Brookhaven, GA Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents are extremely dangerous. The sheer size and mass of 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, and other big-rig vehicles can easily overpower the safety features of commonly driven cars, SUVs, and other smaller vehicles. Serious injuries are not uncommon in truck accidents, and those injuries will often stick with victims for the rest of their lives. To make matters worse, the cost of treating those injuries can easily reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. All of this can make the situation seem rather hopeless for victims of truck accidents.

Fortunately, our lawyers can help. We have the professionalism, drive, and experience to effectively pursue your claims and hold those who have wronged you accountable in a court of law. We will work hard and not stop fighting until you get the financial compensation you deserve or all legal avenues are exhausted.

To get a free, no-obligation case analysis from our truck accident lawyers, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s office at (470) 287-3070.

What Causes Truck Accidents in Brookhaven, GA?

Truck accidents can happen for a number of reasons. It is actually very important to go over the particular causes of your truck accident with our truck accident lawyers because doing so not only gives us more information to work with – it also determines who you can sue. The law allows you to recover damages from parties who actually caused your injuries. So, if you waste time going after parties that had nothing to do with your claim, your case is made weaker. Instead, we should examine your claim and target only those parties who caused your truck accident.

Truck Driver Negligence

You will almost assuredly want to sue the trucker operating the vehicle that struck you in your claim. Truckers can be negligent – or careless – in many different ways. First, they can be negligent in the same ways that any driver can be negligent. That is to say, speeding, driving drunk, and other traffic infractions. Second, truckers have special rules they need to follow. For example, the FMCSA has rules regarding how long a trucker is allowed to stay on the road in one sitting. So, if a trucker violates those rules, they can be considered negligent.

Other Driver Negligence

It may very well be the case that another driver contributed to your truck accident. For example, if another driver suddenly darts in front of a truck, that truck hits the brakes, and you get in an accident as a result, you may be able to sue the third driver in addition to the trucker and any other parties it makes sense to sue.

Trucking Company Negligence

In many cases, you will also be able to sue the trucking company the trucker works for. First, there is something called “respondeat superior,” which lets plaintiffs sue employers for the negligent actions of their employees. The “catch” is that the employee must have been doing something related to their job when they injured you for liability to attach to the employer. For example, if a trucker is on their way to deliver a package and they hit your car, you can probably sue their employer because delivering a package is related to their job. However, if that same trucker elects to skip work to hang out with their friend and hits you on the way there, the trucking company will likely not be liable because that is not related to the trucker’s job.

Trucking companies can also be liable if they do not properly train their drivers or hire ones they know are not trained. This is called “negligent hiring,” and you can sue trucking companies for it.

Truck Designer and Manufacturer Negligence

Sometimes, accidents happen because there is something wrong with the truck that is outside of the driver’s control. When a problem with a truck causes an accident, that truck is considered “defective.” When a defective vehicle causes an accident, you can sue the party responsible for the defect. That largely comes down to where and when the defect popped up.

For example, if the defect is deeply ingrained in the truck’s design, it makes sense to sue the truck’s designer. However, if the truck was built incorrectly and the design was otherwise fine, suing the manufacturer makes more sense. Similarly, if the problem arose when the truck was being repaired, suing the mechanic shop or other entity that made the repair is the correct move. Of course, our attorneys can examine your situation to figure out the correct party to sue.

Government Entities

In some circumstances, you should sue a state or local government entity in your claim. The main reason for this is when that entity fails to keep a road in good condition, and an accident happens as a result. However, you should know that special rules may apply for suing government entities, so you should discuss that prospect early on in talks with our lawyers.

What Compensation Can I Get in Brookhaven, GA Truck Crash Lawsuits?

Once you figure out who you are going to sue, you also have to figure out what you are going to ask for in damages in your claim. Damages are how courts try to revert things to how they were for the plaintiff before an accident took place. This is done through financial compensation because it is often impossible to literally rewind things.

First, you can get damages for things like medical bills, damage to your vehicle, lost wages, and other expenses and losses you incurred. Second, you can request compensation for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and emotional distress brought on by your injuries. Finally, you can request punitive damages if you can prove that the defendant was more than merely negligent. Our attorneys can walk you through the process to ensure that you request -and stand a good chance at getting – the compensation you need.

Our Brookhaven, GA Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help You

Call (470) 287-3070 and speak to Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s truck accident lawyers about your claim today.