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Sunset West Legal Group, PC represents people injured by commercial vehicles across Los Angeles and California, and has recovered over $150 million for injury clients, including a $6 million settlement in a collision involving a commercial driver. Founding partner Payton Kashani pursues the company behind the driver, not just the driver, using vicarious liability and the company’s own negligence. We work on a no win, no fee basis and offer free consultations. Available 24/7. Hablamos Español.
The company that owns the vehicle often bears greater liability than the driver behind the wheel. Reaching it is where a commercial accident claim is won or lost, and it is what Sunset West Legal Group does. We identify every party responsible for your injuries and pursue each one.
Commercial vehicles are held to a higher standard, and their operators usually carry insurance policies with higher limits than a private driver. Those higher limits can translate into higher awards, but only if your lawyer proves the company’s responsibility.
Over $150 million recovered. More than 200 five-star reviews. No fee unless we win. Available 24/7. Hablamos Español.
A company can be held responsible for a crash in two separate ways, and a strong claim often pursues both.
Vicarious liability, known as respondeat superior, is set out in California Civil Code §2338. If the driver was an employee acting within the scope of their job, the company is automatically liable for their negligence, even when the company itself did nothing wrong. The company benefits from the work, so it bears the risk that work creates.
Direct negligence is the company’s own fault. It arises where a business hired a driver with a known unsafe record, failed to train or supervise properly, ignored safety complaints, pressured drivers into unrealistic schedules, or neglected vehicle maintenance.
Together, these theories often open far more compensation than a claim against the driver alone.
Companies frequently label their drivers “independent contractors” to escape vicarious liability. The label rarely settles the question.
California courts look past the contract to the real working relationship. Where the company controlled the driver’s schedule, route, equipment, and performance, a court may find an employment relationship regardless of what the paperwork says. We analyse the full relationship and pursue the company whatever it chose to call the arrangement.
A commercial vehicle crash often involves several responsible parties, each under a different theory. Depending on the facts, liability may fall on the driver, the company that employed them, the vehicle’s owner, a maintenance contractor, the manufacturer of a defective part, a cargo loader, or a government entity responsible for the road.
Identifying every liable party early is decisive, because each one may carry separate insurance. For collisions involving large trucks, federal safety rules add another layer of responsibility, which we cover in depth on our truck accidents and bus accidents pages.
Commercial claims turn on records the company controls, not the injured person. Driver logs, electronic logging data, telematics, dashcam footage, maintenance records, and driver qualification files can all establish fault.
That evidence does not last. Companies delete it under routine retention schedules, sometimes within months. We move fast to demand its preservation, so the proof of what really happened is still there when your case needs it.
Like any collision, a commercial vehicle crash can have several causes. A distracted, careless, or negligent driver is one. Mechanical failure is another, pointing toward a maintenance contractor or parts manufacturer. Environmental conditions can contribute too.
Common contributing factors include mechanical defects, human error, and environmental hazards. An honest investigation sorts out which applies, and who should answer for it.
Some commercial vehicle collisions take a life. Nothing can undo that loss, but the law recognises its cost, both the grief and the financial repercussions for a family that depended on the person who died.
Where a loved one provided for the household, that lost support belongs in any claim. We handle these cases with care, and you can read more on our wrongful death page.
Sunset West Legal Group has recovered over $150 million for clients across California. Our commercial vehicle results include a $6 million settlement in a multi-vehicle collision involving a commercial driver, where our client suffered spinal injuries, and a $2 million recovery in a commercial freight collision against a corporate defendant. Founding partner Payton Kashani has been licensed in California since 2012 and named to Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list every year from 2018 to 2022. Attorney Josh Teller supports the firm’s cases and holds Rising Stars recognition for 2025 and 2026.
We advise you at every step, negotiate hard with corporate defendants and their insurers, and try cases before a jury when an insurer refuses to pay fair value.
Your consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we win. Our team is available 24/7 to review your case and explain your options.
Get your free consultation · Call us any time · Hablamos Español
At Sunset West Legal Group, we understand that every injury case is different. We have recovered millions for our clients by advising them on the next steps, negotiating on their behalf with powerful insurance companies, and even representing clients in court in front of a jury. Your free consultation is the first step in letting us help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
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WHY YOU NEED US NOW
I am very pleased by his work ethic and professionalism.
“I met and became acquainted with Mr. Kashani after my previous attorney was not capable of continuing my case to a trial. Mr. Kashani was able to step in and not only settle my case before trial, but he was able to secure a much larger settlement for me. I would certainly recommend him to my friends and family”
Los Angeles, CA - Car Accident
I am very pleased by his work ethic and professionalism.
“I met and became acquainted with Mr. Kashani after my previous attorney was not capable of continuing my case to a trial. Mr. Kashani was able to step in and not only settle my case before trial, but he was able to secure a much larger settlement for me. I would certainly recommend him to my friends and family”
Los Angeles, CA - Car Accident
I am very pleased by his work ethic and professionalism.
“I met and became acquainted with Mr. Kashani after my previous attorney was not capable of continuing my case to a trial. Mr. Kashani was able to step in and not only settle my case before trial, but he was able to secure a much larger settlement for me. I would certainly recommend him to my friends and family”
Los Angeles, CA - Car Accident
