Large commercial trucks pose significant dangers on Georgia’s highways and local roads. When 18-wheelers collide with passenger cars, the results are often devastating, leaving victims with serious injuries, hefty healthcare bills, and uncertain futures.
If you suffered injuries in a truck accident in Macon, call Calvin Smith Law at (478) 216-2210 to schedule a free case review with an experienced Macon truck accident attorney today. We will determine the best strategy for maximizing your recovery.
Let Calvin Smith Law Fight for Your Right to Full Compensation
Our Macon truck accident lawyer team boasts over thirty years of combined experience serving truck accident victims in Macon and throughout Georgia. Our dedicated attorneys have secured over $1 billion for injury clients just like you. You can trust Calvin Smith Law to ensure that your case receives the time and attention necessary for achieving the best possible outcome.
Our Macon Truck Accident Lawyer Team Is Always Available
Our Macon truck accident attorney team is available 24/7, all 365 days of the year (including holidays and weekends), to review your case and answer your questions. At Calvin Smith Law, we understand that you may be suffering serious injuries that make it challenging to travel to our office. That’s why we travel to injury victims in Macon and throughout Georgia.
Our Firm Makes Quality Legal Representation Affordable
We work within contingency fee arrangements to ensure our clients pay no upfront or out-of-pocket costs. These arrangements stipulate that we only collect our attorney fees if we successfully recover compensation for your truck accident case. With zero financial risk in retaining our services, you can trust that our attorneys’ interests are aligned with yours. We only get paid when you do.
Our Legal Team Ensures Comprehensive Investigations
Truck accidents require prompt investigations to identify all responsible parties and establish liability. They involve substantial evidence that must be gathered and preserved before it is lost or destroyed. Our attorneys understand the complexities of federal trucking regulations and how violations can impact your claim. Our investigative services include:
- Accident Scene Analysis: We examine physical evidence, road conditions, and environmental factors that may have contributed to the crash.
- Electronic Data Recovery: Our attorneys retrieve information from the truck’s electronic logging device, GPS systems, and onboard computers to establish driver behavior and compliance with federal regulations.
- Driver History Review: We investigate the truck driver’s employment records, training history, and previous violations to identify patterns of negligence.
- Vehicle Maintenance Records: Our legal team examines the truck’s maintenance history to determine if mechanical failures or inadequate upkeep contributed to the accident.
- Witness Interviews: We locate witnesses to gather testimony supporting your version of events.
- Medical Documentation: We work with healthcare providers to thoroughly document your injuries and their long-term impact on your life.
- Expert Consultation: Our lawyers collaborate with a network of industry experts, including accident reconstruction specialists, electronic logging device experts, and trucking industry professionals. Expert witness testimony is invaluable for your case.
Trucking companies and their insurance carriers often have teams of lawyers working to minimize their liability, which is why we thoroughly investigate every aspect of your accident. Georgia’s statute of limitations for filing truck accident claims is two years from the date of the collision.
Don’t wait to speak to a qualified attorney; call Calvin Smith Law at (478) 216-2210 to schedule your free case review with a trusted Macon truck accident lawyer. Our Macon Office is conveniently located at:
Macon Office
544 Mulberry Street Suite 312
Macon, GA 31201
Truck Accident Compensation
When you’ve been injured in a semi-truck collision, you may be entitled to compensatory damages that address both the financial and personal losses you’ve suffered. Our Macon truck accident attorneys collaborate with industry experts, including economists, medical professionals, and vocational rehabilitation specialists, to ensure your claim is accurately valued so that you receive the full compensation for your claim.
Economic Damages
Economic damages make up the financial losses you’ve incurred due to the truck accident. They involve all relevant out-of-pocket expenses an injury victim experiences. Economic damages are easier to calculate because they involve actual monetary costs and losses. Depending on the nature of the collision and injuries, they may include the following:
- Medical Expenses: Medical costs can quickly accumulate following a commercial truck collision, especially when serious injuries require emergency treatment, surgery, or extended rehabilitation. We work to recover compensation for all medical bills, including hospitalizations, doctor visits, rehabilitation services, prescription medications, and long-term medical care needs.
- Lost Income: When injuries prevent you from working, the loss of income can create significant financial hardship for you and your family. We may recover lost earnings, including overtime, commissions, tips, and benefits, such as healthcare and retirement.
- Diminished Earning Capacity: We calculate not only the income you’ve already lost but also your reduced earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job or working at full capacity.
- Property Damage: Truck accidents often result in total destruction of passenger vehicles due to the size and weight difference between commercial trucks and cars. We help you recover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle, as well as any personal property that was damaged in the accident.
- Household Services: When injuries prevent you from performing daily household tasks and activities, you may be entitled to compensation for the cost of hiring help or for the value of services you can no longer provide.
Truck accident victims must keep all paperwork documenting their economic losses, including medical bills, vehicle-repair invoices, and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses. These frequently involve transportation costs to and from medical appointments and home and vehicle modifications to accommodate disability.
