We see them on roads and highways across the country, those large tractor trailers hauling goods near and far and lined up at weigh stations. Unfortunately, as the number of large trucks on America’s roadways increases, so too does the number of truck accidents. Call us today at (470) 268-5802 Our attorneys will help you file a claim to seek compensation.
Truck Accident Lawyer Atlanta: Not Your Fault, Not Your Expense!
Did you know there are over eleven million trucks operating actively across the United States, many with overworked drivers carrying hazardous materials? In 2016 alone, there were 475,000 large truck accidents with human error accounting for roughly ninety percent of them. And while a Harvard study found that about a quarter of drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel, 50% of professional truck drivers have reported the same issue. With so many drivers relying on highways to get to work every day, it takes just one overworked truck driver for your life to change in an instant. After all, trucks weigh 20-30 times more than a typical car, which can seriously amplify the impact and consequences of an accident. Truck accident cases are complex thanks to the many rules and regulations for the industry. So, if you or a loved one are involved in an accident with a truck, seeking the help of a truck accident lawyer Atlanta becomes vital.
Because truck drivers are often insured in the millions and more than one party can be held vicariously responsible for a driver’s negligence, having an experienced, reliable, and dedicated attorney by your side as soon as possible will help to ensure your case is handled in the most professional and efficient manner.
Remember, identifying all the different lines of insurance is difficult in trucking accidents as the truck and trailer are often insured by different companies, with either or both possibly being guilty of negligence. This is exactly where a truck accident attorney can be very helpful.
The amount of confusion immediately following a truck accident can be great. You will want to make sure the police and any necessary emergency workers are called immediately to assist with any injuries or burns.
The police will take extensive notes, statements from all the involved parties and any witnesses, and take photos as part of their accident report. If possible, you will also want to document as much as you can, including witness statements.
If your phone’s camera is working, be sure to take as many pictures as possible of the damage to your vehicle and any injuries you and any other passengers sustained. Doing so can help you ensure that anything the police missed is still documented.
Commercial freight trucks (or ‘big rigs’) tend to weigh 80,000 pounds or more, twenty times the weight of passenger cars. Despite rules and regulations that are put in place to ensure truck drivers do not drive more than ten hours per day, they are often given financial incentives for traveling large distances faster, which can directly impinge upon other drivers’ safety.
Here are some of the things to consider that make the difference:
If you or a loved one were injured by a commercial truck driver and you wish to pursue legal action to seek the compensation you deserve, you will have to prove negligence on the part of the truck driver and any other parties you believe are responsible.
To establish that the accident resulted due to negligence, your truck accident lawyer Atlanta will establish the parameters of the truck driver’s duty of care and demonstrate that there was a breach of that duty that led to your injuries and related damages.
A few common examples of negligence for truck drivers include speeding, texting while driving, running a stop sign or red light, and falling asleep at the wheel due to the high-risk nature of truck drivers’ work.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations stipulate drivers must adhere to the following regulations:
For a full list of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) related to truck drivers, click here.
Like other personal injury lawsuits, the types of compensation available to those affected as the result of an accident involving a truck fall into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Compensation involving economic truck accident damages serves to cover the specific monetary costs, including the following:
Non-economic damages compensate the victim and/or family for non-financial, intangible losses, including:
In addition to economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages may be applicable if the defendant’s actions causing the injury were willful, malicious, fraudulent, or reckless. Punitive damages serve to punish the offender and dissuade similar behavior in the future.
Being involved in a truck accident can be a life-changing event. You may be facing serious injuries with a long recovery ahead of you.
And because truck accident cases can be much more complicated than other auto accident cases, it is crucial to hire an experienced truck accident lawyer Atlanta. Below, we discuss six important reasons you should hire a truck accident attorney, including:
The average semi-cab can weigh up to 25,000 pounds, while a fully loaded semi-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When a semi-trailer collides with a 2,000 or 3,000-pound car, the outcome can be devastating for the car’s occupants.
What’s more, semi-trailers and other large trucks have a much longer stopping distance than smaller vehicles. They also don’t maneuver well. This may make accidents more likely when you’re traveling on congested highways.
Because trucks cause more serious, catastrophic injuries and generate more financial damages, truck accident cases are higher stakes than most car accidents.
An experienced truck accident lawyer Atlanta can help you navigate and demystify this daunting process.
If you are injured in a truck accident, you have the right to recover financial damages from anyone responsible. To recover damages, you will need to prove three things:
Often, this liability goes beyond the at-fault driver.
