Truck accidents account for many of the most serious and dangerous collisions in Augusta, GA. These accidents often result in life-altering injuries and significant financial burdens for physical injuries and other damages.
Getting through the complexities of a semi-truck accident claim requires the crucial assistance of a skilled truck accident lawyer in Augusta. Their expertise will help you secure compensation for your medical expenses, rehabilitation, and lost wages.
Call a trusted attorney and take the first step toward obtaining the support you need. Contact our personal injury lawyers in Augusta today for a free case evaluation.
Our Augusta Personal Injury Law Firm Can Help You After Your Truck Accident
Our law firm has over 20 years of experience advocating for our clients and winning settlements that cover their accident costs. Overall, our legal team has recovered $1 billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients. There’s no risk in working with us because there’s no fee unless we win your case.
Our most notable truck accident recoveries include:
- Winning nearly $5 million for a client rear-ended by an 18-wheeler.
- Recovering $2.5 million for a fatal tractor-trailer accident where the truck’s warning lights weren’t working properly.
- Winning nearly $2 million for a client hit by a tractor-trailer when the driver lost control of the steering wheel.
Get the strong arm
Why Are 18-Wheeler Crashes More Serious than Other Collisions?
According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, truck accidents lead to more than 200 deaths per year and leave hundreds with serious injuries that could keep them out of work for weeks.
All types of auto accidents can cause serious injuries. However, when fully loaded, an 18-wheeler semi-truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds (over 20 times more than a standard car). The outcome of a collision with one of these massive vehicles can be disastrous.
Semi-trucks are also dangerous because:
- They have a hard time stopping.
- Drivers have limited visibility.
- They sometimes haul hazardous substances or flammable contents.
- The vehicle can jackknife or tip over, causing devastating injuries and damage.
Most semi-truck drivers are professionals who do their jobs well. But, unfortunately, they are subjected to extreme schedules with long hours. As a result, driver fatigue plays a role in many truck accidents.
The Most Dangerous Roads in Georgia for Trucking Accidents
Georgia is known for its deadly highways and interstates that have caused several fatal accidents. MoneyGeek, a personal financial tech company, studied Georgia’s most dangerous roads using data from 2018 to 2020. Some of the most dangerous roads in Georgia that increase the likelihood of truck crashes are:
- Moreland Ave. (Georgia 42) starting at S. River Industrial Blvd. SE to Wylie St. SE: This road had 12 fatal accidents with 2.5 crashes per mile within the 4.8 miles of the road in the study’s time frame. This is considered the most dangerous road in Georgia.
- I-20 from Exit 71 to Exit 67: This is the second deadliest road in Georgia. Drivers suffered 11 fatal accidents, with 2.2 crashes per mile on the five-mile road.
- The Perimeter (I-285) starting at the Rt. 6 Interchange to the Riverdale Rd. Exit: The third deadliest road caused 11 fatal accidents and 2.5 accidents per mile on the 4.4-mile road.
The study also found that the primary reason for the crashes on these roads was speeding and drunk driving. These behaviors, especially in truck accidents, can be fatal, as seen in these statistics.
What Compensation Are You Entitled to If You Were Involved in a Truck Collision in Augusta?
In Augusta, GA, an accident victim can pursue full financial compensation for all related costs. The most common damages your truck accident attorney can seek on your behalf include the following:
- Medical costs such as doctor visits, surgery, and hospital costs
- The cost of medication
- Physical therapy or any rehabilitative therapy
- Car repairs or replacement of a totaled car
- Loss of income due to missed work or inability to return to work
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
Your truck accident lawyer in Augusta should help you achieve your best health. This process can involve years of physical therapy or ongoing medical treatment.
Our compassionate lawyers will not pressure you to take the “quick money” the insurance company offers. Instead, they’ll work hard to get the insurance company to fund all your costs, not a penny less.
Why Should You Hire an Augusta Truck Accident Attorney?
Insurance companies are supposed to take care of you. However, because they are for-profit organizations, they aim to offer you the lowest settlement amount that won’t help you pay the costs you need to.
Severe Injuries
Truck accident victims who accepted an early insurance offer could later find out they need months more of treatment, which can add up to thousands of dollars in medical debt. Common injuries sustained in a collision with a truck include the following:
- Whiplash
- Soft tissue damage
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal injuries
- Severe burns
- Other catastrophic injuries
If you have been injured in a truck collision, it is important to speak with an experienced Augusta truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. Your attorney can help you understand your rights and ensure you receive the full compensation you are owed.
Lowball Offers from Insurance Companies
When you enlist the help of a truck accident lawyer, you have a professional on your side who understands how insurance companies operate. They know the most common tricks and what you must do to bring the other party and their insurance company to the bargaining table.
Don’t let an insurance company take advantage of you. Talk to us first to explain how we can pursue the maximum compensation available in your case.
When you hire us, we’ll negotiate with the insurance company to ensure your settlement addresses all your damages. Most cases we handle end up settling out of court. However, our experienced trial lawyers can fight for justice in court if an agreement cannot be reached.
Complex Liability Issues
The first thing detail-oriented Augusta truck accident attorneys might do in your case is dispatch an accident investigator. This investigator will assemble evidence to help build a strong legal case. Often, this is all that is needed to get the insurance company to offer substantially more money.
