Advocates For Those Seriously Injured In Truck Accidents

The trucking industry is heavily regulated. Companies and drivers must follow strict rules, but unfortunately, some disregard these regulations. They drive beyond posted service hours, operate vehicles needing serious repairs or drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. These behaviors put you at risk while driving on the roads in Rome, Georgia.

With over 50 years of combined experience, Cromartie Law knows how to hold trucking companies and their insurers accountable for the harm they cause. Our investigations often reveal violations of trucking industry laws. Drivers causing these accidents frequently exceed the allowed hours on the road and attempt to hide this by using fake logbooks, sometimes at their employer’s request. These facts demonstrate driver negligence, strengthening our case.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, or if a family member has died due to truck driver negligence in northwestern Georgia, contact our firm for a free case review.

What Makes Truck Accidents Different From Other Motor Vehicle Accidents?

Truck accidents usually involve commercial vehicles that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. Because of the size and weight difference between a big rig and a standard passenger car, the force of impact is often much greater, leading to more severe injuries and extensive property damage.

In a truck accident, liability can get a lot more complicated. A regular car accident is about which driver is at fault. But in a trucking accident, there could be multiple parties responsible:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• Maintenance crews
• The manufacturer of a faulty part

Plus, trucking companies and their insurers move fast to protect themselves after an accident, often sending investigators to the scene within hours. Therefore, truck accidents are not just “bigger” – they come with a unique set of legal and logistical challenges.

Truck Accidents Can Result In Devastating Injuries

Due to the size and weight of semi-trucks, head, neck and chest injuries are common in collisions. Many victims suffer traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) or severe spinal cord injuries (SCIs), leading to lifelong challenges.

Amputation injuries can occur in truck crashes, especially in underride accidents. Other unfortunate outcomes include internal organ damage, bleeding, crush injuries, burns and disfigurement.

In most semi-truck accidents, occupants of other vehicles face greater danger than the truck driver. This applies to motorcyclists, pedestrians and bicyclists as well. The significant size discrepancy between a semi – which can weigh up to 80,000 pounds – and other vehicles means that a single error by a commercial truck driver can endanger everyone nearby and lead to a severe crash.

Common Types Of Serious Truck Accidents

Commercial trucking accidents can be incredibly dangerous, often causing catastrophic physical and emotional harm. Two common crash scenarios involving tractor-trailers and semis are left-turn and underride accidents.

A left-turn crash occurs when a semi-truck turns left in front of oncoming traffic, and the other driver cannot stop in time. This is particularly dangerous for motorcyclists, often resulting in severe injuries. An underride accident happens when a smaller vehicle collides with a semi, slides underneath and becomes wedged there.

Many semi-truck accidents also result from impairment from drugs or alcohol or distracted driving, despite strict rules for commercial drivers. They have a lower allowable BAC limit than private motorists and are prohibited from using handheld devices while driving. However, distracted and impaired driving crashes continue to occur.

Rear-end accidents are also frequent, often because large commercial trucks have stopping distances nearly twice as long as passenger cars. Improper or negligent truck maintenance can also cause rear-end crashes.

What To Do After A Serious Trucking Accident

If you have been in a serious trucking accident in Rome or anywhere in Floyd County, the steps you take immediately after the accident can make a huge difference in protecting your health and rights.

• First, seek medical attention, even if you think you are fine. Injuries like whiplash, concussions and internal damage are not always obvious right away.
• Next, document the scene – if you are able. Take photos of your vehicle and the truck, as well as any road conditions and visible injuries.
• Get contact information from witnesses.
• Avoid discussing fault at the scene, as anything you say could be used against you later.

It is also smart to reach out to a truck accident attorney as soon as possible. Trucking companies are usually well-prepared, with legal teams ready to minimize the companies’ liability.

Having your attorney present means someone is fighting for your best interests, whether it is securing compensation for medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering, or holding the party accountable. We are here to help you file a claim after a trucking accident and protect your rights.

Who Might Be Liable For A Commercial Truck Accident?

You might expect liability for a semi-truck crash to be straightforward. Especially when it is clear that the commercial driver operating the semi-truck was either negligent or broke traffic statutes, you may expect the driver to be directly liable. In cases where the motorist operating the commercial truck is self-employed, an independent contractor or an owner-operator, the driver may be directly liable for crash expenses or responsible for providing insurance coverage.

However, there are numerous scenarios in which businesses may be at least partially liable for the crash. A transportation company may be liable for the negligence of an employee. They have vicarious liability for the mistakes of their workers who are on the job. They may also be liable in cases where issues with the semi truck were to blame for the crash.

When vehicle issues are the underlying cause of a crash, the truck’s manufacturer or parts manufacturers could be liable. Maintenance and repair technicians or their employers could also be responsible for failing to keep the truck in a safe condition. The business that loaded the trailer may be liable if improper loading caused the driver to lose control. Even government entities may be liable if road maintenance or design caused the crash.

What Damages Can People Seek After Commercial Truck Accidents?

Plaintiffs filing lawsuits after semi-truck collisions in Georgia typically have the option of requesting both economic and noneconomic damages. Whether you survived a devastating semi-truck collision or lost a loved one in a crash, you may be able to seek damages from the transportation company, the driver at fault or other parties with liability for the collision.

Typically, economic damages account for the biggest portion of the compensation sought in a commercial truck collision lawsuit. Injured parties and surviving family members can request compensation for medical expenses, funeral costs and lost wages.

In cases involving premature deaths and catastrophic injuries, lost future income can also be a critical economic damage to quantify. Economic damages also include property damage expenses.

Noneconomic damages may include pain and suffering claims, as well as claims for the loss of quality of life triggered by the injuries or tragedy caused by the collision. In specific cases involving extreme negligence and intentional violations of traffic statutes, punitive damages intended to punish the party at fault could also contribute to the total amount sought in the lawsuit.

Immediate Action In Truck Accident Cases

Trucking companies quickly deploy lawyers to accident scenes to gather evidence and build their defense. We counter by taking immediate action to build your case. Once we take on your case, we:

• Arrange necessary medical appointments
• Negotiate with insurers attempting to push quick settlements
• Litigate your claim when a settlement is not possible

The sooner we start on your vehicle accident case, the better. Critical evidence, from the truck’s black box to skid marks at the accident site, needs to be preserved. We gather all the facts needed to build a strong case.

Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents In Georgia

Here are some of the questions we often hear from clients about truck accidents in Georgia.

Free Consultation: Find Out How We Can Help

Ready to reach out? Let’s start with a free consultation about your truck accident case. Our attorney is here to help. And the best part is you won’t have to pay anything unless we win for you. Call us at 706-622-4853 or complete our online form to set up the meeting.

You can find us in the heart of downtown Rome, Georgia, right at the corner of Broad Street and Fourth Avenue. We’re just across from the Floyd County Courthouse and Forum. Our doors are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., but don’t worry if that doesn’t fit your schedule – we’re happy to arrange evening or weekend appointments at a location that works for you.

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