Albany Truck Accident Lawyer
Being in a motor vehicle accident with a commercial truck can feel significantly different than being involved in an accident with a passenger car. While serious damage can result from both types of collisions, accidents involving a truck often cause more injuries and can be more complicated to report. Even the initial interaction after the accident can be different, as an injured party may have to get insurance information about the truck from a driver who does not own the truck.
Some aspects of insurance reporting and more complex physical and personal damages are obstacles that are unique to truck accident cases, but a committed personal injury attorney could help you overcome them. Do not hesitate, contact an Albany truck accident lawyer today.
Properly Identifying the Truck
After a truck accident, the first obstacle to overcome is properly identifying the truck involved and the parties responsible for it. This is not as easy as it may sound. For example, the truck may possess more than one license plate, be registered in a state other than Georgia, or be operated by an independent contractor who is not affiliated at all with the truck owner.
An Albany truck accident lawyer could cast a wide net while investigating the true and proper ownership of the truck, and who or what entity can be held responsible to pay damages.
Determining Truck Ownership
At the scene of a truck accident, the truck driver is under obligation to report the accident to local law enforcement. According to O.C.G.A. §40-6-273, the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to any person, or in property damage valued at $500 or more, is obligated by law to immediately notify law enforcement of the accident.
In addition, all involved parties should receive an incident report from the law enforcement agency who responded. The information contained in this report is often critical to preserving a claim for injuries and damages to a vehicle. After a truck accident, the report may contain:
- A complete physical description of the truck
- Numbers on the tag(s) found on the truck
- The name of the owner of the truck as listed on the vehicle registration
- The name, address and phone number of the driver of the truck
Proving Liability for an Albany Truck Wreck
Ordinary negligence is an element that must be proven when bringing a claim resulting from a truck accident. As a legal concept, it is defined as the failure to exercise a degree of care that an ordinarily prudent person under similar circumstances would exercise, pursuant to O.C.G.A. §51-1-2.
Stated another way, if the truck driver did not drive his truck in a way that an ordinarily prudent person would, he could be considered to have committed ordinary negligence. An Albany truck accident lawyer could determine whether the truck driver committed ordinary negligence in any particular situation.
Talk to an Albany Truck Accident Attorney Today
Being involved in a truck accident is often more complicated and more difficult to manage than being in a car accident. Typical procedures for investigating a car accident are sometimes totally irrelevant when investigating the facts and circumstances of a truck accident. Furthermore, you may be more likely to suffer harmful bodily injuries, and in some cases even the total loss of your vehicle.
Contact an experienced Albany truck accident lawyer to discuss your truck accident, determine the true ownership of the truck, and engage in a claim against the owner for your injuries and vehicle damages. Call today to schedule a consultation.
