Loganville, Georgia Truck Accident Lawyer
We’ve all heard the colloquialism, “I feel like I was hit by a truck”. Oftentimes this is uttered after someone has a long day at work, a particularly tough workout at the gym, or after an intense sports match. The thing is, very few people know what it feels like to actually be hit by a truck. A standard pickup truck is roughly twice the weight of an average passenger car while large, commercial trucks can oftentimes be twenty to thirty times the mass.
When two passenger vehicles get into an accident the results can range from the small fender bender that almost every driver has been in, to accidents that lead to instant fatalities. That’s just when two regular cars on the road collide. When comparing a regular accident to that when a passenger vehicle and a commercial truck collide the cliche, “I feel like I was hit by a truck” seems a gross understatement.
Why You Need Lawyers if You Have Been Involved in a Truck Accident
Many question why they need a lawyer if they’ve been involved in a truck accident if everyone involved is insured. The simple fact is that truck accidents should never be treated like a car accident because of many different factors. Also, unfortunately, there are many factors that can work against a regular driver when they are involved in a collision with a truck. There are a number of factors that truck accident lawyers can help you navigate if you are involved in an accident.
Accidents Happen. Let a Lawyer Handle What Comes Next
After getting into an accident with a truck, the first thing you should do is call the team at Benton & Benton. Our team of highly trained lawyers will make sure to protect you and your interests. Our team can help to record and preserve vital pieces of evidence for your case while you take the time to process your accident and get checked out by medical professionals. Our team will secure the accident scene, work to take photos of the accident, record witness statements and much more. The goal is to make sure that while you are getting the medical care and attention you need, that someone is gathering the evidence you will need in order to prove that someone should be held liable for the accident at hand.
Trucking Companies Have Investigators, You Should Too
When a truck is involved in an accident, trucking companies will often send their team of investigators to the scene. Your lawyers are able to do the same thing in order to protect you and your case. In addition to the jobs listed above, the team of investigators will also be looking to record the following things:
- Skid marks
- Accident debris
- Oil stains
- Radiator Fluid
- Gasoline and diesel stains
- Police reports
- Motor carrier records
- Safety logs
All this information helps to create an honest picture of the accident and the circumstances that led to it. This helps to make sure that trucking companies and insurance companies aren’t able to paint a picture of the events that are not honest.
Big Trucks Cause Big Accidents and Big Payouts
One of the largest settlements ever for a truck accident happened in 2016, with an 80 million dollar settlement. An accident with a truck differs greatly from accidents between passenger vehicles in three main ways.
- Liability: In an accident between two two vehicles often the liability is held by one party or split between the two. In a case involving a truck however, things are much different. The trucker, the trucking company, the manufacturer of the truck, the manufacturer of truck parts, the company that performs maintenance on the vehicle, the company that loaded the vehicle and many more could share the liability.
- Insurance Policies: Truckers and trucking companies carry a much larger insurance policy than private drivers.This incentivizes the insurance adjuster to do the most that they can to make the fault for the accident land on the driver of the passenger vehicle as much as possible to avoid paying out for a potentially record making settlement.
- Injuries: Trucks are just larger vehicles than cars and when the two meet in an accident, oftentimes the injuries to the driver of the car are more serious. These often mean larger medical bills, more serious, life-long injuries and in many circumstances, death.
The stakes and circumstances of a truck accident and an accident between regular cars are drastically different. The team at Benton & Benton can help to make sure that individuals and companies are held liable for their actions and that you get the justice you deserve.
The Main Causes for Truck Accidents
Sometimes accidents are just that, accidents. However, more often than not there are things that truck drivers can do, or ignore, that lead to them having accidents. Several accidents include:
- Drowsy Driving: Truckers are limited to the amount of hours they should drive in a row but many ignore these regulations. Lack of sleep leads to sluggish reactions which cause many accidents.
- Driving Under the Influence: Alcohol and drugs have disastrous consequences in regular vehicles. Add in large trucks and loads and the consequences are often deadly.
- Speeding and Reckless Driving: We all know that there are rules on the road to keep everyone safe. When truckers don’t follow these regulations or drive beyond what conditions allow there can be a lot of trouble.
- Vehicle Malfunctions: Truck drivers and trucking companies have to keep their vehicles in great condition and must perform regular maintenance to keep vehicles safe. Sometimes though maintenance is rushed, jobs are put off and that can lead to accidents.
Relying on Local Experts
If a trucking accident is something that you have the misfortune to experience you don’t want to rely on a team that doesn’t know your case, circumstances or the Georgia area. Nothing is more important than having a team of lawyers behind you that know and understand Georgia highways and the trucks that frequent them and our roads.
Contact Benton & Benton
If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident in Georgia, call us at 770-365-6414 for a free case evaluation.
