Tucker Truck Accident Attorneys

When you are involved in a tractor-trailer collision in Tucker or the surrounding areas of Georgia, the goal of obtaining fair financial compensation can be far more complicated than in the case of other motor vehicle collisions. A trucking accident is not just a simple traffic accident with bigger, more dangerous vehicles. These types of collisions involve a variety of special issues, including complicated relationships between potentially liable parties, a myriad of state and federal regulations, trucking industry practices, prevention of evidence destruction and other factors.

At Montlick and Associates, our experienced Tucker truck accident attorneys have successfully represented many trucking accident victims. We know that many parties may contribute to a collision involving a semi-truck, including the driver, truck owner, shipper, trucking company, public entities and vehicle manufacturer. The physics of big-rig collisions mean that the occupants of a passenger vehicle frequently suffer extremely serious injuries. While semi-truck accidents constitute only three percent of all motor vehicle collisions, they account for a much higher percentage of permanent injuries, and one in eight motor vehicle deaths are caused by large trucks.

There is an extensive matrix of federal and state regulations that govern the semi-truck industry. These laws and regulations establish safety rules and standards that regulate truck driver, commercial carriers, and big-rig owner-operators. This regulatory framework provides standards that drivers must meet and plays a critical role in determining who is accountable for trucking accidents. The regulatory agencies responsible for providing these standards for the trucking industry are the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Department of Transportation (DOT). The state of Georgia also imposes trucking regulations.

There are many causes of trucking accidents in Georgia, including but not limited to the following:

Overloaded tractor-trailers
Fatigued truck drivers
Tractor-trailer operators using narcotics or alcohol
Failure of trucking companies to conduct proper pre-employment screening
Inadequate training or supervision of commercial drivers
Semi-truck operators traveling at excessive rates of speed
Poor route selection that places semi-trucks on unsafe roads
Inadequate maintenance of brakes and tires
Faulty manufacturing of trucking system components
Failure to adapt driving practices in poor weather

Until recent years, trucking companies used a shell game to avoid legal responsibility, employing vague and indirect relationships between entities. The trucking company would lease the truck and use owner-operators as independent contractors. The trucking company would deny liability for poor maintenance or non-existent inspections because it did not own the vehicle while distancing itself from operation of the vehicle because the driver was not an employee. While federal regulations now prevent trucking companies from evading responsibility if their “placard” is on an owner-operator's vehicle, this scheme provides insight into the lengths commercial carriers will go to so that they can avoid liability for injuries caused by their drivers.

Trucking accident evidence must be acquired from a wide range of sources, including federal agencies, commercial carrier records, black box event data recorders, driver logbooks, big-rig damage, emails or other correspondence between the truck driver and trucking company and more. Federal and state regulations make it mandatory that a certified truck inspector examine a commercial rig and trailer before they are cleared from the scene of a trucking accident. These inspections lead to reports regarding the mechanical condition of the vehicle. It is important to obtain these reports that will not be included in the police accident report.

Event data recorders that are installed on most semi-trucks are like black boxes on airplanes. They provide critical information about potential causes of Tucker trucking accidents, such as driver error, mechanical problems and excessively long driving shifts. Some of the specific information that can be obtained from a black box includes:

Braking prior to a crash
Speed immediately preceding the collision
Global positioning systems
Length of time the vehicle is on the road
Email communication between the trucking company and driver
Overall speed patterns

This information can be invaluable, especially when truck drivers try to distort or manipulate evidence. When a tractor-trailer is repaired and put back into operation, it can result in deletion of important black box data. Our Tucker semi-truck accident lawyers understand the importance of proactively protecting important evidence of fault and causation.

If you are involved in a trucking accident in Tucker, you may suffer from a serious range of injuries, including:

Fractures and broken bones
Severe burn injuries
Head and debilitating brain injuries
Back and neck injuries
Spinal cord damage
Limb amputation
Whiplash
Paralysis
Wrongful death

Because of the massive size of tractor-trailers, these types of serious injuries are common. Trucking accident injuries can lead to long periods of lost income and extensive medical bills. Our experienced Tucker semi-truck lawyers may be able to pursue compensation for the following:

Pain and suffering
Lost salary, wages or other compensation from employment
Expenses associated with medical care
Impact on quality of life
Vehicle replacement/repair costs
Impairment of companionship and services of a spouse
Wrongful death damages (burial/funeral costs)
Punitive damages

Be aware of your legal rights! If you have been injured in a trucking accident or a loved one has died, our dedicated Tucker tractor-trailer accident lawyers are committed to helping clients financially recover so they can focus on their physical recovery. Call now for your FREE CONSULTATION with Montlick and Associates' experienced Tucker trucking accident lawyers. Our attorneys are available to help you and may even visit you if needed. You can call us anytime 24x7 at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) for your FREE CONSULTATION. Alternatively, you can visit our website, www.montlick.com, to make use of our FREE CASE EVALUATION FORM or 24-hour live online chat service.