Truck Accident Injuries

It’s a rare truck accident that passenger car occupants walk away unscathed. Most crashes involving vehicles over 10,000 pounds are to result in some type of bodily injury.

Truck crash victims often experience catastrophic injuries, which sometimes prove fatal. Injury lawyer in Atlanta Stephen M. Ozcomert is committed to pursuing the maximum compensation for victims of negligent truckers and motor carriers.

You should know: It’s not uncommon to see the trucking company’s investigator at the crash site even before you leave in an ambulance. While you must seek prompt medication attention (and in some cases, may not have a choice about it), ensuring fair compensation later means you need an advocate now who is just as experienced and committed to you as those companies are to their bottom line.

One of the ways we make sure you receive the compensation owed to you is to conduct a meticulous and proper accounting of all your injuries. Our early involvement in your case can ensure your truck accident injuries are accurately documented for future use in settlement negotiations or litigation. While some law firms may be eager to settle claims quickly, we are committed to preparing your case for trial if that’s what’s in your best interests.

Georgia Trucking Accident Injuries

The Georgia Governor’s Highway Safety Office reports there are anywhere from 1,100 to 1,700 traffic fatalities statewide every year. At best, that’s three every day. In terms of trucking accidents fatalities, there are roughly 180 annually, which breaks down to about one every other day. Hundreds more suffer serious and often life-altering injuries from which they may never fully recover.

Some of the more common truck accident injuries include:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Back and Neck Injuries
• Paralysis and Spinal Injuries
• Broken Bones
• Internal Injuries
• Rib and torso injuries
• Catastrophic Injuries
• Fatal Truck Accidents

Large trucks account for roughly 8 percent of highway traffic in the U.S., and yet are involved in 11 percent of deadly crashes. That’s according to a study published in the International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion. That study found that when truck volume increased by just 1 percent, the rate of severe crashes rose disproportionately by nearly double that. The speed of the trucks was associated with a higher severity of crash, which meant greater injuries. Speeds above 45 mph were shown to double the risk of a deadly crash.

Longer combination trucks were generally the most at risk of a crash given the driver’s restricted view of the right. Inclement weather intensified the risk of serious injuries also, with extreme rain and snow doubling it. But of course, it is incumbent upon drivers to adjust their speed and degree of caution to existing road conditions.

Given the severity of injuries truck accidents cause and the mandated bodily injury insurance coverage that is required of commercial carriers (FMCSA sets minimums of $750,000 to $5 million, depending on the load size), these cases are often high stakes. Our Atlanta truck accident attorneys are dedicated to helping truck accident victims obtain the maximum compensation for their injuries and losses.

Vehicle Mismatch and Injury Patterns

We know that when there is a disparity between vehicle sizes in a collision, damage to occupants of the smaller vehicle are often outsized.

A fully-loaded semi-truck can way upwards of 80,00 pounds, while most cars weigh about 3,000 pounds. That means when large trucks collide with passenger cars or even sport utility vehicles or light trucks, occupants of the smaller vehicle tend to absorb the brunt of the impact.

In one study published in the journal Accident Analysis & Prevention that looked at the impact of vehicle mismatch just between passenger vehicles and light-weight trucks and sport utility vehicles, the relative risk of death for smaller vehicle passengers was three to four times greater when they crashed with a light-weight truck as opposed to another smaller vehicle. Common injuries in those cases where there was frontal impact were head injuries, chest injuries and severe lower extremity fractures. The risk of serious injuries in crashes with large trucks is that much more pronounced.

Another thing to consider is that truck accidents are often multi-faceted incidents. There may be more than one defendant involved, and it’s important to identify them all to ensure you are properly compensated.

If you have been injured in a Georgia truck accident, contact Atlanta Truck Accident Attorney Stephen M. Ozcomert at (404) 370-1000.