Do You Have to Sue Someone for an Augusta Truck Accident?
As we mentioned, most cases are resolved without filing a lawsuit or going to court. Once evidence is gathered, your truck accident attorney can go to the insurance company, explain exactly how much your injuries will cost, and show cold, hard proof that you are not legally liable for the crash.
At this point, the insurance companies know you have a strong case and that your legal team could win in court. Therefore, they will want to avoid the courtroom as much as you do and will usually make a substantial offer at this point.
We Are Prepared To Bring a Lawsuit if Necessary
Sometimes the insurance company won’t give in. If this happens, your lawyer will give you their professional opinion, and you can decide whether you want to take the matter to an Augusta court.
With a strong litigation team and a successful courtroom record, you will feel comfortable with a lawyer handling your case at every step.
How Much does It Cost to Hire a Truck Accident Attorney in Augusta?
The short answer is nothing out of pocket. But, of course, there are law firms out there that charge a substantial premium for their time. But many personal injury law firms have a mission to help people injured in accidents.
We don’t believe in asking for money at your most difficult hour. So instead, our legal team has assembled a payment structure that makes our services accessible:
- You pay nothing for your initial consultation
- You pay nothing out of pocket at any point
- You pay nothing unless we win you money
If your Augusta truck accident lawyer successfully gets you a financial recovery, they will take a percentage out of it at the end for their attorney fee. This is generally the fairest way to price legal services.
Our Augusta Truck Accident Attorneys Can Help Prove Negligence
Your lawyer will attempt to establish negligence in your accident and identify the parties contributing to your injuries. An Augusta personal injury attorney will prove the negligence of these individuals by indicating what actions or inactions caused the crash.
Individuals Potentially Responsible for Your Truck Accident Injuries
Multiple individuals or entities may have played a role in the crash, and you can hold them responsible for your damages. You could even file a claim against them. Individuals who may be responsible for your truck accident include:
- The truck driver involved in the accident.
- Maintenance or repair personnel who worked on the truck.
- The truck manufacturer, if a defect or mechanical failure contributed to the accident.
- The truck owner or leasing company.
- The trucking company that employed the driver.
- The company or individuals responsible for loading the truck’s cargo.
- Government entities responsible for road maintenance or design if unsafe road conditions played a role in the crash.
- Other drivers or parties whose negligence or actions contributed to the accident.
By identifying the responsible parties, you can take appropriate legal action and potentially file a claim against them to seek compensation for your damages and injuries resulting from the truck accident.
Negligent Actions that Can Lead to a Commercial Truck Crash
Drivers, mechanics, and trucking companies must follow state regulations for driving and maintaining the truck. Not adhering to these rules increases the chances of a serious accident. Negligence can involve:
- Driving or repairing the truck while exhausted or distracted
- Not following traffic laws
- Traveling too fast for road conditions
- Improperly loading the cargo trailer
- Driving without proper training or certification
- Driving or repairing the truck while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Can You Sue for Wrongful Death When a Loved One Dies Due to an Accident?
We understand when a loved one passes away due to an accident; it can be devastating. However, in some cases, family members can seek justice and compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. This civil action can be brought against the person or entity responsible for the death.
In Georgia, if someone dies due to another’s negligence, the deceased’s family could file a wrongful death lawsuit. This lawsuit is designed to provide financial compensation for the surviving family members’ losses, including medical bills, funeral expenses, and lost wages.
If you lost a loved one due to an Augusta truck accident, we extend our deepest condolences and are here to help during this difficult time. Our compassionate attorneys can help you understand your legal options and will fight to get you and your family fair compensation.
You Have Limited Time to File a Truck Accident Claim
If you or a loved one was injured in an accident, you must quickly act if you want to pursue legal action for your damages. According to Ga. Code § 9-3-33, you have up to two years to file a truck accident claim. Therefore, we feel the best chance for success is to file its immediately.
Evidence can be harder to collect with time, witnesses’ memories fade, and the truck accident investigation can take longer than expected. Two years may seem like a lot of time, but it goes by fast, especially if you’re in the hospital recovering from serious injuries. If you wait too long to start, you could miss your chance to file for compensation.
An Augusta Truck Accident Lawyer Can Handle Your Case Every Step of the Way
A truck accident attorney in Augusta can manage every aspect of your claim and take actions in your best interest while you recover at home or in the hospital. In addition, they have plenty of experience handling cases similar to yours.
A personal injury lawyer is helpful through the legal process because:
- They can help you form a tactical legal strategy.
- Contributory fault law could reduce your settlement if you were to blame for any portion of the crash. A lawyer can defend you and reduce your fault by providing evidence.
- The Georgia trucking industry has special rules and regulations that an Augusta lawyer will know and understand.
- There may be liable parties other than the truck driver and trucking company you could be missing.
- The negotiations can be difficult, and insurance companies may use your words against you.
Talk to an Augusta Truck Collision Lawyer for Free
The Augusta truck collision lawyers at John Foy & Associates have helped victims recover economic and non-economic damages for over 20 years. We began as a modest local law practice and developed into one of the nation’s most reputable and prosperous personal injury law offices.
You don’t have time to spare if you’ve been the victim of a truck wreck. The law sets strict deadlines for filing your claim, and missing the deadline means losing your chance for financial recovery. Contact us today for an initial consultation to determine whether or not you have a case.
706-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form