Sandy Springs Side-Impact Truck Accident Lawyer
A side-impact collision, commonly known as a T-bone accident, can have devastating consequences. When one vehicle involved in the crash is a commercial vehicle, the consequences could be especially catastrophic.
The side panels and doors of a passenger vehicle offers little in the way of protection during a crash. While there is significant cushioning built into the front or rear of a car, there are only a matter of inches that separate a driver from the large truck colliding with the side of their car.
When these injuries occur, a skilled truck crash attorney could help a victim recover the damages they are entitled to. To learn more about the strength of your injury claim, reach out to a Sandy Springs side-impact truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Common Factors Resulting in a T-Bone Truck Accident
There is no blueprint for how a side-impact collision might occur. However, most of these crashes occur when two roads intersect. The potential is highest when a vehicle enters an intersection without having the right of way. If traveling at full speed, the impact a commercial truck has on the side of a passenger vehicle could be significant. Some of the factors that commonly result in a side-impact truck crash include:
- Speeding through an intersection;
- Running a red light;
- Turning across traffic;
- Drunk driving;
- Distracted driving; and
- Rolling Stops.
Legal Duties of a Sandy Springs Truck Driver
Every driver owes the other operators, passengers, and pedestrians on or around the road a duty to dive safely. When a driver violates this duty, it could be grounds for a personal injury claim.
Commercial truck drivers face the same duties as any other driver. However, they also have other legal requirements and regulations that do not apply to the drivers of passenger vehicles. For example, truck drivers in Sandy Springs are limited in the number of hours they can operate their vehicle during any given day or week. Violating these hours of operation requirements or the rules about documenting breaks from driving could be evidence of negligence.
Commercial truck drivers also face stricter alcohol limits compared to drivers of passenger vehicles. While it is unlawful for most drivers to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or more, truck drivers cannot drive with a BAC of .04 or higher. A side-impact truck accident lawyer in Sandy Springs could use evidence of intoxication against a truck driver in a side impact crash lawsuit.
Shared Fault in a Side-Impact Crash
The truck driver is not always entirely at fault in a side impact crash lawsuit. In some cases, the injured party could share some of the blame. Georgia has adopted a legal standard known as modified comparative fault. Under this rule, an injured driver could recover compensation as long as they are no more than 49 percent at fault for the crash.
The modified comparative fault rule also impacts the recovery for injured individuals who were partially at fault but below the 50 percent threshold. In these cases, the jury could reduce a person’s damage award by their percentage of fault. A Sandy Springs attorney handling a side-impact truck crash lawsuit could make the case to a jury that a person had little to no responsibility for the crash. Therefore, injured victims should reach out to a well-versed lawyer who could help right away.
Contact a Sandy Springs Side-Impact Truck Accident Lawyer
The potential cost of recovering from injuries following a side impact truck crash accident can be devastating. Even if you were partially at fault for an accident, you could recover some of the damages you deserve.
If you suffered an injury in a T-bone crash, do not hesitate to seek guidance from a Sandy Springs side-impact truck accident lawyer. Schedule a free consultation to get started.
