Car accidents alone are terrifying experiences in themselves. Imagine that same terrifying experience, but multiplied by ten. That is what it is like to involved in a motor vehicle collision with a truck. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, there are a couple of things you need to know.
First things first…
First, since you were involved in a collision with a much larger vehicle, you are probably going to need treatment for the injuries you suffered. Get yourself checked out by a qualified medical professional as soon as possible! Next, you want to make sure you report the accident to your insurance carrier and to the insurance carrier for the truck. When you’re involved in a trucking accident, more often than not, the truck driver’s employer’s insurance will be the one to cover the accident. The insurance policies for those types of accidents range anywhere from $500,000 to $5,000,000 on average, so you will have access to much more money than you normally would.
The reason you can tap into the employer’s insurance is due to the fact that the truck driver is acting in the course and scope of his employment with the employer. Under Georgia law, the theory of respondeat superior allows liability to extend from the employee to the employer if the employee is acting within the course and scope of his employment. Simple enough, right? Well, it can get complicated.
Here’s where things get interesting!
Say you’re involved in a wreck with a tractor-trailer. That’s when things get interesting. In that situation, you have to make sure you expose all the levels of insurance: (1) insurance on the truck itself; (2) insurance on the trailers; and (3) any umbrella insurance policies. Once you have done that, you have to find a way to attach liability to the driver. If you are not familiar with CDLs and commercial driving manuals, you will find it incredibly difficult to parse through those manuals to find out what the truck driver did wrong in your particular instance. It’s not always cut-and-dry.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a trucking accident in Georgia, contact Slam Dunk Attorney for one of the best trucking accident lawyers. We’ll provide you with professional legal counsel and get you the compensation you deserve. We are ready to listen to your story and take you from your lowest point back to where you belong! Call us today for a free strategy session!