The more potential parties that may be involved, the more complex the case becomes, and the more you need a reputable attorney with specific truck-accident experience.
A truck accident attorney will investigate the crash and identify who is liable for the trucking accident. These can include:
For many car accidents, damages are pretty straightforward. You may be able to recover the cost to repair your vehicle and whatever medical expenses you have incurred.
But huge, heavy trucks can cause major damage – and not all this damage may be immediately apparent.
If your injuries are life-changing, you may not know whether you will achieve a full recovery. You could be facing significant medical expenses, physical therapy or rehab, or an extended period off work.
You might not be able to return to work, which means that a damages award will need to compensate you for your lost earning capacity.
It is important for your truck accident lawyer Atlanta to have experience in investigating and developing the evidence you will need to recover full compensation for your losses.
From hours-of-service regulations to sleep apnea testing, the trucking industry is heavily regulated by the federal government.
Agencies like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) have strict rules and regulations all truckers must follow.
Often, negligence and a DOT or FMCSA regulation violation can go hand-in-hand. For example, a driver who regularly violates the FMCSA’s hours-of-service regulation or uses illegal drugs while driving is far more likely to be involved in an accident.
Our experienced truck accident attorneys are well-versed in these regulations, as well as the common causes of trucking accidents. This working knowledge allows your lawyer to more easily identify any potential claims that can be brought.
Trucking insurance can be just as complex as the broad web of federal trucking regulations.
And even in cases where liability is clear, the trucking company’s insurer has a vested interest in settling a claim as cheaply as possible. This can mean making lowball offers or dragging a claim out for years to pressure you into settling.
You need an attorney who has the skills and resources to fight back against trucking companies and their well-funded insurers.
If you have suffered serious injuries in a truck accident, it is important that your attorney has the expertise to fight for the compensation you deserve. Trial strategy can be important, especially if your case goes to a jury.
For over 30 years, the experienced truck accident attorneys at Bobe & Snell Law Office LLC have helped truck accident victims recover hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation. We can help you too, whether you decide to file a truck accident lawsuit or negotiate directly with the other party’s insurance company.
Not only are our truck accident lawyers deeply familiar with the different tactics used by insurance companies to reduce the compensation amount you deserve, but we also boast a deep network of expert witnesses and investigators to investigate every aspect of an accident.
Following a crash, the trucking company and their insurance company will start an immediate investigation of the scene. They may record statements from witnesses, take photos of the accident scene, and examine the vehicles to determine the extent of damage caused by the crash. State authorities may also launch their own investigation into the accident, which may prove beneficial for your claim.
Once you have chosen to retain the services of our law firm, we go right to work examining every aspect of your case. Our attorney may record statements from witnesses, take photos of the accident scene, and examine the vehicles to determine the extent of damage caused by the crash. These steps include:
Moreover, our truck accident lawyer Atlanta will also protect any critical evidence from being corrupted by sending a spoliation letter to the truck company before any crucial evidence is lost or destroyed.
After receiving this letter, truck companies legally must retain records of evidence pertinent to the case, such as driver logs and black box information. This miss is sent immediately following an accident, however, as truck companies may destroy these records as part of their typical course of business.
To set up a FREE, No-Obligation Consultation/Case Review, call us at (470) 268-5802 or contact us online.
Atlanta Bus Accident Attorney: You Deserve to Travel in Safety!
Riding a bus is a popular mode of transportation in US cities. People ride buses to and from work or school, or they ride a bus as a tourist. There are many buses operating in Atlanta, including school buses and private companies like Greyhound. Our city’s MARTA system runs hundreds of buses over more than 90 routes in the city, with a ridership well above 100,000 every single day.
Buses travel all across Atlanta to bring children to school and commuters to work, get residents around the city, and transport shuttle riders throughout the state. With hundreds of buses passing through our city every single day, accidents happen. Unlike driving your own car, riding a bus takes control completely out of your hands. You trust that all parts of the bus work as they should, that the bus is maintained in good working condition, and that the driver of the bus is licensed and responsible. When your trust is broken as a result of being involved in a bus accident that caused your physical and emotional injury, our Atlanta bus accident attorney can fight for you to get the justice and compensation that you deserve.
When you or a loved one suffers an injury in a bus accident due to the negligence of a bus driver, bus company, or another driver, Bobe & Snell Law Office LLC will work tirelessly to hold every party responsible. We aggressively pursue your justice so you can focus on your recovery.
Our bus accident attorneys represent injured bus riders, pedestrians, and motor vehicle passengers in lawsuits against negligent bus drivers, transportation companies, and any other party deemed responsible for the bus accident.
