Albany Truck Accident Lawyers

Victims of truck accidents are often left with serious, life-changing injuries. Unfortunately, many of these crashes are the result of negligence – either the driver was reckless or his or her employer or another entity violated trucking industry regulations. If you think negligence played a role in your crash, contact an Albany truck accident lawyer right now. An attorney may be able to recover compensation for your damages, including medical care and pain and suffering. Roden Law’s licensed attorneys can review the accident in a free, no obligation consultation. This means there is no risk to you in contacting us. We will only charge attorney fees if you are compensated.

Our experienced truck accident lawyers have detailed knowledge of federal regulations governing the trucking industry. We are also well-versed in state laws affecting these cases, including things like the statute of limitations and Georgia’s law on contributory negligence.

Contact an Albany personal injury lawyer today by calling 1-844-RESULTS.

Deadline for Pursuing Compensation

In your free consultation, our attorneys will review your options for obtaining compensation. In some cases, we are able to pursue insurance compensation from a policy covering the truck, driver, trailer or cargo.

Insurance companies often have deadlines for filing claims so it is best to contact an Albany truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your situation. We can help ensure your insurance claim is filed before the deadline passes. We are also prepared to manage all negotiations with the insurance company. We are veterans of this process and will not accept unfair offers.

However, there are other situations when it is appropriate to file a personal injury lawsuit, such as when an insurance company refuses to settle or offer fair compensation.

Personal injury lawsuits are governed by Georgia’s personal injury statute of limitations. This law says you must file a lawsuit within two years of the accident, otherwise you lose the right to do so.

Our attorneys can determine when the statute of limitations for your claim ends. This way we can ensure your lawsuit is filed before time runs out.

Fill out a Free Case Review form today.

What Should I Do After a Truck Accident?

Once an accident occurs, trucking companies and other entities that may be liable for the crash will begin investigating and looking for ways to avoid responsibility. They will either try to avoid paying any compensation or look for ways to offer much less compensation than you deserve.

This is why it is crucial to begin taking steps to build your case after the accident. Your health and safety is the first priority so call 9-1-1 so you can receive medical attention. While you are waiting for paramedics and the police to arrive, try to collect evidence if you are physically able and it is safe to do so. This includes:

• Pictures of the scene – There is no such thing as too many pictures when you are injured in a truck accident. Take pictures of the vehicles involved in the crash, any damage to the roadway or nearby property, and your injuries.
• Contact information and insurance information for the driver – This way your Albany truck accident lawyer can contact this person or his or her insurance company to file a claim.
• Identifying information for the truck – This includes identifying information on the trailer, cab and the cargo. Write down or take a picture of what is printed on the side of the trailer. If possible, take a picture of the vehicle registration. Write down the license plate number and the serial numbers for the tractor and the trailer.
• Statements from witnesses – Look around after the crash to see if there are any witnesses. If anyone stops to help, ask them if they saw the accident. If they did, write down what they say and ask for their name and contact information. Witness testimony can be powerful evidence in an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.

When the police arrive, answer their questions. However, do not admit fault for the accident. This could hurt your chances of recovering compensation. Your Albany truck accident attorney can determine the facts and who is at fault.

Before the officer leaves, ask him or her how to obtain a copy of the police report he or she completes. This serves as an official record of the crash and may include the officer’s opinion on what caused the accident and who is at fault.

Schedule a free consultation today by completing a Free Case Review form.

Benefits of an Albany Truck Accident Lawyer

Pursuing compensation after a truck crash is a difficult, complex process that could take many months. You need extensive knowledge of trucking industry regulations and how to build a strong case that will help you secure the fair compensation you may be entitled.

The truck accident lawyers at Roden Law have the experience and legal knowledge necessary to fight for maximum compensation. There are many benefits to working with our attorneys. For example, we:

Know How To Properly Value Your Claim

Truck crashes cause a variety of physical, financial and emotional damages. This can include:

We will help you compile bills and receipts for all economic damages, like lost wages and medical expenses. We will also show you how to document pain and suffering, so you may have a chance to pursue compensation for these damages.

Can Thoroughly Investigate the Crash

We will review any information you have collected and determine what else we need to build a strong case. This could include taking more pictures from the accident scene, obtaining any video footage of the crash, interviewing witnesses and reviewing service logs for the truck to find out if it was running properly.

