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Heavy vehicles include a wide range of commercial trucks, such as tractor trailers, big rigs, dump trucks, tanker trucks, delivery trucks, heavy cargo vans, tractor-trailers and single-unit truck. These vehicles have a gross weight of more than 10,000 pounds. Based on miles traveled, heavy vehicles account for a disproportionate number of traffic deaths in Atlanta, GA and throughout the nation.
Anyone involved in a collision with a heavy vehicle operator should contact an attorney immediately. Contact the law firm of Eric J. Hertz, P.C. to schedule a free consultation with an experienced truck accident attorney to discuss your case and find out how you can proceed to protect your rights.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
Regulations pertaining to the operation of heavy vehicles are different from the rules for passenger cars. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration oversees Atlanta, GA interstate trucking laws. Heavy vehicle companies and operators must follow a complex array of rules call the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. This set of laws can take numerous years of study to master.
Consequently, personal injury cases involving heavy vehicles require experienced counsel who possesses extensive knowledge of motor carrier laws, the legal implications, and how they relate to your circumstances.
Preserving Evidence
Once an accident takes place, the trucking company gains an immediate advantage because many of them have a staff of truck-accident lawyers on-call. These attorneys quickly go to work to protect their client from liability by sending investigators to the scene of the collision to evaluate evidence and speak to witnesses and police.
In addition, heavy vehicles have sophisticated radars, computer, or satellite tracking systems, which reveal data of why a crash occurred and the truthfulness of the operator. Your attorney will need to move quickly to put the driver, motor carrier firm, maintenance company, and other parties on notice to preserve evidence.
Establishing Liability
Often, accidents involving heavy vehicles have more than one party, other than the truck operator, who has liable for the injuries a person suffer in the crash. Liability may extend to the driver’s employer, trucking company licensing the heavy vehicle, truck parts manufacturer, or truck maintenance firm. An experience truck-accident attorney will need to conduct a thorough evaluation of your case to uncover all potential sources for monetary recovery.
Trucking Firm Internal Policies
Most heavy vehicle firms have written policies that govern all aspects of the job of driving a truck. These guidelines cover medical issues, substance abuse, pre-trip inspections and other responsibilities of the driver. Your attorney must acquire a copy of applicable policies, determine if the company has sufficient policies in place, and if the operator followed the rules.
If you or a love one has sustained an injury or fatality due to an accident involving a heavy vehicle in Atlanta, GA, you need to act quickly to hire an attorney who has experience with heavy vehicle industry practices and unique insurance features.
Contact the law firm of Eric Hertz P.C. for a free case evaluation. Our firm works on a contingency basis, which means we only get paid if we recovery compensation for your injuries.
