Every year, thousands of truck accidents occur in Georgia. According to the latest data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in 2019, there were 4,728 vehicles involved in 4,342 large truck crashes. Out of those, 2,315 people were injured, and 147 passed away.
Getting into an accident with a large truck like a big rig, tractor-trailer or semi-truck does much more damage than hitting into a car. There is a higher chance of fatality, injury and destruction to your vehicle.
These types of accidents are common in Georgia and throughout the United States for a number of reasons.
Truck drivers are not inherently bad drivers at all. It’s just the nature of their jobs that makes driving a little more dangerous.
For instance, truckers need to get from point A to point B quickly. Oftentimes, they’ll work the overnight shift and become sleepy, fatigued and bored behind the wheel. Objects on the road, the radio, their cell phone or the food they’re eating or beverage they’re drinking could distract them. They may doze off and then get into an accident as well.
Truckers may also speed to get to their next destination if they’re under pressure from their companies. These drivers are going on roads they’ve never encountered before, so they don’t know what hazards to look out for. Truckers might not be properly trained on how to operate their vehicles or the vehicles themselves could be damaged due to overuse.
On the flipside, since they’re driving at all hours of the night, they may encounter other tired drivers on the road who crash into them. Or, other drivers may act aggressive around them, trying to cut in front of them quickly on the highway or turn down a road before they get a chance to. Trucks have massive blind spots, which contributes to the problem.
If you’ve been involved in a trucking accident in Georgia, you could choose to contact a personal injury lawyer with a claim. Unlike a regular car accident, you would file a claim against the truck driver’s company, unless the driver was off-duty or using the truck without the company’s permission. Then, the claim would be against the driver since the company might not be held liable. Every circumstance is different.
Since some trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, the damage to your vehicle could be serious. You could also have lifelong injures due to the impact, and you may be owed a large sum of money to cover your treatment, emotional damages, future lost wages and fixing your car or purchasing a new one.
Even if the trucking accident was not your fault, the trucking company will likely be hesitant to pay out the compensation you deserve for what you went through. That’s why you’ll need a personal injury lawyer to help you with your case.
After your truck accident in Georgia, you’ll need to call the police and file a police report. While still on the scene, take photos, collect the trucker’s personal and company information and ask witnesses about what they saw as well. You should get phone numbers/emails for any witnesses just in case you have to reach out to them again.
You also need to go to the hospital as soon as possible and tell the doctor about any injuries you may have sustained. An X-ray could be needed just to make sure there aren’t any internal injuries.
When you’re home from the hospital, call your insurance company to tell them about the truck accident. However, don’t discuss a settlement, because again, you’re most likely not going to get what you deserve.
Right now, you should be focusing on getting better above all else. Instead of looking into complicate legalese and trying to fight this on your own, you need to relax and try to get back to normal as much as possible.
That’s why at this point, you can find a personal injury lawyer in Georgia to help you with your case. They will help you get treatment, file your claim and secure a settlement that’s fair.
An experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer will take any evidence, witness statements and medical records that you have and use them to build a case. They’ll strive to get the highest settlement possible, and you’ll only pay them a part of your settlement to cover your treatment and their expert legal services. Usually, trucking companies will settle before you ever have to go to court – though court could still be a possibility.
The amount you’ll be compensated depends on the type of accident you got into, the damage to your car and the types of injuries you incurred. For instance, you’d get a higher settlement if you suffered a brain injury, since you won’t be able to function like you used to prior to the accident. All the wages you would have lost and even emotional damage caused to you and your loved ones would be taken into consideration when coming up with a settlement amount.
Hopefully, you’ll never go through a trucking accident in Georgia. If you did, however, we are here to serve your needs. We have years of experience with trucking accidents and we are ready to listen to what happened and find the best solution for you and your loved ones.
If you’ve gotten into a truck accident in Georgia, you may be entitled to compensation. To find out what a personal injury lawyer can do for you, contact the W. Winston Briggs Law Firm today.
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Choosing a personal injury lawyer is a decision that should not be taken lightly. There is a lot at stake in these cases, and the quality of your legal representation can have a direct impact on the quality of your results. If you have suffered a serious injury, be sure that you have an experienced attorney who understands the law and will fight to protect your interests. With more than 30 years of experience practicing law in Georgia, attorney Winston Briggs at The W. Winston Briggs Law Firm has a complete understanding of personal injury and the benefits provided to injury victims. He has more than 150 jury trials to his credit, and he is highly regarded throughout the Georgia legal community... View full business profile here: W. Winston Briggs Law Firm
