Aggressive Legal Representation for Truck Accident Victims in Macon
Did you know that Macon is home to the most dangerous highway in the county? Highway 247is a main artery in the region, which means many large trucks travel back and forth. According to Channel 13 WMAZ, Highway 247 is the most likely place in the county where you could be injured or killed in an accident. Being a defensive driver is crucial, but it doesn’t guarantee you can avoid an accident. If you sustained injuries in an accident with a large truck, our Macon truck accident lawyers are here to help.
At T. Madden & Associates, P.C., we understand what a stressful and traumatic time this is for you. Our Macon truck accident lawyers have years of experience assisting injured clients in getting the compensation they deserve. We will protect your rights and vigorously pursue a claim against the responsible parties. We are not afraid to go up against these large trucking companies in court either. Our firm has the necessary skills and resources to take your case to trial if the defendants aren’t willing to negotiate or extend a reasonable settlement offer.
Common Causes of Tractor-Trailer Accidents
Large truck drivers have special rules and regulations that they are required to follow. When they don’t adhere to these laws, the results can be deadly. Some of the most common causes of large truck accidents include:
- Reckless driving, especially during inclement weather;
- Driving while fatigued;
- Not following traffic laws;
- Distracted driving;
- Defective equipment, such as faulty brakes;
- Excessive loads;
- Improperly secured cargo; and
- Driving under the influence.
Road hazards and adverse weather can also play a role in a truck accident. In many cases, multiple factors contribute to a semi-truck or RV accident. For example, a driver may have been speeding in heavy rains and their tire blew out, causing them to lose control and hit other vehicles on the road.
Negligence in a truck accident isn’t limited to driver error either. The trucking company may also be negligent and therefore liable for your injuries. Some common signs of trucking company negligence include:
- Pressuring drivers to exceed regulated hours to make unrealistic delivery deadlines;
- Hiring inexperienced drivers and not providing adequate training;
- Allowing overloaded or improperly loaded trucks to leave for delivery routes;
- Ignoring or overlooking safety regulations and allowing trucks on the road with faulty or worn parts; and
- Employing drivers not equipped to maneuver commercial trucks and other oversized vehicles safely.
Trucking companies that condone or commit these negligent acts put thousands of motorists at risk on Macon roads and highways every day. These trucks can weigh 40 tons, which can be catastrophic to occupants of a much smaller and lighter-weight passenger vehicle when a crash occurs.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in Georgia
What you do following a truck accident in Georgia can help or hinder your injury claim. Immediately following a collision, you need to contact the police and let them know people are injured.
Depending on the severity of your injuries, you should take scene photos if possible. Get pictures of your vehicle damage, the truck, skid marks, debris, and the surrounding scene. Is the ground wet, or is there a construction hazard at the scene? Document the scene as best you can, as these photos can become an essential part of the investigation.
Be careful about what you say at the scene. Even something as simple as “I’m sorry” could be construed as an admission of guilt. Next, you want to concentrate on your injuries.
If you aren’t transported in an ambulance from the scene, you still want to visit a doctor right away. You could have internal injuries that aren’t visually apparent. Waiting to seek medical treatment will be used against you by the defendant’s insurance company. If you wait too long to seek care, they will argue that your injuries were not severe or another incident after the accident caused your injuries.
How the Claims Process Works
When you file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company, they will first verify coverage for the accident. If they confirm coverage, the adjuster will conduct a liability investigation. You need to present substantial evidence that the other driver was at fault for the collision. To successfully prove liability, you need to provide evidence of the following elements:
- Duty—you must show the other party owed you some type of duty, e.g., to safely maintain and drive the truck;
- Breach—you must demonstrate that the other driver breached this duty;
- Causation—the breach of duty must be what caused your injuries; and
- Damages—you must show that you suffered a physical, mental, or financial loss due to the other driver’s breach of duty.
Failure to prove all elements means you won’t have a successful liability claim against the other driver. When you hire our semi-truck accident lawyers, we will work tirelessly to build the strongest case possible to maximize your potential settlement.
What Types of Compensation Can You Recover in a Truck Accident Claim?
The types of compensation you could potentially recover in a truck accident will vary. Recoverable damages in a truck accident include economic and non-economic damages. Your economic damages are tangible financial losses, including:
- Medical expenses to date,
- Future expected medical costs,
- Lost wages, and
- Property damage.
Your non-economic damages are harder to calculate as there is no associated financial loss. Examples include physical pain and suffering, loss of consortium, emotional anguish, and more. These damages are subjective in value and therefore highly disputed during negotiations most of the time. Having an experienced legal advocate on your side can make a difference in how much compensation you collect in tractor-trailer accidents.
Litigation Process in a Macon Truck Accident
If the defendant’s insurance denies your claim, negotiations have stalled, or the statute of limitations is approaching, our semi-truck accident attorneys may need to file a lawsuit. Once we file a lawsuit, the process is not necessarily that much different. We will continue to collect and preserve all evidence, exchange documents with the defendants, and work toward resolving your case. Filing a lawsuit doesn’t automatically mean your case is going to trial. We will attempt settlement negotiations throughout the investigative process, which is known as discovery.
When negotiations stall or there is still an unresolved liability argument, we will continue to prepare your case for trial if it becomes necessary. We are not afraid to stand up to these large trucking companies in court. We will aggressively fight for the compensation you are owed.
Contact Our Macon Truck Accident Lawyer
You have many Macon truck accident attorneys to choose from, so you might be wondering what sets T. Madden & Associates apart. Our firm has years of experience helping injured victims just like you. We understand the federal and state trucking laws, and we aren’t afraid to take a case to trial. We have successfully resolved numerous truck accident claims, including a severe accident on Valentine’s Day involving a father and son. We initiated a case that ultimately led to our clients receiving more than 3.25 million dollars from the defendants.
If you sustained injuries in a Georgia truck accident, don’t handle your claim alone. Let us fight for you. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation.
Our experienced legal team also handles other types of injury cases:
We offer free, no-obligation consultations, so you have nothing to lose by meeting with us. Let us show you how our Macon truck accident attorney can help you pursue a personal injury claim for the maximum compensation possible.