After a truck accident, you could be looking at lengthy hospital stays, extensive medical care, time away from work, and a painful recovery. You might be entitled to collect compensation for all of these damages if the truck driver's negligence led to the accident. To do so, you need to file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit about your truck accident against the truck driver and other potentially liable parties involved, such as the trucking company.

 

If you need a truck accident lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia, reach out to the team at S. Burke Law. One of our truck accident attorneys can work on your case and help you gather the materials you need to support your claims, especially if you are assigning liability to more than one party. When going up against truck drivers and the companies they work for, you most likely will be facing their legal teams as well. Even if you were the victim in a truck accident, trucking companies' legal teams are equipped to counterargue any claims made by a plaintiff. 

 

After your Atlanta truck accident, do not hesitate to hire a personal injury lawyer to manage your case. Our law firm can help you potentially turn your life around and fight for the money you need to get yourself out of financial ruin. We fight with compassion and conviction. Call S. Burke Law today at (404) 842-7838 for a free consultation to discuss the details of your case and get answers to all of your questions.

 

Contact S. Burke Law Before Talking to the Trucking Company's Insurance Company

 

When an insurance company representative calls and offers a quick settlement, it can be tempting to agree to those terms for a couple of reasons. One, settling an insurance claim quickly means you can receive compensation faster. Two, getting immediate compensation can help you with your current financial setbacks, such as lost wages, medical bills, and vehicle expenses. It might seem like a good idea to settle your Atlanta truck accident attorney case with the first offer the insurance company gives you.

 

The truth is, the insurance adjuster knows their first offer will seem meaningful to truck accident victims in need of immediate financial recovery, so their strategy is often to offer the lowest amount of compensation as possible in hopes that you will take the bait and end the claims process. Accepting a settlement before consulting an Atlanta truck accident attorney at S. Burke Law about how much compensation you might be entitled to receive for your truck accident injuries can prove to be a mistake in the long run. If you accept a settlement and your injuries worsen, you cannot file another truck accident lawsuit to get more money. 

Another reason why you should consider speaking with a truck accident lawyer before communicating with insurance adjusters is that your lawyer can serve as your representative and speak on your behalf. Many truck accident lawyers offer to handle communications on behalf of their clients because insurance adjusters may attempt to manipulate victims into making statements that can be taken out of context and used against them as an admission of fault. Even if it seems obvious that the motor vehicle accident was the truck driver's fault or caused by another factor, insurance companies may use any doubt you express as confirmation that you cannot prove your claims.

 

For these reasons, always speak to a truck accident attorney before talking to the insurance company. If you decide to work with one of our Atlanta truck accident lawyers, we can take over all correspondence with the insurance company and the trucking company's legal team. 

 

Our Truck Accident Attorneys Fight for the Compensation You Need

 

One of the first things your Atlanta truck accident attorney might do is assess the extent of damages you experienced both during and after the truck accident. There is no standard value for truck accident cases, as many variables can alter how much a plaintiff's truck accident case is worth. Also, depending on whether you file an insurance claim or a truck accident lawsuit, you might be limited in which damages you may claim or how much. 

 

Your Atlanta truck accident lawyer will fight for every dollar of compensation for which you are eligible. Under personal injury law, victims may be entitled to receive compensation for their economic damages (i.e., financial losses) and non-economic damages (i.e., general losses). 

Economic losses may include:

 
  • Medical bills: You may be able to receive compensation for doctor's appointments, surgeries, hospital stays, lab work, and blood tests, X-rays and other imaging exams, and emergency treatment services.
  • Out-of-pocket medical expenses: You may be able to receive compensation for expenses outside of standard medical care, such as costs for prescription medications, wheelchairs, crutches, bandages, and other medical devices or equipment.
  • Post-treatment care costs: If you needed to go through physical therapy and/or rehabilitation after your truck accident, you may be compensated for these costs.
  • Lost income: If you had to miss work because of your truck-related injuries, you may be compensated for the wages you would have earned had you not been injured.
  • Reduced earning capacity: If your truck accident-related injuries affect your ability to perform your work tasks, forcing you to take a lower-paying job, you may be compensated for the difference in salary.
 

Non-economic losses are more difficult to put a value on, as the extent of these damages varies by client and is based on how their life was affected overall. That being said, you and your Atlanta truck accident lawyer can discuss in more detail what kind of losses you experienced in a future consultation. Some examples of losses they might mention include:

 
  • Pain and suffering: This is a broad category that generally encompasses most non-economic losses, but this damage refers to physical and emotional pain.
  • Psychological trauma: Truck accidents can be traumatic experiences for many people, so if you experienced severe flashbacks, panic attacks, or paranoia about driving your passenger vehicle after the truck accident, you may be compensated for this psychological damage.
  • Permanent disability: If your injuries are determined to be permanent, you may be compensated for the loss of bodily functions you incurred, especially if it forces you to rely on outside assistance to perform daily tasks.
 

