Summerville Truck Accident Lawyer

Summerville Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck Accident Lawyers in Summerville, South Carolina, Fight to Protect Our Clients After a Crash

A fully loaded tractor-trailer may weigh up to 80,000 pounds and stand 14 feet tall under federal trucking regulations. By contrast, a regular passenger vehicle usually weighs only 2,500 to 3,500 pounds and stands about six feet high. When these two vehicles collide, those in the smaller car can suffer severe, life-altering injuries. 

Those who have experienced a South Carolina truck crash know firsthand how terrifying and life-altering such an event can be. If you’ve been injured after a truck crash, an experienced Summerville truck accident lawyer can help you recover compensation and hold at-fault parties accountable. 

South Carolina Truck Accident Statistics

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, large trucks account for about 5 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States. Yet in 2010, commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), including tractor-trailers, were involved in 9.4 percent of all fatal traffic crashes in South Carolina.

In 2020, 91 fatal South Carolina truck crashes involved a CMV. Overall, large trucks were involved in 2,493 traffic crashes, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.

The top three types of large trucks involved in deadly South Carolina vehicle crashes in 2020 included construction or maintenance vehicles, logging trucks, and cargo trucks

Truck drivers licensed in South Carolina accounted for 54.9 percent of all large truck crashes in 2020. Of the 45.1 percent of truck drivers who were from out of state, the majority came from neighboring states like North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia.  

These crashes were most likely to occur during daylight hours and on US highways rather than the interstate or South Carolina state highways. Weather played a minor role, with only slightly more truck crashes occurring during inclement weather conditions. 

Types of Compensation For Summerville Truck Crashes 

After a truck crash, you may face significant medical bills. If you’re unable to work, lost wages make it even harder to pay those bills. Fighting to recover from severe injuries can make your situation even more difficult and stressful. 

Common losses South Carolina residents face after a truck crash include the following:

  • Medical expenses. Hospital stays, surgery costs, doctor’s visits, physical and occupational therapy appointments, medical devices, and prescription bills add up quickly. After a serious injury, getting assistance as soon as possible is crucial. 
  • Lost wages. If your injury keeps you from working your usual hours, you may lose out on money you could have earned. If your injuries take you out of the workforce permanently, your lost wages can be substantial. 
  • Property damage. Many vehicles that collide with a large truck end up totaled. Replacing your car can be another heavy expense at a time when money is tight. 
  • Pain and suffering. It’s tough to put a price tag on your pain, suffering, and loss of joy in activities you once did. Yet, these losses are as real as your totaled car and medical expenses. An experienced Summerville truck crash attorney can also help you ensure you receive compensation for the pain and suffering you experience. 

After a truck crash, trucking companies and their insurance carriers often fight to avoid compensating injured people. With an experienced attorney from Steinberg Law Firm on your side, we can fight back and secure the compensation you need. 

Common Summerville Truck Accident Injuries 

Truck accidents can cause life-changing injuries. Even injuries that heal can leave lingering problems with stiffness, movement, and pain, as well as lifelong scars. 

Common injuries reported in South Carolina truck accidents include:

  • Head injuries such as concussions and traumatic brain injuries.
  • Spinal cord injuries, including compression or severing of the spinal cord.
  • Whiplash, also known as a neck sprain or strain, can occur.
  • Broken bones that may require surgery to correct.
  • Amputation of limbs or crush injuries that may require later amputation.
  • Internal injuries, including soft tissue and organ damage.

Multiple types of injuries can occur at once. An injured person may have broken bones and internal injuries, for example. Other types of injuries, such as burn injuries, can also occur and may require ongoing medical treatments. 

Not all the injuries suffered in a truck accident are physical. Problems with memory, mood, and attention are common after a serious traumatic event. Some people experience ongoing trauma-related symptoms such as flashbacks to the event. Or they may experience anxiety or depression from the crash. These conditions are also real and deserving of proper medical treatment. 

