An Aggressive Truck Accident Injury Lawyer To Get Justice

Truck/tractor-trailer accidents tend to be more severe and more deadly than most car accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), large trucks made up “9% of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes nationwide and 3% of accidents that caused only injuries or property damage.”

Causes

Truck drivers are required to go through special training before they operate a large tractor-trailer vehicle. However, despite training, most truck accidents often occur due to fatigue, drug/alcohol use, and speeding. Sometimes, environmental elements take part in an accident as well.

There are two ways that a truck collision is documented, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

• Critical Event: “The action or event that put the vehicle or vehicles on a course that made the collision unavoidable. The critical event is assigned to the vehicle that took the action that made the crash inevitable.”
• Critical Reason: The critical reason is assigned to the vehicle coded with the critical event in the crash. It can be coded as a driver error, vehicle failure, or environmental condition (roadway or weather).”

However, truck drivers share some of the same risks as passenger vehicles. In fact, “the same associated factors coded most often for the large trucks usually were also coded most often for the passenger vehicles” (FMCSA). While trucks produce a greater risk for accidents, passenger cars and trucks share many common collision tendencies:

• Interruption of the traffic flow
• Unfamiliarity with roadway
• Inadequate surveillance
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Illegal maneuver
• Inattention
• Fatigue
• Illness
• False assumption of other road user’s actions
• Distraction by object or person inside the vehicle

Lowcountry Law will help you understand your case and take legal action against the liable parties if you suffered injuries in a crash that a negligent trucker caused.

Our team provides free case reviews and represents victims based on contingency. If we can show that the truck driver caused your accident, we can pursue compensation to cover your related costs and losses. You should not have to cover these expenses if you did not cause the crash.

How Can Compensation Help Me After a Semi-Truck or Tractor Trailer Collision?

Commercial vehicle accidents lead to major physical, emotional, and financial consequences for many motorists. Larger vehicles are more likely to cause significant damage and even death.

Our team knows how to build a claim that considers a wide spectrum of damages and seeks to recover money for losses that include:

• Pain and suffering damages
• Medical treatment and support
• Future or ongoing medical needs
• Lost wages and other income
• Diminished ability to work if you have permanent injuries
• Vehicle repairs or replacement
• Miscellaneous expenses

We Also Manage Wrongful Death Cases

Unfortunately, some people do not survive the injuries they suffer in a commercial vehicle accident. We help victims’ families get justice. We will build a case and act on behalf of the deceased’s personal representative to demand an appropriate payment for the surviving spouse, children, or parents.

This will include lost income, loss of services, funeral and burial costs, medical bills, and a range of intangible losses the family experienced because of their loved one’s untimely death.

Seeking Justice in a Truck Accident Claim

When Lowcountry Law takes action in a truck collision case, we fight to protect the client’s rights and seek to hold the at-fault parties accountable. Liability in these cases is not always clear-cut, though. We investigate and document what happened and build a case to show vicarious liability, negligent hiring, negligent retention, or another basis for a claim against not only the driver but their employer, too.

In most cases, we rely on case law to help us prove the trucking company is vicariously liable for the accident. Adams v. S.C. Power Co. (1942) confirmed the legal doctrine of respondeat superior, meaning that the employer is also responsible when:

• Their employee committed wrongful or careless acts
• The employee was working within the scope of the job

A truck driver who violates a traffic law and causes an accident would generally meet both of the criteria.

Our team takes action on behalf of truck accident victims, including:

• Informing them of their rights and options during a free case evaluation
• Providing them with regular updates about their claim and next steps
• Identifying all potentially liable parties
• Managing all related communications to protect their rights
• Gathering evidence to prove negligence, liability, and damages
• Valuing the case
• Filing and handling their insurance claim
• Negotiating with the insurance company
• Suing the liable parties, if needed

We will take on almost any type of truck accident case, including:

• Head-on collisions
• Rear-end accidents
• Drunk driving
• Drowsy driving
• Distracted driving
• Rollover accidents
• Blind-spot accidents

Truck accidents are a significant concern in South Carolina and Greenville. According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, commercial motor vehicles (CMV) played a role in 22% of fatal collisions in the state during 2019. There was a truck or another CMV involved in 39.6% of all crashes that year.

Deadline for Taking Legal Action in a Truck Accident Case

South Carolina generally puts a three-year deadline on suing a liable party for your injuries or a loved one’s death under S.C. Ann. § 15-3-530. There could be other factors at play that reduce this time.

When we initially review your case and discuss your legal options, we will also assess your likely deadline for suing the trucking company. If we represent you, our team can ensure you do not miss this or other deadlines.

Call For A Free Consultation and Claim Evaluation

Lowcountry Law helps victims of tractor-trailer accidents get the money they need to cover their losses. We will help you. Let us review your case and explain our services and how we approach accident claims like yours. Attorney Breen has many 5 star reviews from clients who he has helped get justice in their personal injury cases.

Do not face these matters alone. Call Lowcountry Law, LLC, in Mount Pleasant or Myrtle Beach at 843-800-8663 or send an email to arrange a free consultation.