You might be eligible for additional damages beyond what we listed above. A thorough investigation by our team will uncover every type of compensation you deserve after your Atlanta truck accident.

 

You Might Be Entitled to Pursue Compensation from More Than One Party

 

Your truck accident attorney will review the insurance policies or laws that apply to your case in the state of Georgia. If multiple parties may be held liable for your accident, your lawyer may suggest you pursue compensation from each liable party. Even if it seems like you and the truck driver were the only ones involved in the accident, other parties may be held accountable for the truck driver's actions or circumstances based on their relationship with the trucker. For example, in Georgia truck accidents, liable parties may include:

 
  • Truck drivers
  • Trucking companies
  • The mechanic who last worked on the truck or tractor-trailer
  • The manufacturer of the commercial truck
  • A municipality in the state of Georgia
  • A third party, such as a passenger car driver
 

Getting Compensation for a Loved One's Wrongful Death in a Truck Accident

 

When commercial vehicles get into accidents, unfortunately, sometimes the consequences can be deadly. A person can lose their life if they collide with a semi-truck, commercial truck, or tractor-trailer, as these large trucks can weigh between 20,000 and 40,000 pounds. If your loved one passed away in a truck accident, you may be able to collect compensation on their behalf if you are their spouse, child, parent, or personal representative. 

 

Your truck accident case would be filed as a wrongful death case, which involves accidents that lead to fatalities due to a negligent party's actions. As your loved one's benefactor, you may be able to collect compensation for:

 
  • Your loved one's final medical bills before their death
  • Pain and suffering you felt as a result of their loss
  • Funeral expenses
  • Burial or cremation expenses
  • Lost wages if your loved one supported your family financially
  • Property damage they experienced in the truck accident
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of parental guidance and emotional support
  • Loss of companionship
 

If your loved one was a victim of a fatal truck accident in Atlanta, Georgia, call our office to hire one of our Atlanta truck accident lawyers at S. Burke Law. You can reach our team by dialing (404) 842-7838 and discuss how your truck accident occurred and the pain and suffering you have been experiencing since losing your loved one in a free initial consultation. 

 

Our team of truck accident lawyers has handled wrongful death cases against truck drivers and trucking companies, and we would love to extend our services to you and help you fight for justice.

 

Burke Law Will Build Your Case

 

The insurance company and trucking company have attorneys working to protect their interests. So, when certain pieces of evidence you need for your large truck or tractor-trailer accident case is in the hands of the opposing party, you should consider referring to your Atlanta truck accident attorney to protect your interests — and the evidence.

 

At S. Burke Law, our truck accident lawyers can build your case and help you get the evidence you need to support your trucking accident claim or lawsuit. Certain evidence may already be available to you, such as:

 
  • The police report about the Georgia truck accident
  • Photographs of the accident scene, damages that your passenger vehicle incurred, damages that the commercial truck incurred, and your injuries
  • Video surveillance of the truck accident
  • Eyewitness accounts
  • Medical records that prove how you were injured in a truck collision
  • Expert witness statements, such as from mechanics or medical doctors
  • Accident reconstruction analysis
 

Your accident lawyer may also send a letter of spoliation to the trucking company immediately to ensure it preserves and hands over the evidence needed for your case. This might include:

 
  • Drug and alcohol test results
  • The truck driver’s hours of service logs
  • The personnel file assigned to the truck driver
  • Data from the truck’s black box, which may be received by the trucking company
  • Maintenance records
  • The truck itself
  • HR documents that showcase how the trucking company hires its truck drivers, which may be useful in accident cases where the truck driver was hired without submitting a background check
 

Call Today to Speak with an Atlanta Truck Accident Lawyer

 

After being a victim in a truck accident in Atlanta, call S. Burke Law. Our team is prepared to fight the insurance company and the trucking company to win the compensation you need. Negligent truck drivers should be held liable for the damage they cause others. If you decide to work with one of S. Burke Law's truck accident lawyers, we will strive to analyze your Georgia truck accident thoroughly and build you a comprehensive case.

 

Let us handle all the details of your case. Call today for a free consultation at (404) 842-7838. Our law firm has handled various personal injury cases about truck accidents in Georgia. As our client, we want you to feel secure in the legal representation we give. All of our clients receive transparent communication to ensure the client-attorney relationship remains strong and well established. 

 

Call us today to learn more about our services. The first consultation also includes a free case evaluation, so feel free to ask any questions you have about your case.