Fort Mill 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer

Operating a commercial truck requires the utmost skill and care from a truck driver or trucking company. When they fail in this responsibility, they put innocent people at risk of suffering life-long injuries and their devastating financial consequences. David Blackwell, a Fort Mill truck accident lawyer, can help you seek financial recovery and justice from an at-fault truck driver or trucking company.

Our dedicated legal team works hard to represent the rights and interests of accident victims and make our community safer. We will pursue financial relief and closure for you as efficiently as possible so you can begin to move on with your life.

Have you suffered physical and emotional trauma in a truck collision? Contact David Blackwell Law for a free truck accident claim review. You’ll learn how a Fort Mill truck accident attorney can help you recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and property damage.

Why You Should Hire a Fort Mill, SC, Attorney for Your Truck Accident Claim

A truck accident can leave you with severe injuries that require extensive medical care and rehabilitation. You may find it challenging to balance your treatment and rehab with pursuing your legal claims against the truck driver or trucking company. By hiring a truck accident law firm, your attorney will pursue the financial resources you need, allowing you to focus on your physical and emotional recovery.

When you turn to David Blackwell, a Fort Mill truck accident lawyer, you can expect our legal team to work tirelessly for maximum compensation in your case. Our proven track record of success in truck accident cases reflects our dedication to client satisfaction.

Our legal staff will provide the guidance and support you need as you put your life back on track, explaining your rights and offering close communication throughout the process. We work with medical and financial experts to document your injuries, calculate your losses, and determine your future needs. Our team will communicate with your employer and bill collectors to update them on the status of your claim. Most importantly, we will seek maximum compensation as efficiently and effectively as possible, whether at the negotiating table or in the courtroom.

How Come Trucking Accidents Are More Complicated Than Other Motor Vehicle Collisions?

There are several reasons why truck accident claims can become more complex than other motor vehicle accident claims. Here are some of the more significant:

• Truck Accident Cases May Have Multiple Liable Parties – In a truck accident claim, you might pursue compensation from multiple individuals and companies who bear responsibility for causing the crash or otherwise have liability for your losses. Your case can become complicated if the defendants try to shift liability onto you or among themselves.
• Truck Accident Claims Can Involve Complex Evidence – Truck accident cases typically involve records and logs from the trucking company, such as driver hours-of-service records, truck “black box” logs, cargo manifests, post-trip inspection reports, and repair/maintenance records, on top of other evidence common to other motor vehicle accident claims.
• Trucking Companies May Use Complex Insurance Coverages or Corporate Structures – Many trucking companies have layered insurance policies, making it challenging to determine the full extent of coverage available to compensate you.

Who Could Be Held Liable for a Trucking Wreck in South Carolina?

Depending on the circumstances of the truck wreck, various parties may bear responsibility or share liability for the harm and loss you’ve suffered, including:

• The Truck Driver – A truck driver may bear liability for a truck crash caused by the driver’s negligent or reckless operation of their vehicle, such as breaking traffic laws or failing to ensure the safety of the cargo load.
• The Trucking Company – The trucking company could be responsible for your truck accident injuries as the employer of a truck driver who causes a crash. A trucking company can also bear direct responsibility for a truck accident caused by the company’s inadequate maintenance of their fleet or directing drivers to engage in careless or reckless driving behavior.
• The Truck’s Owner – A third party other than the truck driver or trucking company may own the truck involved in a crash and cause the accident through deferred or inadequate maintenance.
• The Cargo/Freight Company – A cargo or freight company responsible for loading cargo into a truck or trailer may cause a crash by loading excessive cargo, failing to balance the weight, or not securing items from shifting during travel.
• The Truck’s Mechanic – Third-party mechanics or auto shops hired to maintain a trucking company’s vehicles may bear liability for a trucking wreck caused by negligent maintenance or repair work.
• The Truck/Trailer Manufacturer – A truck or trailer manufacturer can cause a truck crash through a design or manufacturing defect in its vehicles.
• Auto Part Manufacturers – Third-party manufacturers of auto parts like tires or brakes may bear responsibility for a truck that crashes due to a mechanical failure caused by a design or manufacturing defect.

What Compensation Could You Recover in a South Carolina Truck Accident Claim?

Depending on the circumstances, your truck accident compensation can include money for:

• Costs of repairs to your vehicle or reimbursement of your car’s value if totaled in the accident
• Medical treatment and rehabilitation expenses
• Costs of long-term care and support for disabilities that result from your injuries
• Ongoing and future losses of income and employment benefits if you become temporarily or permanently disabled from work
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of quality of life because of permanent disabilities or visible scarring/disfigurement

The family of a victim of a fatal truck accident may have the right to recover compensation for various losses, such as funeral/burial expenses, medical expenses from a deceased victim’s final injuries, and loss of the decedent’s financial support, care, companionship, protection, and guidance.

What Happens if You’re Partly to Blame for a Trucking Accident?

If you believe you might share blame for a trucking accident, you’re likely wondering whether you can still pursue a truck accident claim. Fortunately, South Carolina’s modified comparative negligence rule entitles you to pursue a truck accident lawsuit as long as your share of fault for the accident does not exceed the truck driver’s or trucking company’s share of fault. However, the comparative negligence rule may affect the compensation you can recover if you bear any responsibility for causing the truck crash.

For this reason, you need experienced legal representation who can advocate for you if the trucking company tries to shift the blame for the crash onto you.

What Is Considered a Truck in South Carolina?

South Carolina law defines a “truck” as a motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained primarily to transport property. The law also defines a “truck tractor” as a motor vehicle designed and used primarily to draw other vehicles. Finally, the law defines a “trailer” as a vehicle with or without motive power designed to carry persons or property while being drawn by a motor vehicle with no part of its weight resting on the towing vehicle, and a “semitrailer” as a vehicle with or without motive power designed to carry persons or property while being drawn by a motor vehicle with some part of its weight resting on the towing vehicle.

The definition for commercial trucks is set by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, which defers to the standards set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Under this definition, a commercial truck:

• Has a gross weight rating or gross combination weight rating of at least 26,001 pounds, inclusive of any trailer
• Is designed to transport 16 occupants, counting the driver
• Is used to transport cargo that meets the federal definition of hazardous materials

Common Types of Commercial, Big Rig, and Semi-Truck Accidents in South Carolina

An 18-wheeler can get into various types of accidents, such as:

What Injuries Can Someone Sustain in a Truck Accident?

The size and weight of a big rig make these vehicles more likely to cause severe injuries in the event of a crash. Examples of common truck accident injury types include:

Contact a Fort Mill, SC, Truck Accident Lawyer Today

If you’ve suffered injuries in a semi-truck accident, get legal help to pursue the compensation you need for your harm and loss. Contact David Blackwell Law today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal options with a knowledgeable, dedicated truck accident lawyer in Fort Mill. We are ready to start work on your case at no upfront cost.