Truck accidents can be life-altering, causing significant injuries and major disruptions to your life. Unlike most insurance claims involving regular drivers, the carrier employing the truck driver may fight tooth and nail to keep you from getting the settlement you need to recover and move on with your life.
Don’t get taken for a ride by trucking companies and their insurers, and don’t get discouraged, either. Instead, get a lawyer. With the know-how and the drive to get it done, CEO Lawyer Ali Awad and his team of injury and accident attorneys will strive to earn you the compensation you need to recover after your serious wreck with a tractor-trailer, semi-truck, tanker, delivery van, or any other sort of commercial vehicle. We have years of experience dealing with insurers and large commercial entities. We aren’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with them at the negotiation table or, if necessary, the courtroom. Most importantly, we never charge you up-front for our services.
Our truck accident attorneys will provide you with end-to-end case management during every step of the claims process. We explain your legal options in plain language, and you get to make the decisions that lie in your best interests. Call (470) 323-8779 or contact us online today for a free, no-obligation case review.
Representing Truck Accident Injury Victims Across the Peach State
Long before Atlanta was home to the world’s busiest airport, Georgia has been a state known for its key shipping routes. Atlanta’s original name was “Terminus,” meaning it was the “end of the line” for countless shipping railways crisscrossing the southeast in the early 19th century.
Now, Georgia’s interstates, highways, and city streets constantly flow with freight. The Georgia Motor Trucking Association (GMTA) reports over 32,000 trucking companies are located in the state, providing more than 265,000 jobs. The Association reports that 94% of all manufactured goods are shipped via truck in the state, and 76% of Georgia communities depend completely on trucking to get essential goods.
At the same time, all these trucks pose huge risks for Georgians on the roads. Statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) show that truck accidents have been steadily increasing in the state from 2009 to 2019, resulting in 1960 crash fatalities across the ten-year period, or just under 200 deaths a year.
Whether you’re on I-85 trying to get home or driving from Valdosta to Savannah along highway 84, you’re at risk of getting in a collision with a large truck. Because of large trucks’ size and weight difference, these accidents stand the risk of causing catastrophic — sometimes life-changing — injuries. Let Ali Awad, the CEO Lawyer, help you recover as much as you can in the wake of your accident with a large commercial vehicle. We stand up for the rights of our injured clients, and we do everything we can to maximize their chances of a successful recovery.
Steps to Take After a Truck Accident in Georgia
- Stop your vehicle. If you are in a dangerous position or a busy roadway and your vehicle is operable, pull to the shoulder or a safe spot nearby.
- Check on the health and safety of everyone involved, and then call 911. Request a police respondent and an ambulance for anyone seriously hurt, including yourself.
- Remain calm, and wait for the police to arrive. Avoid apologizing or insinuating fault. Do not discuss the accident in detail with anyone except the police.
- Exchange information with the truck driver. Get their policy number, their commercial driver’s license (CDL) number, and the tag info of both the truck and the trailer. Trucks bear a unique serial number on their cab that can be used if the cab’s plate isn’t visible.
- Document the accident scene while you wait for the police to arrive. Take photos of the wreckage, your damaged vehicle, your injuries, and the accident scene as a whole. Ask any witnesses if they’ll provide a statement and get their contact information.
- Provide an accurate recounting of the accident to police, to the best of your recollection. Do not freely admit fault, and do not speculate on who is at fault. At the same time, describe the series of events that led to the accident, and make sure to describe what the truck was doing prior to the accident and during.
- Seek prompt medical attention. If EMS arrives and suggests they transport you to the ER, then heed their advice. If you do not go to the ER, seek medical attention at a clinic or doctor’s office ASAP. Provide detailed information on your pain and anything you are feeling to the clinician.
- Reach out to the CEO Lawyer before you talk to insurers. You want to file a claim against the insurer representing the trucking company quickly, but you don’t want to fall into any traps that could prevent you from seeking a claim. Call Ali Awad and his associates, and let them do the talking.
CEO Lawyers Take Care of Everything You Need After Your Truck Crash
When you are feeling shaken and still putting the pieces of your life back together, we can give you a lifeline. The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm provides you with comprehensive post-accident services to make life easier and help you get everything back on track. Our services to you include:
- Connecting you with a rental car provider
- Finding a quality repair shop for your vehicle
- Getting you paid for loss of use of your vehicle
- Locating a doctor who will not charge you out of pocket
- Providing access to pre-settlement loans
- Ensuring that you have the best chances of receiving the highest possible settlement
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Georgia
No two truck accidents are ever exactly alike, but there are some common threads. According to the FMCSA, the following are some of the most common reasons for truck accidents.
