If you were injured in a truck accident caused by a negligent truck driver in Georgia, you may be facing the challenges of a lengthy physical recovery combined with mounting medical bills and lost wages. Accidents involving commercial trucks can be disastrous, and no one knows this more than those who have sustained injuries.
It is crucial to hire a skilled attorney to represent you if you are recovering from an accident. The truck accident attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC have the experience and resources available to hold the at-fault party or parties accountable for the harm they have caused you. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
What You Should Do Immediately After Getting Into a Truck Accident
Two immediate steps are crucial after a truck accident—seeking medical attention and documenting the accident.
If you are injured, you must promptly seek attention from a medical professional, like an EMT or a doctor at an emergency room. The medical professionals know how best to treat your injuries. They also produce paperwork that you will use in any legal proceeding to document your injuries and reimbursement for medical expenses. The immediate stress and confusion caused by the truck accident can disguise the severity of your injuries. Injuries to the neck, back, and hips can become more severe with inattention, becoming more painful and more debilitating over time. If your injuries seem serious, call 911, and get checked out at an emergency room. This will help ensure you get proper treatment and a record of your pain and suffering.
While an injury accident is traumatic and mentally destabilizing, the reality is that the scene of the accident is the best place to gather information about the accident itself. All the important people are there, including both drivers, any passengers, and witnesses who may have seen what happened. One thing that you must not do is answer any questions or get into any discussion with the truck driver. They may try to get you to admit the accident was your fault, and any statement you make to them could be recorded in the record of the accident. Additionally, there should be no discussion of fault to the police officers on the scene. No matter how much you think you may have contributed to the accident, you must keep that, and any other, information to yourself.
In addition, get the trucking company’s DOT number, found on the inside of the driver’s door. Record the trucking company’s insurance carrier and policy number. Also record the license plate numbers of any vehicles involved in the crash.
What Do You Need to Prove in a Truck Accident Claim
Truck drivers are responsible for acting with reasonable care to avoid harming others while out on the open road. Some would argue that they need to be even more diligent than the average personal auto driver considering they are operating anywhere from 35,000 to 80,000 pounds of vehicle and load combined. According to the Institute for Safer Trucking, the previous decade saw a 33% increase in truck crash fatalities in Georgia. The seriousness of truck crashes simply cannot be ignored.
If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident, you need to prove that the other driver acted negligently to cause your injuries and financial losses.
The following types of evidence could be used to bolster your case:
- Truck “black box” data
- Photos of the scene and of your injuries
- Surveillance videos
- Eyewitness accounts
- Police reports
- Medical bills
- Documentation of your lost income and time away from work
Areas of Compensation from Truck Accidents
In a successful truck accident claim, you may be able to recover compensation for the following areas:
- Medical expenses – Medical bills can mount quickly, and you could receive compensation for your doctors’ bills, procedures, hospital stays, and therapies.
- Physical impairment – The driver can be compensated if the accident results in the driver’s loss of enjoyment from life. There is an increased risk that you could have significant injuries in a truck accident due to the extra weight trucks carry.
- Lost income – Time away from work can wreak havoc on your finances. An at-fault driver should be held accountable for your loss of income and, additionally, projected future losses.
- Pain and suffering – Drivers can be awarded damages for pain and suffering, though these damages can be difficult to quantify without the help of an experienced lawyer.
- Mental anguish – The psychological impairment from a difficult and painful injury also can be compensated.
- Punitive damages – If the crash was caused by proven disregard for safety, the car driver could be awarded punitive damages. These damages can be considerable because they are an attempt to punish the driver and/or the company.
What is the Georgia Statute of Limitations for Trucking Lawsuits
The timetable for seeking damages after your injury accident is limited. Under Georgia law, an injured party must file a lawsuit within two years of the trucking accident, or your claim will be negated by the statute of limitations, and you may be unable to obtain the compensation you deserve. Don’t let time, and potential compensation, escape you.
Why You Need a Truck Accident Lawyer If You’ve Been Injured
If you’ve suffered injuries in a Georgia truck accident through no fault of your own, it is in your best interest to hire a truck accident attorney right away. Having a diligent representative on your side to advocate for you and negotiate with insurance companies is paramount. An insurance company is interested in profit, not people. The adjuster may try to get you to admit to fault or accept a low-ball offer. An experienced personal injury lawyer could assist you in obtaining the settlement you deserve or, if necessary, taking your case to court.
Contact a Georgia Truck Accident Lawyer Today
At Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, we take your injuries personally, and we only want the best outcome for you. Being injured in an accident can be traumatic, and we pride ourselves on giving you the support and assistance you need to move forward with your life.
Contact the knowledgeable attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC today for a free and honest case evaluation.
