One of the largest and heaviest vehicles on the road today is an 18-wheeler, named as such for the number of wheels present on these vehicles. Those involved in any type of accident with these vehicles need to reach out to a Greenville 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer at the Shelly Leeke Law Firm for hands-on support and guidance in navigating their legal options. As some of the most worrisome of vehicle accidents, you may have a significant financial loss and need an advocate to help you fight for it, so call a Greenville truck accident lawyer today.
Our Truck Accident Lawyers Get Results
When you hire our personal injury lawyer in Greenville, SC, to help you after an 18-wheeler accident, you pay us nothing upfront. You only pay our attorney fees if we win your case for you. We strongly encourage you to make a call now for a free consultation to learn what your rights are in such a challenging accident. Having a highly experienced attorney who knows how to get results makes a big difference.
- Experience in truck accidents: Our 18-wheeler truck accident attorney has the tools and resources to help you navigate maximizing claims.
- Proven results: Over our years of experience, we have worked hard to help our clients recover millions of dollars in losses they suffered through no fault of their own.
- Superior client support: We know you are facing intense injuries and numerous risks, and we provide you with the care and compassion you need during a difficult time.
Large Truck Accidents Are Too Common
There are numerous times when driving down I-85 or I-185, you may see dozens of trucks moving in both directions, moving products from one area of the state to the next. Each one of these trucks carries the risk of causing significant damage to people on the roadways if they fail to meet all levels of safety. The number of accidents we learn about continues to grow, and it is worrisome.
The National Safety Council reports that, in 2021, 5,700 large trucks caused a fatal crash on US roads. When you consider how many more cause serious injury and property damage, you can imagine the financial turmoil these types of incidents can create. If you are a victim, we can help you.
Insurance companies for 18-wheelers are not on your side if you are the victim. We are. When you pair with the Shelly Leeke Law Firm, you gain an advocate ready to fight for you and protect your right to maximum compensation under the law.
Why 18-Wheeler Truck Accidents Happen
As 18-wheeler truck accident lawyers in Greenville, we talk to people who are unsure what occurred to lead to such intense injuries. Truck accidents can occur for many reasons, and often, those injuries can lead to costly, long-term losses. Some of the most common reasons these accidents happen include:
- Fatigued drivers, sometimes working too many hours in a row or without adequate break periods between shifts.
- Distraction-affected crashes, which can occur if the driver is talking on a phone, texting, eating, or otherwise not paying attention to the road.
- Intoxication, including under the influence of drugs (prescription and illegal forms) as well as alcohol.
- Reckless driving, which often includes aggressive driving, closely following others, speeding, or turning illegally.
- Poor performance of a driver is another concern, often brought on by drivers who are inexperienced, especially in challenging situations like bad weather.
- Vehicle failures, which can be brought on by a lack of maintenance and upkeep or mistakes made with repairs.
In many situations, the evidence will point to one of these common causes of truck accidents. To be fair, there are times when other drivers can also cause such accidents. In all situations, if you are injured by a truck, you deserve to have an attorney by your side to fight for compensation with the help of an 18-wheeler truck accident attorney in Greenville.
Key Factors that Make 18-Wheelers So Dangerous
There are numerous vehicles on the road today that are heavy or large, but 18-wheelers are some of the most worrisome to drive next to as they often take up much of a roadway and are moving at rapid speeds. There are a few other reasons these vehicles tend to be dangerous. That includes:
- The amount of cargo they can carry is often significantly more than other vehicles, and if that cargo is not properly placed or positioned, it can cause the truck to falter.
- They are harder to maneuver due to their size and weight, which means an inexperienced driver is more likely to cause an accident if they are behind the wheel.
- They require constant maintenance and upkeep. Even if just one tire bursts, it can cause numerous failures of the system, leading to the vehicle failing.
- Speeds are also a factor. Since 18-wheelers commonly take large loads long distances, they are on the fastest-moving freeways throughout Greenville, and fast speed with any of the above risks creates a big concern.
- Pressure from trucking companies to get a product where it needs to go fast can also be an important factor in why accidents occur.
If you are on the roadway with an 18-wheeler and suffer significant injury from an accident, you deserve to have an attorney who can fight for your best possible outcome. That includes proving that the driver or another party caused this incident. Trust our Greenville 18-wheeler truck accident attorney to help you navigate what comes next.
