When an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer truck collides with a much smaller passenger vehicle in Georgia, the results are often devastating for the occupants of the car. It’s reasonable to expect that semi-truck drivers are able to operate their vehicles responsibly. Unfortunately, many tractor-trailer accidents in Georgia result from truck drivers’ negligence on Interstate 75, Interstate 575, State Route 5, and other multi-lane, high-speed freeways in the area.
If you’ve been seriously injured in a semi-truck accident caused by someone else in Canton, Woodstock, Holly Springs, or another North Georgia town, the Holly Springs truck accident lawyers at Geiger Legal Group, LLC are ready to help you.
While truck accidents can happen due to a wide array of factors, they’re often the result of negligence on the part of the truck driver, trucking company, truck manufacturer, cargo loader, or someone else. The knowledgeable Georgia personal injury lawyers at Geiger Legal Group, LLC can identify all the liable parties and work to hold them responsible.
The Georgia truck accident lawyers of Geiger Legal Group, LLC work hard to ensure our clients and their families receive not only the best legal representation but also the best support and medical treatment following an accident. We’ve secured millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for Georgia clients. We’re ready to fight tirelessly for the maximum compensation you deserve.
Head-on Collisions
A head-on collision with a semi-truck is a particularly dangerous type of accident. Large semi-trucks are significantly heavier than passenger cars. Often, the occupants of the passenger vehicle suffer severe or even fatal injuries as a result of the truck’s head-on impact.
The vast majority of head-on collisions are caused by driver error. Common causes of head-on accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued driving
- Failing to adjust speed for inclement weather and low visibility
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Ignoring traffic signals
- Using poor technique when overtaking a vehicle
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions involving large semi-trucks can happen due to a variety of reasons, including:
- Following too closely or tailgating
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Defective or poorly maintained brakes
- Driver fatigue
- Drug or alcohol intoxication
- Work zones
- Multi-vehicle pileups
Tire Blowouts
A vehicle of significant size and weight puts an enormous amount of pressure on its tires. If there’s any wear on the tires, a serious blowout could result. When a tire blows out, the truck driver may swerve and crash into other vehicles. They might panic and lose control of their vehicle altogether.
There is also danger from the flying debris. A tire blowout can send pieces of the tire into traffic. These pieces are often large and can damage other vehicles when they strike them. If a vehicle swerves to avoid the debris, that can cause a crash as well.
Many tire blowout accidents are the result of the truck driver, trucking company, or maintenance team’s negligence. That means the crash could have been prevented with proper care.
Jackknife Truck Accidents
One of the most common and deadly types of trailer truck accidents is the jackknife accident. Jackknifing occurs when the trailer part of a tractor-trailer moves independently of the tractor that is pulling it and swings out to the left or right – like the folded blade of a jackknife.
Jackknife accidents typically occur when the driver brakes suddenly or their brakes lock up. When the truck driver loses complete control of the vehicle, a devastating crash can result, causing vehicular damage, severe injuries, and even death.
Many jackknife accidents occur because the truck driver engages in negligent driving behaviors, including:
- Sudden maneuvers
- Speeding
- Driving recklessly
- Traveling too fast for the weather conditions
- Failing to turn the truck in the proper manner
- Driving on tires that are worn out
- Attempting to turn while speeding
- Slamming on the brakes
- Loading the truck improperly, which affects its center of gravity
Blind Spot Accidents
Every vehicle has blind spots that inhibit sight in the back, front, and sides. Drivers use side and rear-view mirrors to minimize these blind spots, but if a driver is careless, these blind spots can be significant hazards.
The same is true for truck drivers and their blind spots. A truck’s blind spots are significantly larger than the ones most drivers of smaller passenger vehicles are used to.
Many blind spot accidents are the result of negligent truck drivers. A driver may cause one of these accidents when they:
- Fail to properly align their mirrors to reduce the blind spots
- Fail to install the necessary mirrors properly
- Fail to watch for other vehicles
- Fail to check blind spots prior to making a turn or maneuvering
- Drive while fatigued
- Are hired despite lacking the proper training or qualifications to drive a commercial truck
- Drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Fail to install proper safety technology such as front, side, and rear collision avoidance systems
Truck Rollovers
Truck rollovers happen when a truck falls onto its side, lands upside down, or rolls over completely. It’s often caused by avoidance measures taken when a car and truck are about to hit head-on. Both vehicles will swerve quickly to avoid an accident.
Instead, the truck is thrust onto its side. Rollovers can cause serious or fatal injuries for both the truck drivers and other people on the road. When the truck strikes another vehicle, the damage is often catastrophic.
Common causes of semi-truck rollover accidents include:
- Driving too fast to negotiate a curve safely
- Truck driver error
- Sudden changes in steering
- Improperly loaded or improperly secured cargo
T-Bone Accidents
T-bone accidents – which are sometimes referred to as side-impact accidents, angle collisions, and broadside collisions – usually occur at intersections. A truck driver who runs a red light or drives through a stop sign could cause a T-bone accident. The crashes can result in serious injuries for the drivers and passengers they impact.
The most common causes of T-bone accidents include:
- The failure of a truck driver to yield the right of way at an intersection
- The truck driver speeding
- The failure of a truck driver to make a safe and legal left turn
- The failure of a truck driver to stop at a stop sign or red light
- A driver being distracted by their phone, food, or something else that takes their eyes off the road
- A truck driver operating their vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Brake failure or another defective truck part
Underride Accidents
An underride accident happens when a car collides with a semi-truck from the rear or side and slides underneath the truck. Because the truck is higher off the ground than the car, the top and front of the car could be crushed. This serious kind of accident often leads to fatalities.
An underride accident can be caused by:
- A truck driver making improper turns
- A truck driver failing to signal when turning
- A truck driver making improper lane changes
- A truck stopping suddenly
- A truck’s inconsistent speed
- A vehicle in the truck’s blind spot when the truck switches lanes
Contact a Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Canton, GA Today
At Geiger Legal Group, LLC, our Holly Springs semi-truck accident lawyers understand the complexities involved in all of these types of truck accidents. We know how difficult the aftermath can be for you and your family. Don’t stress over bills and your future alone. Contact legal professionals who can help.
Our compassionate Cherokee County tractor-trailer accident lawyers will work hard to pursue the compensation you’re entitled to that can cover your missed work, medical expenses, and pain and suffering, and other losses. We’ll determine all the parties liable for your injuries and demand that they pay what you’re owed.
If you were injured in a truck accident caused by someone else’s negligence in Georgia, you have a right to seek just compensation. The skilled and compassionate Georgia truck accident lawyers at Geiger Legal Group, LLC are committed to helping you seek the monetary damages you need to get your life back on track.
Call us now to set up a free and confidential consultation.
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