Truck accidents are among the most catastrophic vehicle crashes in Marietta. And if you’ve been in one, you know how expensive and painful they are.
But, no matter how severe your injuries are, you could be entitled to recover money for your losses, and a truck accident lawyer in Marietta, GA, can help you.
Since the 1990s, our team has assisted commercial truck accident victims in Marietta. And we know what it takes to build a strong truck crash case to win fair compensation. So when you choose Marietta personal injury lawyers at John Foy & Associates, you choose legal representation dedicated to your success.
What to Do After a Commercial Vehicle Accident
After a commercial truck accident, your first priority should be ensuring your safety. This may involve moving away from dangerous areas, pulling your car to the side of the road if possible, and calling for an ambulance if you need immediate medical assistance.
Once you’re safe, taking a few key steps can help protect your rights and strengthen your potential claim:
- Photograph the accident scene, capturing vehicle damage and any relevant details.
- Speak with witnesses and obtain their contact information.
- Call the police to file an official accident report.
- Seek medical attention, even if injuries aren’t immediately apparent, to ensure proper diagnosis and documentation.
- Keep records of any accident-related documents, bills, or receipts.
- Contact a truck accident attorney in Marietta, GA, as soon as possible for guidance.
After an accident, you may be contacted by the other driver, their employer, or their insurance representatives. While it’s fine to provide basic information, avoid sharing details of the accident. Insurance companies may attempt to use your statements to minimize compensation, so it’s best to let your attorney handle any communications on your behalf.
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Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Georgia
Driving near semi-trucks poses risks, and you can get into an accident in many ways. Common causes of truck accidents include:
Fatigue
Truck drivers are on the road for extended periods, often early or late hours. This most commonly results in truckers becoming fatigued, increasing the likelihood of a crash. When drivers are tired, they’re less alert and have a slower reaction time.
For example, if you’re driving next to a tired trucker, they may drift into your lane and fail to react before hitting you. Since the driver is drowsy, they likely won’t realize the damage until it’s too late.
Distracted Driving
Driving a truck as large as a semi requires the driver to focus for long periods with minimal distractions. Even a driver checking their phone, the radio, or talking to other passengers is a distraction that could lead to a crash.
Intoxicated Driving
Although operating a semi-truck under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal, some drivers still take this dangerous risk. Driving a large vehicle while impaired greatly increases the chance of losing control, leading to devastating accidents and severe injuries for others on the road.
If you’ve been injured by an impaired truck driver, seeking medical attention should be your first step. Once safe, our Marietta drunk driving accident lawyer team can investigate the cause of the crash and gather evidence to build a strong case on your behalf.
Why Are Accidents With 18-Wheelers So Dangerous?
Any car crash can lead to serious injuries, but due to their sheer size and weight, semi-truck collisions are especially hazardous. A fully loaded 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 pounds—around 20 times the weight of a typical passenger vehicle. This massive weight makes semi-trucks particularly dangerous in an accident.
Why 18-Wheelers Pose Unique Risks:
- Large trucks require significantly more distance to come to a complete stop.
- Limited visibility makes it challenging for drivers to see surrounding vehicles.
- Many trucks carry flammable or hazardous materials, increasing the risk of severe accidents.
- Semis are more prone to jack-knifing or overturning, especially in sudden stops or turns.
With these risks, trucking companies may still avoid taking accountability for their drivers’ actions or company practices. That’s where our team of experienced personal injury attorneys steps in to help you pursue justice and the compensation you deserve.
Truck Accident Injuries You Can Suffer in Marietta, GA
We’ve discussed the dangers of semi-trucks, and now we’ll focus on what injuries you could sustain in an accident with one. Common severe injuries you can suffer include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Lacerations
- Internal injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Regardless of the severity of your injuries, you should gather evidence, such as the police report after the accident, to share with your lawyer. The more evidence you have, the higher your chance of recovering financial compensation.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Truck Accident in Marietta?
In Marietta and throughout Georgia, a truck accident victim is entitled to recover all of their costs related to the accident. We typically recover these types of damages for our clients:
- Medical expenses, including emergency room visits, physicians, surgeries, and tests
- Expenses for prescription drugs
- Therapy costs, including physical or rehabilitative therapy
- Property damage for replacing or repairing a vehicle
- Lost wages if the accident led to missed time from work
- Loss of companionship
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of quality of life
We aim to help you recover and lead a full and fulfilling life after the accident. However, this sometimes means years of surgeries, therapies, and ongoing treatment.
We will never pressure you to settle quickly with the insurance company. Instead, we want you to get a full doctor’s diagnosis so you understand the true cost of your injuries. Then we will press the insurance company to compensate you for all your costs, present and future.
