Rock Hill Truck Accident Lawyers
Trucking accidents are all too common on South Carolina’s roads and highways. The consequences can upend lives. In addition to excruciating pain and long-lasting disabilities, victims often face a sharp decline in income due to an inability to work. If you’ve found yourself in this position because of a truck collision someone else caused, our Rock Hill truck accident attorneys with Stewart Law Offices can help you pursue compensation for these and other losses. Contact us today for a free consultation.
How Can a Rock Hill Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorney Help Me?
One of the most essential things to know when filing a truck accident claim in Rock Hill, South Carolina is that insurance adjusters handling claims will aim to minimize your payout as much as possible. An insurance company loses money every time it pays out a claim, so its employees use several tactics to shift the blame away from their client (the truck driver or trucking company) and onto the victim. They know how to take advantage of unrepresented truck accident victims who are living through the most vulnerable moments of their lives.
Don’t go up against these powerful businesses alone. Stewart Law Offices has as much as 25 years of experience protecting injured South Carolinians against greedy insurance companies. We know how to take them on, win big, and recover maximum compensation for our clients. Some of our recent victories include*:
- $3.5 million in a tractor-trailer accident
- $3.0 million in a semi-truck wreck
- $1.1 million in a truck accident case
A Rock Hill truck accident lawyer can help your case by:
- Investigating the semi-truck accident to gather evidence supporting your claim
- Identifying all at-fault parties that might owe you money, including the commercial truck driver, trucking company, and drivers of other vehicles involved in the truck wreck
- Calculating the total extent of your losses, including future injury-related expenses and income reductions
- Negotiating aggressively with the insurance company for the full and fair compensation you deserve
- Taking your case to court if the insurer is unwilling to offer you a fair settlement
With our proven track record of success* representing victims of commercial truck accidents, the team at Stewart Law Offices can give you the support and advocacy you need during your truck accident claim and beyond.
Compensation You Could Recover in a Rock Hill Truck Accident Case
The compensation you may receive after suffering serious injuries in an accident with a commercial truck will depend on the nature of the accident and your injuries. Depending on the circumstances, you could be owed money for your:
- Medical expenses – If a negligent truck driver or trucking company is liable for your injuries, you should not be responsible for the resulting medical bills and healthcare costs.
- Lost income – You may be able to claim compensation for wages, commissions, tips, and other forms of income you have lost due to missed time at work after the accident.
- Reduced earning capacity – Your claim can compensate you for income differences if your injuries have required you to take on lower-paying employment or you suffered catastrophic injuries that led to permanent disabilities.
- Pain and suffering – While pain is impossible to measure objectively, South Carolina law allows accident victims to recover monetary compensation for the subjective physical and psychological harm resulting from accidents involving large trucks.
Our experienced truck accident lawyers can review your case and determine all of the damages for which we can demand compensation.
Common Causes for Rock Hill Truck Accidents
Several factors can contribute to truck accidents in Rock Hill and the surrounding areas. Some of the most common causes of tractor-trailer accidents include:
- Driver fatigue – Drivers of commercial vehicles often work long hours and are subject to tight schedules, increasing the risk of drifting off at the wheel or experiencing diminished alertness and reaction times.
- Distracted driving – Activities like texting, adjusting the radio, or eating while driving can divert a truck driver’s attention from the road, leading to disastrous consequences.
- Impaired driving – Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal and extremely dangerous, especially when operating a large commercial vehicle.
- Speeding – Truckers who exceed posted speed limits have less time to react to changing road conditions or obstacles, making motor vehicle accidents more likely and severe.
- Equipment failure – Poorly maintained or defective truck components, such as brakes, tires, or lighting systems, can lead to loss of control or visibility, increasing the risk of a trucking accident.
- Improper cargo loading – Imbalanced or unsecured loads on commercial trucks can shift during transit, causing the truck to become unstable or difficult to maneuver and making it more prone to jackknifing or overturning.
If you were injured in a serious truck accident, reach out to our Rock Hill, SC personal injury law firm for help.
Who Is Responsible for a Truck Accident in Rock Hill?
Several parties may be held liable in a truck accident case, depending on the circumstances. These include:
- Truck driver – Commercial truck drivers can be held liable for accidents caused by their negligent behavior, such as speeding, distracted driving, or impaired driving.
- Trucking company – Trucking companies have a responsibility to properly maintain their vehicles, ensure drivers are adequately trained and rested, and comply with federal and state regulations. If they fail in these duties, they may be liable for accidents caused by their drivers or vehicles.
- Cargo loading company – If an accident is caused by an improperly loaded or secured cargo, the company responsible for loading the truck may be held accountable.
- Maintenance company – A third-party maintenance company might be to blame for an accident that results from shoddy or unperformed repairs, including brake malfunctions or tire blowouts.
- Vehicle or parts manufacturer – In some cases, defective vehicle components or design flaws can contribute to accidents. In such instances, the manufacturer responsible for those defects may be held responsible.
Determining liability in truck accident cases can be a complex process. Multiple parties may share responsibility. An experienced Rock Hill truck accident attorney can conduct a thorough investigation to identify all potentially liable parties and seek maximum compensation.
Types of Truck Accidents
Depending on the type of truck involved, accidents may have different causes or lead to various injuries. Some of the most common types of truck accidents are:
- Dump truck accidents – Due to their size and weight, dump truck accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries. When carrying weight, these trucks may not be able to stop quickly, and their large size can make it difficult for the driver to see other motorists. In rare cases, accidents can also result from dump trucks dumping their load on the roadway, causing a hazard.
