Accidents involving trucks are incredibly dangerous and unfortunately all too common. Trucks can weigh 20-30 times as much as passenger cars and are significantly taller. For these reasons, most serious injuries and deaths in truck accidents involve occupants of passenger vehicles. According to experts, 4,119 people died in large truck crashes in 2019. Of these victims, 16% were truck occupants, 67% were occupants of passenger vehicles, and 15% were pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists.
Many truck accident victims are also seriously injured each day. For those that are injured, recovering can involve long-term medical treatment, missing a significant amount of time from work, and severe emotional trauma.
At Ahmad Injury Law, we understand how difficult the recovery process can be. Our Atlanta accident lawyers work tirelessly on behalf of our clients to help them receive the compensation that they deserve. Whether that means aggressively pursuing a settlement with the insurance company or pursuing your claim all the way to trial, we have the expertise and resources to maximize your claim. Contact Ahmad Injury Law today for a FREE consultation.
Common Causes of Georgia Truck Accidents
Truck accidents in Georgia can occur for many different reasons. Some common causes of truck accidents include:
- Speeding
- Improperly trained or inexperienced driver
- Overloading
- Driver fatigue. Under federal hours-of-service regulations drivers of large trucks can drive up to 11 hours at one time. However, drivers often violate these regulations contributing to accidents
- Poor truck maintenance
The negligent actions of drivers of passenger vehicles can also contribute to truck accidents. For example, when drivers quickly change lanes in front of a truck or driving in an area of the truck where the driver cannot see can lead to crashes.
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Common Injuries in Truck Accident Cases
Truck accidents can result in serious injuries and death. The sheer size and weight of most trucks result in significant impacts. Some common injuries in truck accident cases include:
- Soft Tissue Injuries. Soft tissue injuries can include relatively minor injuries such as cuts, scrapes, bruises, abrasions, or whiplash. Or they may consist of more serious injuries such as tendon damage.
- Internal injuries
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries. Serious spinal cord injuries can include paralysis or even death.
- Traumatic brain injuries. A traumatic brain injury can result in a permanent disability, paralysis, or death.
- Disfigurement
- Permanent disabilities
If you have been injured in a truck accident case; it is important to seek immediate medical attention. Regardless of whether you suffer minor or serious injuries, you have important rights under Georgia law. Consult with an experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer to learn how you can receive compensation for your injuries.
Recovering Damages in Georgia Truck Accident Cases
The amount of damages that can be recovered in a Georgia truck accident case depends on many factors and varies by case. For example, a truck accident victim that suffers serious injuries will typically receive more compensation than a victim that suffers minor injuries. Yet other factors come into play such as fault determinations and other expenses that have been incurred. An experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer can help you determine what your case is potentially worth.
Some common types of damages awarded in Georgia truck accident cases include:
- Medical expenses. Medical expenses include both the costs incurred as a direct result of the accident and the costs of future medical treatment. Some common medical expenses include doctor visits, copays, hospital bills, and physical therapy. An Atlanta truck accident lawyer will carefully review your medical records and bills to determine what you can recover.
- Lost wages. Since truck accidents often result in serious injuries victims often miss a lot of time from work. Lost wages are relatively easy to establish since you can provide pay stubs, tax returns, and other documentation to show how much you are typically paid.
- Lost earning capacity. Truck accident victims that suffer serious injuries may be unable to return to work or perform the same job duties that they did before the accident. In these cases, you may be entitled to compensation for the permanent reduction in your earning capacity.
- Lost benefits. You may be entitled to compensation for lost vacation or sick time, or other paid time off.
- Pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is a type of non-economic damages. This means that it is not easily established. Pain and suffering includes emotional and mental distress. Truck accident victims typically need to retain an expert to document the extent of their pain and suffering.
- Property damages. You can recover compensation for the costs of repairing or replacing personal property such as your vehicle.
Insurance companies and/or trucking companies often attempt to settle truck accident cases early in the process to minimize their liability. Truck accident victims that are not represented by a lawyer often make the mistake of accepting a settlement offer for less than their case is worth. An experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer will carefully evaluate your case and advocate on your behalf to maximize your compensation.
Determining Who the Defendants are in Georgia Truck Accident Cases
Determining who to sue and hold accountable in a truck accident case is not always straightforward. Truck accident cases often involve multiple vehicles requiring complicated fault determinations.
If the driver of the truck caused the accident you will typically name the driver, his employer, and their insurance company as defendants. But it is possible your case could involve other less obvious defendants. For example, mechanical issues with the truck may have contributed to the accident. If so, you may have a claim against one or more manufacturers. As you can see, truck accident cases can be extremely complex. An experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer can help you identify all the potential defendants in your case.
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Discuss Your Case with an Experienced Atlanta Truck Accident Lawyer
If you or someone that you know has been injured in a truck accident in Georgia, contact the experienced Atlanta accident attorneys of Ahmad Injury Law at 404-574-5217 to discuss your rights and options. We offer FREE consultations and our compassionate and capable staff will assist you every step of the way.
