Truck Accident Lawyer Greenville, Attorneys and Law Firm
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Greenville, South Carolina, you may want to consider hiring the attorneys at the Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys, LLC. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, passenger vehicle occupants are more likely to die in truck accidents than truck drivers or their occupants. Trucks can weigh as much as 30 times more than the typical passenger vehicle. Because of this, passengers may be more likely to suffer more serious injuries in truck accidents. Victims of truck accidents may suffer serious injuries, including:
- Spinal cord injury
- Traumatic brain injury
- Internal injuries
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- And other serious conditions that can lead to disability or loss of life
Truck companies and drivers are required to abide by strict regulations for safety and standards. When an accident occurs, victims and families may want to closely scrutinize the truck driver, the driver’s company, and other stakeholders to determine whether the truck company or driver may have been at fault for the crash. Unfortunately, many families are simply not equipped to understand the federal laws and regulations and may not be experienced in dealing with truck accident insurance adjusters. Truck accident insurance policies can often be high-value policies, with coverage as high as $1 million in some cases. However, adjusters may be highly-skilled in trying to offer the lowest legal possible claim to victims and families.
Truck companies and their insurers may have teams of lawyers on their side. You need an attorney on yours. A truck accident lawyer in Greenville, South Carolina like the Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys, LLC can review the factors leading to your accident, determine the stakeholders responsible for your injuries or losses, and fight to help you seek the maximum compensation permitted under the law. You may be entitled to receive money to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages for your accident injuries.
What Laws Are Truck Companies and Drivers Required to Follow in South Carolina?
Truck drivers and companies are required to abide by many strict federal and local laws. These laws are put in place to ensure that truck companies and drivers take the maximum measures to protect other drivers on the road. Unfortunately, sometimes companies or drivers cut corners, putting other people on the road at risk. If you’ve been in a truck accident in Greenville, South Carolina, you may want to reach out to the Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys, LLC Our firm understands the specific laws that truck companies and drivers must follow. We can evaluate your case to determine whether the driver or company involved in your accident may have broken these laws or regulations. What are some laws that truck companies must follow?
- Federal Hours of Service Laws: Under the laws of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, drivers are limited to working 11-hour shifts. Drivers are also required to keep detailed logs of the hours they have worked. While many drivers follow the law, and maintain schedules that allow them to rest, some drivers are pressured by their companies to put in longer hours and some may even falsify their logs. A truck accident lawyer can review a truck’s logbooks or shipping schedules to see whether these two documents accord with one another. If they don’t match, your lawyer may be able to use this as evidence to show negligence on the part of the driver or company.
- Maintenance requirements. Truck companies are required to regularly-maintain their vehicles. When companies cut corners in maintenance or when they miss regular tune-ups, terrible accidents can occur. For example, when truck companies fail to check brakes, brakes can fail. Sometimes companies may put used tires on their trucks. If these tires blow out, the driver can potentially lose control of the vehicle, leading to a potentially dangerous situation on the road. Companies may keep maintenance logs that can be checked by your lawyer.
- Driver requirements. Truck drivers are required to meet strict requirements, including medical and driving standards. However, sometimes companies may fail to perform thorough vetting of their drivers. Drivers may not have updated their medical exams. Sometimes drivers may have poor driving records in other states. Yet other drivers may be on medications that can interfere with their ability to drive safely.
- Overweighed trucks. Trucks are required to meet maximum weight standards. If a truck isn’t properly packed or if the weight exceeds local or federal laws, the truck could be more at risk of tipping over.
- Hazardous materials. If a truck is carrying hazardous materials, there are other specific regulations that drivers must abide by. For example, if a truck carries explosive materials, the truck must be attended to at all times.
These are just some of the regulations that truck companies, drivers, and other stakeholders must follow. Truck companies may have lawyers on their side to reduce the level of negligence the company or driver may hold. If you or a loved one were hurt due to the negligent actions of a truck driver or truck company, consider speaking to the Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys, LLC, truck accident lawyers in Greenville, South Carolina. In the aftermath of an accident, it can be very difficult to determine who is at fault. If you’ve been seriously injured, let the Hayes Law Firm investigate your claim on your behalf.
Understanding Your Rights After a Truck Accident in Greenville, South Carolina
If you’ve been in a truck accident in Greenville, South Carolina, you may be entitled to receive money to cover your medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage. Truck accidents can be complicated claims because many stakeholders may be involved. Negligent or responsible parties could include:
- Drivers
- Shippers
- Truck owners
- Operators
- Insurance companies
If you or a loved one was hurt in a truck crash, consider speaking to the Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys, LLC today. Our qualified truck accident attorneys in Greenville, South Carolina can help you navigate the complex claims process and fight to help you get the maximum possible compensation permitted under the law. You may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim. Reach out to the Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys, LLC today. We don’t get paid unless you win.