When a truck tire blowout hits your car, you can take several steps to protect yourself, your rights, and your ability to recover damages. First, taking precautions at the scene can prevent further injury. Next, reporting the crash creates a record of the accident. Finally, exploring compensation can alleviate your financial burdens.
At the Scene of the Accident
The first course of action to take after pieces from a shredded 18-wheeler tire hit your car is to make sure you are safe. After any collision, if possible:
- Pull off the road
- Call for help
- Exchange information
- Take photos
In other words, the initial actions are the same as any other motor vehicle accident. Prioritize your well-being over your vehicle, avoid a secondary collision, and call the authorities.
Additionally, say as little as possible to the other drivers involved. Even if a blown truck tire obviously caused the accident, the liable parties could use your comments against you in an insurance claim or lawsuit. Plus, the accident could involve more factors than are immediately apparent.
Report the Accident
Make sure you notify both the police and your insurance provider about the accident. Your official statements to the police and insurance company should be brief and only contain the facts. However, make sure you report the accident as state law requires (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273).
Police reports and insurance records create evidence that the crash happened, reinforce your reliability, and provide grounds for a claim or lawsuit. After all, you may need to go up against a trucking company later—one armed with lawyers and insurance representatives—so the more documentation you have, the better.
For a free legal consultation, call (404) 888-8888
Truck Accidents FAQs
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Once the dust has settled after the accident, you can take additional steps to ensure justice is served through compensation. What you can do to help recover damages after a blown truck tire hits your vehicle involves uncovering what happened to you.
While insurance investigators will try to find the underlying cause of the crash, they prioritize company interests. Our Atlanta truck accident lawyers will conduct an independent investigation to determine:
- Why the tire blew
- Who is responsible for the blowout
- What damages you could receive
From there, we can help you with filing an insurance claim. If we can’t agree with all parties on the settlement you deserve, we can then guide you through the process of filing a personal injury lawsuit.
Determining the Cause of the Crash
Truck tires face more stress than passenger vehicles due to the loads they carry. Long miles, heavy cargo, and an emphasis on fast transportation can all contribute to a blowout. Some factors that could have caused your crash are:
- Old tires: They are weaker and worn down, prone to bursting.
- Spare tires: These are not made for long-distance travel.
- Tread separation: This condition occurs when the tire and the rim separate.
- Underinflation: Low tire pressure can increase the chance of a blowout.
- Cargo overload: Heavy loads unevenly distributed can weaken or wear down tires.
- Maintenance errors: Failing to rotate tires, installation errors, or other oversights can have tragic results.
With testimony from eyewitnesses and experts and accident reconstruction and analysis, we can drill down into the specifics of what caused your crash.
Identifying Liable Parties
Once we’ve identified why the crash occurred, next, we can identify who you could hold responsible for your injuries and losses. For example, you could potentially hold many parties accountable after a blown-out tire hits your car. Your case may even involve more than one liable party, such as holding a trucking company responsible for its driver’s actions.
We will investigate:
- Truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- Auto shops
- Tire manufacturers
- Third parties
For example, if the driver drove a long distance on a spare, a court might find them negligent for an accident caused by a blowout. Other forms of negligence include an auto maintenance shop not properly rotating the tires or tire manufacturers failing to detect a dangerous design flaw or production error.
Pursuing Compensation
You could recoup your losses by filing an insurance claim against the negligent party, such as a trucking company or an auto shop. You could receive reimbursement for everything from vehicle repairs to medication costs. We can pursue:
- Past and future medical costs
- Lost income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
Healthcare.gov reports that a broken leg can cost up to $7,500, while the expense of just a few days in the hospital can soar into five figures. Add wages missed from work and the emotional toll of injuries, and you’re facing a significant impact on your wallet and quality of life.
We take these consequences seriously. If an insurance company doesn’t agree to a settlement, we will help you file a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent parties.
Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Help
At Bader Scott Injury Lawyers, we receive guidance from you and the evidence, not by a bottom line like insurance and trucking companies. If you sustained severe injuries when a truck tire blowout hit your car, what you can do right away is contact our injury accident team. Your evaluation is free! Learn more today.
Call or text (404) 888-8888 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
