Accidents involving commercial trucks and passenger vehicles are common. These accidents occur for the same reasons as other crashes, including careless driving, intoxication, or distraction. The repercussions of accidents involving large trucks can be devastating, however.

A commercial truck could weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. In other words, these large vehicles could outweigh the passenger car they collide with by a multiple of 20. This enormous size disparity means the force of the impact on the occupants of a passenger car can be enormous.

If you survived a truck accident, you could benefit from speaking with a seasoned personal injury attorney. You are entitled to pursue damages if the truck driver was responsible, and an Athens truck accident lawyer could help you hold them accountable through a civil lawsuit.

Parties Potentially Responsible for a Truck Crash

Many drivers walk away from a collision with a commercial truck with the knowledge that they were not at fault. Determining who was responsible, however, is not always immediately clear. Frequently, there are multiple factors that go into causing a truck crash. Each of these factors could lead to the addition of another defendant to a truck accident lawsuit. An Athens attorney could advise someone injured in a truck accident on the potential defendants in their case.

Truck Drivers

The most frequent defendant in a truck crash is the operator of the commercial vehicle. Truck drivers are often negligent for the same reason as motorists in other vehicles. They might cause a wreck by speeding, failing to yield the right of way, or even due to fatigue. If the plaintiff in a truck accident lawsuit can show that the operator of a commercial vehicle was negligent, they could pursue compensation against them.

Trucking Companies

The trucking company could be responsible for a crash under several theories of liability. First and foremost, a company might be liable if the truck operator was working within the scope of their employment during a crash. For truck drivers, this could mean accidents that occur while hauling a load.

Trucking companies could also face liability if their negligence leads to an accident. Examples could include negligently hiring dangerous operators or failing to maintain the truck in proper working order.

Manufacturer

Some truck accidents occur due to mechanical issues. If a mechanical defect leads to a crash, the plaintiff could pursue the manufacturer of the truck or one of its parts for compensation.

Time to File Suit

There is a limited amount of time to file a truck accident lawsuit. Under Georgia Code Section 9-3-33, plaintiffs generally must file suit within two years of the accident. If they fail to do so, the court has the right to dismiss the case forever. While two years may seem like plenty of time, valuable evidence can disappear quickly after a crash. This could be avoided by working closely with an experienced attorney in Athens who could identify the applicable deadline and work to preserve evidence.

Side-Impact Truck Accident Lawyer

There are two types of side-impact motor vehicle collisions. The first type is a “T” or a “T-bone” collision. This occurs when one vehicle approaches perpendicularly to another, forming the shape of a “T” when they collide. The other type is a “sideswipe” crash and occurs when two vehicles traveling parallel to one another converge. Either kind of collision can be deadly for individuals when one of the vehicles involved in the wreck is a large commercial truck.

With help from an Athens side-impact truck accident lawyer, those injured in a T-bone or sideswipe collision may be successful in recovering compensation through a lawsuit. A dedicated truck attorney could assist in obtaining repayment for any medical costs they incurred, reimbursement for lost wages, and payment for pain, suffering, and trauma experienced.

Establishing Truck Driver Negligence

Negligence frequently causes sideswipe accidents and T-bone collisions. A truck driver who does not give adequate attention to driving safely behind the wheel may directly cause a wreck. Examples of behaviors that could lead to side-impact collisions include:

• Speeding through intersections without obeying traffic control signs and signals
• Attempting to “beat” a yellow light that is turning red
• Trying to change lanes on a highway without first checking the truck’s blind spots
• Failing to yield the right of way at intersections

If any other reasonable truck driver would have acted differently in the situation that led to the crash, then the driver may have behaved negligently. Truck operators may commit negligent acts because they are drowsy, under stress, under the influence, or simply inattentive. An Athens T-bone crash attorney could gather evidence to prove the truck driver acted negligently.

Common Losses in a T-Bone Collision

If a truck driver acts negligently and causes a side-impact collision with another vehicle, that truck driver,  their employer, and potentially others may be responsible for paying compensation to the claimant. A skilled lawyer in Athens could help determine who is liable for the sideswipe truck crash.

The compensation that plaintiffs may receive may address all the immediate and future losses they suffer. This could include the plaintiff’s:

• Medical costs including surgeries, appointments, and procedures
• Home healthcare assistance or assisted living expenses
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity because of injury-related limitations and treatment
• Physical and emotional trauma they experienced because of their trauma

Claimants must be prepared to provide evidence to support any amount of compensation they are requesting through their lawsuits. Without bills, invoices, or compelling testimony, it may be difficult for plaintiffs to obtain the compensation they may need. Attorneys who represent injured Athens motorists may help plaintiffs gather and present evidence in support of their claims.

Speak with an Athens Truck Accident Attorney Right Away

The resources available to trucking companies after a crash could seem intimidating at first. The trucking companies routinely have extensive resources to rely on, including the help of a powerful insurance company.

You are entitled to seek help as well. By hiring an Athens truck accident lawyer, you could pursue a truck accident claim and face the trucking company head-on. Schedule an initial consultation right away to learn more about your options.