What Lawyer Deals With Truck Accidents?

After being injured in a truck accident, you might wonder whether or not you need a lawyer—and, if so, what type of lawyer you need to contact. If you did not cause your accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. You will need to work with a lawyer who regularly deals with truck accidents.

What Is a Truck Accident Lawyer?

A truck accident lawyer is a type of personal injury lawyer. Personal injury lawyers specialize in tort law. According to Georgia Code § 51-1-1, a tort is the “unlawful violation of a private legal right.”

Personal injury lawyers may take on cases involving:

• Truck accidents
• Car accidents
• Bus accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Premises liability injuries
• Wrongful death

A truck accident lawyer is experienced in working on truck accident cases. This is an important distinction, as there are elements that set truck accident cases apart from other types of accidents.

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What Makes Truck Accident Cases Unique

In most two-vehicle auto accidents, one of the drivers is typically at fault for the accident. If you are involved in a car accident caused by another driver, you have the right to file a personal injury claim with their car insurance company for compensation for your damages.

When it comes to truck accidents, things aren’t so straightforward. Truck accident cases can be very complex, requiring a lot of experience, research, and resources. Here are some of the most important ways truck accident cases are unique—and why it’s vital to work with a lawyer who understands them.

Truck Accident Injuries Are Often Very Serious

Semi-trucks and 18-wheelers are huge vehicles. When they’re fully loaded with cargo, they can weigh 35,000 pounds. The maximum in the United States for a semi-truck with a loaded trailer is 80,000 pounds. Obviously, this amount of weight can do a lot of damage during a collision.

It’s very common for small vehicles to end up totaled after a truck accident. Plus, victims can be left with serious, catastrophic injuries like:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Serious internal injuries
• Amputations
• Severe burns

Many truck accident injuries can also result in death or lifelong disabilities that affect a victim and their family forever.

Since the injuries and damages from truck accidents can be so serious, you need a lawyer who is used to dealing with these types of high-worth cases. They will need to be prepared to fight for full compensation for all of the losses you have faced.

Multiple Parties Are Involved in Truck Accidents

Truck accidents also aren’t about just two drivers like many other accidents. Since truck drivers are commercial drivers, you’re dealing with the driver and the trucking company that employs them. In some situations, there are other parties who were negligent in the accident too.

In one truck accident case, you may deal with any of these parties:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• A truck or trucking parts manufacturer if the truck had defective parts
• A mechanic or maintenance company if they didn’t catch truck issues that contributed to the accident
• A third driver who was involved in the accident

Trucking companies often give their drivers strict deadlines to follow, which may encourage or force employees to forgo breaks and drive while fatigued or distracted.

The multiple parties involved in a truck accident can make things complicated. For example, the truck driver might blame their employer for forcing them to drive without a break. The trucking company might put the blame on their truck for not taking breaks as they were supposed to. At the same time, a defective truck part might have contributed to the crash, as well.

Your lawyer will need to investigate every avenue of the accident to determine who was at fault and what percentage of fault they hold. The takes a lot of time, resources, and know-how on your lawyer’s part.

You May Deal with Several Insurance Companies

Since you might be dealing with multiple parties in a truck accident case, that means there might also be several insurance companies to handle. The truck driver, the trucking company, and sometimes even the truck might be covered by an insurance policy.

You will need a truck accident lawyer who knows how to juggle several insurance companies and, potentially, more than one claim at a time.

More than One State May Be Involved

Many truck drivers will ship cargo all across the United States. That means a truck accident can happen anywhere. The truck accident may happen in your home state of Georgia, but the truck driver might be from Texas while the trucking company is stationed in California.

A truck accident lawyer will know how to sort out complex civil procedures across different states, especially if your case ends up going to trial.

Make Sure You Work with the Right Lawyer

While all truck accidents lawyers are personal injury lawyers, not all personal injury lawyers specialize in truck accidents. Before hiring a lawyer to work on your truck accident case, make sure they have extensive experience in winning truck accident claims.

Thankfully, most truck accidents lawyers (like John Foy & Associates) offer a free consultation. You can schedule a consultation to find out more about their experience and typically procedures. You’ll want to look for a strong track record of wins on truck accident cases similar to yours.

Talk to a Georgia Truck Accident Lawyer for Free Today

At John Foy & Associates, our truck accident lawyers have been helping victims win the compensation they deserve for the past 20 plus years. We know how to handle complex cases and protect your legal rights. Plus, we do not take a fee unless we win you money—and the consultation is always FREE.

To get started with your FREE consultation and case evaluation, call us at (404) 400-4000 or contact us online today. We’ll answer any of your questions, look at the details of your case, and discuss how we can help.