Columbus Truck Accident Lawyer
Due to their size and weight, crashes involving trucks can be severe, causing extensive injuries and inflicting significant property damage. The resulting impact of these injuries can be devastating, leaving a victim with extensive medical bills and an inability to work while recovering.
If you were injured in a collision with a truck, you could benefit from speaking with a Columbus truck accident lawyer. If a truck driver’s careless, reckless, or malicious behavior led to your injuries, you have a legal right to seek compensation. However, navigating the claims process alone could prove difficult without the aid and counsel of a dedicated personal injury attorney on your side.
Who is Liable in a Columbus Truck Crash Claim?
Multiple wrongdoers can be named in an injury claim following a truck crash. The entities that may be named in a lawsuit include:
- Truck drivers
- The vehicle’s manufacturer
- Trucking companies,
- The producers of a truck’s products
The Truck Driver & The Truck’s Manufacturers
Often the most common wrongdoer after a tractor-trailer accident, a trucker might have been tired, intoxicated, or otherwise negligent. By establishing a legal breach of duty, a trucker can be named in an injury claim.
The company—or companies—who assembled the parts of a truck may have created or designed faulty components or systems that subsequently failed and contributed to the incident in question. Therefore, they could be held liable in addition to a driver or other wrongdoers.
The Trucking Company & The Producers of Transported Items
The trucking company’s potential failure to regard industry guidelines—such as hiring eligible drivers and enforcing safe practices and training, as well as adhering to other safety standards—may also be considered liable for a crash.
In certain instances, trucks transport volatile or hazardous materials. The manufacturers of such items might, therefore, also bear responsibility for causing injuries after a crash if these entities neglected to warn a trucking company or a trucker of a product’s dangers or special precautions needed to transport them safely.
The Steps for Establishing Negligence After a Tractor Trailer Collision
While multiple wrongdoers can be named in a claim, proving neglect is a complex process. For a successful claim, an injured person—and, if retained, their skilled Columbus truck accident lawyer—would need to demonstrate that a trucker or other wrongdoer owed a legal duty of care toward the victim and then breached this duty. A breach of this duty, as mentioned above, can be due to speeding, intoxication, or other neglectful behavior.
Then, it must be established that this breach of duty caused an accident and that this accident resulted in the victim’s damages. Even when injuries are apparent following a crash, adequately demonstrating and calculating a person’s losses can be difficult without legal counsel.
What is Modified Comparative Negligence for 18-Wheeler Wrecks?
While a trucker or other wrongdoer might have been responsible for a crash, a victim can also sometimes be deemed partially liable. According to The Official Code of Georgia Annotated §51-12-33, if a claimant is also found to be liable, his or her percentage of fault would be mirrored in the amount of compensation they could receive.
So, if a victim was 20 percent at fault for a crash, he or she can only recover 80 percent of the granted compensation. However, if a person seeking compensation is found to be 50 percent or more at fault, he or she cannot receive any compensation. Because of the complex nature of establishing fault and determining liability, it can be beneficial for a truck accident victim to consult with a detail-oriented attorney.
How a Columbus Truck Accident Attorney Might Help Filing a Claim
Truck crashes can result in devastating and long-lasting injuries. If you were injured in an accident with a truck, you can benefit from speaking with a Columbus truck accident lawyer about your legal rights and options. A successful claim for compensation could grant you recovery for past and future medical expenses, as well as lost wages, mental anguish, and physical trauma, among other losses.
However, navigating this legal system alone can be intimidating and overwhelming. By enlisting a hard-working injury attorney, you could consider the best options for you and, if necessary, begin working on a claim. For a free case review, call today.
