Commercial truck accidents can cause devastation and involve multiple liable parties, making pursuing meaningful compensation more challenging than other types of motor vehicle accidents. The help of an experienced truck accident lawyer can increase your chances of recovering the compensation you need.
Do you know what to do after being hurt in a truck accident? At Spiva Law Group, our Savannah truck accident team has the skills and resources to help you pursue justice. We thoroughly investigate the cause of the crash, identify all liable parties, and calculate the full extent of your injuries and other losses. Our lawyers aim to help you understand your legal rights and recover maximum compensation for your injuries.
Don’t settle for less than what you deserve. Contact our office immediately after an accident involving a careless truck driver, and let us help you navigate this challenging time.
What Makes Truck Accidents More Serious than Other Accidents?
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety indicates that in 2021, 14 percent of all traffic fatalities involved at least one large truck. Numbers from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration also show that 72 percent of those killed in commercial truck accidents were the occupants of other vehicles. Statistics like these make truck accidents more severe than other motor vehicle accidents.
Trucks are large, heavy, and powerful vehicles capable of causing catastrophic damage when they hit smaller passenger vehicles. Truck collisions often lead to significant property damage, life-altering and sometimes fatal injuries, and emotional turmoil, which can make seeking fair compensation more challenging.
Another factor that makes truck accidents more significant than other collisions is that more than one entity may be liable for causing the crash. Issues like cargo loading errors, falsified safety inspections, defective parts, and other serious lapses can contribute to the cause and severity of the accident, leaving victims struggling for compensation and accountability.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Georgia Truck Accident Case?
Establishing liability following a Georgia truck accident means proving fault. What makes this challenging in the case of large truck accidents is that more than one party may bear responsibility for causing the collision. Some of the parties that may be partially or wholly responsible for a truck accident can include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- A parts manufacturer
- Cargo loading company
- Third-party contractors or subcontractors
- Government entities
Working with a truck accident attorney is vital because they have the resources to investigate the cause of the accident and help identify all potentially liable parties. This allows the accident victim to pursue maximum compensation for their injuries.
Are There Certain Regulations That Truck Drivers Are Required to Follow?
Truck drivers are professionals, meaning they must meet specific criteria and adhere to state and federal regulations to drive a big-rig truck. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the federal body that oversees trucking industry rules and regulations meant to help keep all motorists safe on U.S. roadways. Some of the most significant regulations that truck drivers are required to follow include:
- Hours of Service – Hours of service regulations limit a truck driver’s time continuously behind the wheel. These rules help prevent driver fatigue and drowsy driving accidents.
- Texting – Texting while operating a commercial truck is prohibited. Drivers who text while operating a large truck can face financial penalties and driver disqualification.
- Driver qualifications and background checks – The FMCSA requires all commercial truck drivers to hold a valid commercial driver’s license, which requires specific training and skills testing. Drivers must also obtain a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate and may be subject to background checks.
- Weight limits – Federal regulations also limit the weight of commercial vehicles to 80,000 pounds gross vehicle weight and 20,000 pounds on a single axle.
Other state and federal regulations govern hazardous material transportation, drug and alcohol testing, and safety inspections. Violating state and federal commercial truck regulations can mean significant penalties and may help establish fault in a truck accident collision case.
How Can a Georgia Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me with My Case?
For numerous reasons, claims for trucking accidents are more complicated than other motor vehicle crashes. First, these crashes tend to cause significantly more physical and financial damage. Trucking companies and insurers are for-profit companies concerned with maintaining profit margins. This means there is an incentive to short-change accident victims and offer them lowball offers in hopes they are desperate enough to settle for less than what their case is truly worth.
Other factors that make truck accident claims more difficult to navigate include the potential for multiple liable parties, the severity of an accident victim’s injuries, and the challenges associated with recovering crucial evidence. Black box data, hours of service logs, cargo reports, driver background information, and safety inspections are trucking company property. The company generally will not voluntarily turn over this information to an injured accident victim, especially when it can point to them being liable for the accident. It can take legal intervention to obtain this critical information, so you need a Georgia truck accident attorney fighting for you.
An attorney can protect your rights, advocate for you, collect and preserve evidence before it is lost or destroyed, and aggressively negotiate for maximum compensation. When an insurance company or trucking company is unwilling to negotiate in good faith, having an attorney on your side makes it easier to prepare a personal injury lawsuit before the legal filing deadline expires.
What Compensation Could a Truck Crash Attorney in Georgia Help Recover for Me?
The value of a truck accident crash varies depending on the cause of the crash, the severity of a victim’s injuries, and other factors. A truck accident attorney can evaluate your unique situation and calculate the full extent of your injuries and losses. However, in general, individuals can seek compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
An attorney can be instrumental in helping you pursue maximum compensation for your injuries and obtain the most favorable outcome possible for your circumstances.
Contact a Georgia Truck Accident Lawyer
At Spiva Law Group, our compassionate Savannah truck accident attorneys aren’t afraid to go head-to-head with trucking companies and insurers to pursue the compensation you need. We tackle the toughest injury cases and have secured more than $500 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients.
Let our team help you. Contact our office to request a free consultation.
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