Albany truck sideswipe accident lawyer

Most drivers have experienced this terrifying situation: You’re driving along on a four-lane road when suddenly, a semi-truck tries to wedge its way into your lane. You honk, but the truck keeps coming. You might be pushed off the road into a ditch or a swamp, or your vehicle might flip from the impact.

Whatever the situation, if you were injured in a semi-truck sideswipe you may be eligible for full compensation to pay your medical bills, make up for lost income, and more. With a skilled Albany sideswipe truck accident lawyer from Shrable Law Firm, P.C. by your side, you can maximize your restitution and get the legal support you need to get through these difficult times.

Contact our office for a free consultation today and learn more about how much your claim may be worth, what to expect in the process, and how long it might be before your case is resolved. Call (229) 349-6291 now.

Why are truck sideswipes so dangerous?

Semi-trucks can legally weigh up to 80,000 pounds, although many illegally exceed this weight to meet company demands. The force present in a sideswipe between two four-thousand-pound passenger vehicles is already significant, but replace one of the vehicles with an 80,000-pound semi-truck barrelling along at 60 mph and you can see why truck sideswipes are often fatal.

This is not only due to the sheer weight of the truck, but the close proximity of the body of the truck to the person sitting in the other car.

When someone is rear-ended, several feet of metal, cushion, and other materials separate them from the vehicle that hit them. But in a sideswipe, all of that “padding” is gone – only an inch or two of metal protects them from an impact of 80,000 pounds. 

How our Albany sideswipe accident lawyer can help

When you have an experienced Albany truck accident attorney on your side, you maximize your ability to recover full compensation, as well as ensure the truck driver is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Your injuries may make it difficult or impossible for you to focus on anything other than your healing process at this time. 

However, the sooner you get started on your case, the better. When you hire a sideswipe truck accident attorney to advocate for your rights, you can devote more of your time to occupational and physical therapy, medical treatments, and the healing process while your lawyer works on building a powerful case against the liable party.

Some of the most important ways we benefit your case include providing legal guidance and support with the following:

• Investigating the cause of your sideswipe accident
• Establishing liability for your injuries
• Gathering valuable evidence to prove fault for the truck sideswipe and resulting injuries
• Quantifying your damages and calculating the value of your sideswipe accident claim
• Handling communication with insurance adjusters and holding insurance companies accountable when they handle your claim in bad faith
• Preparing necessary court documents and filings
• Providing you with case status updates regularly
• Presenting your semi-truck sideswipe claim at trial when insurance is insufficient or impossible

Make sure you file a claim on time

You must file your sideswipe accident claim before the statute of limitations expires. Georgia law allows a maximum of two years to pass from the date of the accident before this deadline. If your claim is not filed before then, the court system will refuse to hear your case, and you will no longer have the right to compensation through a trial.

Damages you may be able to recover

You have the right to be made whole and reimbursed for every loss after a sideswipe accident. Examples of economic damages and non-economic damages that may be recovered include:

• Vehicle damages
• Lost income
• Reduced quality of life
• Psychological distress
• Loss of consortium
• Personal property damages
• Medical bills
• Physical pain and suffering

Common causes of truck sideswipe collisions in Albany, GA

Establishing liability is crucial in any car accident or sideswiped collision claim. In most cases, sideswipe accidents occur due to the negligence of the driver that hit you.

Truck driver negligence

Negligence can take many forms in semi-truck sideswipes, but exhaustion due to the demands of truck companies is an overwhelmingly common culprit.

Some other examples of negligent driving in truck sideswipe collisions include:

• Driving over the speed limit
• Drunk or drugged driving
• Driving while fatigued
• Failure to yield to the right of way or stop
• Making unlawful turns
• Traffic violations
• Aggressive or reckless driving

Poor driving practices are not the only cause of sideswipe accidents. When you are sideswiped by another driver, you may initially believe they are responsible. However, this may not always be the case. In some instances, mechanical defects within the tractor-trailer can cause injuries. 

Mechanical defects

It is not uncommon for steering columns, airbag inflators, seatbelts, braking systems, ignitions, tires, and other vehicle parts to malfunction, causing devastating sideswipe accidents. In this case, the trucker may not have been able to avoid crashing into you.

However, unavoidability isn’t an excuse – the danger of sideswipe collisions is the exact reason why truck companies are required to perform regular and thorough inspections of their vehicles.

Dangerous road conditions

You might also have grounds for legal action if your sideswipe accident was caused by dangerous conditions on the Albany roadways.

For example, if the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) failed to fill potholes after repeated complaints of tire damage, you might have grounds for legal action against the GDOT. Other examples of hazardous road conditions that could cause sideswipe accidents include:

• Missing street signs
• Lack of sufficient lighting
• Failure to make road repairs
• Failure to repair traffic lights
• Unsecured road construction work

These are just a few examples of the potential causes of your sideswipe truck accident injuries. After a careful analysis of the details of your case, our investigation will uncover the identities of anyone and everyone who should be held accountable for your losses.

Common injuries in sideswipe collisions

Some of the most common injuries seen in truck sideswipe crashes include:

• Brain injuries and concussions
• Neck and back injuries
• Bone fractures
• Internal injuries

Brain injuries and concussions

When you are sideswiped, it can cause your brain to move back and forth rapidly in your head or may cause a sudden impact resulting in traumatic brain injury. If you suffer a TBI, you may experience headaches, confusion, light sensitivity, nausea, and other symptoms due to your brain injuries.

You might also be stuck dealing with permanent disability or cognitive impairments due to the extent of your brain trauma.

Neck and back injuries

When your head is forcefully thrown forwards or backward, or side to side due to your sideswipe accident, it can cause substantial damage to the tendons, ligaments, and muscles in your neck.

This could result in a whiplash injury that could result in chronic pain and nerve damage. You also could suffer spinal cord injuries, herniated discs, muscle strain or sprain, paralysis, or fractures that limit your mobility and could cause permanent disability.

Bone fractures

One of the most common types of injury seen in sideswipe accidents is bone fractures. These most frequently occur since the sideswipe collision causes an excessive force on the body. Sideswipe accidents often result in collarbone, rib, leg, or arm fractures.

In more minor sideswipe accidents, you might see hairline fractures, whereas severe sideswipe collisions may cause compound fractures that reduce your mobility and lead to chronic excruciating pain. It’s important to note that truck crashes rarely involve minor injuries.

Internal injuries

In the aftermath of your sideswipe accident, it is crucial to obtain medical treatment. One of the most common types of injuries that are left untreated or internal injuries. This could include damage to the lungs, kidneys, spleen, liver, or other organs.

Without treatment, they could be life-threatening. You might experience lightheadedness, blood in your urine, or trouble bleeding in addition to your abdominal pain as the adrenaline coursing through your body settles down and you begin to feel the full extent of the injuries you sustained.

Where do most sideswipes occur?

Most truck sideswipe collisions occur on highways where truckers can travel at significantly higher speeds. Truck drivers can cause sideswipe accidents when they are driving while distracted and realize they are about to strike another vehicle, swerving to avoid a collision.

Hurt in a sideswipe? Our Albany truck sideswipe accident lawyers can help.

Your sideswipe accident injuries could have a lasting impact on your life. Do not get stuck covering the expenses and figuring out how to escape financial ruin due to someone else’s negligence. 

Schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation today to learn more about what is next for your sideswipe accident lawsuit and insurance claims. You can reach Shrable Law Firm, P.C. by calling (229) 349-6291 or through our secured contact form to get started.