Smyrna Truck Accident Lawyer

Some of the most serious types of car accidents on the road today involve trucks. Cars and tractor-trailers have to share the road, like it or not. Of course, trucks do get a bad rap when it comes to accidents. People like to complain that truck drivers are careless and irresponsible. This is actually not the case. A Smyrna truck accident lawyer knows that truck drivers have to comply with very strict safety guidelines, regardless of the state they drive in. The issues arise when truck drivers act negligently and end up hurting or killing other drivers.

The biggest issue with trucks is that they are so much larger than passenger vehicles. A car or SUV doesn’t stand a chance against a tractor-trailer. They are large, and they are powerful. Not only are the trucks themselves heavy, but they are hauling a heavy load behind them as well. This is one reason these trucks can be so dangerous. Even if a driver is careful, accidents happen. This is why we have skilled injury attorneys.

Truck accidents result in more fatalities than any other type of accident. Nine times out of ten, the person who dies is the driver of the car, not the truck. This has to do with the size of the impact. If a car is hit by a tractor-trailer, there is a good chance that the driver is not going to survive. If you have lost a loved one to a truck accident, you are going to need a skilled legal professional on your side.

Our Truck Accident Lawyers Know the Statistics

As with most other states, Georgia sees more than its share of truck accidents. The statistics for truck accidents are alarming. The catastrophic injuries and fatalities associated with this type of accident are staggering. Every year, about 170 people die in Georgia from truck accidents.

Your Smyrna truck accident attorney will explain that truck accidents are usually caused by one of the following:

  • Driver falling asleep at the wheel
  • Drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs
  • Speeding
  • Distracted driving
  • Aggressive driving
  • Inexperienced drivers

All of these causes could be said to be the main cause of all accidents in Georgia, not just truck accidents. Your truck accident lawyer in Smyrna knows this.

However, there are many causes that can be specifically attributed to truck drivers, including:

  • Tire and wheel failure
  • Too large a load
  • Unsafe road conditions
  • Misjudging the gap between cars and overhangs
  • Cargo shifts
  • Equipment failure
  • Improperly maintained commercial vehicles

Commercial drivers are required to keep logs of maintenance. Your Smyrna truck crash lawyer will subpoena copies of these logs to see if the truck driver was operating an unsafe vehicle.

Your Smyrna Tractor-Trailer Lawyer Will Do the Legwork to Prove Your Case

It’s not easy to prove a truck accident case. You have to keep in mind that the trucking company is going to have lawyers on their side. So will their insurance company. This is why it’s so important that you are represented by an experienced Smyrna semi-truck accident lawyer. Commercial drivers’ insurance companies get tons of claims every year. If they were to pay out every claim filed, they would go out of business in no time. We’re not saying it’s their policy to deny all claims, but they do deny a good number of claims.

Georgia truck accident lawyers know how insurance companies work. Commercial insurance companies deny claims for any number of reasons.

Some of the reasons they may deny your claim include:

  • They claim you weren’t injured
  • The insurance company believes you were at fault
  • Have pre-existing conditions or old injuries
  • You have a history of filing claims against commercial drivers
  • You were drunk or under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident
  • The commercial driver was not insured
  • The policy wasn’t valid

If your claim is denied, you absolutely need a Smyrna truck wreck lawyer. They will work hard to negotiate with the insurance company to get your claim paid. If this doesn’t work, they will gather the evidence necessary to prove you have a valid claim. Your attorney will contact the insurance company and try to negotiate a settlement.

Your truck accident attorney is going to collect as much proof as possible that you are entitled to compensation. You may wonder how he will go about doing this. What can your Georgia truck accident lawyer do that you can’t do?

A Smyrna Truck Collision Lawyer Will Demand Evidence to Prove Your Case

If you’re involved in a truck accident, there are certain steps you need to take. The first thing you need to do is get immediate medical attention. There are two reasons for this. First, it’s important that you are healthy. You don’t want to risk internal injuries that go untreated. The second reason you need to seek treatment is to document your injuries. If weeks or months later, the other driver’s insurance company claims you weren’t injured, your Smyrna 18-wheeler crash lawyer is going to need proof.

You also want to make sure you get pictures of the accident scene. Any lawyer will tell you this. These pictures can be examined by experts later to recreate the accident. Your truck accident attorney will hire experts to prove that the truck driver was speeding or driving negligently. These pictures will also show what the road conditions were at the time of the accident. For example, if the roads were icy or wet, the truck driver should have been driving slower or more carefully. Your truck crash lawyer will hire experts to testify about safe driving in conditions such as this. Always make sure the police are called to the accident scene. The accident report will contain a lot of helpful information for your Georgia truck accident lawyer.

Finally, make sure you get contact information for any eyewitnesses. This may include passengers in your car or other drivers on the road. Your truck accident lawyer in Smyrna will want to interview these witnesses. You’d be surprised how many people stop at an accident scene. Sometimes, they do this because they’re curious. Other times, they do this because they see what happened and want to tell their story to the police. These are the witnesses that your truck accident attorney is going to want to interview later.

