Stockbridge, GA Truck Accidents

Truck accidents are an inevitable part of the transportation industry, despite stringent safety regulations and intensive efforts to drive down accident rates. The size and structure of commercial vehicles give them the capacity to cause massive damage to other vehicles, people, and structures. When you or someone you love is injured in a Stockbridge, GA truck accident, it’s crucial that you get the legal assistance you deserve. Trucking companies have sizable legal teams working to defend them from accident claims—you need someone to advocate for you.

Find out how our team can help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Call us at 678-210-3292 to set up a consultation now.

How Common Are Truck Accidents?

Collisions involving commercial trucks are an area of concern across the United States. While accident rates tend to be lower than crashes involving passenger vehicles—due in large part to the high standards for commercial drivers—that is outweighed by the amount of damage caused by commercial crashes. Stockbridge is an important part of the transportation industry of this part of the country, so it sees a considerable number of collisions every year. 

There’s a lot of national attention on truck collisions right now. The industry has been under the strain of a driver shortage for years, and that problem is only worsening with time. As it continues to push the limits of the industry, some companies have turned to ignoring hours of service regulations and other safety standards in favor of getting loads completed more quickly. This may hurt accident numbers.

Types of Truck Collisions

Many types of truck accidents make up the majority of collisions on Georgia roads. They include:

• Rear-end: Rear-end collisions are among the most common types of accidents across all vehicle types, and trucks are no different. When a truck hits a much smaller vehicle, the damage can be catastrophic. The smaller vehicle may be crushed or shoved off the road entirely, so severe or fatal injuries are possible.
• Underride: Underride accidents are often the most dangerous for victims. They happen when a smaller vehicle runs into the back end of a tractor-trailer and gets crushed underneath the truck’s weight. As the truck moves, it rips off the top of the car. Fatal injuries are common.
• Jackknife: Jackknife collisions may occur when truck drivers run into unexpected obstacles. When a driver swerves or otherwise moves too quickly, the heavier back end of the vehicle may swing out and away from the front end. The vehicle continues to move freely until its weight forces it to stop, but in the meantime, the driver has no control over its direction.
• Rollover: Rollovers are relatively common, due to trucks’ size and their higher center of gravity. They are especially likely when a truck is overloaded or has an unbalanced load.
• Tire blowout: Tire blowouts may be a result of an overworked truck or a company that does not follow the recommended maintenance schedule. Commercial trucks endure far more strain than passenger vehicles and require more consistent maintenance.
• Single-vehicle: Single-vehicle collisions can still cause a significant amount of property damage and bodily injury. When a truck rolls over or jackknives into a median, it can block multiple lanes for hours. Secondary crashes are a possibility and other drivers can be injured as a result.

Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents are attributed to a wide range of causes, including:

• Fatigue: Truck drivers are at great risk for fatigue, due to the mental challenges of focusing intensely on the road for hours at a time. Fatigued drivers are more likely to cause collisions by making unsafe decisions or failing to react to obstacles quickly enough.
• Unsafe loading: A truck that has been loaded in a rush or by inexperienced cargo loaders is a hazard on the road. Every shift in the terrain or lane change could cause the truck to roll over or swerve out of control.
• Distractions: Distracted driving is an epidemic and truck drivers are not immune. Cell phones, tablets, the radio, and hands-free phone calls can all leave a driver too distracted to operate their vehicle safely.
• Inexperience: Truck driving is far more challenging than operating a small passenger vehicle, and drivers should have substantial experience before driving on their own. If they do not, they are at risk of causing preventable accidents.
• Mechanical issues: The mechanical complexity of trucks puts them at risk of mechanical issues and failures that can quickly become catastrophic.

Compensation Available for Victims

Victims of truck accidents may be entitled to sizable compensation. Trucks carry far larger insurance policies than passenger vehicles, due to the amount of damage they may cause in a crash. This allows victims to pursue full compensation for their losses, including:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Disability
• Disfigurement

How Bailey, Javins & Carter Can Help

When you’re the victim of a truck accident, figuring out your next steps may seem impossible. On the truck company’s side, things start moving immediately—the crash investigators sort through the evidence and the legal team begins looking for angles to absolve the company of liability. What about you?

That’s where we step in. We realize how much is at stake after a truck accident and how much you have already lost. Our team knows that you deserve a fair and full settlement or court award, and we are committed to fighting for you. From investigating your crash and doing a full analysis of the evidence to negotiating with the insurance company, we will handle every aspect of your case. The truck company will do whatever it can to protect itself financially—and we want to fight back and keep you from being victimized all over again.

Contact Us Today for Your Free Consultation

If you’re ready to move forward with your truck accident claim in Stockbridge, let’s sit down and talk about your legal options. Set up a time to talk to our team by reaching out online or calling us at 678-210-3292.