Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can cause catastrophic injuries. Heavy trucks can cause a lot of damage very quickly. Truck drivers have many rules and regulations they must adhere to on the road to protect drivers on the road. An inattentive negligent truck driver can change your life forever. Semi-trucks and 18-wheelers are very large and heavy. They can cause death from an accident. The crash itself is only the beginning of a long process full of intricate steps to get the closure needed to move on with your life. Taking on the insurance company and learning the law are extremely intimidating tasks. Don’t go through it alone.
Here at Merck Law, LLC we dedicate our practice to injury victims. We are a team of lawyers known for not afraid to go to trial fighting for the injured, our client. Our team has over 38 years of experience. This could be your first time considering calling an injury attorney. You may be experiencing pain and discomfort. You may be confronting unpaid and unexpected medical bills, time off of work and don’t know what to do or how to proceed. Contact us for a free consultation.
Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me?
It is a terrifying time experiencing a 18-wheeler or semi accident. Our team has experience fighting for truck accident victims. To gain a clear understanding of how to proceed, we recommend contacting a truck accident lawyer. It can be helpful having someone fight for you with your truck accident.
Investigating your Accident
A personal injury lawyer can assist in investigating your accident. Key evidence can disappear. Witnesses can move or change phone numbers. Memories can fade. The more information collected regarding the accident helps create a better picture of the incident. Information collected can help attribute fault and prove negligence. Investigation can include:
- Investigating the scene of the accident and recreating the accident
- Interviewing witnesses to the accident
- Taking pictures of the scene and damage to your vehicle
- Reviewing accident reports and written statements
- Researching driving records of the parties involved
- Reviewing medical records
The law potentially allows for an injured party to pursue a negligent parties insurance for damages suffered from the accident.
Calculating Personal Injury Damages
Damages in a personal injury car accident case include money an injured party has lost due to an injury. Personal Injury Damages can include, but are not limited by, medical bills, prescriptions, time off from work, recovery time, and pain and suffering. Insurance policies in cases in states such as Georgia and South Carolina are available in many cases to cover the damages suffered by injured clients. Insurance companies and injured victims do not always agree on the value of the damages to the injured person. A free consultation with an attorney can assist in evaluating the damages suffered in a personal injury.
Personal Injury Demand Letter
Merck Law, LLC personal injury attorneys will draft a demand letter for our clients to the insurance company when and if applicable. Personal injury demand letters can involve statutes and case law unique to the State. Our personal injury team has experience sending hundreds of personal injury demand letters.
Negotiation with the Insurance Company
Insurance companies have a financial interest in reaching settlements as low as they can. Attorneys at Merck Law, LLC can help navigate the complexities of personal injury settlements. We have experience evaluating the fairness of an offer of settlement by an insurance company in Georgia and South Carolina.
Representing You in Court at Trial
Most truck accident personal injury cases do not need to go to trial. The insurance company will typically make your attorney a fair offer on the case to reach a settlement. However, if the case does not settle, a personal injury trial attorney can fight for you in the court room.
A personal injury attorney can advise you if they think your case should go to trial. They can advise you of the trial process. Then they can file a lawsuit on your behalf. During a court trial, the lawyer will present your case to a judge or jury. Then the judge or jury will determine if you are entitled to recover and how much you are entitled to recover.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents and Injuries
Many wrecks involve some form of irresponsible behavior on the part of the at-fault driver. These wrongful acts contribute to negligence. Negligent acts that contribute to and cause truck accidents include:
- Drunk Driving
- Substance Abuse
- Driver Fatigue
- Poor Truck Maintenance
- Texting while Driving
- Pressure From Employers to Meet/Exceed Expectations
- Driving in the Wrong Lane
- Defective Parts
- Speeding
- Reckless Driving
- Defective Equipment
- Distracted Driving
- Unsafe Cargo
- Running a Red Light or Stop Sign
- Failure to Yield the Right of Way
- Failure to Yield to Oncoming Traffic in a Left-Hand Turn
- Failure to Use Turn Signals
- Improper Lane Change
- Following to Closely
- Failing to Drive Properly under Road Conditions
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates hours worked, safety inspections regulations, and other safety rules to attempt to make the roads safer. Unfortunately, regulations can be broken placing the lives of drivers at risk. Frequently accidents involving uninsured motorists and hit and run drivers can play a role in a car accident. The Attorneys of Merck Law, LLC are skilled at identifying contributing factors to the car accident. This makes it important to call an auto accident attorney as soon as possible to discuss the specific facts of your case.
Common Injuries from Truck Accidents
Any injury can result from a car accident. Unfortunately, these injuries can forever change your life. Here are some of these injuries:
Head and Brain Injuries
Collisions can cause serious head injuries. Your head can experience serious injuries especially if it makes impact with anything. Serious brain injury is one possible injury from an 18-wheeler accident. Some injuries include:
- Concussions
- Lacerations
- Skull Fractures
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Hemorrhaging
- Bleeding
- Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS)
Broken Bones
Broken bones can occur from a semi accident. Bones can also fractures. Many bones can be injured in a car accident. Some bones that may be injured include:
- Fractured Face
- Broken Neck
- Fractured Skull
- Broken Vertebrae
- Broken Arm
- Broken Back
- Broken Leg
- Broken Pelvis
- Broken Rib
- Broken Hip
- Broken Hip
- Broken Ankle
- Broken Finger or Toe
Whiplash Injury
Whiplash is a frequent injury from truck accidents. It can be extremely painful. Whiplash can last months or years. Whiplash is frequently attacked by insurance companies as not being a serious injury. Whiplash can be very serious and can drastically change your range of motion in the body part that experiences the trauma.
Neck and Back Injury
An 18-wheeler accident can cause many different neck injuries and back injuries. These injuries can greatly change someone’s life. Some of these injuries include:
- Spinal Cord Damage
- Spinal Injury
- Herniated Discs
- Strain
- Sprain
Soft Tissue Injury
A semi accident can cause many soft tissue injuries. Some of these include:
- Bruises
- Strains
- Muscle Knots
Personal Injury Statute of Limitations
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Georgia? A statute of limitations is a law that creates a strict time limit on an injured person’s right to file a lawsuit in civil court. When an injured person misses the statute of limitations, the defendant can use the statute of limitations as a defense against the suit. Rare exceptions do apply to extend the filing deadlines. Every case is different and every state has its own statute of limitations. It is important to contact an attorney in the jurisdiction in question for legal advice as to the statute of limitations in your state.
Do I have a Case?
If you were injured by the negligence of someone else, it is possible you may have a case. Every case is different, so it is important to get a free case evaluation to find out if your case meets the criteria. Each state has its own laws that may apply differently depending on the jurisdiction. If you have been injured by the negligence of someone else, reach out to us today for your free case evaluation.