- Box truck accidents – Many traffic collisions involve box trucks because they are one of the few truck types anyone with a driver’s license can rent. Inexperienced truck drivers who rent box trucks can put those around them at risk, as they don’t typically drive vehicles of that size. Also, if they don’t properly secure the contents of the box truck, it could lead to the truck tipping over on a turn due to shifting weight.
- Concrete truck accidents – Concrete trucks can cause accidents by crashing into other vehicles and spilling the concrete they carry onto the roadway. Road hazards, such as spilled concrete, can cause pile-up accidents that injure many drivers and passengers.
- Construction truck accidents – Most construction trucks have warning signs about how the vehicle may suddenly stop or turn. However, these warnings do not prevent injured parties from bringing truck accident claims against the driver or construction company if the trucker caused a crash. It’s also important to remember that even low-speed crashes involving construction vehicles can cause severe crushing injuries.
- Delivery truck accidents – Delivery trucks account for a large portion of commercial vehicle accidents. With the rise of Amazon and other courier services, delivery trucks are everywhere in South Carolina, making them more likely to be in accidents than other truck types. However, their numbers aren’t the only reason delivery truck accidents are so common. Delivery drivers often must meet strict delivery quotas, which can lead to aggressive or negligent driving.
- Flatbed truck accidents – Flatbed tractor-trailer accidents pose significant risk to other motorists. These trucks are large and can carry considerable weight, reducing the effectiveness of their brakes and potentially leading to runaway tractor-trailer crashes. Additionally, if cargo loaders don’t properly secure the cargo on a flatbed, it could shift, leading to a weight imbalance or cargo falling off the bed entirely, causing severe injuries.
- Tow truck accidents – There are two primary ways tow trucks cause accidents. The first is when the truck itself crashes into another vehicle. The second is when the towed vehicle comes loose and causes an accident. In the latter case, you may have claims against the truck driver for improperly securing the vehicle, the towing company for negligent hiring or training, or even the manufacturer of a part of the tow truck that failed, leading to the accident.
- Garbage truck accidents – Although garbage trucks typically drive slowly, they are still prone to accidents. These trucks make frequent stops and wide turns, leaving other drivers with little time to react. Because of their size, accidents involving garbage trucks tend to result in severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, that can significantly impact the life of the injured party.
- Tanker truck accidents – Semi-truck accidents involving tanker trucks are particularly dangerous because of the cargo they carry. Some tanker trucks carry hazardous material that can combust or explode if the truck crashes. These materials can also be harmful chemicals that damage the skin, eyes, and lungs of those who come in contact with them. Even if the materials aren’t hazardous, liquid spills onto the roadway can cause other vehicles to slide and crash. The tanks also require pressurization to prevent the liquid within them from sloshing around during driving. An unpressurized tank could cause the truck to tip over when turning.
South Carolina Trucking Regulations that May Impact Your Truck Accident Claim
There are a few trucking regulations that our Rock Hill truck accident lawyers can use to demonstrate liability when negotiating with the trucking company’s insurance company or litigating your case, including:
- Hours of service rules – During the discovery phase of the legal process, your attorneys can seek the driving hour records of the truck driver who caused the accident. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has strict rules for how long truckers can drive each day. If the truck driver exceeded these driving limits, your attorney can use that against them.
- Alcohol and drug testing – The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) requires commercial truck drivers to submit to regular alcohol and drug testing to maintain their licenses. Commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders must also adhere to stricter alcohol laws than the average motorist. A driver cannot have a measurable amount of alcohol in their system while driving a commercial vehicle in South Carolina.
- Securement rules – The FMCSA has rules for securing cargo that trucking companies must follow. Trucks with unsecured cargo are at increased risk of causing an accident, and the driver, cargo loader, or trucking company could be liable for any injuries caused by the unsecured cargo.
- Inspection rules – Commercial vehicles, such as trucks, must undergo regular inspections that check the brakes, steering, tires, lights, reflectors, mirrors, wheels, connection devices, and more. If an inspection identifies any defects or violations, the trucking company must correct them before the truck can operate again. Additionally, the company must keep a copy of the report for at least twelve months after the inspection. If the truck that caused your injuries failed an inspection, your truck accident attorney can use this report as evidence.
- Distracted driving – The South Carolina Hands-Free Act prohibits using wireless communication devices, such as cell phones, without a hands-free device while driving. Federal law also prohibits using a handheld cell phone while operating a commercial motor vehicle. Many accidents result from distracted driving, and truck accidents are no exception. If the truck driver who caused your injuries was using a handheld device at the time of the accident, your attorneys can use that information to demonstrate that the driver was negligent.
What to Do After a Truck Accident
If you are involved in a truck accident in Rock Hill, taking the following steps can help protect your rights and strengthen your claim:
- Report the accident – Contact the Rock Hill Police Department at 803-329-7200 immediately to report the accident and request medical assistance if needed.
- Seek medical attention – Even if you feel fine, it’s essential to get checked by a medical professional. Certain injuries, such as internal bleeding or concussions, may not be immediately apparent.
- Document the scene – If possible, take photographs or video footage of the accident scene, including the positions of the vehicles, debris, skid marks, and any visible injuries. Also, collect the contact information of any witnesses.
- Keep accident-related records – Maintain detailed records of all expenses, medical treatments, lost wages, and other losses resulting from the accident to help support your insurance claim.
- Schedule a free consultation – Contact an experienced Rock Hill truck accident attorney as soon as possible.
Contact Stewart Law Offices for Help with Your Truck Accident Claim
Life after a truck accident can feel lonely and overwhelming, but you do not have to go through it alone. The Rock Hill personal injury lawyers at Stewart Law Offices have the skills to help secure the compensation you deserve. Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about how we can help.