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Were you injured in Lawrenceville, GA or its surroundings? Our lawyers can help you recover from your losses. We have decades of combined experience handling local personal injury cases.
Having a local personal injury lawyer with experience with and knowledge of the actual value of your case is vital to ensuring you receive the most compensation possible for your injuries.
Our award-winning personal injury lawyers know the best way to go up against insurance companies because we used to work with them and use that experience to help you win.
Voted Among the Best Personal Injury Firms in Gwinnett County 6 Years in a Row by Gwinnett Magazine
Large commercial trucks are a common sight on the roads of Gwinnett County, Georgia. These heavy vehicles, ranging from 18-wheelers to tractor-trailers, play a vital role in our economy by transporting goods to and from our city. However, their presence also poses a risk to other motorists, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
Accidents involving these large trucks can be catastrophic due to their massive size and weight. If you or someone you know has been involved in a truck accident in Gwinnett County or anywhere in Georgia, and you believe that the truck driver’s negligence contributed to the accident, you have the right to seek compensation for any damages suffered.
At Spaulding Injury Law, we have years of experience with truck accident claims and have dedicated years to advocating for victims of truck accidents. We fight aggressively to ensure our clients receive the maximum compensation for their physical and emotional suffering, lost wages, and medical costs.
Our team, led by Theodore Spaulding, has been honored for its unwavering dedication to justice, earning accolades such as the National Trial Lawyers Association’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Top 40 Under 40 listings. Spaulding is a proud charter member of the Distinguished Justice Advocates, an organization that recognizes the top half of one percent of attorneys in the United States.
Common Injuries From Truck Accidents
Truck accidents often result in more severe injuries due to the size and weight of the trucks. Victims may suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries, internal injuries, and psychological and emotional injuries such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. The road to recovery can be long and challenging, requiring comprehensive medical care and rehabilitation.
As a team at Spaulding Injury Law, we have a deep understanding of the intricate nature of these injuries and the lasting impact they can have on individuals. Our goal is to obtain compensation that accurately reflects the full scope of the damages you have experienced, enabling you to access the resources you need for your journey towards recovery.
1. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
For instance, a truck accident could involve a sedan being rear-ended by an 18-wheeler, causing the sedan’s driver to hit their head against the steering wheel. This impact could lead to a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which may range from mild concussions to severe brain damage affecting cognitive function, memory, physical abilities, and even personality. Damages for this type of injury would typically include the cost of immediate and ongoing medical treatment, potential costs of rehabilitation or therapy, lost wages (current and future, if the victim is unable to return to work), and pain and suffering.
2. Spinal Cord Injuries
If a motorcyclist gets hit by a commercial truck and thrown off their bike, they may suffer a spinal cord injury that could lead to loss of sensation, strength, and function below the injury level or even paralysis. Recovery damages would include compensation for emergency treatment, surgery, physical therapy, any necessary assistive devices or home modifications, lost income, future medical expenses, and non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
3. Internal Injuries
Imagine a scenario where a pedestrian is hit by a truck driver who is not paying attention. This can lead to internal injuries, such as damage to organs, internal bleeding, or internal bruising. Although these injuries may not be immediately visible, they can have serious consequences if not diagnosed and treated promptly. In such cases, the victim is entitled to receive compensation for all medical treatment, including surgery or long-term care, lost wages, and non-economic damages for pain and suffering.
4. Psychological and Emotional Injuries
Imagine a situation where a driver narrowly avoids an accident with a jackknifing tractor-trailer, but the experience leaves them with mental health conditions like PTSD, severe anxiety, or depression. These conditions can be as debilitating as physical injuries and require comprehensive treatment. The damages for psychological and emotional injuries may include the cost of psychiatric care or counseling, medication expenses, loss of earning capacity if the person is unable to work, and compensation for emotional distress and suffering.
To establish the extent of the victim’s damages and support their claim, it’s important to have evidence such as medical records, expert testimony, proof of lost earnings, and more. An experienced personal injury attorney can guide victims through this process, ensuring that all potential damages are considered and fought for.
