Semi-truck accidents often come with especially tragic outcomes. From physical injuries to emotional suffering to financial chaos, victims face tremendous loss. These accidents also come with unique complexities. Untangling the event to discover the cause of the accident and where fault lies is a complicated process, and when victims are not prepared to manage successfully. If you find yourself or a loved one in this overwhelming situation, connect with a South Carolina truck accident lawyer from Shelly Leeke Law Firm right away–we are ready to help.
An experienced South Carolina semi-truck accident lawyer will review your case for free. Once we enter a legal partnership, our team will take on all legalities and costs of your case, collecting no fees until we deliver you a settlement or trial verdict. Our positive client testimonials and track record of success show that we are prepared to meet the challenges of your case, providing you with compassionate support throughout the process.
Collecting Evidence for a Semi-Truck Accident Case
Any motor-vehicle crash is capable of producing severe injury and property damage, but the unique characteristics of semi trucks and their operation present particular dangers, causing accidents a South Carolina car accident lawyer can help you sue for.
Your attorney will also likely send an evidence preservation letter to secure the information included in the semi-truck’s “black box.” The black box is the truck’s electronic recording device (ERD) and contains evidence of the moments preceding the accident, among other information. For example, the black box can show the truck’s speed, the operator’s steering and braking maneuvers, or reveal a vehicle or part malfunctioning.
Count on your semi-truck accident lawyer in South Carolina to contact witnesses, access other available camera footage (from traffic, security, or dashcams), consult with other relevant experts, your medical team, and any other sources that can support your claim. Convincing cases are built on convincing evidence. Our team knows what kinds of evidence to look for, where to find it, and how to present it.
Why Semi-Trucks Present Particular Dangers
After your accident, get in touch with a South Carolina semi-truck accident attorney. Your South Carolina personal injury lawyer will immediately begin collecting evidence to support your truck accident case. Since the trucking industry is highly regulated, you need an attorney familiar with these regulations who can expose and prove any failures in compliance.
Size and Cargo
Semi-trucks are massive–a fully loaded vehicle can weigh in at 80,000 pounds. The average small car weighs only 2,600 pounds, and the average large car 4,094 pounds, according to Consumer Affairs. Clearly, even accidents involving only “moderate” hits by a semi-truck pose a substantial threat to these smaller vehicles and their occupants–for cyclists or pedestrians who lack the protection of a car’s body and safety features, even minor hits can be catastrophic.
The cargo loaded into the semi-truck’s trailer adds to potential damage. Some trucks carry hazardous materials, including gasoline or other flammable chemicals that burst into flames or can generate explosions from sparks caused by the impact. Even if the cargo itself is not hazardous, improperly secured loads, unbalanced loads, or too-heavy loads can make trucks difficult to control, causing jackknife or rollover accidents.
Road Conditions More Difficult to Manage
Semi-trucks travel long distances, and operators must contend with a variety of road conditions. Steep inclines or descents and sharp turns can prove difficult to navigate. Choppy road surfaces can lead to tire blowouts.
Weather also affects visibility and road surfaces. High winds in more open areas can make it difficult to keep on course, and dust storms or torrential rains limit visibility. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires operators to adjust based on weather conditions, and lack of compliance can lead to disaster.
Truck Driver and Company Errors
Though truck drivers and companies must follow all FMCSA regulations for safe truck operation and maintenance, errors or intentional acts of non-compliance still occur. Sometimes, drivers are put under pressure to get the job done faster by overloading trailers or driving past the allowed hours of operation and foregoing mandatory rest periods. Other times, a driver may simply make an error, perhaps following too closely behind another vehicle or failing to complete a before-drive inspection and missing a vehicle problem that later causes an accident.
Other Steps Your Attorney Will Take
After gathering evidence to identify the at-fault party and prove their negligence caused the accident, your semi-truck accident attorney in South Carolina will file your injury claim. You often do not have to go to court for a truck accident as many cases are resolved through negotiations, but it is still critical to file your claim within South Carolina’s legal deadline of three years, as established in §15-3-530 of Article 5. This filing shows the at-fault party you are prepared to fight in court, may prompt more productive negotiations, and preserve your opportunity to go to court should negotiations fail.
Your attorney will calculate the damages you can collect after a truck accident amount by assessing your losses in detail. Your medical costs, income losses, property damage, and other financial losses or burdens generated by the accident are factored into the amount. Non-economic losses, including your pain, emotional suffering, and diminished quality of life, are also part of the equation.
The Shelly Leeke team is comprised fierce negotiators who know your rights, the value of your case, South Carolina’s laws, and FMCSA regulations. Armed with this knowledge and years of experience, we will not be intimidated into accepting lowball offers from those representing the truck drivers or trucking companies responsible for your truck accident. We will fight to get you the substantial settlement you deserve, and if the other side refuses that justice, we are prepared to meet them in court and continue the fight there.
Getting the Exceptional Legal Help You Deserve
South Carolina’s injury victims have rights, and Shelly Leeke is here to uphold those rights and get you fairly compensated for your accident-related losses. Our experienced team is ready to take on the negligent party or parties who have cost you damages, demanding their financial accountability. Put your injury claim in the hands of a strategic, dedicated South Carolina semi-truck accident lawyer from our firm. We will fight for the justice you deserve.
