- Key Takeaways
- Types of Truck Accidents We Handle in Greenville, South Carolina
- Why Are Truck Accidents So Dangerous
- The Complexity of Truck Accidents in Greenville, South Carolina
- Why Choose Patrick, Lewis & Watts
- We Are Here to Help with Your Greenville Truck Accident Case.
- Frequently Asked Questions
to Help
- Key Takeaways
- Types of Truck Accidents We Handle in Greenville, South Carolina
- Why Are Truck Accidents So Dangerous
- The Complexity of Truck Accidents in Greenville, South Carolina
- Why Choose Patrick, Lewis & Watts
- We Are Here to Help with Your Greenville Truck Accident Case.
- Frequently Asked Questions
Key Takeaways
- Semi-truck accidents often leave motorists with severe injuries because they are so much heavier than passenger vehicles and even SUVs.
- Negligence is often the root cause of a semi-truck or tractor-trailer accident on the part of the driver, owner, loading crew, maintenance department, or even a manufacturer defect.
- Working with an experienced truck accident attorney can help victims file a truck accident claim to pursue the compensation they need to help pay for medical treatment, recover lost wages, and other losses.
Semi-truck, big rigs, and tractor-trailer accidents tend to result in serious injuries or fatalities due to the sheer size of these vehicles. Cars, SUVs, motorcycles, and pedestrians often cannot withstand the weight of semi-trucks, and many of these accidents have tragic endings. Statistics indicate approximately 160,600 people were injured in accidents involving large trucks in 2022.
Suffering a serious injury or wrongful death from a semi-truck accident is not only frightening; it can leave you worried about the future and questioning whether you can afford the mounting medical expenses or heal enough to be able to return to work and support yourself and your family.
In Greenville, SC, you do not have to suffer alone after a semi-truck accident injury. The caring and compassionate personal injury attorneys at Patrick, Lewis & Watts are here to support you and help you get a fair settlement.
Types of Truck Accidents We Handle in Greenville, South Carolina
The personal injury lawyers at Patrick, Lewis & Watts understand the pain and trauma victims of truck accidents go through. We are highly experienced in personal injury cases and can help with a variety of truck accidents, including:
- Jackknife truck accidents
- Defective brake accidents
- Truck rollovers
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- T-bone accidents
- Sideswipe accidents
- Fatal truck accidents
- Tire blowout accidents
- Improperly loaded or unbalanced freight
- Driver error accidents
With the proximity of I-85, 185, 385, 26 to Greenville, many trucks travel through this area of South Carolina, increasing the potential for a serious motor vehicle accident.
Why Are Truck Accidents So Dangerous
Commercial vehicles and truck crashes are more dangerous than car accidents for several reasons.
- Mass and size of the truck: cars cannot withstand the weight and force upon impact
- Larger blind spots for drivers to miss smaller vehicles traveling on the roads
- Due to the weight of a truck, it takes drivers much longer to slow down to avoid collisions
- Driver fatigue is a persistent issue for truck drivers, causing accidents
- Poor weather conditions can create situations where drivers cannot control their trucks
- Incorrectly loaded cargo can create imbalances, giving the driver less control
Passenger car accidents can be serious. However, the above factors increase the possibility of more severe injuries or, tragically, fatalities.
The Complexity of Truck Accidents in Greenville, South Carolina
South Carolina truck accidents quickly become complex because you usually must deal with multiple parties, including the truck company’s insurance company and attorneys. Multiple defendants may be involved, with several of them potentially sharing liability for their fault in the accident.
A primary difference between large truck collisions and passenger vehicle accidents is commercial trucking companies must comply with federal regulations. The U.S. government stipulates rules truckers, their employers, and other parties must follow. Experienced truck accident attorneys often uncover violations.
Additionally, South Carolina is a modified comparative negligence state. This means “blame” can be assigned to more than one party, including the victim. When victims receive more than 50 percent blame, they cannot collect compensation. A personal injury law attorney can help work through these and other complexities.
