Sumter Truck Accident Lawyer

Sumter Truck Accident Attorney

Any automobile collision can cause serious injuries, but an accident that involves a commercial truck can be particularly destructive. If you or a loved one was hurt in a semi-truck accident, you can rely on a Sumter truck accident lawyer to review your case and work to maximize your monetary compensation. You should not have to suffer financial harm due to the negligence of a tractor-trailer driver.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Commercial trucks are the largest and heaviest vehicles on roads and highways. Their sheer size and weight make them potentially dangerous or deadly if they collide with a passenger vehicle. For this reason, truck drivers receive specialized training. Unfortunately, they, or the company they work for, can still engage in negligent behaviors that cause accidents. When this happens, serious bodily injury can result to those caught up in a truck accident.

• Distracted driving: An estimated 290,000 drivers were injured in 2022 due to distracted driving. Distracted driving happens when a driver takes their attention off the road or their hands off the wheel. Smartphones are often a source of distracted driving. When truck drivers text, email, or engage in other forms of communication, they take their eyes off the road. This can lead to a lapse in reaction time that can seriously injure nearby drivers.
• Fatigue: Commercial truck drivers often spend many hours on the road. This can lead to fatigue that causes the truck driver to lose focus or even fall asleep at the wheel. The results can be harmful, if not deadly, for any car that is hit head-on or rear-ended as a result of that negligence.
• Speeding: Commercial trucks require much greater distances to come to a stop than smaller vehicles. Speeding increases the chances that a truck could be involved in an accident for multiple reasons. Speeding makes it harder to react to changing roadway or highway conditions. Speeding also limits the ability of a truck to slow down in time to avoid an accident.
• Improper maintenance: Commercial trucks are complex machines that require regular maintenance. When trucking companies skip scheduled vehicle repairs or drivers fail to perform physical inspections of their trucks, the risk of equipment failure that could cause a serious accident increases. Following a truck accident, one of the first things a Sumter personal injury lawyer looks at is the maintenance records.
• Impaired driver: Impairment could come from multiple sources. Intaking alcohol or illicit drugs can seriously impair a driver’s ability to make safe choices. Any alcohol found in the truck driver’s system could be grounds for a DUI charge in North Carolina. Impairment can also occur even if the driver ingested appropriately prescribed medications if they alter the driver’s state of mind.

Following a truck accident in Sumter, a personal injury attorney can review repair logs and other records as part of their investigation into the cause of the accident. Any driver who causes an accident in South Carolina will be financially responsible for the damage and injuries they cause.

What to Do After a Truck Accident

Following a truck accident, your first priority should be your and your passengers’ safety. Assess yourself for possible injuries and ask anyone in your car if they have been hurt. A serious car accident that could involve injuries should be reported to the police immediately. Tell the dispatcher where the accident occurred, how many vehicles are involved, and how many people may be injured.

If possible, move the car off the roadway. When EMS arrives, let them perform a checkup on you if they suggest one. If you are still in shock, your injuries may not be noticeable at first. Answer questions by the police honestly and do not try to make accusations about who caused the accident at that time. It is also important to refrain from making any statements that could be construed as you claiming fault for the accident. The facts of the case will bear that out.

Gather contact information from anyone involved in the accident and witnesses to the accident. The police will generate a report with any information they gathered from the scene. Request a copy and keep it for your records.

Schedule a doctor’s appointment as soon as you can to have a more thorough examination performed. Medical examination records will play an important role in determining a fair settlement offer.

It is also important to find an experienced truck accident lawyer as soon as you can. Your lawyer will have important work to do that can lead to financial compensation for your injuries and property damage. An attorney can handle the insurance claim process on your behalf.

Truck companies often employ insurance providers who have their own attorneys. Insurance companies are in the business of making profits, and they will often take steps to minimize their financial liability after an accident. A skilled truck accident attorney can help prevent this tactic.

