Under federal law, a fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Whenever that amount of weight collides with a commuter car, the results are often devastating for occupants of the smaller vehicle.
Pursuing fair financial recovery after this type of traumatic incident can be complicated without legal help from a skilled attorney. By working with a Macon truck accident lawyer who has experience handling these kinds of claims, you could focus on healing and gain peace of mind that your best interests are being represented.
Recovering for the Effects of Truck Wreck Injuries
Even at relatively low speeds, incidents that involve commercial trucks hitting commuter vehicles tend to cause especially severe injuries. Accident victims are often lucky if they sustain only broken bones and muscle tears that will heal completely with time and proper treatment. In more serious situations, traumatic brain damage, spinal cord trauma, internal organ injuries, and crushing injuries that necessitate limb amputation may permanently alter the life of a truck crash victim.
A successful civil claim may allow recovery for the full value of all economic and non-economic damages that stem from this kind of accident, including:
- Car repair/replacement costs
- Past and future medical expenses
- Physical pain and suffering
- Lost work income and/or working capacity
- Emotional trauma
- Lost enjoyment and/or quality of life
At our Macon office, a truck wreck attorney could review a person’s circumstances during a private consultation and clarify what specific damages they could potentially seek recovery for.
Who Bears Liability for Trucking Accidents in Macon?
As with other civil claims based on motor vehicle accidents, civil fault for truck crashes often lies primarily with the driver of the truck involved. Any trucker who causes harm to someone else because they violated state traffic laws or federal trucking laws, drove while dangerously fatigued or distracted, or did anything else reckless or careless behind the wheel may be held accountable for all ensuing losses.
Trucking Company Liability
In practice, though, individual truckers rarely have enough financial resources or assets to compensate a victim for all their accident-related damages. As such, it can be important to pursue a claim against the trucker’s company. A trucking company can often be held vicariously liable for negligence by their employee, or directly liable for their own breaches of federal or state law. Other third parties like mechanics or suppliers could also be held accountable if their negligence contributed to the accident.
Comparative Liability
It is worth noting that truck crash victims may be found liable for their own injuries if they contributed to causing or worsening their injuries. As a truck wreck lawyer in the area could further explain, a plaintiff assigned a percentage of comparative fault may be barred under state law from recovering for the full value of their losses or from recovering anything at all.
Consult with a Macon Truck Accident Attorney Today
Even when fault for a commercial truck crash seems clear, turning evidence of negligence into a successful civil claim can be almost impossible to accomplish alone. Without help from qualified legal counsel, you may have difficulty getting any compensation after your accident, let alone the full amount you need to cover short-term and long-term losses.
A Macon truck accident lawyer could be an essential ally throughout the legal process. Call our firm today to learn more.