It’s crucial that truck drivers are properly trained, take their jobs seriously, and operate their rigs safely. The reason for this is simple. Truck accidents are devastating for the people hurt by them. They can cause totaled vehicles, severe personal injuries, and loss of life.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were approximately 450,000 truck accidents reported in the United States in 2017, resulting in 344,000 injuries. Sadly, truck crashes caused 4,237 fatalities. Fully 82 percent of these deaths weren’t occupants of the truck.
If you were injured in a truck accident in Carrollton, you’re entitled to seek compensation for the injuries you suffered in the accident. A skilled and knowledgeable Carrollton truck accident attorney can help you recover the money you’re owed for the harm that the negligent truck driver caused.
The injury attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. have decades of experience dealing with truck drivers, trucking companies, and their insurance companies. They understand what it takes to pursue a successful claim on your behalf and win full compensation for all your injuries.
If you or a loved one were hit by a reckless truck driver, call the Carrollton truck accident attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. to schedule a free consultation. We can be reached at 770-205-0933, by email, or using our online chat.
The legal professionals at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. will work tirelessly on your behalf to recover what you’re entitled to under the law. We understand how a truck accident can impact every area of your life, which is why we want to help make things right for you.
Do I Need a Carrollton Truck Accident Attorney?
The statistics don’t lie. When a truck and a passenger vehicle are involved in a collision, the occupants of the car draw the short straw almost every time.
Truck accidents can cause catastrophic injuries, especially when the truck was moving at a high rate of speed before the accident. If you sustained serious injuries in a Carrollton truck accident, an attorney could help you pursue your claim against the trucking company while you concentrate on recovering from your injuries.
The attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. will start working on your case immediately, beginning with an investigation into how the accident happened.
Your attorney will obtain a copy of the police report to review the facts of the accident. They’ll make sure that all of the information listed there is accurate.
They’ll also contact all witnesses identified in the police report to take their version of events, and decide whether their testimony or statement will be favorable to your case. If your attorney determines early on that the witness will offer unfavorable testimony, they’ll build a strategy to mitigate or exclude their testimony.
During the investigation phase of your claim, your attorney may visit the accident site to photograph the area where the accident occurred. They’ll also want to document the damage to the vehicles involved in the accident. They’ll seek footage from any nearby cameras that may have recorded the accident.
If necessary, your attorney may hire an accident reconstructionist to show how the accident occurred based on scientific principles. Testimony from this type of expert witness can be very powerful during a trial and may lead to a pre-trial settlement offer.
Following the completion of their investigation, your attorney will contact the truck’s insurance company and demand they pay a fair settlement on your behalf. At Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C., our goal is always to negotiate full compensation without having to go to trial. That’s why we build such strong claims from the first.
If the insurance representatives won’t agree to pay what you deserve, we’ll be ready to take your case to court for you. We’ll fight hard for your right to move on from your crash with just financial recovery.
The fact is that yes, you need a Carrollton truck accident attorney to deal with your truck accident. You can trust that the experienced attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. will take all the necessary steps to protect your interests and no one else’s. To that end, we won’t ask for any payment until and unless we win your case. We’re betting on a successful result.
Call the attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. to discuss the circumstances of your Carrollton truck accident and find out how much compensation you may be owed.
Why Should I Choose Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. to Handle My Carrollton Truck Accident Case?
If you were involved in a serious truck accident, you need an experienced attorney on your side to take on the trucking company and their insurer. There’s a lot of money at stake, so they’ll have a high-power legal team on their side. Let Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. protect your side from the insurance bureaucrats.
Jonathan Brockman has dedicated his legal career to helping victims who suffered injuries due to no fault of their own. He’s the attorney you want by your side after your Carrollton truck accident. Mr. Brockman has been practicing law for over 30 years. He graduated from the University of Louisville with his undergraduate degree in 1986, and from Mercer University, Walter F. George School of Law, where he received his J.D. in 1990. He is admitted to the State Bar of Georgia. He also practices in federal court and has successfully litigated cases in the Northern and Southern District Courts of Georgia. Mr. Brockman’s hard work and resulting successes have earned him recognition as one of the 2015 Top Lawyers of Georgia, published by Atlanta Magazine. He’s also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. He’s a Champion Member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.