Why Choose Patrick, Lewis & Watts
Clients often turn to Patrick, Lewis & Watts because of their experience and skill. As trial lawyers, our legal team has extensive experience litigating in a courtroom.
Our attorneys are very client centric. We are not out to make a quick settlement to increase our law firm’s bottom line. We do not believe in the numbers game other firms tend to play. You will be our priority – you will be involved in the direction of your case, and we will proceed in your best interests and that of your family.
If you choose us for legal representation, you can rest assured we will not pass your case off to others; we will attentively listen to your story during the initial free consultation. We take pride in the attorney-client relationships we build. You speak with us directly. You will never be dealing with automated forms, call centers, or impersonal communications.
Case Results
The attorneys at Patrick, Lewis & Watts will actively and aggressively advocate for you. We will not settle for less than you deserve. We have a local reputation for this, and the other side knows how hard we will fight. Examples of some of our settlements include:
- $3,250,000: Settlement for a collision at an intersection
- $3,000,000+: Settlement in an underride trucking case
- $1,500,000: Settlement for a collision involving a tractor-trailer and a car
We Are Here to Help with Your Greenville Truck Accident Case.
Patrick, Lewis & Watts is a law firm that cares about your case and will put you and your loved one first. Our clients are our neighbors, and we actively fight on their behalf. Our compassionate attorneys bring more than 100 years of combined service and are highly experienced in a range of different types of personal injury cases and injury claims.
To obtain a free consultation, call our Greenville truck accident lawyers at 864-240-5500 or fill out our contact form.
Frequently Asked Questions
In South Carolina, you can pursue economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.
- Economic losses are quantifiable losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future income, property damage, and other losses where bills can be shown.
- Non-economic damages include more difficult-to-quantify losses, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life, to name a few.
- In rare cases, punitive damages may be awarded.
Since no two cases are alike, it is difficult to quote a settlement. Factors considered are the severity of injuries, amount of medical bills, lost wages, level of pain and suffering, and available insurance. Who the liable party is (and “fault” assigned under comparative negligence rules) also affects the value of a settlement.
South Carolina does not place limits on victim compensation from trucking accidents, but amounts will vary. Settlements can range from $30,000 to six figures or more, depending upon the circumstances and if catastrophic injuries occurred.
It is difficult to give a precise timeline because all cases are different. The insurance company needs time to gather evidence and evaluate it before making an offer. Then, negotiations begin. Additionally, it takes time to assess the actual damages as the extent of some injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, is not immediately known.
Yes, you can sue both a truck driver and the trucking company employing them. An attorney can help assess who is to blame and pursue the maximum compensation from the at-fault parties.
Proving fault in large truck or commercial truck accidents tends to be more complex than other types of personal injury cases. The following factors apply:
- How many parties are involved
- Regulatory compliance issues
- Extensive evidence collection
As your attorneys, we will look to see if regulatory violations were made and if there appears to be any negligence. We will evaluate all types of evidence, such as police reports, ELD data, and eyewitness testimonies.
What Should I Do in a Wrongful Death Case After a Truck Accident?
The best step in a wrongful death case is to consult with an experienced attorney. They can identify potentially liable parties, investigate the accident, collect evidence, call expert witnesses, and handle interactions with insurance companies.
South Carolina stipulates the decedent’s executor, or the administrator of their estate must file the wrongful death claim. They can pursue damages for the deceased person’s family members or heirs if there are no eligible family members. Your lawyer can provide legal advice about this.
After the accident, you will want to get the following:
- Name of the truck driver
- Contact information
- License plate number
- Employer details
- Insurance information
- Photographic evidence of the accident scene
- Police report
Common injuries truck accident victims often suffer from include broken bones, whiplash, lacerations, bruising, head injuries, back and neck injuries, internal injuries, spinal cord injuries, and more.
Written By Rusty Patrick
Rusty is licensed to provide that service in South Carolina courts and in the federal District Court for the District of South Carolina. He is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association, the Greenville County Bar, and the American Bar Association.
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