All truck and tractor trailer accidents, whether caused by reckless behavior or simple negligence, can have far-reaching implications for the victims and family members who lost a loved one. At The Law Offices of Joshua W. Branch, our truck accident attorney in Athens is here to help.
When severe injuries are caused by a tractor trailer wreck, the victim will need professional legal representation, advice, and counsel as soon as possible to ensure a successful outcome – an outcome that takes all circumstances of the event into consideration and that is just and fair. They need a legal advocate who is aggressive in protecting their rights and is also compassionate in understanding what they are going through. The Athens injury attorney must have the skill and knowledge to fully understand the scope and effect of the injuries.
This is why, if you were injured in a truck accident, you should call The Law Offices of Joshua W. Branch.
Call our offices at (706) 850-4994 today to learn more about your unique truck accident case and how we may be able to help. We are committed to offering thorough, compassionate representation from beginning to end.
Joshua W. Branch, The Athens Truck Accident Lawyer, has impressive results in resolving bodily injury cases that arise from tractor-trailer collisions. His first jury trial involved a tractor-trailer wreck. His desire and passion to continue to provide excellent legal counsel and representation to those injured from trucking wrecks has continued. Along the way, he has been able to work with some attorneys who are nationally recognized in this field, learning from their vast knowledge base and applying it to his own legal practice.
It is not uncommon for multiple parties to be at fault for a trucking accident, including:
The most important stage of any truck accident case is the initial research and investigation phase as the evidence collected will reveal how your accident occurred and who is responsible for your injuries or the death of a family member.
Your attorney will diligently sift through all information that can be collected related to your crash, including:
When you reach out to our team, you speak with someone who is ready to listen. We offer free consultations and are available 24/7, because we know injuries don’t follow a schedule.
Unfortunately, many truck accidents take place every year in the United States, which causes injury to thousands of people, in addition to causing many deaths. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) states that a trucking accident occurs when large trailers (10,000+ lbs.) collide with other vehicles or pedestrians. Around 500,000 trucking accidents occur every year in the United States. Of these, approximately 5,000 trucking accidents result in fatalities. In fact, one out of every eight traffic fatalities involve a trucking collision.
While the causes of trucking are almost as varied as their effects, many collisions involving commercial trucks and 18-wheelers can be traced back to some sort of negligent action attributable to the truck driver, the trucking company, or both.
Your may be eligible for compensation if your accident was caused by any of the following:
Our firm can review the circumstances surrounding your accident and help you craft a case against the responsible parties in pursuit of all available damages, including:
Bear in mind, that as soon as one has been injured, the insurance company for the culpable party begins almost instantly in an attempt to minimize the appropriate outcome for the injured individual. The insurance company views the injured or the family who has lost a loved one as an alpha-numeric number and the insurance company will attempt to do everything within their power to not compensate the injured or the family of a loved one in a fair and reasonable manner. Insurance companies are strictly driven by profits, not by their compassion for people and doing what is right and just. The insurance company’s focus will rely on one simple principle: profits over people. So, if given the chance, an insurance company will try to resolve a claim before all injuries have even been identified and have ever received professional medical attention. Those types of actions by insurance companies exemplify the vantage point that they take on those who are severely injured and or who have lost loved ones. That vantage point taken is that they do not care about you or your family and that they have no compassion towards what you have experienced.
Make our local law firm your legal family when choosing your personal injury attorney in Athens, GA. At The Law Offices of Joshua W. Branch, we are your local and trusted personal injury firm in Clarke County. You will always know you are cared for and that you will receive the utmost in justice.
Truck accident cases are significantly more complex than standard car accident claims. Commercial trucks are subject to federal and state regulations that do not apply to passenger vehicles, and there are often multiple liable parties involved, including the truck driver, the trucking company, the cargo loader, and the vehicle manufacturer. The injuries tend to be more severe, the damages are higher, and the insurance companies defending these cases are well-resourced and aggressive. Having an attorney who understands the trucking industry and how these cases are built is essential.
Liability in a truck accident case can extend to several parties. The truck driver may be liable for negligent driving, fatigue, or impairment. The trucking company may be responsible if they hired an unqualified driver, pressured the driver to violate hours-of-service rules, or failed to maintain the vehicle properly. The cargo loading company may share liability if an improperly secured load caused or contributed to the crash. A vehicle or parts manufacturer could be liable if a defect played a role. Identifying every responsible party is critical to maximizing your recovery.
Commercial truck drivers and trucking companies must comply with regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These rules cover hours of service to prevent fatigued driving, driver qualification and licensing requirements, drug and alcohol testing, vehicle inspection and maintenance, and cargo securement standards. Violations of these regulations can be powerful evidence of negligence in a truck accident case.
Truck accident cases involve evidence that is unique to the industry and time-sensitive. The truck’s electronic logging device (ELD) records hours of service and driving data. The event data recorder, sometimes called the truck’s “black box,” captures speed, braking, and other information from just before the crash. Driver qualification files, inspection records, maintenance logs, and the trucking company’s internal communications are also critical. This evidence can be altered or destroyed, which is why contacting an attorney quickly after a truck accident is so important.
Federal hours-of-service regulations limit how long a commercial truck driver can be on the road without rest. Fatigued driving is one of the leading causes of serious truck accidents. If a driver exceeded their allowed hours or falsified their logbook, that violation can be direct evidence of negligence on the part of both the driver and the company that employed them.
Yes. Under a legal doctrine called respondeat superior, a trucking company can be held vicariously liable for the negligent acts of its driver if the driver was acting within the scope of their employment at the time of the crash. The company may also face independent liability for negligent hiring, inadequate training, or failing to enforce safety policies.
Trucking companies sometimes classify drivers as independent contractors to limit their liability exposure. However, Georgia courts look at the actual nature of the working relationship, not just the label. If the company controlled how, when, and where the driver worked, a court may still find the company liable regardless of how the driver was classified. This is an area where experienced legal analysis makes a significant difference.
In Georgia, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, if a government entity was involved, the deadline may be much shorter. Additionally, the sooner you act, the better your chances of preserving critical evidence like black box data and driver logs, which trucking companies are not required to keep indefinitely.
Trucking companies and their insurers move quickly after a serious accident. They often send their own investigators to the scene before victims have had a chance to consult with anyone. Josh Branch has spent time on the defense side of these cases, which means our team understands exactly how trucking companies and their insurers build their defense strategies and where they look to limit liability. We use that knowledge to anticipate their tactics and fight back effectively for our clients.
You need a truck accident attorney in Athens who is dedicated to justice for you, someone that will protect your rights, aggressively work for a fair and reasonable outcome for you and allow you to be able to return to the life that you knew of before the incident that was forced upon you. Not an outcome that the insurance company will attempt to force upon you but one that is fair and lets you obtain the justice you need and deserve.
For all trucking cases, timing is crucial in many respects: evidence of the ECM data (the truck’s black box) can be erased, driver’s can move on to other states and companies, critical evidence of the truck itself can be lost as can important documentation regarding the trucking company or its driver.
Schedule your free initial consultation by calling The Athens Tractor Trailer Accident lawyer at (706) 850-4994.
Your information is confidential. We respect your privacy.