Bus drivers and their companies are entrusted with the safety of their riders as well as fellow motorists. When they fail to provide a certain level of care in operating their vehicles, those injured as a result may have legal recourse to recover compensation.
Our Atlanta bus accident attorneys understand the special regulations bus operators and owners must follow, and have experience handling cases in which the duty to adhere to these obligations was not met. We have years of experience negotiating and litigating cases of this nature, successfully obtaining compensation for our clients.
Buses are often thought to be a safe mode of transportation. As common carriers, bus drivers owe a heightened duty of care to their passengers and pedestrians.
Additionally, bus drivers owe a duty of care to other motorists on the road. When a bus driver breaches this duty and an accident occurs, they may be held responsible for any resulting accident and damages.
Some causes of Atlanta bus accidents that may indicate negligence on part of the driver or their employer may include:
In showing that a bus driver or third party was negligent, the injured victim must prove the driver had a duty of care to their passengers or other vehicles on the road, an action or failure to act resulted in a breach of this duty, an injury was suffered, and the breach was the cause of the injury.
Our experienced Atlanta bus accident attorney can help you build a strong compelling case to prove the breach of duty of care and ensure you get the compensation that you deserve.
The lack of safety precautions for passengers aboard buses significantly increases the chance of injury or death should an accident occur. Injuries that may result from a bus accident include:
Most bus accident lawsuits focus on the concept of negligence, which is the failure to behave responsibly in a certain situation, which may cause injury to another. Bus drivers are held to a higher standard of care than other motorists, which may ease the burden of proving negligence. To prove that you were a victim of negligence, your lawyer will collect evidence to prove the other party (i.e. the defendant) behaved irresponsibly.
Then, he/she will use the evidence to prove to the insurance company involved or a jury that you weren’t responsible and that you deserve compensation.
If your car or the other party’s car had a defect at the time of the accident, you may be able to file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer — but only if the defect contributed to the accident. To prove that it did, your Atlanta bus accident attorney will conduct an investigation and verify whether the vehicle had any defects and, if so, whether the defect caused the accident.
To do so, he/she will work with experts to determine whether the car had a manufacturing, labeling, or any other problem. Successful lawsuits will require the plaintiff to show:
Some product liability claims against manufacturers have been based on defective tires, seats, brakes, accelerators, windows, and defective fuel systems.
If you have lost a loved one in a bus accident, you may have legal recourse to recover compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. Our attorneys understand that money cannot bring your loved one back; however, it may be able to offset the financial difficulties you may face as a result of your loved one’s death.
In a wrongful death lawsuit, your claim will, in most cases, proceed under the theory of negligence or product liability. In some instances, where wanton disregard for human life or willful and malicious behavior contributed to the death, punitive damages may be pursued to punish the offender and prevent similar behavior.
If you have been injured in a bus accident, you may decide to hire a lawyer to file a lawsuit against a bus driver, owner, or company to seek compensation for your injuries. When choosing legal representation, it’s important to hire an attorney with experience investigating, negotiating, settling, and litigating these types of cases.
The strength of your case will rest on your attorney’s ability to collect evidence and present it in the most favorable light while illustrating the other party’s negligence. Negligence occurs when a party’s conduct falls below established standards enacted to protect others against unreasonable harm.
Your Atlanta bus accident attorney may investigate the accident to determine whether negligence contributed to your crash – examples of which are listed below:
Your attorney’s investigation may include:
Your attorney will use the information gathered in the investigation when consulting with medical and economic experts. He/she will work with these experts to determine which damages will be requested in your claim. Damages include, but are not limited to, the following:
Using information uncovered in the investigation, your lawyer will create a claim on your behalf. This claim will be the baseline of your lawsuit. Your attorney’s ability to leverage a settlement or prevail at trial will depend heavily on the information and evidence gathered during the initial investigation.
Using your claim, your Atlanta bus accident attorney will attempt to reach a settlement before your lawsuit is officially filed in court. If negotiations are unsuccessful, your attorney will submit your claim to the court, which will begin the official lawsuit process.
Generally, the parties will engage in additional negotiations for a settlement offer while preparing their cases for trial in an attempt to keep the case from going to trial. If negotiations are unsuccessful, your lawsuit will proceed to court, where your attorney will present your case in front of a judge or jury.
School buses carrying children are common carriers that owe a heightened duty of care to protecting their passengers. Children have a special status in the eyes of the law, and courts have recognized their need for extra protection.