Non-Economic Damages
Unlike economic damages, the non-economic damages in your case don’t come with a price tag or receipt. These damages recognize the human cost of your accident beyond the financial burden. Depending on the severity of your injuries and their impact on daily life, our truck accident attorneys assess and recover the following losses:
- Physical pain and suffering, including chronic pain conditions
- Emotional distress and psychological impact
- Development of semiochophobia (fear of semi-trucks)
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Humiliation and loss of self-esteem
- Diminished quality of life (needing assistance with basic tasks)
- Scarring, disfigurement, and disability
- Loss of consortium (impact on relationships with spouse and family)
- Lost years for shortened life expectancy
While these damages are more challenging to quantify, they represent a significant portion of your settlement. At Calvin Smith Law, our Macon truck accident lawyer team knows how to effectively communicate the full impact of your injuries to ensure you receive maximum recovery for these intangible losses. Injury victims should document their pain and suffering in a post-accident journal, keeping consistent, dated, and detailed entries highlighting their injury symptoms.
Wrongful Death Benefits
When a Macon truck accident results in the tragic loss of life, surviving family members may be entitled to wrongful death benefits. These benefits can include compensation for funeral expenses, loss of future earnings, loss of companionship, and other damages related to the loss of your loved one. Our legal team handles these sensitive cases with the compassion and extra care they deserve. Trust us to deal with the legal aspects while you grieve and prioritize your family’s needs.
Punitive Damages
In collision cases where the truck driver or the trucking company’s conduct was particularly egregious, punitive damages may be possible. They are designed to punish the wrongdoer instead of compensating specific losses. Truck accident victims shouldn’t count on these damages being part of their compensation package, as they are only awarded in roughly five percent of all verdicts.
Types of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can occur in various ways, each presenting unique challenges for victims and their families. Understanding the type of accident you’ve experienced helps our attorneys develop the most effective legal strategy for your case. Common types of accidents with big rigs are as follows:
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Jackknife accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Blind spot accidents
- Wide turn accidents
- Underride accidents
- Cargo spill accidents
- Tire blowout accidents
- Brake failure accidents
Each type of accident requires different investigative approaches and legal strategies. At Calvin Law Smith, our team understands the unique aspects of each accident type and how to build the strongest possible case based on the circumstances of your crash. We tailor our approach to ensure no detail is overlooked, maximizing your chances for a successful outcome.
Who Is Liable in Macon Truck Accidents?
Determining liability in tractor-trailer collisions can be complex because multiple parties frequently share responsibility for the crash. We conduct comprehensive investigations to identify all potentially liable parties to ensure accountability and justice and maximize your recovery. Potentially liable parties include:
- Truck Driver: May be liable for violations of traffic laws, hours of service regulations, or driving under the influence. Driver negligence is often a primary factor in semi-truck collisions, whether due to fatigue, distraction, or poor judgment.
- Trucking Company: Can be held responsible for inadequate driver training, failure to maintain vehicles, or pressuring drivers to violate safety regulations. Companies may also be liable for hiring drivers with poor safety records or failing to conduct proper background checks. Additionally, vicarious liability laws hold trucking companies responsible for their employees’ negligence.
- Truck Manufacturer: May be liable if defective truck parts or design flaws contributed to the accident. Manufacturing defects in brakes, tires, or other critical components can lead to catastrophic failures.
- Cargo Loading Company: Can be held responsible for improperly loaded or unsecured cargo that shifts during transport. Overloading or uneven weight distribution can cause trucks to become unstable and difficult to control.
- Maintenance Company: May be liable if inadequate maintenance or repairs contributed to the accident. Regular maintenance is required for safe truck operation, and failures in this area can have deadly consequences.
- Government Entities: Can be held responsible for dangerous road conditions, inadequate signage, or poor road design. Construction zones and road defects can contribute to truck accidents, especially when proper warnings aren’t provided.
Identifying all liable parties is essential for ensuring you receive full compensation for your injuries. Our attorneys have the resources and experience necessary to investigate all potential sources of liability and hold the responsible parties accountable. You shouldn’t absorb costs relating to your accident, especially when it wasn’t your fault.
Our Macon Truck Accident Lawyers Won’t Settle for Less Than You Deserve
Insurance companies representing trucking companies and their drivers often employ aggressive tactics to minimize payouts and protect their bottom line. Their corporate layered insurance policies can be much more challenging to navigate, as they are designed to be. Our Macon truck accident attorneys understand these tactics and fight for full settlement offers. Common insurance company tactics include the following:
- Denying valid claims
- Rushing you to settle before you’ve recovered from your injuries
- Minimizing your injuries
- Blaming you for either partial or total liability for the accident
- Delaying the claims process
- Requesting excessive documentation
- Pressuring you to provide recorded statements that they can twist and use against you
- Using your social media against you
- Offering lowball settlements
- Questioning your medical treatment
- Surveillance tactics
- Disputing medical bills
When insurers refuse to make reasonable settlement offers, our attorneys are prepared to litigate your case. We have extensive trial experience and aren’t afraid to fight for your rights before a judge and jury. Insurance claims adjusters know we mean business, frequently motivating them to offer fair settlements rather than risk unfavorable verdicts.
Schedule a Free Case Review With a Macon Truck Accident Lawyer
Don’t attempt to fight insurance companies alone. You can’t trust them to offer full settlements without quality legal representation. Call Calvin Smith Law at (478) 216-2210 to schedule a free case review with a trusted personal injury lawyer in Macon who aggressively negotiates with insurance companies regularly. We will fight for your rights and ensure you receive a fair settlement. Remember, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case. You can trust us to handle the legal complexities while you focus on your recovery and getting your life back on track.
