Truck Accident Lawyer Orangeburg
Truck accidents in Orangeburg, SC, can leave victims with severe injuries, financial hardships, and complicated legal issues. The city’s proximity to the I-26/I-95 interchange brings a significant load of commercial vehicles through the area each day. Their massive size only increases the danger.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), commercial trucks can weigh 20 to 30 times more than passenger vehicles. That means that any wreck involving them has the potential to cause lasting physical, financial, and emotional turmoil for victims and their families.
Complicating matters is that multiple parties could be to blame for the collision. The trucking industry is comprised of more than just truck drivers and truck companies. Pursuing fair compensation for injuries and related damages may involve filing claims against each responsible party and their insurer.
You don’t need to navigate the legal process yourself. With over 40 years of combined experience, the Orangeburg truck accident lawyers at Wilson Law Group, LLC can review your case and explain your legal options in a free consultation. Call or contact us today to get started.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in Orangeburg
Here are steps to take in the days and weeks after an Orangeburg tractor-trailer accident:
- Prioritize your health – Attend all medical appointments, physical therapy sessions, and save copies of any medical bills, prescriptions, discharge papers, and work restrictions you receive.
- Keep accident-related documentation – Photos and videos of the accident scene, the police report, insurance information from the drivers involved, and witness contact information can be valuable evidence in a truck accident claim.
- Avoid giving a recorded statement to insurers – An insurance adjuster may call, requesting that you provide a recorded statement, sign medical releases, or even consider a quick settlement offer. Before agreeing to anything, consult an experienced truck accident attorney to learn your legal options.
- Contact our truck crash lawyers – Trucking companies and insurers begin protecting their interests right away — and their approach may involve tactics that could hurt your case. Founded in 2010, Wilson Law Group, LLC, is an established truck crash law firm with extensive experience serving Central South Carolina injury victims.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Many commercial truck accidents happen because of someone else’s negligence, or failure to take reasonable care to avoid harming others. Some of the most common causes of commercial truck accidents we see include:
- Driver fatigue
- Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
- Distracted driving
- Unsafe lane changes or wide turns
- Failure to check blind spots
- Driving under the influence
- Improper loading
- Overweight cargo
- Poor truck maintenance
- Negligent hiring, training, or supervision
Who May Be Liable in a Truck Accident Case?
South Carolina truck accident cases frequently involve multiple liable parties. That’s why it’s so important for crash victims to seek legal representation. There could be defendants in your case that you don’t even know about. Omitting them could limit the amount of compensation you may be able to recover.
That’s where an experienced attorney comes in. Lawyers with a history of handling truck accident cases can examine the facts of the crash, contracts, records, and insurance coverage to determine who may be legally responsible. They can also look at prior case law and truck accident verdicts in South Carolina that could apply to your case.
Potentially liable parties in your semi-truck accident case may include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- A maintenance company
- A cargo loading company
- A parts or truck manufacturer
- Another driver
By identifying every liable party, your attorney can pursue full and fair compensation from all available sources.
Compensation Available After a Truck Accident
A South Carolina truck accident victim can potentially recover compensation for their financial and personal losses. Examples include:
- Past and current medical expenses
- Future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
In fatal truck accident cases, surviving family members may be able to recover wrongful death compensation.
Regardless of the type of claim involved, its value will depend on the severity of the injuries, the quality of the available evidence, available insurance coverage, and how the crash has changed your life.
Why Truck Accident Cases Require Strong Evidence
Because trucking companies and their insurers act quickly to protect themselves after a crash, you need to respond quickly to preserve critical evidence that can support your claim. Truck accident claims may depend on records that FMCSA does not require truck companies to keep forever, such as:
- Driver hours-of-service logs
- Driver qualification files
- Drug and alcohol test results
- Electronic control module data (“black box data”)
- Inspection reports
- Maintenance records
- Accident registers
Other important evidence that could get lost, deleted, or changed over time includes:
- Medical records
- Photos
- Video surveillance footage from businesses near the accident scene
- Witness statements
- Company safety policies
This information can help show how the crash happened and whether a driver, trucking company, or another party failed to act safely. Strong evidence can also connect the collision to your injuries, treatment needs, lost income, and long-term harm.
How Wilson Law Group, LLC, Handles Truck Accident Claims in Orangeburg
Wilson Law Group, LLC, is a full-service law firm that can handle your truck accident claim from start to finish. We can:
- Investigate the crash
- Take steps to preserve trucking industry records
- Gather evidence
- Identify all liable parties
- Communicate with insurance adjusters on your behalf
- Work with accident reconstruction and medical experts as needed
- Calculate your current and future losses
- Negotiate for a fair settlement
- File a truck accident lawsuit and take your case to trial if necessary
Our law firm has a proven track record of results in South Carolina trucking cases. Some of our notable verdicts and settlements include:
- $800,000+ verdict against a log truck owner who caused the death of another trucker
- $650,000 settlement for a client who suffered a foot injury that required surgery
- $500,000 settlement in a truck accident case involving an improper wide turn
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Speak With Wilson Law Group Today
If you got hurt in a collision with a large truck, turn to the truck crash lawyers at Wilson Law Group, LLC, for compassionate support and dedicated legal advocacy. Contact us today to arrange a free initial consultation with an experienced truck accident lawyer in Orangeburg.
FAQ
Here are answers to some of the questions our firm receives most often from clients injured in truck accidents.
How are truck accident claims different from car accident claims?
Standard car accident claims usually involve two parties: the drivers of the vehicles involved. As a result, they’re generally more straightforward to resolve. Truck accident claims are different because of the number of potentially liable parties and the relative financial and legal power of those parties. Trucking companies and other businesses often have powerful insurance companies and defense attorneys prepared to advocate for their position. That’s why it’s smart to have a personal injury lawyer in your corner, too.
How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in South Carolina?
In most cases, South Carolina law gives you three years to file a truck accident lawsuit. If you don’t file on time, you’ll likely be barred from pursuing compensation through the courts. Deadlines vary under specific conditions. An Orangeburg truck crash lawyer can advise you on the time limit for your case after reviewing the facts.