While any collision between two vehicles moving at highway speeds can lead to serious physical harm, accidents that involve commercial trucks are often uniquely devastating. Under federal law, tractor-trailers traveling on interstate highways can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded with cargo. When all that gross tonnage strikes a commuter car, the occupants of the smaller vehicle rarely walk away without serious or fatal injuries.
Speaking with a Zebulon truck accident lawyer should be one of your first priorities after seeking medical treatment for your injuries. Once retained, a dedicated personal injury attorney could relentlessly pursue fair recovery on your behalf from the responsible party. That could mean an independent truck driver, a large trucking company, or another third party.
What Makes Truck Accident Cases Complicated?
The injured plaintiff seeking civil restitution must prove that the defendant(s) named in their case proximately caused their injuries by engaging in reckless, careless, or expressly illegal behavior. However, unlike a typical car crash claim, the liable defendant in a truck accident case is not always the truck driver who was directly involved in the wreck. In many situations, the best course of action is to hold a negligent truck driver’s employer vicariously liable for their employee’s irresponsible actions, as trucking companies and their insurance providers generally have a much greater capacity to pay for all the short-term and long-term damages.
Sometimes, trucking companies are even directly liable for trucking accidents. For instance, if a trucking company forces their drivers to stay on the road longer than allowed under federal trucking law, an ensuing accident stemming from a truck driver’s fatigue might be the fault of their employer rather than the driver directly. Assistance from a Zebulon tractor-trailer collision lawyer could be crucial to effectively holding a trucking company responsible for any negligent or intentional action that directly leads to a crash. That negligence could also fall onto a third party, such as a supplier who failed to properly secure cargo before a truck left a loading bay.
Damages Available in Truck Collision Cases
Unfortunately, just as trucking companies often have plenty of money on hand to pay for accident damages, they also dedicate significant resources to fighting liability for wrecks involving their trucks and/or drivers. With help from a local truck accident attorney, recovery for both economic and non-economic damages might be possible, including for:
- Medical expenses
- Car repair or replacement costs
- Lost work wages, as well as loss of long-term earning capacity due to a crash-related disability
- Loss of ability to participate in personal hobbies
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
Many plaintiffs are unaware of some of these damages until they speak with a legal professional.
Schedule a Consultation with a Zebulon Truck Accident Attorney
Georgia state law allows people injured in truck wrecks to hold operators and/or owners of the trucks financially liable for any injuries and losses stemming from negligent acts. However, just because civil recovery is legally possible does not mean it is always easy to achieve, especially if you try to pursue it without professional legal guidance. Representation from a Zebulon truck accident lawyer could make a world of difference in how your case turns out. Call today to learn more.