Thousands of people become victims of several types of truck accidents in Georgia each year, and if you are one of them, you have rights. A truck accident lawyer in Atlanta can help you navigate the claims process, which can be quite complex due to state and federal laws.
As the Metro Atlanta area sees increasing big rig traffic due to an increase in the construction of distribution centers, these wrecks are becoming more common. Anyone can become a victim, and the injuries can be devastating. If you’re hurt, we will be a resource you can depend on.
A truck crushes a car. Other vehicles are no match for big rigs. When a wreck happens, you need an Atlanta truck accident lawyer.
How Can a Truck Accident Attorney Help Me?
Any truck accident claim can get complicated, and fast. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that often these wrecks have multiple defendants, each with their own legal team and insurers. Your truck accident lawyer in Atlanta, GA will be prepared to handle a multi-defendant claim. They will do this by:
- Making sure Georgia’s fault laws are correctly applied to your claim
- Developing a legal strategy that will get you the maximum settlement
- Taking the stress off of you during the process so you can focus on healing
The last thing you need during this difficult time is to spend hours in negotiations. An Atlanta truck accident lawyer will handle the rest so you can recover. We are here to help you move forward after your injuries or a wrongful death.
Who Can Be Sued in a Truck Accident Case?
There can be multiple defendants in a truck accident injury claim in Georgia. Depending on the circumstances of your wreck, you may be able to recover compensation from any of the following parties:
- The truck driver: If the truck driver caused the accident, they may be liable for your damages. This could include driving under the influence or reckless driving.
- The trucking company: In some cases, the trucking company caused the wreck. This could be through poor training or not allowing their employees enough breaks.
- A cargo loading company: When cargo is not loaded properly, it can cause a truck driver to lose control of the vehicle or flip over.
- A manufacturer of trucks or truck parts: Defective vehicles and parts, such as tires or brakes, can cause accidents. When this happens, the manufacturer is liable.
- Another driver: Sometimes, another driver on the road will cause a commercial truck accident. This could happen due to reckless or distracted driving.
Your Atlanta personal injury lawyer will identify all liable parties in your claim to make sure you can recover the maximum possible compensation.
How Much Will it Cost to Hire a Truck Crash Lawyer?
You don’t have to worry about a truck accident lawyer hiring cost or have a large retainer fee available to pay for an attorney after a wreck involving a commercial truck. Most truck accident lawyers in Atlanta work on a contingency fee basis so our clients can seek justice no matter what their current financial situation.
How a contingency fee works is that your lawyer agrees to represent you in exchange for an agreement to give them a portion of your settlement after your case has successfully concluded. If we don’t win, you don’t pay. This portion is typically around a third of your settlement or award.
How Long Do I Have to Hire a Lawyer and File a Truck Accident Claim?
According to Georgia. Code Ann. Sec. 9-3-33, if you want to seek compensation after a truck accident, you will have two years from the time of the wreck to file. It’s important to reach out to a truck accident attorney in Atlanta before this window has closed. If you don’t file within the statute of limitations in a truck accident claim, you may lose your right to recover your damages.
For this reason, picking a truck accident lawyer and having your case evaluated as soon as possible after the accident is paramount to a satisfactory settlement or a positive court verdict.
What Compensation Can Be Recovered in a Truck Accident?
If you have been in an accident with a truck, you could be eligible to recover damages for your losses. You may be suffering from severe, debilitating injuries, which can in turn cause lost wages from being unable to work as well as significant medical bills.
Unrepresented accident victims in commercial truck cases almost NEVER recover adequate compensation for the suffering they’ve endured. The legal process for commercial truck crashes is a long and arduous road. We will walk that path with you and take together all the steps after a truck accident you need to take to seek compensation and get your life back on track. Whether you pursue damages for bodily injuries, lost wages, disfigurement, disability, pain and suffering, mental anguish, anxiety or PTSD symptoms, lost quality of life, etc., we will guide you through the process and ensure you recover.
Infographic of different types of trucks. No matter what type of truck or commercial vehicle you were in an accident with, an Atlanta attorney can explain your legal options during a free case evaluation.
Common Causes of Atlanta Semi Truck Accidents and Liability Explained
Semi-truck accidents are often catastrophic due to the sheer size and weight of the vehicle. Knowing why they are catastrophic will hopefully help you and your truck accident lawyer in Atlanta, GA steer clear of anything noted on this list:
Cargo
In some cases, the cargo loading company will be responsible for causing the accident. When cargo is improperly loaded, it has the potential to create a deadly situation. For example, the driver could lose control of the vehicle when the cargo shifts, or the cargo could result in the truck rolling over onto other vehicles.
Overworked Employees
When accidents are caused by exhausted, overworked truckers and other employees, the trucking company may be liable. This is because they caused the conditions that contributed to the accident, such as not allowing their workers to take enough breaks, by creating unrealistic schedules, or by failing to adequately screen their drivers.
Wide Turns
If a semi-truck taking a wide turn causes an accident, you may hold the trucker responsible. If another vehicle hit the truck while it was turning and that caused the wreck, that car’s driver may be liable.
Simple Inexperience
When a truck driver’s inexperience causes an accident, the trucking company may be liable for any damages. This could be because they failed to provide adequate training so their inexperienced drivers would know how to operate the truck correctly or react in certain potentially dangerous situations.
Loss Of Control
When a semi-truck causes a crash by losing control, the driver, the trucking company, or both parties could be liable, as could another driver. We will determine liability based upon how the accident was caused. For example, did the trucker lose control because they made a mistake, or did another vehicle cut them off?
Investigations After a Truck Accident in Atlanta, GA
The process of investigation begins the moment after the accident. This is when the defendant’s insurance company will send analysts to the scene. They do this to gather as much information and evidence as possible to attempt to limit any potential liability from the start.
Your Atlanta truck accident attorney will also investigate the accident scene. We will do our best to determine that all local traffic laws were obeyed, as well as examining the driver’s credentials and interviewing all witnesses to the accident.
Investigator making notes about a truck accident. When a crash victim hires an Atlanta truck accident attorney, an investigator can begin looking into the cause of the incident and testify that negligence occurred.
What to Expect During a Truck Accident Claim
The state of Georgia has comprehensive state and federal trucking regulations that are nearly impossible to interpret alone. We will explain the laws to you as well as taking the following steps:
- Creating a Claim: Using the information they obtained in your investigation, your attorney creates a claim that states any possible injuries and a request for financial compensation It also indicates if there was any possible negligence that led to your accident.
- Negotiations: Your Atlanta truck accident attorney will try to reach a financial settlement after a truck accident with the insurer so that the case does not have to go to court. A negotiation like this can go back and forth a few times, but if it isn’t settled, the case will likely go to trial.
- Litigation: If the two sides cannot reach a financial settlement, they will take the argument before a judge and jury, who will then decide which party is at fault. The verdict is ruled, and any possible financial compensation is then rendered.
Contact Bader Scott Injury Lawyers – Atlanta Trucking Accident Attorneys
Trucking companies have been known to falsify their records to protect their own interests. The Georgia truck accident lawyers at Bader Scott have been trained to catch discrepancies and falsifications that can prove negligence in your claim.
To win your case, you will need representation from an aggressive personal injury attorney. These cases are far more complicated than other types of accident injury cases. You deserve capable representation and we are here to provide it to you, so contact us today for a free consultation.
Office Information
Address Bader Scott Injury Lawyers3384 Peachtree Road Northeast #500
Atlanta, GA 30326
(678) 562-5595