Cynthia Matthews Daniel, Esq. is another attorney at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. who has dedicated her career to helping personal injury victims. Ms. Daniel has been named to Atlanta Magazine’s list of Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Stars for the past six years. This honor is bestowed on only 2.5% of all Georgia attorneys each year. She graduated from the University of West Georgia with a Bachelor’s in Arts in 1991 and obtained her law degree from Georgia State University College of Law in 2001. Ms. Daniel is also admitted to the State Bar of Georgia, the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Georgia. Ms. Daniel is also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and is President of the Carroll County Bar Association. She was to the Governmental Liability Committee of the Defense Research Institute, where she served as the Program Chair in 2009. She is a Vice-Chair of the Tort and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association’s Committee on Local Government.
Allen McDuffie has been a litigator for over 25 years. He has tried cases throughout the State of Georgia. He has also argued cases before the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court. Mr. McDuffie obtained his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in 1987. In 1990, he graduated from the University of Georgia Law School. Mr. McDuffie is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and of the American Bar Association. He participates in the State Bar of Georgia Mentor Program. All of this is to say that we have the experience and credentials to see your case to success. With our help, you could win the maximum compensation possible for your truck crash injury.
Contact the attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. about your Carrollton truck accident case. We can discuss your legal options during a free consultation.
Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle
At Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C., we handle all types of truck accidents. These may include:
- Rear-end Accidents
- Jackknife Accidents
- Rollover Accidents
- Wide Turn Accidents
- Roll Over Accidents
- Lost Load Accidents
- Under Carriage Accidents
- Driver Fatigue Accidents
- Drunk Truck Driver Accidents
- Oversized/Overloaded Cargo
- Trucking Company Negligence
To prevail in your Carrollton truck accident case, your lawyer will need to prove that the truck driver, the truck owner, or other responsible party was negligent. Georgia state law defines negligence as the failure to exercise due care under the circumstances presented at the time the accident occurred.
The attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. have an in-depth knowledge of this legal standard and how it applies in truck accident cases. Your attorney will show the following elements of negligence existed at the time of your crash in your claim:
- Duty – Truck drivers owe a duty to all other vehicles on the road to operate their trucks in a safe manner.
- Breach of a Duty – You must show that the truck driver breached this duty. This evidence may come from the investigation that your attorney conducts at the beginning of your case and from discovery exchanged between the parties in the event of a lawsuit.
- Damages – Your legal team will show that the accident caused your injuries, that they were not the result of another accident or an underlying health condition, and that you suffered damages as a result. This may involve hiring a medical expert witness.
With these elements proven, we can force the insurance companies to pay you full, fair compensation for your injuries. Don’t wait to start your claim.
Common Causes of Serious Truck Accidents
Truck drivers are people who have specialized skills and have undergone extensive training. This training allows them to be able to handle the rigors and challenges that come with operating a vehicle of immense size and weight. When driving is your livelihood, you understand, better than most, the rules of the road and what dangerous behaviors should be avoided. Unfortunately, accidents can still happen, and drivers who engage in reckless or negligent behavior should answer for their actions.
Common causes and behaviors that have been linked to serious truck accidents include:
- Distracted driving. Distracted driving is a problem for all types of drivers, but especially those who have long and sometimes boring routes. Checking a phone, watching a video, checking the GPS, or eating and drinking, are all behaviors that can distract a driver and divert their attention from the road, where it belongs.
- Drunk driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, statistics from 2018 show that at least 3 percent of large truck drivers involved in fatal crashes had a BAC of at least .08 at the time of the accident. Driving while drunk or on drugs is dangerous for everyone, but especially for someone operating an 80,000-pound vehicle that can already be difficult to maneuver and keep under control.
- Drowsy driving. The National Sleep Foundation has found that being awake for 18 hours is equivalent to having a BAC of .05. Drowsy driving is dangerous driving, and the effects of sleep deprivation mimic the effects of being under the influence of alcohol. Reflexes, judgment, and vision can all become impaired and result in tragic accidents.
