Even modern vehicles with safety features such as airbags are not built to withstand high-speed collisions on their sides, especially when the vehicle colliding with them is an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer. As a result, crashes that involve semi-trucks sideswiping or T-boning commuter cars tend to have catastrophic repercussions, even by the usual standards of truck wrecks.
Lawsuits and settlement demands based on side-impact truck accidents in Orangeburg are high-stakes legal proceedings where even a small procedural mistake could limit potential payouts. It is especially vital for people hurt in this way to have help from seasoned legal counsel. No matter what specific losses you have sustained or what amount of compensation you need to make up for them, your dedicated truck accident attorney could help you pursue the best possible resolution to your claim.
How to Hold Someone Else Liable for a T-Bone Truck Wreck
Every successful personal injury claim is built around the principle of “negligence”—in other words, around proving that a specified “defendant” directly caused the injuries of the “plaintiff” through a reckless or careless violation of their “duty of care.” Just like other motor vehicle drivers, professional truck drivers have a “duty” to obey traffic laws, watch out for nearby vehicles and people, and generally act rationally and responsibly behind the wheel. Any breach of traffic law or irresponsible act like distracted driving that leads to a collision would likely constitute legally actionable negligence.
An Orangeburg truck driver found liable in this way for causing a side-impact truck accident may be held financially liable for losses like:
- Physical pain and suffering
- All accident-related medical expenses, including expected future costs
- Emotional trauma and psychological distress
- Personal property loss/damage, including vehicle replacement costs
- Lost quality/enjoyment of life
- Lost working ability and/or work earnings
Skilled legal counsel could also or alternatively help demand compensation from a truck driver’s employer, a third party such as a mechanic or supplier, and anyone else who played a role in causing a wreck to happen.
Possible Obstacles to Effective Civil Recovery
Legal representation can play a vital role in contesting allegations of “comparative fault” made against an injured plaintiff. These are accusations that the person filing suit is to blame for causing their own injuries through their own negligence. Any share of “comparative fault” assigned to a plaintiff in this way could lead to a proportional reduction from their final damage award, or could even be used as a reason to dismiss their claim altogether.
Following a side-impact wreck, an Orangeburg lawyer could help build the strongest possible claim demonstrating liability within applicable filing deadlines. Most of the time, South Carolina Code of Laws §15-3-530 gives injury survivors just three years after getting hurt to formally file suit against the person or people who harmed them, even if their injuries are expected to have lifelong consequences.
Talk To an Orangeburg Attorney About a Possible Side-Impact Truck Accident Claim
Getting sideswiped or T-boned is always a shocking and potentially life-threatening experience, regardless of what type of vehicle hit you. However, when that vehicle is a large tractor-trailer, you are unfortunately likely to suffer catastrophic harm. You may also face challenges recovering the compensation you need to make up for your crash-related losses.
Guidance from a tenacious truck accident lawyer could be crucial to making the most of a claim built around a side-impact truck accident in Orangeburg. Schedule a meeting by calling today.
