Truck Accident Lawyer

Common types of truck accidents

• • • Driving While Distracted: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) reports that there is a 23.2-fold increase in the likelihood of an accident involving truck drivers who text while operating a vehicle. Other distractions that truck drivers have to deal with when driving include eating or drinking, GPS devices, in-cab audio or radio, vehicle controls, and distracting activities going on outside the cab. Long-haul trucking can be tedious and repetitive at times, which increases the risk of driver tiredness and inattentive driving among truckers.

    • Driving While Intoxicated: All drivers in Georgia are prohibited from operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of.08 percent or higher. The restriction for commercial drivers is four percent. Driving when inebriated or impaired by drugs or alcohol slows down one's reaction time, increases the chance of losing control, and raises the risk of a truck accident. Prescription drugs may also be dangerous, depending on the drug's negative effects and interactions with other drugs.

    • Unfavorable Wweather: Unsafe passing maneuvers, poor visibility, icy roads, strong winds, and other weather conditions can make it difficult for a truck driver to maintain control of their vehicle or to notice potential hazards like halted traffic. Truck drivers should slow down or stop when visibility is poor due to inclement weather since loaded trucks require more time to stop. This will help lower the likelihood of an accident.

    • Unsafe Loads: An improperly fastened cargo load on a truck may shift or perhaps tumble out of the tractor-trailer during transportation. As surrounding drivers try to avoid colliding with the objects, this discharged cargo can cause havoc and frequently leads to multi-vehicle incidents, sometimes known as pile-up accidents.

    • Tire Blowouts: You have undoubtedly seen the enormous tire rubber shreds left behind after a blowout while driving about Atlanta in the shoulder or median of the road. There are two ways that a tire blowout could be harmful: Two things may happen: 1) the truck driver could lose control of the vehicle, roll over, or crash into another automobile; and 2) the tire rubber could fly up and hit another car or cause the truck to crash.

    • Speeding: One of the most frequent reasons for car accidents is speeding, but it may be especially lethal when commercial truck drivers transport large objects at high speeds. Faster moving vehicles require more time to stop or slow down.

    • Equipment Breakdown: The most often given reason for truck accidents involving malfunctioning or faulty parts is brake failure. In actuality, brake failure—which is thought to be the cause of 30% of truck crashes—occurs surprisingly frequently. However, other devices and parts, like steering parts, trailer hitches, tire blowouts, or faulty illumination, can also break down and result in accidents.

How were you injured?

Very few people walk away from the accident scene of a truck accident without needing medical care. If they survive, truck crash victims often suffer serious and catastrophic injuries that have long-term or permanent repercussions. Some of the most common types of injuries include:

• • Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

  • Spinal cord injury and paralysis

  • Internal bleeding, organ damage and other internal injuries

  • Broken bones

  • Back and neck injuries (whiplash)

  • Severe burns

  • Amputation and disfigurement

  • Lacerations

  • Bruises

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Georgia truck accident laws: liability, fault and deadlines

Identifying who is "liable" (or at fault) in a truck accident isn't always easy, which is one of the many reasons getting compensation can be so difficult, in addition to the extent of the damage and the severity of the injuries. Typically, one of the drivers is at fault in an accident involving two passenger cars, or maybe both drivers share equal guilt.

However, multiple parties may be involved in a truck accident, making it challenging for accident victims to determine who will cover their damages and how much. Furthermore, these different people and businesses might attempt to place the blame elsewhere and absolve themselves of any liability.

Some of the parties that could be held accountable for a truck accident include the following:

The Truck Driver: If the driver's actions—such as speeding, dozing off while operating a vehicle, driving after intoxication, texting while operating a vehicle, etc.—were directly responsible for the collision, they may be held partially liable for the damages. Before hitting the road, truck drivers must also make sure their vehicle is safe by doing routine inspections.

Trucking Business or Transporter: In Georgia, the majority of companies are responsible for any injuries that their full- or part-time workers cause. The trucking firm is responsible for hiring and training suitable drivers. Carriers may be punished and held accountable for accidents if they coerce or direct drivers to violate federal laws by exceeding their permitted driving time, for example.

Owner of the Truck: Occasionally, the truck owner leases or rents the vehicle to the trucking company or driver; neither party truly owns the truck. The owner can be responsible for damages if the truck was not properly maintained.

Company That Ships & Loads Cargo: In order to assist in loading and unloading goods, trucking and transportation companies may collaborate with cargo shipping and loading businesses. This business might also be at fault if a truck crash was caused by unbalanced or unsecured goods.

Manufacturer of the Part: Parts of vehicles normally deteriorate with time, but occasionally a faulty part fails too quickly or without notice, leading to an accident. Under such circumstances, any harm resulting from the defective part may be the responsibility of the manufacturer or distributor.

An additional driver: Accidents don't always happen because of truck drivers. Truck crash victims may be able to sue at-fault passenger vehicle drivers or pursue reimbursement from their insurance provider.

Government Organization: The government agency or contractor in charge of overseeing the crash site may be held accountable if the truck accident was caused by substandard road conditions (such a pothole) or ongoing construction-related road work rather than driver negligence.

Insurance Provider: Although an insurance company is sometimes one of the numerous parties involved in a truck injury case and may finally pay out a settlement claim, they are typically not held personally accountable for a truck accident. If various insurance companies represent the truck driver, the carrier, a producer of parts, or another motorist, they may occasionally become involved.

Furthermore, when it comes to truck accidents, Georgia uses a modified comparative negligence (fault) method. This implies that the ultimate award or verdict takes into account each person's share of the blame for an accident. If you were partially to blame for a truck accident, you can still pursue compensation, but the amount of money you receive will be less due to your percentage or degree of guilt.

Truck accident victims in Georgia should speak with a knowledgeable trucking accident lawyer as soon as possible to learn how to handle these and other difficulties.  A truck accident lawsuit in Georgia usually has two years from the date of the collision to file. But the earlier you get legal counsel, the better your lawyer can get ready to present a compelling case.