In a collision with a large, commercial truck, passenger vehicle occupants are likely to suffer serious injuries or death. If you have suffered a personal injury or lost a loved one in a trucking accident due to an act of negligence, whether by the truck driver, vehicle manufacturer, trucking company or another party, call our Gwinnett County truck accident attorney as soon as possible. We are tough and compassionate advocates for truck accident victims.
Why Choose Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC?
- We are not intimidated by trucking companies and will fight for your right to compensation, even if it means going to trial.
- Our attorneys are respected by our peers and insurance companies. We have been distinguished with the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 award.
- We have a history of success for our personal injury clients, recovering millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for accident cases.
What Makes Truck Accidents So Deadly?
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) states that most of the people killed in truck crashes are occupants of motor vehicles. Commercial trucks can weight 20 to 30 times more than passenger cars. They are much taller, with greater ground clearance, making deadly underride car accidents a possibility. Truck braking capability can be a problem. A loaded tractor trailer requires 20 to 40 percent more distance to stop, and more on slippery roads or with poorly maintained brakes. Trucking accidents can leave a victim with severe personal injuries that may last a lifetime, a Gwinnett County truck accident lawyer can help you receive compensation for your injuries. Our law firm will work with the insurance company to secure a settlement that will cover your lost wages and medical bills incurred.
Truck Accident Statistics
Unfortunately, truck collisions are accidents that happen every day throughout Georgia and the U.S. Some of these accidents can result in serious repercussions such as brain injuries, permanent disability or wrongful death. As reported by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS):
- 4,102 people died in truck crashes in the most recent year for which statistics are available.
- 68% of these fatalities were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles.
- 14% were pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists.
- The number of truck accident fatalities has increased by 30% in the past eight years.
- 31% of motor vehicle occupants killed in a two-vehicle crash with a large truck were struck head-on by the truck and 25% were side-struck by a truck.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
In its Large Truck Crash Causation Study Analysis Brief, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) defines “critical event” as an action or event that made the collision unavoidable, assigned to the vehicle that took the action that caused the crash. A “critical reason” is the immediate reason for a critical event (or error leading to the event). Trucks and their drivers were assigned the critical reason in 55% of the single and multi-vehicle large truck accidents studied. Our truck accident attorneys in Gwinnett County can determine what was the critical event that caused your accident. The three major critical events that caused an accident were:
- A truck running out of the travel lane into another lane or off the road. (32%)
- Loss of control of the vehicle, due to traveling too fast for conditions, cargo shift, vehicle system failures, road conditions, or other causes. (29%)
- Rear-ending another vehicle in the truck’s travel lane. (22%)
Types of Truck Driver Negligence
Researchers in the FMCSA study collected and coded hundreds of associated factors for each vehicle involved in a truck accident. The top 10 factors assigned to large trucks and their drivers were:
- Brake problems
- Interruption of traffic flow (congestion, previous crash)
- Prescription drug use
- Speeding
- Driver unfamiliarity with roadway
- Poor road conditions
- Truck driver required to make a sudden stop (crosswalks, traffic lights)
- Over-the-counter drug use
- Inadequate surveillance
- Driver fatigue, drowsy driving
Who is Liable?
Determining liability in truck accident cases is the first step towards recovering compensation. A truck accident attorney in Atlanta can guide you through the legal process and hold the responsible party or parties accountable. More than one party may be liable for your accident. The city may be responsible if poor road conditions like potholes or cracks on the road caused the accident. Truck drivers and the trucking company they work for may also be liable if the truck wasn’t properly maintained or if the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Hours of service regulations are enforced to prevent drivers from driving for long hours, if it’s found that a driver broke these rules both the driver and the trucking company they work for may be liable for your injuries.
Get in Touch with Our Truck Accident Lawyers in Gwinnett County
Trucking accidents are typically high-stakes, complex cases involving state and federal regulations, several mandatory records, and multiple potentially responsible parties. At Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC, we are here for you to provide sound legal counsel and dedicated advocacy in your truck accident case. Contact us today for a free consultation with no obligation in Suwanee, Georgia.