Dunwoody Commercial Trucking Accidents

One of the biggest factors in truck accidents is an 18-wheeler’s size and weight.  If carrying a full load, a semi-truck can easily weigh up to 80,000 poundsA car accident can be devastating, but a semi-truck weighs more than 20 times as much as a typical passenger vehicle. The size and weight of a semi-truck accident may lead to catastrophic accidents.

Common Causes of Dunwoody Truck Accidents

The causes of truck accident cases matter in GA personal injury law. Your truck accidents lawyer has to determine the cause of your accident injuries before they can hold someone responsible. Truck accident claims generally have five main causes:

  • Vehicular malfunction
  • Manufacturer negligence
  • Turck driver error
  • Poor weather conditions
  • Trucking company mistakes 

The vast majority of large truck accidents are caused by negligent drivers. It’s worth noting that there are other ways that semi trucks are different and more dangerous than most other vehicles:

  • A truck’s cargo may be hazardous or flammable, or it may cause chaos when it spills across the roadway
  • Large blind spots mean truck drivers have limited visibility
  • It’s hard for trucks to stop quickly because of their size and braking system 
  • Trucks can tip over or jackknife.

Most truck drivers are highly trained professionals who operate their rigs safely, but trucking companies often demand that truck drivers keep grueling schedules.  Long hours on the road without adequate rest can lead to car accidents, even among expert drivers. In some cases, they don’t perform the necessary truck maintenance. Other causes of commercial vehicle accidents include:

  • Brake failure
  • Distraction from the CB radio
  • Driving under the influence of stimulants
  • Driving while fatigued
  • Drunk driving
  • Eating and driving
  • Failure to check mirrors
  • Failure to stay in their lane
  • Failure to slow down during inclement weather
  • Inexperienced truck drivers
  • Impulsive decisions
  • Smoking while driving
  • Speeding
  • Texting and driving
  • Turning too widely or too close to other vehicles

If it was discovered that your injuries were caused by a negligent driver, speak with a personal injury attorney at The Pendergrass Law Firm about making a full financial recovery. Loved ones can also contact us to speak about who’s liable in their claim when recovering wrongful death damages. A truck accident attorney can represent your best interest when the insurance company refuses to do so. 

Truck Accident Liability

According to Georgia law, injured parties in a trucking accident can file a personal injury claim to receive compensation for the damages and injuries they’ve sustained. However, when the insurance company calls, you have to make sure that you have the legal grounds to file a compensation lawsuit against the truck company or whoever is liable. Your eligibility to file for damages and personal injury compensation will depend on what occurred during your semi-truck accident. Dunwoody truck accident lawyers investigate whether the five elements of negligence are present in commercial vehicle accidents: 

  • The at-fault party breached their duty of care
  • The party at fault had a responsibility to protect and prevent the accident that caused harm
  • You suffered an injury and measurable loss
  • The at-fault party’s actions directly caused the accident
  • The accident caused financial losses

The Pendergrass Law Firm can help you evaluate your case during a free consultation. During your initial consultation appointment, our lawyers can evaluate your case, help you to weigh your options, and give you the proper guidance on how to proceed. An accident lawyer in Dunwoody can help you understand what kind of compensation you should claim based on your case. Different damages can occur after a commercial truck crash. Some of these damages include out-of-pocket expenses, loss of income, and property damage.

Proving Liability In Your Truck Accident

It can be difficult to make a full recovery while launching an investigation into all of the possible parties responsible for your accident. Evidence that proves liability is essential to winning your truck accident claim.  The Pendergrass Law Firm will employ different investigation methods to prove who’s liable in your claim. Your Dunwoody truck accident lawyer can gather evidence from medical professionals, law enforcement officials, eyewitnesses, trucking companies, and other reputable sources. Some of our most common evidence-gathering methods include

  • Using accident reconstruction experts
  • Cataloging the different legal precedents and laws that apply to your accident
  • Examining video evidence from before, during, and after the truck crash
  • Gathering eyewitness reports
  • Gaining perspective on your injuries from medical professionals
  • Obtaining an accident report from the responding police officers
  • Obtaining the driver’s cell phone records
  • Reaching out to the truck driver’s employer and gathering records about their employment history
  • Reviewing photographs of the vehicles after the accident
  • Using specialists to perform forensic examinations

Truck accident injuries can result in all types of losses for the victim. The compensation you’re entitled to and the compensation you receive may not match without an experienced legal professional in your corner. Let our Dunwoody personal injury attorneys assist you in your time of need.

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Types of Damages You Can Recover After a Truck Accident

Every victim has a unique experience after their truck accident. Many of these post-accident experiences are filled with mental trauma, physical pain, and financial difficulties. Dunwoody truck accident victims can document their hardships to help their legal team assign financial value to them, and fight for them when it’s time to take legal action against the liable parties. 

Damages include economic damages, which include medical bills, property damage, special assistance for disabilities, rehabilitation programs, lost wages, and diminished income potential. There are also non-economic damages, including mental anguish, impaired quality of life, loss of consortium, physical pain, loss of companionship, and PTSD.

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Hiring a Truck Accident Lawyer

If you are worried about the financial aspect of hiring a truck accident lawyer, worry no longer. Many Dunwoody truck injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. That means if you do not win your case, you do not owe us anything.

Our attorneys can provide the following roles during your legal battle:

  • Applying a monetary value to your damages
  • Communicating on your behalf
  • Documenting your damages
  • Handling insurance claims
  • Negotiating settlements
  • Proving liability
  • Providing legal counsel
  • Protecting your rights in civil court

Read on for more ways that a Dunwoody truck accident lawyer can be useful in your claim. Or contact The Pendergrass Law Firm today for your free claim evaluation. 

Dunwoody Truck Accident FAQ

If you’ve been involved in a commercial accident, then you may be left with lots of questions. We see clients every day, and many of them have similar questions. A Georgia truck accident attorney can help those with questions about their claims. Read on for some of the most frequently asked questions we get about Dunwoody, GA truck accidents:

The insurance company offered me money already. Why do I need a Dunwoody truck accident lawyer?

Many people believe the insurance company is looking out for their best interest, but the insurance company wants to pay you as little as possible so it can make a bigger profit.   When you accept the insurance company’s offer, you’ll have to sign away your right to ever get anything else. Doing so would be a huge mistake if all of your recovery expenses aren’t covered. Our lawyers will collect evidence showing who is at fault.  We can also refer you to doctors who can evaluate your injuries and give us a concrete estimate of what your medical treatment will cost.  When we show this evidence to the insurance company, they will be more open to negotiations. 

What will it cost me to hire a truck accident lawyer?

You may think that litigating your truck accident case isn’t cheap. However, our truck accident attorneys don’t believe you should have to pay anything out of pocket to get good legal help after an accident.  It costs you nothing to consult with us, and our services cost you nothing. That also means you pay nothing if we don’t win your case. If we get you a financial recovery, our fees are a percentage of your reward.  You keep the lion’s share of the recovery.  If you or a loved one has been in a truck accident, don’t wait.  Let The Pendergrass Law Firm hold the trucking company responsible for your tractor-trailer accident.

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