A garbage truck accident can lead to some severe damages. The size and weight alone are enough to crush and destroy any passenger vehicle in its path. When it comes to truck accidents in general, the occupants of other smaller vehicles are almost always the ones to suffer the most. This is precisely why all truck drivers, especially garbage truck drivers, need to exercise extreme caution.
Any sort of negligence can lead to a heinous accident occurring. The Mableton garbage truck accident lawyers at John Foy & Associates can provide you the legal assistance you need to win the maximum amount of compensation you’re entitled to. Give us a call today at (404) 400-4000 to speak to one of our attorneys regarding your case.
Who Is Responsible for My Garbage Truck Accident?
You may wonder who exactly is responsible for your accident, the truck driver or the company? The short answer is, it depends. For most truck accidents, the driver is usually at fault, but there are some instances where other parties can be responsible.
The Garbage Truck Driver
This is the most obvious and the most common party typically responsible in garbage truck accidents. Garbage truck drivers need to have the proper training, licenses and follow all of the regulations laid out for them by their employer and the state and federal government. If they don’t follow these rules and drive negligently, they will be liable for the accident and their damages.
The fact is, garbage truck drivers aren’t going to come out of an accident with a passenger vehicle hurt. It’s almost always the other parties involved. If they don’t provide a strong duty of care for others, they need to get held accountable for their negligence.
The Trucking Company
If a private company owns the garbage truck service, then the company needs to take great care to hire reputable, upstanding, and safe drivers for their garbage trucks. If they have lax hiring practices or if they knowingly hired a subpar driver, then they could be on the line for your damages.
Trucking companies are obligated to hire only the best drivers for their business. This is to prevent any major accidents and to stop any injuries or deaths from occurring on the road. If they haven’t taken steps to do this, then you could find them at fault for the accident you’ve suffered through.
The Local Government
If a private company doesn’t own the garbage trucks in your area, then you could file a claim against the local government agency that operates them. The government agency in charge of garbage trucks need to ensure that:
- Their hiring standards are strict.
- Their garbage trucks are well maintained.
- The drivers they have are regularly inspected and keep a clean driving and criminal record.
Suing any government agency can be extremely difficult to do on your own. For garbage truck accidents involving the local government, a lawyer is critical for the success of your claim.
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Is It Worth Hiring a Lawyer?
Because of the comparative fault law under the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) §51-12-33, it is worth hiring a lawyer to help you win your claim. Comparative fault laws in Georgia mean that you need to prove that you weren’t more than 50% responsible for your accident. Any percentage above 50% means you can’t file a claim.
Also, any percentage you’re found responsible for will get deducted from the final amount of compensation you win. Even if your accident wasn’t your fault and the garbage truck driver was wrong, you still need to prove it during negotiations or in court. It can be difficult to do this on your own, especially if you have no prior legal experience.
Insurance companies have every advantage going into this fight should you choose to negotiate for your claim alone. You can easily lose out on thousands of dollars of compensation due to inexperience and your current situation after the accident. Our lawyers will prevent the defense and the insurance companies from exploiting you and ensure that your demands get met.
How Much Will a Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer Cost Me?
Our truck accident lawyers operate on a contingency basis. This means that we take a portion of your settlement as payment but only if we win compensation for you. If we can’t win you compensation despite our best efforts, you pay us nothing for our services.
All of our pricing is honest and transparent. We will never charge you for anything upfront, and we don’t tack on any unnecessary or hidden fees. You shouldn’t look at hiring a lawyer as another expense. You should treat it as an investment to get the maximum amount of compensation you deserve.
In the end, there are no risks when you choose the experienced attorneys at John Foy & Associates. Unlike other predatory law firms, we always put our clients first and will always keep you in the loop for everything we do.
Contact Our Law Office Today
Don’t miss out on getting your free initial consultation from one of our Mableton garbage truck accident lawyers. You can trust in the two decades’ worth of experience fighting for our client’s rights.
Please give us a call today at (404) 400-4000. We are available to answer your questions 24/7.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
