Savannah Truck Accident Lawyers
When an 80,000-pound semi plows into a 3,000-pound car, you can expect the car to sustain maximum damage, putting you at risk of catastrophic injury. Large trucking companies and their insurers may use their considerable resources to resist paying for your medical bills, lost wages, pain, and anguish. Our Savannah truck accident lawyers can stand up to powerful trucking companies and recover the compensation you deserve.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Savannah or the surrounding area, call our Savannah truck accident lawyers today at (912) 452-8110 for a free consultation.
Why Should You Trust Our Big-Truck Lawyers To Handle Your Truck Accident Case?
We are a family-centered law firm that puts clients first. We provide individualized attention and will treat you with honesty, respect, and dignity, yet we are large enough to stand up to trucking companies and win. Trucking companies use their vast assets to resist compensating accident victims, and it takes substantial skill, financial resources, and experience to take an effective stand.
We have been successfully standing up to trucking companies since 1979, and our experience makes all the difference. Our Savannah personal injury attorneys consistently get outstanding case results for truck accident victims, including the following:
- $3.4 million verdict for a client who sustained back injuries and severe pain from being hit by a moving truck
- $2 million recovery for a client who sustained shoulder, neck, and back injuries when a 12-ton tractor-trailer rear-ended him
- $1.3 million wrongful death recovery for a truck driver struck by a semi truck while working on a loading dock
- $1 million recovery for a motorcycle passenger struck by a truck
- $1 million federal tort claim recovery for a woman injured by a postal truck
These are just a few examples of the thousands of successful settlements and verdicts we have won for our truck accident clients. Our results are no accident. We get results by caring, working hard, and using what we have learned through 40 years of experience to defeat the tactics of large companies. Contact us today for a free case review.
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Most Truck Accidents Can Be Traced to Human Error
The Large Truck Crash Causation Study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration identified the most common ways truck drivers and trucking companies cause big-truck accidents. They include the following:
- Loads exceeding the legal weight limits
- Illegal maneuvers
- Speeding
- Inattentive and distracted driving
- Following too closely
- Misjudging the speed of others
- Failure to stop
- Brake malfunctions
When a passenger vehicle makes a mistake, it could result in a minor fender bender. The same mistake by a truck can crush the other vehicle and cause devastating or fatal injuries, even from a rear-end accident. When a truck driver loses control, the truck can jackknife or roll over, hitting or crushing cars caught in its crosshairs.
Damages You Can Recover in a Georgia Truck Accident Lawsuit
If you’ve been injured in a semi truck accident in Georgia because of a careless truck driver, you may be entitled to compensation for your lost wages, ongoing medical expenses, reduced earning capacity, mental anguish, pain, suffering, and more. Contact our Savannah truck accident attorneys now for a free case review.
Big-Truck Accident Cases Can Be Complex
Truck accidents are one of the most complex types of motor vehicle accidents because so many variables come into play.
Liability Is More Likely To Rest With Multiple Parties
Large truck companies usually employ truck drivers. In Georgia, employers can be held liable for employees’ negligence under the vicarious liability doctrine. If the truck driver is an independent contractor, the trucking company may still be liable if the company owns the truck or if you can prove negligence in the hiring, training, or scheduling of the driver.
Holding Trucking Companies Liable
Trucking companies generally carry larger insurance policies than individual drivers, which increases the available compensation. As a result, trucking companies may blame you for the accident, try to minimize your injuries or use other tactics to evade responsibility.
Holding a large trucking company accountable is enough to make these cases incredibly complex, but there are still other parties that may be liable, including the following:
- Companies that load cargo
- Government entities that maintain roads
- Negligent mechanics
- Manufacturers of defective truck parts
Identifying liability and holding these companies accountable is no small task. Our award-winning truck accident attorneys in Savannah have the financial resources, skills, and will to take an effective stand against all the companies responsible for your injuries.
Injuries May Be More Severe Than in Other Car Accidents
Truck accident injuries are more likely to result in death or permanent disabilities from severe spinal cord injuries, crushed bones, and traumatic brain injuries. This increases the compensation the liable parties must pay, resulting in heightened resistance from these companies to do the right thing.
