Passenger-vehicle drivers and passengers are far more likely to be injured or killed in a truck accident than truck drivers are. Therefore, if you or a loved one was in a truck accident in Stone Mountain, you need to talk to a Stone Mountain truck accident attorney. Our Stone Mountain truck accident lawyers can help you file your claim.
Truck accidents are not the same as the average passenger vehicle crash for various reasons, including the fact that different laws and regulations apply to truckers. John Foy & Associates is very familiar with these unique aspects of truck cases, and we’d love to put that knowledge to work for you. Call us and get your free consultation today.
Our Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help You Recover Compensation
Under the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) §51-1-6, you have the legal right to file a claim against the negligent party responsible for causing your accident. While you don’t need a lawyer to win a settlement, not having one can make it extremely difficult to do so. Our truck accident attorneys in Stone Mountain can:
- Fight against the insurance company and ensure that they are fair during negotiations.
- Review all settlement offers before you accept them.
- Gather evidence and consult with experts that can help support the strength of your claim.
- Talk to any witnesses and get their testimonies.
- File your claim on time and handle all of the legal grunt work.
- Handle all communications on your behalf.
- Represent you and your best interests during negotiations or at trial.
Just by hiring a lawyer, you significantly increase the chances of recovering the maximum amount of compensation possible for your claim. Our truck accident lawyers never take any payment upfront. We only get paid if we win a settlement for your truck accident. If we can’t do that, then you owe us absolutely nothing.
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How Can I Prove Negligence for My Truck Accident Case in Stone Mountain?
You must prove that the truck driver, or someone who was responsible for the truck in some other way, was “negligent” to receive money damages for your accident. “Negligence” is a legal term that generally means the same thing as carelessness or recklessness.
You must show negligence in a Stone Mountain truck accident case to get compensated for your damages. There are several ways a truck driver could have been negligent in their actions. Some of the most common include:
- The truck driver didn’t drive responsibly. Following the rules of the road is also important. Just like a passenger vehicle, if the truck driver ignores stoplights or stop signs, that will likely trigger legal responsibility for your injuries and damages after a crash.
- The truck wasn’t maintained properly. If the driver or whoever else responsible for maintaining the truck doesn’t do a good job and causes a crash, you may get money damages for that as well. Things like bad tires, faulty brakes, and engine problems can all cause severe accidents.
- The truck wasn’t loaded right. When loads don’t get put into a truck correctly, that can cause problems with control of the truck. Whoever was in charge of loading the truck may end up having to pay for your losses caused by the crash.
Driver error is the most common reason that accidents occur by far. That means that most truck accident cases in local courts today will focus on how the trucker was driving just before the crash. But, there can be several causes that led to your crash, and many people may play a role in your personal injury case.
Damages You Can Receive Compensation for After a Truck Accident in Stone Mountain
Compensation available in a truck accident case often includes these damages:
- Medical expenses. Hospital bills may add up quickly after a truck accident. Although you will generally need to pay these expenses up front, you can often recover the money you gave to the hospital through your truck accident case.
- Lost wages. If you are involved in a truck crash, you likely have to take some time away from work to recover. That time you were unable to go to your job is something that the truck driver or the trucking company may need to reimburse you for, including paid time off that you could have taken for another reason.
- Loss of future earnings. In some truck accident cases, you can be injured so badly that you cannot return to your previous job or even your prior line of work. In those situations, you can likely get money to account for the earnings that you would have made if this significant life change had not happened.
- Pain and suffering. Money is a poor substitute for the toll that a truck accident takes on your life, but it is really the only means that the law has to make up for these losses. You can receive funds for the pain and suffering you experienced because of the crash plus any future suffering that you may have to endure, such as where you have to go to ongoing treatment to address your new medical condition.
- Loss of enjoyment of life. Truck accidents can change your life, and if that is the case for you, you should get money for that type of loss. You can often do that in a truck accident lawsuit.
Even if you sustained damages that aren’t listed above, our truck accident lawyers in Stone Mountain can still help you get them compensated. As long as your damages resulted from your truck accident, we will factor them into your final settlement total.
We use various formulas and take into consideration the entire context of your accident when evaluating your settlement amount. Rest assured, we will be extremely thorough, and we won’t leave out a single thing during calculations.
How Much Are Truck Accident Settlements Worth in Georgia?
The average truck accident settlement can be worth thousands of dollars in compensation. How much your case will be worth exactly depends on several factors:
- The extent of your damages
- How much your damages have impacted your life
- The severity of your truck accident
- The severity of the injuries you sustained
To get an accurate estimate of your truck accident damages, you need to speak with a truck accident lawyer in Stone Mountain. Depending on these circumstances, you could get awarded up to millions of dollars from the negligent party’s insurance company.
The Statute of Limitations for Truck Accidents in Georgia
OCGA §9-3-33 gives truck accident victims two years to file their claims. However, keep in mind that this is only a general statute of limitations. Some truck accident cases could have even less time than the allotted two years. This is why it’s best not to sit on your case and take action as soon as you can.
Never Accept the Initial Settlement Offer You Receive
An insurance adjuster may try to reach out to you after your accident and offer you a fast settlement for your truck accident. While this may seem like an easy way to compensate for your damages without filing a claim, don’t accept. These initial offers are nothing more than lowball amounts.
Insurance companies are always trying to cut corners and save money, even if it means ripping you out of a fair settlement. Never trust their word on anything. Before you sign or verbally agree to their deal, it’s crucial that you speak to our truck accident lawyers first.
Talk to a Stone Mountain Truck Accident Lawyer for Free
There are time limits that apply to your truck accident claim. Don’t wait to get the process started, or you run the risk of being barred from suing those responsible. The Stone Mountain truck accident lawyers at John Foy & Associates are here to help. Call us or fill out the form to your right and get your free consultation today.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form