Proving Fault After an 18-Wheeler Truck Accident
One of the first things you need to do if you have been in a truck accident with these vehicles is to find out who is at fault. As you can see, there are numerous reasons such accidents occur, and it is not always just the driver responsible. Consider a few other common parties that could be at fault in your situation:
- The truck driver: This is the person behind the wheel. Distracted driving, fatigue, and reckless operation of the truck are all reasons the driver is responsible.
- The trucking company: The truck company that employs the driver is responsible for that driver’s actions, experience, and skill, and any violations of the driver’s work time could be the fault of the trucking company.
- The truck owner: If there is a separate owner of the truck from the driver or company, that party could be held responsible for any injuries brought on by poor maintenance and upkeep of the vehicle.
- The third-party loading company: In many cases, 18-wheelers are loaded by third-party organizations, and if they do so improperly, creating an unbalanced load that can lead to cargo loss accidents.
- The manufacturer: There are times when trucks are manufactured in an inferior manner and that can lead to on-the-road accidents, especially if the same types of accidents occur across the company’s line of vehicles.
To prove what occurred in your case, our attorneys will gather all evidence available, and that often means far more than what is presented in the police report. We investigate who is responsible, why, and what evidence exists to prove negligence. In doing so, our 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer in Greenville at Shelly Leeke Law Firm will fight for full compensation for our clients.
Potential Losses in an 18-Wheeler Truck Accident
Those involved in a truck accident will have losses to their person, property, and even their quality of life. The losses you sustain through the fault of another driver are that driver’s responsibility for covering. However, the burden of proof of those losses is on your shoulders specifically.
When you are involved in an 18-wheeler trucking accident, you should do everything you can to get the care you need to recover. Get medical care, go to the specialist, and take the time off work your doctor tells you to. Most of these losses will be a component of your claim and will be paid for by the trucking company’s insurance.
It is critical that you have evidence of the losses you have. Our attorneys will work very closely with you to fully understand the losses you have as well as the impact this incident has had on your life. From there, we will work to calculate losses in the following way.
Economic Losses in a Truck Accident
Common economic losses in a trucking accident include medical bills from the emergency, surgical treatment, ongoing rehab, medication costs, and other losses. Your vehicle damage and lost time at work fall into this category as well.
Non-Economic Losses in a Truck Accident
Non-economic losses in a truck accident are less tangible and more based on interpretation, but they are still viable losses you can often claim. This includes losses such as pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and loss of consortium. In this situation, we look at how this incident impacted your physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as your overall lifespan.
Punitive Damages in a Truck Accident
Your 18-wheeler truck accident may or may not warrant punitive damages, but the chances increase when hiring an attorney. Punitive damages are more likely to be awarded in situations where you are injured due to excessive reckless behavior, intoxication, or another type of act of aggression or intention. These funds are not guaranteed, but they could be important in supporting your needs.
Proving Your Losses to the Court
While you may have a stack of medical bills to present for economic losses, other costs are more difficult to estimate. It can be challenging to put a value on how your quality of life has been hurt or the impact your injuries will have on your mental health. Yet, that is one of the tasks our 18-wheeler truck accident attorneys will work on doing.
To do so, we will use any available evidence and then supplement it with research. We can look at cases like your own and how they were awarded compensation for pain and suffering or emotional loss. We can also talk to family and friends to estimate the impact of your injury on your life.
Our attorneys go further when necessary by speaking to medical experts about the types of injuries you have. They can often discuss the amount of improvement you may have and the long-lasting impact you will have. They can also shed light on the debilitating pain that you now have.
What to Do if You Lost a Family Member in an 18-Wheeler Truck Accident
At the Shelly Leeke Law Firm, we work to provide families of those victims of fatal accidents with peace of mind and aggressive legal support. What you are facing is not fair, and it is nothing you should try to navigate yourself. If you are a close family member of someone who died in an 18-wheeler accident, reach out to us.
Our wrongful death attorneys can calculate fault and financial loss in several ways. We will determine what the final costs associated with a person’s life may have been. This likely includes medical bills, burial and funeral costs, lost wages, and other costs.
From there, we also look at the impact on you, especially if you are a dependent of that person. We calculate the loss of relationships, support, and companionship. Then, we fight hard to help you recover the losses you have, ensuring that you are never faced with a lack of insight and support in such a tragic situation.
Schedule a Consultation with an 18-Wheeler Truck Accident Lawyer in Greenville Now
When you meet with our Greenville 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer, you gain instant support and compassion from a team that really does care about your best outcome. We provide a free consultation with no obligation to work with us if you are not sure it is the right decision for you. Most importantly, you can get the information and guidance you need without risk when you reach out to the Shelly Leeke Law Firm now.