Laws Unique to Big Trucks Come Into Play
Federal trucking regulations aim to prevent accidents by ensuring drivers and trucks are fit for the road. When investigating trucking accidents, an effective Savannah truck accident attorney will investigate whether the trucking company or the driver violated these laws. The most important laws are discussed below.
Hours of Service Laws
Long-haul truck drivers are prohibited from working longer than 14 hours per day, with a maximum of 11 hours of driving time and at least a 10-hour break between shifts. The purpose is to prevent driver fatigue.
Unrealistic schedules can pressure drivers to exceed these limits. Our truck accident attorneys in Savannah will hold a trucking company liable if our review of driver logs reveals that the company pressured or knowingly allowed a driver to exceed these limits.
Mandatory Background Screening
Trucking companies are required to perform pre-employment screening on truck-driving applicants that includes the following:
- A review of employment history
- A motor vehicle record inquiry
- Drug and alcohol screening
- A criminal background check
- Verification of a valid commercial driver’s license
The motor vehicle record inquiry must be repeated annually. The trucking company may be liable for negligence if it hired a driver without performing these mandatory screenings or knowingly hired a driver with a criminal history, DUI record, or drug habit.
Weight Limits
State and federal laws regulate the maximum weight of all types of commercial trucks. These limits vary based on the number of axles and the type of freight being hauled. Georgia allows some trucks to exceed federal weight limits.
Exceeding the weight limits can make the truck more difficult to control and increase the pressure on the tires, potentially leading to a dangerous tire blowout accident.
Truck Maintenance Requirements
Trucking companies are responsible for inspecting and maintaining their vehicles. Drivers must perform a post-trip inspection at the conclusion of each day. If safety issues are discovered, the trucking company must repair them before allowing them back in service.
Trucking companies must also perform annual inspections and maintain records of all inspections and repairs. Our dedicated truck accident attorneys in Savannah will thoroughly review these records to look for evidence of negligent maintenance.
What To Do and Not To Do After a Truck Accident
When faced with the possibility of paying significant compensation, trucking and insurance companies will scrutinize your actions and statements to find evidence they can use against you. The following dos and don’ts will help you preserve your case:
- Do not talk to the insurance company without a lawyer.
- Do not apologize for the accident or admit fault to anyone.
- Do not discuss your case with friends, family, or on social media.
- Do not skip any medical treatment.
- Do promptly report all new symptoms to your doctor.
- Do complete all of your medical treatment.
- Do contact an experienced truck accident lawyer in Savannah as soon as possible.
Answers to Your Frequently Asked Truck Accident Questions
Below are answers to questions we often receive about big truck accidents in Georgia.
How Long Do I Have To File a Truck Accident Case in Georgia?
Georgia’s personal injury statute of limitations is two years from the accident date. However, waiting to contact an experienced GA big truck lawyer could be a mistake.
Unscrupulous trucking companies may attempt to remove important evidence, which can impact your compensation. Contact us now to talk to one of our semi truck accident attorneys in Savannah for free.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a GA Big Truck Lawyer in Savannah?
We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you only pay if we successfully recover compensation for you. We do not charge upfront fees.
What Are My Options If My Family Member Died from a Commercial Truck Accident?
In the tragic death of a loved one, our caring wrongful death lawyers in Georgia can help you file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover damages for your loved one’s pain and suffering, the funeral costs, and your family’s losses.
You Can Count on Us When It Matters the Most
Our big-truck accident lawyers in Savannah will handle all the details of your truck accident claim, and we will provide caring support to help you through this difficult time. Call us today at (912) 452-8110 to schedule a free consultation with one of our Savannah truck accident lawyers.
Why Should You Trust Our Big-Truck Lawyers To Handle Your Truck Accident Case?
Most Truck Accidents Can Be Traced to Human Error
Damages You Can Recover in a Georgia Truck Accident Lawsuit
Big-Truck Accident Cases Can Be Complex
What To Do and Not To Do After a Truck Accident
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YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
