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Passenger-vehicle drivers and passengers are far more likely to be injured or killed in a truck accident than truck drivers are. A fully loaded big rig can weigh up to 25 times what a car weighs, and they may be carrying hazardous materials that are more likely to catch fire or cause other damage or injuries. All of these factors present severe risks to accident victims. They also creates unique legal issues that can complicate insurance claims. If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident in Stone Mountain, you need to talk to an attorney. Ask a Stone Mountain truck accident lawyer to help with the legal parts of your potentially devastating situation.
Truck accidents are not the same as the average passenger vehicle crash for a variety of reasons, including the fact that different laws and regulations apply to truckers. John Foy & Associates is very familiar with these unique aspects of truck cases, and we’d love to put that knowledge to work for you. You shouldn’t get just any lawyer for your truck accident—you need a team with specialized experience and skill to help. John Foy & Associates has over 20 years of experience dealing with truck accidents, so we fit the bill. Let us give you a free consultation. Call us at 404-400-4000 and get your free consultation today.
How can I prove my truck accident case in Stone Mountain?
You must prove that the truck driver, or someone who was responsible for the truck in some other way, was “negligent” to receive money damages for your accident. “Negligence” is a legal term that generally means the same thing as carelessness or recklessness. If you are negligent, then you didn’t act as a reasonable person would have in a similar situation.
You must show negligence in a Stone Mountain truck accident case to get damages. You can use several methods to do this. Some of the most common include:
- The truck driver didn’t drive reasonably. Just like any other driver on the road, truckers have a duty to other drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and others to operate their truck in a way that will not harm others. If they are driving erratically, distracted, speeding, or falling asleep at the wheel, those could all be signs of unreasonable driving. Following the rules of the road is also important. Just like a passenger vehicle, if the truck driver ignores stop lights or stop signs, that will likely trigger legal responsibility for your injuries and damages after a crash.
- The truck wasn’t maintained properly. It is not unusual for a truck to be on the road for over a million miles in its lifetime. But, keeping a truck running that long requires regular maintenance and upkeep. If the driver, or whoever else that is responsible for maintaining the truck, doesn’t do a good job, and that causes a crash, then you may get money damages for that as well. Things like bad tires, faulty brakes, and engine problems can all cause severe accidents.
- The truck wasn’t loaded right. Commercial trucks carry huge loads at times. When those loads are not put into the truck correctly, that can cause problems with control. The truck may have trouble making turns, stopping, and other issues. Whoever was in charge of loading the truck may end up having to pay for your losses caused by the crash.
Driver error is the most common reason that accidents occur by far. That means that most truck accident cases in local courts today will focus on how the trucker was driving just before the crash. But, there can be several causes that led to your crash, and many people may play a role in your personal injury case.
What type of damages are available in a truck accident case?
The damages available in truck accident cases are the same as general car accidents. The difference is that the total damage amounts may be much more significant because of the seriousness of these crashes. Damages available in a truck accident case often include:
- Medical expenses. Hospital bills may add up quickly after a truck accident. Although you will generally need to pay these expenses up front, you can often recover the money that you gave to the hospital through your truck accident case. If you have health insurance that covered a portion of the expenses, your insurance company will likely expect reimbursement for the amounts that they paid as well.
- Lost wages. If you are involved in a truck crash, you likely had to take some time away from work to recover. That time that you were unable to go to your job is something that the truck driver or the trucking company may need to reimburse you for—including paid time off that you could have taken for another reason.
- Loss of future earnings. In some truck accident cases, you are injured so badly that you cannot return to your previous job or even your prior line of work. In those situations, you can likely get money to account for the earnings that you would have made if this significant life change had not happened.
- Pain and suffering. Money is a poor substitute for the toll that a truck accident takes on your life, but it is really the only means that the law has to make up for these losses. You can receive funds for the pain and suffering that you experienced because of the crash plus any future suffering that you may have to endure as, such as where you have to go to ongoing treatment to address your new medical condition.
- Loss of enjoyment of life. Truck accidents can change your life—and if that is the case for you, you should get money for that type of loss. You can often do that in a truck accident lawsuit.
Talk to a Stone Mountain Truck Accident Lawyer for Free
There are time limits that apply to your truck accident claim. Don’t wait to get the process started or you run the risk of being barred from suing those responsible. You deserve the money damages from your lawsuit to help you with medical expenses, lost wages, and more—do not let the opportunity pass you by. We’ll give you a FREE consultation. Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.
