short-haul exemption in 49 CFR 395.1(e) does not keep those records; the carrier must instead keep time records showing the driver’s hours for six months. An interstate for-hire carrier hauling nonhazardous freight in a truck rated at 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage under 49 CFR 387.9. The carrier name and USDOT number on the truck (49 CFR 390.21) identify the company to ask about both.
This section reflects California and federal law as checked on October 22, 2026. It is general information, not legal advice about a particular crash.