Help Your Truck Crash Lawyer Prove Your Injuries

Despite advice from truck accident lawyers in Smyrna, people involved in an accident refuse medical treatment at the accident scene. There are many reasons for this. One is that they are frustrated and just want to get home. Other times, people are on their way to work and think it’s more important to get to work than to go to the hospital. Never refuse treatment at the accident scene. Your truck wreck lawyer is going to need all the documentation possible to prove your injuries.

Some of the most common injuries caused by truck accidents include:

  • Back injuries – You can imagine the impact caused by a tractor-trailer smashing into your car. This is more than enough impact to cause back injuries. You may experience disc issues such as herniated or bulging discs. A disc injury usually will require surgery followed by physical therapy. You may also suffer muscle strains and tears. When your body is thrown about and stretched beyond its normal range, your back can be injured.

When you go to the hospital, your doctor will perform the tests necessary to see if your back is injured. He will do MRIs, x-rays, and CT scans to detect all injuries. Once he performs these tests, he will determine if you need surgery or not. Your doctor is going to take notes during your examination. He will also draw blood to make sure you don’t have alcohol or drugs in your system. Your truck accident attorney in Smyrna is going to rely on this information later.

  • Head and Brain injuries – Truck accidents often cause head and brain injuries. You may suffer from minor cuts and abrasions. However, you may also suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A TBI is one of the more serious injuries you can suffer in a truck accident. They occur when you suffer a severe impact or blow to the head. This can happen either from hitting your head on the steering wheel or dashboard. It can also happen if the impact of the truck sends you flying out of the car.

A TBI is one of the worst types of injuries you can sustain.

Some of the symptoms and effects of a TBI include:

  • Headaches
  • Memory loss
  • Impaired vision
  • Inability to speak
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Vertigo
  • Impaired hearing

Any or all of these can be life-altering. They will cause you to miss a lot of work. They may prevent you from working ever again. Your truck accident lawyer is going to work hard to get you the compensation you deserve for a TBI.

  • Internal Injuries – Along with a TBI, internal injuries can be very scary. The problem with internal injuries is that you can’t see them. Oftentimes, you can’t even feel them. There is not always pain associated with internal injuries. They can be minor at first. If left untreated, internal injuries can become very serious or even fatal. This is why it’s crucial that you always seek medical treatment after a truck accident.

Truck accident attorneys in Smyrna handle many internal injury cases.

Some of the most common types of internal injuries include:

  • Bleeding on the brain
  • Punctured lungs
  • Aneurysm
  • Internal bleeding
  • Concussion
  • Organ damage

Any of these can prove fatal if left untreated. The symptoms may not appear for hours or days after the accident. A doctor can run tests to make sure you don’t have any internal injuries. If you do have internal injuries, your doctor will often make you stay in the hospital overnight for observation. Many internal injuries also require surgery. You can expect to miss quite some time from work if you suffer internal injuries. Your truck accident attorney will need this medical proof to get you the money you deserve.

Contact a Smyrna Truck Accident Attorney Today to Discuss Your Case

If injured in a truck accident, you need an experienced Smyrna truck accident lawyer. Your attorney can go up against the insurance company and their lawyers. They will work to negotiate a settlement of your claim so you can avoid trial. Even if the insurance company denies your claim, your truck wrecklawyer will try to negotiate a fair settlement. This is something that is in the best interests of both parties.

Some of the damages your truck accident attorney will demand include:

  • Lost wages
  • Medical bills (past, present, and future)
  • Diminished earning capacity
  • Permanent disability
  • Property damage
  • Pain and suffering

In order for your Smyrna truck accident attorney to get you the compensation you deserve, you are going to need to provide some basic information.

On your initial consultation, make sure you bring the following for your Georgia truck accident lawyer to review:

  • The accident or police report
  • Contact information for all witnesses
  • Medical documentation
  • Pay stubs and tax records to prove wages and earning capacity
  • Pictures of the accident scene
  • Pictures of your injuries
  • Insurance information for both drivers

Without this information, your truck accident attorney will have a hard time proving your case. Be honest and forthcoming with your attorney. If you are partly at fault, let the attorney know. Being partially at fault will not completely destroy your claim or lawsuit. It will, however, reduce your damages by your percentage of fault. However, know that the lawyer for the other driver will have access to this information. The last thing you want to do is have your attorney be blindsided by this information.

Contact us today to discuss your case. The initial consultation is absolutely free. It gives you a chance to ask your Georgia truck accident attorney any questions or concerns you may have. It also gives your lawyer a chance to review your case and see how much it may be worth. The consultation is free, and you pay nothing until you win your case. An experienced truck accident attorney in Smyrna will work hard to get you the compensation you deserve!