Bus drivers must drive and operate their vehicles with extreme caution and strictly follow rules and regulations enacted for the protection of the children. Liability typically applies while children are on board the bus but can extend under certain circumstances where the driver still has a duty to ensure the safety of the children.
School entities, school bus owners, and school bus drivers may be held liable for injuries a student sustains if the driver fails to:
Liability will depend on the specific statutory duties in place for school buses and drivers in the district in which the accident occurred.
Additionally, since personal injury protection (PIP) insurance carried by a parent may cover some of the costs resulting from the school bus accident injury to their child, the claims process can become complicated and may require the help of an experienced Atlanta bus accident attorney.
In the eyes of the law, children are viewed differently than adults and are owed a higher duty of care while on or in the vicinity of a bus. School buses, commonly entrusted in the transportation of children, are considered to be “common carriers.” They are required to adhere to specific federal and Georgia state regulations in addition to this heightened duty of care.
The size and maneuverability of these buses are significantly different from most other vehicles on the road. They are, therefore, subject to strict requirements regarding careful operation and maintenance to ensure the safety of their passengers and others on the road.
Liability is typically limited to injuries sustained while a child is on the bus, though there are exceptions. For example, school bus regulations require drivers to ensure the safety of children boarding the bus, who are waiting at a bus stop, or crossing a street.
Bus drivers, owners, maintenance workers, and other entities connected to the operation and safety of the bus and its passengers may be liable for damages if the driver is inadequately trained, neglect to pay attention to their surroundings, or fails to enforce onboard rules such as seatbelt use or does not adhere to traffic laws.
They may also be liable if the bus was negligently maintained or inspected. Manufacturers of school buses may be liable for damages incurred if the bus or one of its components contained a defect that contributed to the accident and the child’s resulting injury.
During negotiations or litigation against an insurance company, the state of Georgia, other government entities, or a negligent party, a bus accident victim may be able to recover compensation for the following:
If you were a passenger on a bus involved in an accident or a third party injured in a bus accident or if your child was injured in a school bus accident, you may have legal recourse. To learn more about how our Atlanta bus accident attorney may be able to help you, please fill out our free case review form today.
Filing a bus accident lawsuit can be a complex process, as there are a number of entities that may be liable for the crash. If a third-party driver struck the bus or caused the accident, your attorney may be able to help you recover compensation through a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver or their insurance company; however, if the bus driver caused the accident, the process may not be as straightforward.
If the bus is owned and operated by the government, your attorney will first attempt to negotiate a settlement with the government’s insurance company. If your claim is denied, you may be required to file a claim against the government itself. It is imperative to hire an attorney who has experience in these types of lawsuits to help ensure you receive fair compensation for your losses.
There are strict rules and deadlines that must be followed to collect compensation in Georgia, and without the help of an experienced bus accident attorney, you may lose your chance to recover damages.
At Bobe & Snell Law Office LLC, our bus accident attorneys have experience handling third-party personal injury cases, negotiating with or litigating against insurance companies, and filing claims against the government. Additionally, we have access to experts, including medical experts, accident scene re-creationists, and automotive safety experts at the top of their respective fields.
Have you or a loved one been injured in a bus accident? If so, you may be entitled to compensation you can claim through an accident lawsuit. To learn how our Atlanta bus accident attorney may be able to help, call us today at (470) 268-5802 or fill out our FREE, no-obligation case review/consultation form now.
Trucking companies (as employers) can also be held liable when their drivers cause crashes simply because they’re the driver’s employer. To sue for “vicarious liability” under a legal principle called “respondeat superior,” you must show that the driver was working within the scope of their duties when the accident occurred. Call us today at (470) 268-5802 Our attorneys will help you file a claim to seek compensation.
If the company took actions or failed to take actions that put you at risk of injury, the company could share liability. As the driver’s employer, the company might also be held responsible instead of the individual truck driver, depending on the circumstances of the crash and the employment contract. Feel free to call us today at (470) 268-5802 At Bobe & Snell Law Office LLC is a well-established, trusted, and reputable law firm with vast experience handling truck accident litigation in Atlanta.
Truck drivers assume the duty of protecting other motorists and pedestrians they encounter on the road by following traffic laws and trucking regulations. Any actions or inactions by the truck driver that breach this duty and cause accidents and subsequent injuries and/or fatalities could be considered negligence that can justify suing the driver. Please call us today at (470) 268-5802 Our attorneys will help you file a claim to seek compensation, negotiate a fair settlement, or file a lawsuit and represent you in court if necessary.