Brake Problems
Trucks and their trailers have complex braking systems designed to bring several tons of weight to a complete stop as safely as possible. Unfortunately, brake malfunctions, poor maintenance, and vehicles operating outside of federal carrier compliance rules can mean that the needed level of braking power isn’t available in an emergency situation.
Traveling Too Fast for Conditions
A truck driver doesn’t have to be going over the speed limit to create danger through their driving decisions. Large trucks must often go at lower speeds than the posted limits, especially through curves and congested areas. Impatient drivers feeling pressures from tight schedules may, nevertheless, speed, sometimes causing serious or fatal accidents.
Driver Unfamiliar With Roadway
Truck driving, by its nature, often means that drivers are placed on unfamiliar routes or tasked with traveling through unfamiliar cities. This unfamiliarity can lead to poor decisions, as well as distracted driving as they rely on their GPS for information.
Over-the-Counter Drug Use
High-pressure deadlines can compel truck drivers to abuse caffeine pills and other available stimulants to stay awake through their long hauls. Unfortunately, while caffeine can make you feel more awake, the reality is that your ability to watch your surroundings and react to them can be delayed after hours spent on the road.
Driver Fatigue
Federal regulations like hours of service rules are supposed to reduce the risk of truck driver fatigue. Yet, it’s estimated that around 13% of drivers were fatigued at the time of their accident.
Other Causes
- Failure to maintain lane
- Following too closely
- Disobeying flow of traffic instructions for trucks
- Overloaded, past weight limit
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Failure to check all mirrors
- Vehicles driving in trucks’ blind spots
Who Is Liable for My Truck Accident?
The answer to “who is responsible for my truck accident costs?” depends on the specifics of the accident you were involved in. Generally speaking, though, the following parties are most likely to be considered liable, meaning they can be pursued for a settlement repaying you for all your damages.
Employers
In the vast majority of truck accidents, the truck driver’s employer will be required by federal and state laws to assume responsibility for any negligence on the part of their driver. Some employers may try to allege that the driver is a contractor and not covered by their liability insurance policy. Still, legal research and aggressive negotiation with a full view of the facts can lead them to conclude that they are ultimately responsible for the crash.
Drivers
The truck driver may be wholly or partially responsible if they are, in fact, a contract driver. This is especially common for routes taking place entirely within the state, as that can sometimes provide loopholes from federal carrier laws placing responsibility on the employer. The good news is that owner-operator truck drivers must carry their own commercial insurance policies, as well.
Maintenance and Fleet Companies
If the cab, trailer, or other fleet equipment is maintained by contract with an organization, or they are rented from an organization, then that organization may be held responsible for any damages caused by negligent maintenance and a failure to comply with state and federal carrier laws.
Equipment Manufacturers
Defective vehicle or equipment manufacturers can be held responsible, in part or in full, for catastrophic failures that lead to truck accidents and injuries.
Other Drivers on the Road
If your accident was initially caused by a driver behaving negligently, colliding with a truck, then causing a chain reaction, then the driver can be held accountable for your damages through their liability insurance policies.
Damages Available in a Truck Accident
Damages control how much a settlement (or jury award) might be worth, and they are dependent on the case details and the losses actually suffered by the injury victim. They can include any or all of the following:
- Emergency medical transport and treatment
- Diagnostics, testing, and specialists
- Hospital stays
- Drug costs
- Surgeries
- Future care, including rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Transportation to and parking at medical appointments
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Contact the CEO Lawyer After You Have Been Hurt in a Truck Accident
You deserve legal protection and to have an attorney helping manage your case. We have seen countless cases where trucking companies and their insurers have misled clients into thinking they don’t have a claim or that their claim isn’t valuable enough to cover all their losses. We use our experience, legal knowledge, and resources to investigate every facet of your accident and determine exactly who is at fault and what damages they should be held responsible for.
Reach out to schedule the call that could put your life back on track. Call (470) 323-8779 or contact us today using our simple form, and we will put you in touch with an experienced lawyer ready to do everything it takes to help you fully recover.
