Accidents involving semi-trucks can lead to catastrophic injuries for passengers in smaller vehicles, even passenger trucks and SUVs. The size and weight of commercial trucks mean they can cause severe damage during a collision, even at slower speeds. If you have suffered a trucking accident injury, you should consider contacting a reputable law firm to represent your best interests. Our Brunswick truck accident lawyers at Roden Law are prepared to represent clients that have been injured in many kinds of truck-related accidents. Our firm has recovered millions in compensation, including compensation for an injured driver who needed back surgery after a collision with a commercial truck. We understand how truck accident injuries can change someone’s life and are here to help you with the entire claims process. Our attorneys are well-versed in federal and state trucking regulations and how to apply these laws to the specifics of your case.
We can review your situation during a free, no legal obligation consultation to determine if you have a valid case and the options available to you. We also take cases on contingency so there are no fees or costs unless we help you obtain adequate compensation.
Our team is here for you. Call 1-844-RESULTS right now.
Common Reasons for Truck Accidents
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were 4,237 fatal crashes involving large trucks in 2017. In that same year, the state of Georgia experienced 195 fatal crashes involving large trucks.
Many of these accidents were caused by the negligence of the driver or another party legally responsible for the truck or its cargo. Some forms of negligence that can lead to truck accidents include:
- Driver fatigue
- Inexperienced or underqualified driver
- Faulty equipment
- Poor maintenance
- Failure to obey traffic laws
- Unrealistic delivery deadlines
- Improperly-loaded cargo
- Drug or alcohol use
- Distracted driving
- Lack of vehicle inspections
- Speeding
- Improper use of turn signals
- Not checking blind spots
- Following too closely
- Failure to stop or yield
- Aggressive or reckless driving
The FMCSA also outlines other associated factors for truck accidents, including unfamiliarity with the roadway, traveling too fast for conditions, misjudging the speed of other vehicles, inadequate surveillance, making an illegal maneuver and failing to brake.
If you believe your injuries sustained in a truck accident were the result of driver negligence or any other party’s negligence, our truck accident lawyers in Brunswick are ready to help you obtain the compensation you are entitled to.
Complete our Free Case Evaluation Form so we can get started.
Types of Truck Accident Injuries
Oftentimes, serious truck accident injuries require lifelong medical care, preventing you from being able to return to your job or work at all. These injuries can also prevent you from enjoying life, in the same manner, you were accustomed to prior to the accident. The most common types of truck accident injuries are:
- Head/brain Injuries – The force of the impact from a truck accident can cause significant head trauma, resulting in an injury to the brain. Concussions are a specific form of a traumatic brain injury and they occur after a blow to the head or a violent jolt. You may feel disoriented and lose consciousness for a period of time. Other symptoms of a brain injury include nausea, confusion, vision problems, headaches and various cognitive difficulties.
- Broken bones or fractures – Fractures and broken bones in a truck accident often result in damage to the arms and legs, hips or pelvis, ribs, wrists, fingers, shoulders or collarbone and the skull and facial bones. Injuries to the surrounding soft tissue may require physical therapy, casts or surgery to regain full use and range of motion.
- Back/spinal injuries – Injuries to the spinal cord or back can be particularly devastating and lead to partial or total paralysis, loss of feeling in certain parts of the body, and loss of reflex function. The impact of the crash can also cause compression fractures and dislocated discs in the spine, which can cause severe and chronic pain in need of continuous medical treatment.
- Internal injuries – Blunt force trauma from an accident can cause internal injuries to organs such as the bladder, liver, kidney, pancreas and spleen. These types of injuries can be difficult to treat because there may be no signs of external injury to the body. This is why it is important to see a doctor immediately after a truck crash to rule out possible organ damage or internal bleeding.
A skilled Brunswick truck accident attorney at our firm can evaluate your claim and work hard to seek fair compensation for your injuries. You may be able to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Call 1-844-RESULTS today to see how we might be able to help you.
Handling a Truck Accident Case
At Roden Law, our truck accident lawyers in Brunswick know how to handle different types of complex truck accident cases involving, but not limited to:
Jackknife Accidents
Jackknife accidents occur when a truck’s brakes lock up, causing its trailer to swing away from the cab until it forms a 90-degree angle. The trailer can collide with other cars or obstruct the roadway. This type of accident often happens when an 18-wheeler slams on its brakes, particularly in poor weather conditions.
Rollover Crashes
Large trucks have a high center of gravity compared to other motor vehicles. This means a truck is more likely to roll over on its side in the event of a crash. Speeding, driving too fast approaching a curve or driving while distracted are all factors that can cause a rollover incident.
Head-On Collisions
These collisions occur when a truck hits another vehicle head-on. The driver is often fatigued, distracted or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Head-on collisions often cause life-long disabilities or fatal injuries for the victims involved.