How does a Marietta Truck Accident Lawyer Prove Negligence in an Accident?
To prove a party is at fault in a Marietta commercial truck collision, our truck crash lawyers must gather evidence to satisfy the four elements of negligence. You could be eligible for financial compensation if the following elements are present in your case:
- Duty of care: The party that hit you must have had an obligation to avoid harming you.
- Breach of duty of care: They must have acted (or didn’t) in a way that violated the duty and risked your safety.
- You suffered injuries: You must have suffered injuries and have evidence to prove the party’s actions were the cause.
- Damages: Your injuries must have resulted in financial and non-financial losses.
Our team will review your case for free and determine if you have these elements of negligence present in your case. If you do, we can fight for the maximum compensation.
Who Can Be at Fault in a Marietta Truck Accident?
When you get into a truck crash in Marietta, there could be multiple liable parties besides the truck driver. You could recover compensation from:
- The trucking company
- The truck manufacturer
- Mechanic or auto repair shop
- Another driver
- The cargo company
- Local, state, or federal government
Whether it was the trucking company forcing its drivers to violate hours of service regulations or a cargo issue, our improperly loading cargo accident lawyers in Marietta will provide evidence of their actions to prove their negligence.
Then, when we take on your case, you can trust us to exhaust every resource to pinpoint which at-fault parties are responsible for your pain. Then, we’ll pursue compensation from them and get you back on your feet.
How Long Do You Have to File a Claim for a Truck Crash?
In most cases, the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim is two years, according to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) §9-3-33. That means you have two years from the accident date to file your truck accident claim. However, some accidents are different, and the window of opportunity can be months or weeks.
If you miss the deadline for your accident claim, you could lose any chance to get compensation. That’s why you should contact a truck accident attorney in Marietta, GA, as soon as possible. Our firm will get to work on your case as quickly as possible to make sure you have the money you need to recover.
Our team sends our deepest condolences if you lost a loved one in a truck accident. In addition, we can help you file a wrongful death claim to recover damages you’ve suffered due to your loved one’s death.
Should I Hire a Marietta Truck Accident Lawyer for My Crash?
When you have a lawyer from our firm working on your case, you have a much higher chance of winning your case than without one. Truck accident victims often contact us who took an insurance company’s offer and then found out that they needed much more treatment, leading to tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses.
The problem is that the insurance company’s initial offer may not be enough to compensate you for the expenses you’ve already had, let alone the treatment you may need in the future. Truck accident lawyers know what to expect from an insurance company. We understand their tactics and are skilled at forcing them to negotiate.
Insurance companies want you to believe they are a friend who will take care of you. But, unfortunately, that’s not how it usually works. Insurance companies want to make a profit, and they do this by paying as little as possible when someone makes a claim.
Do Truck Collision Cases Go to Court?
We typically resolve most claims without filing a lawsuit. Our approach begins with a detailed investigation, gathering evidence to establish that you were not at fault. We also compile medical documentation to highlight the true cost of your injuries, presenting a strong case to the insurance company.
With this evidence, the insurer often recognizes that avoiding a lengthy lawsuit is in its best interest, leading to a significant increase in its offer. However, if the insurer refuses fair compensation, we will discuss your options and recommend the best course of action.
In rare cases where filing a lawsuit is necessary, our experienced litigation team is prepared to represent you in Cobb County court. You can trust us to pursue the outcome you deserve, whether through settlement or trial.
What Does a Truck Accident Lawyer Cost in Marietta?
You can hire a Marietta truck accident lawyer on a contingency basis, meaning no upfront costs and no payment unless we win compensation for you. Unlike firms that charge high hourly fees, we believe accident victims shouldn’t face additional financial stress. Here’s how our fee structure works:
- Free consultation: Your first meeting with us is entirely free.
- No out-of-pocket costs: You pay nothing upfront.
- No fee unless we win: If we don’t recover compensation, there is no fee.
- Contingency-based fee: If we secure a settlement, we take a percentage, and the remaining funds go directly to you.
This structure allows you to focus on your recovery, with transparent fees explained further in our guide on how much it costs to hire a truck accident lawyer.
Contact a Marietta Truck Accident Lawyer Today for Free
If you’ve been involved in an accident with a semi-truck, you need to talk to an experienced lawyer immediately. There are deadlines for filing your claim, and if you miss your deadline, you probably won’t be able to recover anything at all. So don’t let this happen to you.
The Marietta truck accident lawyers at John Foy & Associates offer a FREE consultation to discuss your case and explain your choices. Call us to get your free consultation today.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form