Our Albany truck accident lawyers will also attempt to recover the black box from the truck. Many commercial trucks have these devices that store data about what was going on with the truck before the collision. This includes:

Know How To Identify Liable Parties

One of the main things that complicates truck accident cases is that multiple parties can be held liable. This is why it can be a major advantage to have an attorney who specializes in truck accidents and not just motor vehicle accidents.

Our truck accident attorneys have in-depth knowledge of the various parties that could be held liable, such as the:

Understand Trucking Industry Regulations

Truck drivers and their employers must follow numerous regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). For example, the hours of service regulations state that drivers can drive a maximum of 11 hours after being off duty for 10 consecutive hours. If a company has vehicles that operate every day, the driver cannot be on duty for more than 70 hours in an eight-day period.

The hours of service regulations are some of the most commonly violated regulations. Trucking companies have tight deadlines and this puts pressure on drivers to exceed hours of service rules to meet these deadlines.

There are even some trucks on the road that do not have the required equipment, including the proper type of brakes. Commercial trucks must have operative service brakes on all wheels, parking brake systems, emergency brake systems and a breakaway braking system.

Another potential violation concerns drugs and alcohol. The FMCSA has numerous regulations about alcohol use and testing. For example, drivers are prohibited from consuming alcohol within four hours of work. Drivers who violate these regulations will be taken off the road for at least 24 hours. The vehicle can also be impounded.

Sometimes the key to establishing fault is proving that trucking industry regulations were violated. If a rule was violated, the at-fault party will have a difficult time proving he or she is not liable.

To learn more about how we can help you and the advantages of hiring an attorney, contact an Albany truck accident attorney today for a free, no obligation legal consultation. There is no risk to you in contacting us to discuss your options.

Call Roden Law today at 1-844-RESULTS.

Types of Cases

Our Albany truck accident lawyers  handle a variety of cases involving different types of commercial trucks and accidents. We are prepared for accidents with many different types of vehicles, including the following:

These vehicles are involved in many types of dangerous, life-threatening accidents, such as:

• Rollover accidents – When truck drivers lose control, there is a risk of the vehicle rolling over onto its side. When this happens, there is a risk of the truck hitting other cars. There is a higher risk of these accidents if the driver of the truck is speeding, particularly while turning or on an incline or decline.
• Underride accidents – These are life-threatening because passenger cars slide under the rear of the truck. Even if the victim survives, he or she could suffer life-threatening injuries.
• Jackknife crashes – This is an accident where the trailer swings out and forms a 90-degree angle with the cab. This is often a result of the brakes locking up, which means the driver has lost control of the vehicle.
• Lost cargo crashes – When cargo-loading companies fail to properly secure cargo, it can fall out of the trailer while it is in motion. This is extremely dangerous, particularly on highways and interstates where drivers are traveling at high speed. It can be very difficult to stop or swerve to avoid falling cargo. Even if a driver is able to swerve, he or she could crash into another car.
• Wide-turn accidents – Trucks need a lot more room to turn than passenger vehicles. If the driver is not careful, he or she can hit cars when making right turns, squeezing them between the cab or trailer and the sidewalk.

Contact an Albany truck accident lawyer today.

Causes of Truck Accidents

While many parties besides the driver can be held liable, truck drivers are often the cause of truck accidents involving passenger vehicles. Examples of truck driver negligence that often lead to accidents include:

There are also mechanical issues that result in truck crashes, such as brake failure, poor maintenance of tires, transmission issues or engine malfunction. This can occur when the trucking company failed to repair the vehicle or inspect it when it should have. The repair company may have also been negligent when inspecting the vehicle or repairing it.

The FMCSA also has regulations on securing cargo on commercial trucks. Sometimes there is so much pressure to meet deadlines that companies rush to load cargo and do not secure it properly.

Whatever the cause of your accident, the truck accident lawyers at Roden Law know how to conduct a thorough investigation to determine what happened and who is at fault.

Complete a Free Case Review form today.

Contact Roden Law To Discuss Legal Options

A truck accident can be a life-changing event that affects you physically and financially for years to come. Some victims may never be the same, suffering physical impairments that make it difficult to support themselves or their families.

If you were injured in a truck crash, it may have been caused by negligence. This is why you should contact our Albany truck accident lawyers for a free, no obligation legal consultation. There is no risk in contacting us to determine your legal options.

Our attorneys are committed to fighting for the fair compensation you deserve. We work on contingency so there is no charge for our services unless you receive compensation.