Garbage trucks handle the waste from people’s homes throughout Atlanta. While these trucks perform vital services, they also come with risks. If you suffered injuries from a garbage truck accident in Atlanta, it’s time to contact a lawyer.
At John Foy & Associates, our Atlanta garbage truck accident lawyers will help. We’ve been assisting injury victims for over 20 years. Our number one goal is getting you the fullest compensation possible.
Contact us today for a FREE, no-risk consultation. We’ll discuss your case and your best options. Call (404) 400-4000 or contact us online for your FREE consultation.
Why Garbage Truck Accidents Occur in Atlanta
Garbage trucks made up about 2.3% of fatal truck accidents in 2017, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Although they are less common, garbage truck crashes are often severe. Victims can suffer terrible and life-threatening injuries.
When a driver is not careful, garbage trucks are risky to the community. Here are some of the reasons why these accidents happen in Atlanta:
- Failing to yield properly
- Reckless driving
- Drunk driving
- Failing to use a turn or reverse signal
- Distracted driving
- Driving on the wrong side of the road
- Poor vehicle maintenance
- Inadequate driver training
Garbage truck drivers must follow specific rules when collecting trash. If a driver is careless, they can cause injuries. Sometimes, the driver’s employer or a maintenance company is at fault instead of the driver.
Garbage trucks must stop frequently. They’re also bulky with less maneuverability compared to other cars. Plus, truck drivers often have strict daily schedules to meet.
Insufficient qualification is also common with garbage truck drivers. Plus, the pay and working conditions are often far below other trucking jobs. Unfortunately, this can lead to negligence or cutting corners. These are all factors that can lead to accidents.
Determining Who Was at Fault
You’ll need to examine how your accident occurred. By identifying the at-fault party, you’ll know where to file an injury claim. An Atlanta garbage truck accident lawyer will help you investigate.
Get the strong arm
Types of Garbage Trucks in Atlanta
There are many types of garbage trucks on Atlanta roads. Depending on the needs, a truck’s size ranges from small to enormous.
Garbage truck types include:
- Small trucks that collect garbage from neighborhood homes, then transport it to large garbage trucks
- Garbage or recycle rear-loading compacter trucks
- Front-loading trash compacter trucks that collect garbage from apartment complexes or businesses
- Garbage semi-trucks that transport large amounts of the compacted trash to a landfill
Any garbage truck can cause a severe accident. If you were the victim of an accident in Atlanta, you have rights. You might be entitled to compensation for your costs.
How to Know Who’s Liable for a Garbage Truck Accident
Under Georgia law, garbage truck operators must exercise reasonable care. In other words, they should not act in a way that causes harm to others. When a driver fails to exercise care, the law calls it negligence.
The negligent party in an accident is legally liable for the damages. Examples of negligence can include:
- A truck driver who makes careless mistakes
- A trash collection company failing to provide proper training
- A maintenance company performing faulty maintenance
- Another driver who makes careless mistakes
As the injury victim, you can recover damages (Georgia Code Section 51-1-6). However, you’ll need to know who was at fault before taking legal action. Once you know who’s responsible, you’ll seek compensation through a personal injury claim.
If the garbage truck driver’s employee is the government, it’s more complicated. The government has something called sovereign immunity. Under sovereign immunity, it’s much harder to sue the government. You also have a much shorter statute of limitations to bring your case.
At John Foy & Associates, we’ll help determine who was at fault for your accident. We know how to build a strong injury case for compensation. To learn more during a FREE consultation, call (404) 400-4000, or contact us online.
Your Garbage Truck Accident Compensation Options
As an injury victim, you can recover damages from your accident. Georgia divides damages into economic and non-economic.
Economic damages include:
- Medical bills
- Prescription medications
- Future medical treatment
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Property damage
You can prove economic losses through documentation. Your lawyer will help you gather bills and receipts for these costs. You’ll need to include proof of each cost in your claim.
Non-economic damages are less straightforward. Non-monetary losses are about how the accident has affected you. Examples include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional trauma
- Disfigurement
Your lawyer will help put a value of non-economic damages. They’ll use a formula to determine what you deserve for your suffering.
Wrongful Death Damages
Sometimes, garbage truck accidents result in death. If you lost a loved one in an accident, you might have a wrongful death case. Talk to your lawyer about your options.
Wrongful death damages include:
- Medical costs
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of companionship
Money can never make up for the loss of life. However, our lawyers find that a wrongful death case helps the family cover stressful costs during a difficult time. At John Foy & Associates, we handle each wrongful death case with empathy and understanding.
Talk to an Atlanta Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer for Free Today
At John Foy & Associates, our goal is to get you full compensation for your costs. You should not have to pay for another party’s negligence. Our lawyers help you by:
- Gathering evidence of your damages
- Documenting your accident and injuries
- Calculating your total losses
- Negotiating with the insurance company
- Fighting for the compensation you deserve
With over 20 years of experience, we know what it takes to win cases. Our lawyers fight tirelessly for each injury victim we represent.
Contact us today for a FREE, no-risk consultation. We do not charge a fee unless we win your case. There are no upfront fees or costs to get started.
To schedule your FREE consultation, call (404) 400-4000, or contact us online.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