How a Trucking Accident Lawyer Can Help

A personal injury attorney who understands trucking accidents can help you navigate the insurance claim process. This can be a great help when you are dealing with physical injuries. A knowledgeable lawyer can negotiate an appropriate settlement on your behalf. They can work to maximize the highest compensation amount allowable, so you do not have to worry about someone else’s negligence causing a financial burden for you and your family.

Depending on the type of insurance the truck driver has and other factors, you may have grounds for pursuing a personal injury claim in addition to seeking compensation from the driver’s insurance company. The claim could be made against the driver or the trucking company they worked for.

As you recover from your injuries, your lawyer can help you with:

• Gathering evidence: Attorneys gather crucial evidence like police reports, witness statements, and medical records to support their clients’ claims. They’re trained to present compelling evidence to prove liability and the extent of injuries.
• Representation in court: An attorney can settle a car accident case out of court or be prepared for trial if necessary. In court, they’re crucial for presenting your case, cross-examining witnesses, and objecting to any misaligned evidence.
• Emotional support: Though lawyers are not therapists, attorneys provide invaluable knowledge and confidence to clients. This can ease insecurities and reduce stress. Emotional support allows clients to focus on their case responsibilities without worrying about missed deadlines or uncertainties.
• Appeals: Sometimes, the courts make errors in judgment. An attorney can evaluate your chances of winning an appeal if you are unhappy with the case outcome. If you decide to appeal, they can initiate the process and argue in court for why the original verdict should be overturned.

The total amount that you seek from the truck driver and other liable parties can include medical expenses, future medical expenses, compensation for past and future missed work, and compensation for emotional pain and suffering.

FAQs

Q: How Much Are Most Truck Accident Settlements?

A: Though truck accident settlements vary widely, they are often some of the larger settlements that a personal injury attorney negotiates. This is because commercial trucks can easily cause serious injuries or even death. When a large truck is involved in an accident, victims are more likely to experience catastrophic injuries that require extensive medical treatment. Any financial loss suffered by the victims of those accidents can be incorporated into a settlement offer.

Q: Can I Claim Compensation for Emotional Distress?

A: Yes, you can file for emotional distress as part of a vehicular accident claim. It falls under non-economic damages and requires evidence of trauma, anxiety, depression, or other psychological effects documented by a medical professional. Documenting your distress and seeking psychological counseling is crucial for compensation. This evidence will help you and your attorney pursue this additional compensation effectively.

Q: What Is the Average Settlement for an 18-Wheeler Accident in South Carolina?

A: There is no standard truck accident settlement, as each case is unique. However, you can calculate your economic and non-economic damages to estimate your personal injury case’s value.

A truck accident lawyer from our firm can assist you in calculating these damages. Settlements can come from settlements or litigation.

Q: How Do I Look Up an Accident Report in South Carolina?

A: You can request a copy of the accident report from the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. The request can be made online or in person. The collision report provides more comprehensive details than the report you obtained on the day of the collision. You can only obtain an official copy of the collision report if it is available. This official copy becomes accessible once it’s received and processed by the SCDMV.

Q: How Many Car Accidents Occur Each Year in South Carolina?

A: Each year, there are around 150,000 car accidents in South Carolina. Only a small percentage of them are fatal, but many cause serious injuries. South Carolina is an at-fault state when it comes to car and truck accidents, meaning that the person who causes an accident is responsible for paying for any injuries or damage caused.

Schedule Your Sumter Truck Accident Consultation Today

A truck accident in Sumter can leave victims with serious injuries that require immediate medical attention and potential long-term treatments. Anyone involved in a collision will likely require time off of work to recover. During those stressful days and weeks, your truck injury attorney can handle the insurance claim and other matters so you can focus on recovering.

At Deas Law Firm, we work tirelessly to help injured drivers and passengers receive fair compensation for their physical and emotional injuries. We are ready to fight for your rights. Contact our office today to discuss your personal injury case.

Contact Deas Law Firm Today

At Deas Law Firm, we work tirelessly for you to make sure you are fairly compensated on your personal injury case. From slip and fall cases or even catastrophic injury cases, Deas Law Firm is ready to fight for you and your rights. Call us today or fill out the online form to discuss your personal injury case.