What Causes Summerville Truck Accidents?

Determining who or what caused a Summerville truck crash can be challenging. Sometimes, the answer is as simple as “the truck driver” or “someone in another vehicle.” In other cases, however, the answer is not simple at all.

Just a few potential causes or contributing factors to a Summerville truck accident include:

  • Negligent maintenance of a truck caused an essential system to fail. In these situations, the truck driver may be helpless to prevent the crash. 
  • Hidden defects in truck parts or equipment can also lead to a crash. If truck parts fail, the driver may not know about the issue or have any ability to stop the crash. 
  • Overloaded or improperly-secured cargo can cause a truck to tip and roll, resulting in a serious accident. 
  • Improper oversight of drivers by a trucking company can lead to drivers who feel pressured to drive beyond their federally allowed hours of service 一 even when they feel tired or distracted, raising their risk of causing harm on the road. 
  • Improperly-designed roadways. Barriers placed too close together at construction sites, improper lights or signage, and other issues on a route marked for trucks can result in a crash. 
  • Weather and lighting conditions. Darkness, sunlight, and other environmental conditions can also increase the risk of an accident. 

Truck drivers may also cause or contribute to a truck crash. Speeding, distracted driving, driving while intoxicated, or sleepiness increases the risk of a truck driver causing a collision on the road. Drivers who are unfamiliar with South Carolina roads may also make poor decisions when navigating the interstates. 

To get the compensation you need after a crash, you must know who was at fault 一 so you can hold those parties accountable. A dedicated Summerville truck accident lawyer can help. 

Why Summerville Truck Accidents Can Get Complex

Experienced truck accident lawyers know that some crashes have multiple causes. For instance, a negligently maintained truck may suffer a sudden equipment failure on the road. If the truck driver was also texting while driving, resulting in a serious crash and leaving a car accident victim with life-debilitating injuries, then there could be a personal injury case that deserves further investigation.

The more factors involved in a truck crash, the more complex the crash gets. One case may involve several insurance companies and parties: The truck driver, the trucking company, another driver on the road, a truck’s repair shop, the company that loaded the cargo, and others. 

It’s easy to assume that more insurance coverage means better protection for everyone involved. However, every insurance carrier that comes to the table wants to avoid paying your claim if they can. Often, this results in insurers fighting to “pass the buck” to one another. Meanwhile, your medical bills pile up, and so do your fears that you’ll never return to a stable life.

Trucking companies and insurance companies have experienced attorneys on their side. You deserve to have an experienced lawyer whose only job is to protect your interests after a severe Summerville truck crash. 

A truck accident lawyer can help with the following:

  • Evaluating police reports, medical records, and other details.
  • Talking to witnesses to understand what happened in the crash.
  • Communicating with insurance companies.
  • Hiring necessary experts like accident reconstructionists or medical experts to create a clear picture of what happened and how it affected you.
  • Reviewing South Carolina and federal trucking regulations to ensure the right parties are held accountable for any negligence.
  • Calculating exactly what your injuries already cost you and what they likely will cost in the future.
  • Negotiating a fair settlement agreement on your behalf and helping you make an informed decision about whether or not to accept a settlement offer.
  • Taking your case to trial if necessary.

To learn more, contact our team of truck accident attorneys today. We can answer your questions and help craft a strong case on your behalf while you can focus on your recovery.  

Talk to an Experienced Summerville Truck Accident Attorney Today

Truck crash injuries can be devastating. You may be struggling to recover from severe injuries or to help a loved one with their recovery. You may wonder how your household will make ends meet during this difficult time. You may fear that you or your loved one will never again get to enjoy their favorite activities. 

If this sounds familiar, don’t wait. There is hope. If you’ve been injured in a Summerville truck crash, you’re not alone. Talk to the experienced truck accident lawyers at Steinberg Law Firm. We’re here to answer your questions and help you understand your legal options after an accident. To learn more, contact us today to schedule a free, confidential case evaluation.

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