How Spaulding Injury Law Can Help You
At Spaulding Injury Law, we take our commitment to serving you seriously. Our team will conduct a thorough investigation of your accident, identifying all parties responsible, collecting essential evidence, and negotiating a fair settlement. If a trial is necessary, we will prepare your case accordingly.
Truck accidents in Gwinnett County and throughout Georgia can often be attributed to negligent behavior, safety breaches, or reckless actions by truck drivers or companies. This can include driver fatigue, improper cargo loading, inadequate training, mechanical failures, and distracted driving.
We recognize the significant impact that truck accidents can have on victims’ lives and are dedicated to ensuring that they receive complete and fair compensation for all damages sustained.
Time is of the Essence: Statute of Limitations on Your Case
If you have been involved in a truck accident, it’s essential to know that Georgia law requires you to file a claim within two years of the accident date. After this period, you will no longer have the right to file a lawsuit. That’s why it’s crucial to consult with a professional truck accident attorney in Gwinnett County, Georgia, as soon as possible after the accident. By doing so, you can ensure that all necessary legal steps are taken within the appropriate timelines, protecting your legal rights and interests.
Exceptions to the Rule
In certain situations, exceptions can either lengthen or shorten the standard statute of limitations. These scenarios include tolling for minors or mental incompetency, wrongful death claims, claims against government entities, and the discovery rule.
Tolling for Minors
In Georgia, if the victim of a truck accident is a minor (under 18 years old), the statute of limitations is paused, or “tolled,” until they reach the age of 18. After that, the standard two-year statute of limitations applies. For instance, if a 15-year-old experiences a truck accident on July 1, 2023, they will have until their 20th birthday (two years after they turn 18) to file a lawsuit instead of the claim expiring on July 1, 2025.
Tolling for Mental Incompetency
In some cases, the statute of limitations may be paused if the victim was mentally incompetent at the time of the accident. This could be due to severe injuries sustained from the accident or pre-existing conditions. Once the period of incompetency ends, the standard two-year statute of limitations applies. For example, if someone suffers a severe traumatic brain injury in a truck accident, rendering them mentally incapacitated for a year, the statute of limitations will extend for another two years from the date they regain competency.
Wrongful Death Claims
If a truck accident results in a fatality, the family or estate of the deceased has two years from the date of death (which may be later than the date of the accident) to file a wrongful death claim.
Suppose a victim succumbs to their injuries three months after a truck accident. The family of the deceased would have two years from the date of death (not the date of the accident) to file a wrongful death claim.
Government Entities
When filing a claim against a government entity, it is important to note that the timelines may be significantly shorter than usual. For example, if the defendant is a city, county or state entity, you may be required to provide notice of your claim within six months to a year.
Let’s say a truck owned by the City of Gwinnett County causes an accident, the victim would have a shorter timeline of typically six months to a year to file a notice of claim against the city before proceeding with a lawsuit.
Discovery Rule
In some cases, the harm or injury caused by an accident may not be immediately apparent. However, the discovery rule can help by extending the statute of limitations. This allows victims to file claims within two years from the date they discovered or should have discovered the injury.
For instance, if a truck accident victim suffers a traumatic brain injury but doesn’t realize it at the time of the accident, due to delayed symptoms, they can still file a lawsuit. The discovery rule would allow the victim two years from the date of diagnosis to file their claim. This gives victims the opportunity to seek compensation even if they didn’t know about their injury right away.
Contact Spaulding Injury Law Today
If you or a loved one has been affected by a truck accident in Gwinnett County, Georgia, don’t delay in seeking legal help. You have a limited time to seek compensation for your damages.
Contact Spaulding Injury Law today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced truck accident attorney. We are ready to answer all your questions, guide you through the legal process, and work tirelessly to secure the compensation you and your family rightfully deserve. Speak with an experienced lawyer at Spaulding Injury Law today to start your road to recovery.
VISIT Our Truck Accident Office in Gwinnett County.
We help victims inside the Gwinnett County Area and our firm is conveniently located near Gwinnett County. We have an office in Lawrenceville at 223 Scenic Hwy S #202 Lawrenceville, GA