- Aggressive driving. Aggressive driving includes tailgating, making unsafe lane changes, refusing to allow someone to get over, blocking traffic, and cutting in front of other drivers. Any type of unsafe behavior that a driver does deliberately with complete disregard for the safety of others is aggressive driving.
- Speeding. Speeding is sometimes also categorized as aggressive driving. Speeding is both illegal and dangerous. The faster a truck is going, the more time it needs to slow down and come to a stop. Excessive speeding is dangerous and can result in serious accidents.
- Failure to obey traffic signs and regulations. Another illegal behavior that can cost lives is the failure to obey posted traffic signs and signals. Running a stop sign or red light in a large truck can be deadly for the unsuspecting car caught in the path of the truck.
- Untrained or inexperienced drivers. Again, driving a truck is a profession that requires skill and special training. When a trucking company fails to properly screen its drivers, they may end up hiring grossly unqualified or untrained operators. That lack of skill and training creates hazardous situations for everyone on the road with them.
- Improperly loaded cargo or trucks with overweight cargo. The balance of a large truck is extremely important. Improperly loaded cargo or cargo that shifts during transport can significantly alter a truck’s center of gravity, making it much more difficult to control and maneuver. Improperly loaded cargo may also come loose or spill onto the roadway, creating a serious hazard for vehicles caught in the debris field.
- Mechanical defects. Large trucks are hard-working vehicles that need routine maintenance and inspection to keep them running safely. Trucks with defective parts or mechanical defects can be unsafe to operate and cause significant accidents.
Common Injuries Suffered in Carrollton Truck Accidents
Injuries in truck accident crashes are typically much more severe than injuries from other types of crashes. A 3,000-pound passenger vehicle doesn’t stand much of a chance when an 80,000-pound truck comes barreling towards it. The sheer size and weight difference between the two classes of vehicles mean that victims of truck accidents tend to suffer much more catastrophic injuries in a crash, injuries that could plague them for the rest of their lives.
Common injuries that victims tend to suffer after being involved in truck accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Concussion
- Paralysis
- Other head and neck injuries
- Amputation
- Broken bones
- Crushing injuries
- Organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Chemical burns or chemical exposure
- Physical burns
- Road rash
- Contusions
- Lacerations
- Wrongful death
Possible Compensation for a Truck Accident
One of the factors related to calculating compensation in Georgia truck accidents cases is a state rule known as “modified comparative negligence.” This rule dictates how the courts can award compensation in civil lawsuits. The rule itself states that a victim may recover money from the at-fault party. However, your percentage of compensation can be reduced by the amount of responsibility you share in causing the accident.
When a court is hearing a case and the evidence presented, they will make a determination about fault for the accident. A truck driver may have been driving while fatigued at the time of the accident, and the court may find that the driver was 85 percent responsible for causing the accident. However, the victim was also speeding is found to be 15 percent to blame for the circumstances of the collision. That victim can now recover damages from the at-fault truck driver, but their total compensation will be diminished by 15 percent.
Under the modified comparative negligence rule, a driver who meets or exceeds 50 percent of the blame will be barred from recovering compensation. While this rule binds courts, it also plays a role in how insurance adjusters will value a claim. An insurance adjuster can make an assumption about how a case will play out at trial and use that to guide their payout decision.
In general, victims may be able to recover money for both economic and noneconomic damages. This includes money for measurable losses and mental anguish. Typically, a victim may expect to recover compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Loss of income
- Loss of earning capacity
- Property damage
- Emotional distress
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
To get the maximum amount of compensation that you deserve, it pays to talk to an experienced Carrollton truck accident attorney. An attorney can investigate the cause of the accident and gather evidence valuable to proving your claim. An attorney will also be able to negotiate with the trucking company’s insurers and lawyers and make sure that you aren’t being taken advantage of. Having legal representation on your side gives you the best opportunity to recover the money you deserve.
Call the Attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. Now to Discuss Your Carrollton Truck Accident Case
If you were injured in a Carrollton truck accident, you might be owed significant damages. Call the attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. today to discuss scheduling a free initial case evaluation.
We can be reached at 770-205-0933, as well as by email or by online chat.