Atlanta Truck Accident Lawyers

Information from an Atlanta Auto Accident Attorney

Aside from being large and extremely heavy, tractor trailer and semi-trucks are difficult to maneuver, even under optimal conditions. However, many truck companies pressure their drivers to cover more ground than they should, leading to driver exhaustion and, in some cases, substance abuse. Due to this combination of factors, there are tens of thousands of trucking accidents each year in the United States.

These accidents often tragically result in the innocent occupants of other vehicles suffering serious injuries, property damage, and even wrongful death. Under the law, these victims are entitled to compensation. In the Atlanta area, a skilled auto accident attorney from Zevin & Rosenbloum can help victims of these tragedies obtain the compensation that they deserve. Our practice has decades of experience handling these cases; we have recovered over 100 million dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients.

Common Causes of Trucking Accidents

The most common element in trucking accidents is excessive speed. With such a huge amount of weight in the vehicle, the momentum added by even an incremental increase in speed can lead to serious accidents. Also, if a trailer is unevenly loaded or top heavy, the distribution of weight can affect how the truck performs. Our Atlanta practice, experienced in handling auto, semi-truck , and tractor trailer accident cases, can assign an attorney to help you obtain compensation for losses and expenses resulting from your injuries.

Jackknifing

Jackknifing occurs usually when a semi-truck or tractor trailer is braking hard. The cab can sometimes break loose and skid; because the trailer rolls faster than the cab skids, the trailer can catch up to the cab. The weight of the rolling trailer forces the skidding cab into a sharp angle when this happens, similar to the angle of a folding knife. Jackknifing causes many auto accidents because the truck is sliding at a high speed and at an angle to the flow of traffic.

Rollover

There are two kinds of rollover accidents: tripped and untripped. A tripped rollover occurs when a truck hits a low, fixed object (like a curb) with enough lateral momentum to flip the truck. An untripped rollover happens when a driver tries to turn too sharply with enough speed that the truck’s own momentum causes it to roll. The likelihood of each kind of rollover is directly related to how fast the truck is being driven.

Who is responsible?

The truck driver is the person most often found liable in the case of a truck accident and excess speed is most often the most significant factor in crashes. However, in some cases, the truck company can be held responsible for providing inadequate training or supervision, promoting unsafe policies, or failing to perform routine safety inspections of the truck. Also, people who load a trailer in an unsafe manner can potentially be held liable. Damages can often be obtained, therefore, from a wide range of people and companies.

Contact a Tractor Trailer Accident Attorney

If you have been involved in a trucking accident in the Atlanta area, an auto accident attorney from our office can help you recover compensation for the financial hardships you are currently facing. Our lawyers have more than four decades of collective experience in trucking accident and other types of complex litigation. Please contact our personal injury law office at (404) 522-1616 or (888) 522-1622 to schedule a consultation.