The repercussions of accidents involving large trucks can be devastating. A commercial truck could weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, outweighing the passenger car they collide with by a multiple of 20. This 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 personal injury attorney. You’re 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.
At The Scott Pryor Law Group, we understand the turmoil you’re going through. Truck collisions are life-changing, leaving you with long-term injuries or permanent disabilities. The emotional trauma can also weigh heavily on you and affect every part of your life. We know you may not be able to get back what you lost in the accident. Still, getting compensation for your damages can help you pay your astronomical medical bills, make up for your inability to work, and simply make things more manageable for you right now, as you focus on recovery.
Trucking companies play hardball.
Good thing we play harder.
Federal & State Trucking Regulations (FMCSA & O.C.G.A. § 40-1-8) – Trucking companies must follow strict safety regulations, including limits on driver hours and maintenance requirements.
How Our Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help You
If you want to pursue a truck accident claim in Athens, it helps to have a truck accident attorney on your side. Civil claims involving large tractor trailer collisions are extremely complex and without legal experience, you may quickly find yourself overwhelmed.
When you work with The Scott Pryor Law Group, you’ll get:
- Attorneys well-versed in federal state regulations, including trucking laws and traffic laws
- An investigative team that dives deep, sorting through accident reports, medical records, witness statements, available footage, and any information we can get our hands on
- An accurate calculation of the damages you’ve suffered, including potential future expenses, lost earnings, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering
- Negotiations with all insurance companies on your behalf; not just your own insurer, but the trucker’s and trucking company’s insurers as well
- Representation in court if the other parties don’t want to agree to give you a fair settlement
Our priority is always supporting you on your recovery journey. You should be focusing on physical, mental, and emotional rehabilitation, not worrying about calling insurance adjusters back or trying to gather evidence for your case.
Truck Collision Injuries We Represent
Truck accidents are usually very serious, resulting in major injuries. These collisions can even be fatal. There’s a wide range of injuries that can result from truck crashes, and some of the most common we’ve seen among our clients are:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash
- Broken bones
- Burn injuries
- Internal organ injuries
Even if you don’t see your injury listed here, our team of Athens attorneys can still speak with you about your case. We can assess the damage that’s been done and pursue a compensation package that realistically helps you move forward with your life.
Compensation You Can Get After a Truck Accident
After you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you most likely have a mountain of bills and expenses piling up. Medical bills, rehabilitation costs, vehicle repair costs — they’re all things you’re expected to pay even though your injuries made you unable to work.
By pursuing a truck accident claim, you can fight for compensation to help cover these mounting costs. Some of the damages you may be able to receive are:
- Medical expenses: Cover the costs of treatment, emergency room visits, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and counseling.
- Lost wages: Your injuries might have left you unable to work, meaning you have no income to help pay your medical bills. You can pursue damages for these lost wages, however.
- Reduced earning potential: Some truck accident injuries are so severe they prevent you from resuming your previous job indefinitely, and not just temporarily while you convalesce. If you’re forced to enter a lower-paying career as a result of your injuries, you could get damages for reduced earning potential.
- Pain and suffering: Damages for pain and suffering are non-economic, meaning there aren’t any receipts or bills your attorney can point to to determine their worth. They can still be quantified, however, and you could be eligible to receive compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress you’ve suffered.
Obtain the biggest settlement possible for your harm and losses.
Call us or send us a message for your free case evaluation!
Who’s Liable for a Truck Crash?
Many drivers walk away from a collision with a commercial truck knowing that they weren’t 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, such as:
- Truck drivers: Drivers might cause a wreck by speeding, failing to yield the right of way, or even due to fatigue.
- The truck or truck parts 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.
- The mechanic or other vendors: Anyone who services the truck might have been negligent with their service, such as a mechanic fixing a truck or the company loading the cargo, resulting in a malfunction that causes the truck to crash.
- The trucking company: A company might be liable if the truck operator was working within the scope of their employment during a crash and the company was negligent. Examples could include hiring unskilled operators or failing to maintain the truck in proper working order.
- A local government agency: A local government entity might not have done its duty to maintain a highway, resulting in road conditions that led to the crash.
Proving liability for any of these defendants is complex. It requires extensive research, investigation, and interviews to make a solid case. Our Athens truck accident attorneys can identify the defendants in your case and work to prove their responsibility for your crash.
not afraid TO GO AFTER THE BIG GUYS
Does the Cause of the Accident Affect the Case?
How the accident happened will determine how we approach your claim. Some common causes of truck accidents in Athens include:
- Truck driver fatigue
- Intoxication
- Unrealistic driving schedules
- Improperly maintained vehicles
- Improperly secured cargo
- Violating traffic laws
- Speeding
- Failing to check blind spots
- Truck drivers with inadequate training
- Distracted driving
- Poor road conditions
- Dangerous weather conditions
Whatever the cause of the accident, our attorneys will build a strong case for your claim.
You Have to File Suit Within 2 Years
There is a limited amount of time to file a truck accident lawsuit. Under Georgia law, 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. If you contact our experienced Athens attorneys after your accident, we can identify the applicable deadline and work to preserve evidence.
We understand that pursuing a legal claim is probably the last thing on your mind. But if you want a realistic chance of getting compensation, of making yourself “whole” again, you should contact The Scott Pryor Law Group as soon as you feel ready.
Our 6-Step Litigation Process
Summons & Complaint
Services of Process
Defendant’s Answer
Client Involvement
Elements to Prove (First Party No-Fault, MedPay/PIP, Third Party Auto)
Negligence (Treatment)
Interrogatories
Request to Produce
Subpoena Medical Records
Motions
Depositions
Experts
Meet with Doctors
Witness List
Attempt Settlement
Prepare for Trial
NOTE: A case can settle at any time during this process. Very few cases go all the way to trial.
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Speak with Our Athens Truck Accident Attorneys
Trucking companies have a great deal of resources available to them, including the help of a powerful insurance company. It can seem intimidating at first. How are you supposed to go up against that?
With the help of an experienced, committed truck accident attorney, you can even the playing field. Schedule a consultation with The Scott Pryor Law Group to learn more about your options.
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Learn about Scott Pryor Law Group and Our Commitment to Justice
The Scott Pryor Law Group is a firm that fights for you, your family, friends, and loved ones.
We fight for you even if you do not have health insurance or the ability to pay out-of-pocket for medical or other specialized treatment. We can help. You do not pay us out-of-pocket, and we only get paid if we win!
If you are interested in achieving the best possible results in your legal matter, The Scott Pryor Law Group will bring a wealth of skill and experience to your case. Our abilities have allowed us to achieve a notable record of success, inclluding the nation’s highest honor for trial attorneys, the Litigator Awards, recognizing us as the top 1% of trial attorneys in the nation.