Blind-Spot Accidents
Trucks have large blind spots on either side, which can cause truck drivers to not be able to see other vehicles around them. They must exercise caution when changing lanes, otherwise, they could hit, crush or force vehicles off the road, resulting in dangerous crashes.
Rear-End Crashes
Rear-end crashes happen when a truck slams into the back of another vehicle. The sheer weight of larger trucks means they require more distance to come to a complete stop. These accidents often happen when a truck driver is distracted or not keeping a safe distance behind other vehicles.
Lost-Load Collisions
Trucks that are overloaded or have improperly-secured cargo run the risk of causing a lost load collision. The cargo can fall on the road creating an obstacle for oncoming traffic or land on top of other vehicles. In either case, it can be difficult for motorists to be able to maneuver away in enough time to avoid a collision.
While these and other truck accidents can happen almost anywhere, they often occur on major highways in and around the city of Brunswick, such as Interstate 95, US Highway 17, US Highway 341 and Georgia State Route 303. Accidents on these roadways can be especially dangerous because vehicles are traveling at high speed.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, an experienced Brunswick truck accident lawyer can help you explore your legal options for pursuing compensation.
Fill out our free online form to get started on your claim.
Liability for a Truck Accident
Driver error is one of the most common causes of serious truck accidents. A truck driver is often overworked and tired because he or she has to meet strict deadlines. This means truck drivers have little time to rest and are under a lot of pressure to get to their destinations, which can result in speeding, driving while fatigued or not following proper safety protocols.
However, truck drivers are not the only ones that can be held liable for negligence in a truck accident. There are several other parties that could share some of the fault for the accident, including:
- The owner of the truck or trailer – truck owners can be held responsible for the actions of the driver. Most trucks are owned by independent truck drivers who work as independent contractors. If so, then the driver can be held directly liable for the accident.
- The driver’s employer – The trucking company may be ultimately liable for the actions of its employee, the truck driver. This can happen when the company fails to exercise proper care in hiring, training or supervising its employee, which results in the driver’s negligent actions.
- The manufacturer of the truck – If the truck was designed, manufactured or assembled in an incorrect or negligent way, the manufacturer can be held responsible for causing the accident. This also includes any defective parts either originally in the vehicle or added after manufacture.
- The cargo or loading company – Many trucking companies may work with cargo and loading companies. The shipper or loader of the cargo can be held liable for negligence if a truck is loaded improperly or the cargo is not secure and causes an accident.
Our dedicated truck accident lawyers in Brunswick can review your case to determine all the parties that could potentially be held liable for your injuries, so we can pursue the compensation you deserve.
Call 1-844-RESULTS now for our free consultation.
Georgia Trucking Regulations
The Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) has several regulations in place for commercial trucking in the state. These laws help to ensure the safety of truck drivers and other motorists on the road. They apply to commercial vehicles, including 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, logging trucks, fire trucks, construction vehicles and garbage trucks, among other types of commercial vehicles.
Length Limits
On all interstates and major highways, Georgia has certain legal limitations when it comes to the length of a truck. The standard trailer unit length is 53 feet. Twin-trailer combinations are permitted with 28-feet trailer units with no limit on the overall length. Single-piece loads can also be transported on extendable semi-trailers longer than 53 feet but no longer than 75 feet and not loaded end-to-end. The overall length cannot exceed 100 feet.
Width and Height Limits
The maximum height of a truck and load is 13 feet and six inches while the maximum width cannot be more than eight feet and six inches. Operators of trucks who exceed these size limits have the option to apply for an oversized truck permit for a fee.
Weight Limits
Trucks that are overloaded or exceed weight requirements are at greater risk of a crash that can lead to serious, deadly consequences. In Georgia, the proper weight of a commercial vehicle is calculated by the size of the tire, how many axles the vehicle has and the distance between its axle groups or wheelbase.
- For a single axle truck, the weight limit is 20,340 pounds with low-pressure tires
- For a tandem axle truck (usually two or three-axles), the weight limit of 40,680 pounds on non-Interstate highways
- For a truck with tridem axles, the weight limit is 61,020 pounds
Overall, the maximum gross weight allowance is 80,000 pounds.
Our legal team at Roden Law can review your case to determine if any laws were violated. We have extensive knowledge of these laws and how to apply them to your specific situation.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form today.
How Can a Brunswick Truck Accident Attorney Help Me?
Truck accident cases are very complex because they involve multiple parties. Many victims are often unsure about what to do after an accident in order to help preserve their claim for compensation. This is why you should contact a Brunswick truck accident attorney who can help you navigate through the legal process. He or she can advocate for your best interests every step of the way.
We can conduct a detailed investigation to help prove that negligence caused your injuries, take care of all the paperwork involved to make sure you file your truck accident claim on time, determine the true value of your damages, and communicate with the insurance companies on your behalf as we pursue favorable compensation for your case.
Get started today with a free case consultation. We work on a contingency basis, which means there are no upfront legal fees involved before a settlement is reached.