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Truck Accident Lawyer Located in Rock Hill South Carolina

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, accidents involving large commercial trucks injured nearly 155,000 people in a recent year. To account for the devastation of these commercial truck accidents, victims may seek financial recovery from those responsible for causing crashes.

If you’ve been hurt by a commercial truck in Rock Hill, turn to a truck accident attorney from Stewart Law Offices for help. Contact us today to learn how we can help you in a free consultation.

Why Working with an Experienced Rock Hill Commercial Truck Accident Lawyer Matters

Hiring a seasoned commercial truck accident lawyer from Stewart Law Offices can help with your injury recovery. First, an attorney can handle the details of preparing and pursuing your legal claims so you can focus on your physical recovery. A lawyer can thoroughly investigate the crash to secure all the evidence and document your injuries and losses, including anticipated future expenses.

Your attorney can also guide you through the claims process, dealing with third parties to take the stress of your case off your shoulders and avoid the tactics insurers use to avoid paying the compensation you deserve. Our firm provides 24/7 support. An experienced attorney can meet you at home or in the hospital and keep you updated on the progress of your case – and we charge no fee unless we recover compensation for you.

What Types of Trucks Are Involved in Commercial Truck Accidents?

The term commercial truck refers to various types of commercial vehicles. Commercial trucks include vehicles designed to haul cargo weighing more than 10,000 pounds or transporting specific types of hazardous materials. Examples of trucks that get into accidents in Rock Hill include:

  • Semi-Trucks and Tractor-Trailers – Popularly called 18-wheelers, these terms refer to a type of vehicle where a tractor tows a separate trailer attached to the tractor’s hitch.
  • Box Trucks – A box truck refers to a type of single-unit vehicle where the cargo area sits on top of the truck’s chassis.
  • Dump Trucks – A dump truck has an open cargo bed, typically with a door at the end that can open. The truck can tip its bed to dump out cargo from the open door.
  • Tow Trucks – A tow truck refers to a vehicle designed to tow unoccupied or disabled vehicles.
  • Flatbed Trucks – A flatbed truck features an open, flat platform, either attached on top of the truck chassis or as a separate trailer towed by a tractor.
  • Tanker Trucks – Tanker trucks transport liquids and gases, typically flammable materials like gasoline, kerosene, or liquified natural gas.
  • Refrigerated Trucks – A refrigerated truck has a refrigeration or freezer unit attached to the cargo area, enabling the truck to transport cold or frozen items.

Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents

The size of commercial trucks demands extra care from the commercial truck drivers and trucking companies who operate these vehicles. Even a moment of carelessness can lead to a devastating truck crash. Some of the more frequent causes of commercial truck accidents in Rock Hill include:

  • Speeding and reckless driving, including driving too fast for road and weather conditions or swerving through traffic, since large trucks do not maneuver as quickly as smaller passenger vehicles
  • Tailgating or following too closely, which can lead to rear-end collisions because smaller vehicles stop more quickly than commercial trucks
  • Drowsy and fatigued driving caused by exceeding hours-of-service limits or driving at night to avoid traffic
  • Distracted driving, including using GPS systems or cell phones, eating and drinking, or reaching around the truck cab
  • Unsafe cargo, including excessive or unbalanced cargo weight that can impair control of the truck or unsecured items that can shift weight or fall out of the truck during travel
  • Illegal or unsafe maneuvers, such as running red lights and stop signs, not using turn signals and mirrors, and making improper wide turns, lane changes, or passes
  • Inadequate truck driver experience or training
  • Mechanical issues caused by a design or manufacturing defect in the truck or deferred or negligently performed maintenance and repairs

Compensation You Can Recover Through a Personal Injury Claim

In a truck accident case, you may have the opportunity to demand compensation for financial and personal losses you incur due to injuries and property damage caused by the crash. Truck accident damages you might recover in a legal claim include:

  • Initial medical bills for emergency room care or surgeries to repair injuries
  • Long-term medical and rehabilitation expenses, including pain management care, physical or occupational therapy, or purchases of medical or orthopedic equipment or mobility aids
  • Future medical expenses and costs of long-term disability care if you suffer prolonged or permanent disabilities
  • Lost income for time you miss from work or reduced earnings if you cannot work in your current job or other forms of employment
  • Pain and suffering, including emotional trauma and PTSD
  • Compensation for permanent disabilities or visible, embarrassing scarring or disfigurement
  • Loss of enjoyment or quality of life if you cannot participate in activities you previously enjoyed
  • Repair or replacement expenses for damaged property, including car repair bills or reimbursement of the value of your totaled vehicle
  • Loss of consortium, which compensates the spouse of a truck accident victim for the loss of their injured spouse’s companionship and intimacy

Who Is Responsible for a Commercial Truck Accident?

Depending on the cause(s) of a truck crash, various parties in the trucking industry may bear responsibility for the injuries and losses you’ve suffered because of a commercial truck accident, including:

  • The truck driver, if their negligence caused or contributed to the crash
  • The trucking company or motor carrier, including when the company employed an at-fault truck driver, negligently hired, retained, or supervised a driver, or instructed a driver to engage in unsafe driving behaviors
  • Third-party service vendors for the motor carrier, such as cargo loading companies or truck mechanics
  • Truck and auto part manufacturers

What to Do After a Rock Hill Truck Accident

People who get hurt in Rock Hill truck accidents can take steps to protect their legal rights and seek financial recovery for injuries and losses. Things you can do after a crash in Rock Hill to prepare for a truck accident claim include:

  • Report the crash to the Rock Hill Police Department and request a copy of the police accident report.
  • Seek prompt medical attention, follow your doctor’s treatment instructions, and request copies of your medical records.
  • Gather evidence from the accident and documentation of your losses, including accident scene photos and videos, eyewitness contact information, bills, invoices, receipts, and your pay stubs or income statements.
  • Contact a truck accident attorney from Stewart Law Offices to start your legal claim as soon as possible.

Contact Our Personal Injury Attorneys for a Free Consultation

After suffering injuries in a truck accident, you deserve to hold a negligent truck driver or trucking company accountable for your injuries and losses. Contact Stewart Law Offices today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a truck accident lawyer to discuss your legal options for financial recovery.