Truck Accident Attorneys: Get Help From a Spartanburg Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck Collision Attorneys in Spartanburg, South Carolina

South Carolina is dependent on the trucking industry. In fact, nearly 80 percent of all South Carolina communities depend on trucks to move their goods. Yet, while these trucks may help deliver everyday goods, they can cause serious accidents on the road. Spartanburg, in particular, is a major thoroughfare for commercial trucks of all sizes. Here, three interstates crisscross with highways as trucks make their way from Savannah Georgia to Charlotte, North Carolina. From I-77 to I-20, big rigs and semi-trucks hauling goods over the road at all hours of the day and night can cause catastrophic accidents resulting in life-threatening injuries. Whether it’s a crash involving large trucks or a collision from bad weather, the damages can be costly.

When preventable trucking accidents result in serious injury, truck drivers and victims can sustain tremendous losses. Spartanburg truck accident survivors often incur significant medical expenses and lost income from being unable to work. In addition, victims may experience substantial physical and emotional pain and suffering from truck accident injuries. Fortunately, South Carolina laws and regulations allow truck accident victims to recover significant compensation for these and other damages.

A Spartanburg, SC Lawyer Can Help with Your Truck Accident Case

Why Choose One of Our Accident Attorneys?

When you suffer a serious injury in a truck accident in Spartanburg, you may not know where to turn for help. In the blink of an eye, your life and future have changed and you may find yourself facing a lifetime of disability, pain, and suffering from the truck accident injury. When this occurs, you need someone on your side who can fight for you and the compensation you deserve. This is when a truck accident lawyer can help.

The Spartanburg Truck Accident Lawyers at the Strom Law Firm are familiar with litigating South Carolina personal injury cases. Our lawyers can often help truck accident victims recover substantial compensation for their truck accident damages. Anyone injured in an accident should discuss their options with one of our experienced Spartanburg Truck Accident Lawyers.

Trucking companies often have large legal teams on their side dedicated to reducing their liabilities and damages. They may attempt a quick settlement that is just a fraction of what you truly need. We want to protect your future and your rights in SC. With the Strom Law Firm involved, we will focus on the insurance company, so you can focus your energies on recovery.

At the Strom Law Firm, our Spartanburg truck accident lawyers are here to help. Our office is located at 175 Magnolia Street, Suite 106, Spartanburg, SC 29306. We offer free initial consultations and reviews to all injured truck accident survivors. To make things even easier, our truck accident lawyer can meet you at your home, your hospital room, or even virtually during this time. Schedule your free consultation with a Spartanburg truck accident lawyer at Strom Law Firm today by calling (864 )598-1111.

Causes of Trucking Accidents in Spartanburg, South Carolina

The National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) reports that, in 2018, there were 106,821 collisions in South Carolina involving commercial trucking vehicles. Almost 4,500 of those were fatal collisions. Because of the size and weight of these vehicles, any type of negligent, reckless, or careless driving can have serious and devastating consequences, including wrongful death from a large truck accident.

All of us have traveled the highways and roads throughout the Spartanburg area and are aware of the increasingly heavy traffic, particularly on major interstates like I-26, I-20, and even I-85. Eighteen wheelers, big rigs, construction vehicles, farm vehicles, and other multi-axle and commercial vehicles often rush to stay on schedule and beat deadlines. They are heavy. They are fast. They are weighted down by the load. When a large truck collides with a smaller vehicle, destruction and serious injuries can occur to the drivers and other passengers.

Truck Driver

Truck drivers sometimes operate these large vehicles in a negligent or careless manner. Sometimes, these truckers drive for long hours on the road, leading to physical and mental exhaustion. Other times, truckers have used medications and drugs to help them stay awake while driving.

Regular causes of truck crashes across Spartanburg County include:

• Exhaustion
• Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
• Distractions while driving
• Reckless driving
• Inexperience
• Driving Under the Influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI)
• Improper turning procedures
• Failure to maintain lanes
• Drivers carrying too much load
• Failure to maintain the vehicle

Trucking Defects

Some accidents are caused by defective truck parts rather than a negligent driver. These can include problems with brakes, tires, lights, and other faulty or improper maintenance, etc. Faulty pre-trip inspections could be to blame. Sometimes, these defects could give rise to a product liability claim against the manufacturer, distributor, or maintenance facility that performed repairs on the truck. Contacting an experienced Spartanburg truck accident lawyer to review the situation and determine the best course to follow can help you secure the compensation you deserve for your damages.

Trucking Company Negligence

Trucking companies have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their fleet. This means performing proper maintenance on trucks, as well as ensuring that all drivers adhere to the SC state and federal trucking regulations. When trucking companies cut corners in maintenance or push their drivers to drive long hours, they can cause serious trucking accidents.

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a truck accident, you need to have someone working on the case immediately. The Spartanburg accident lawyers at the Strom Law Firm can ensure your personal injury claim is timely initiated, preserved, and filed to ensure you receive the legal compensation you deserve.

Common Types of Spartanburg Truck Accidents

As with any type of vehicle collision, trucking accidents that occur in Spartanburg, SC can vary in severity. They can range from fender benders to catastrophic accidents with fatalities or permanent disabilities.

At Strom Law Firm, our truck accident attorneys have represented survivors who suffered injuries in a variety of trucking accidents, including:

• Rear-end collisions
• Overturns as a result of taking a turn too sharply
• Failure to yield the right of way
• Illegal turns
• Hydroplaning
• Multiple car pile-ups
• Chemical spills on the roadways
• Underride accidents
• Jackknife truck accidents

Occasionally late night or early morning accidents can be caused when a tractor-trailer truck is either not equipped with or does not use its high beams and fails to see a hazard in the roadway. If the trailer’s haul is not loaded and secured appropriately, it can become dislodged from the trailer and careen into other cars on the road. Drivers on the other end of such a situation can find themselves in a serious, maybe even deadly situation on SC roads.

Our Spartanburg Truck Accident Lawyers Help Injured Survivors Like You

Common Spartanburg Truck Accident Injuries

These 18 wheeler accidents are the culprit for many fatalities each year on Spartanburg roadways. The weight and mass of a commercial truck increase the crushing force associated with these collisions. While every trucking accident does not result in a fatality, victims involved in a collision with a tractor trailer rarely walk away from the accident unscathed. The damage these types of collisions can cause include severe trauma, head injuries, broken bones, dislocations, burns, and other injuries not always present in other types of car accidents.

Our Spartanburg truck accident attorneys have helped survivors who suffered from a variety of serious and catastrophic injuries. We know that no two accident injuries are ever quite the same. That is why our truck accident lawyers work alongside your medical team to determine how your injuries will specifically affect your life – and your future.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Victims of a truck and trailer accident may suffer head injuries known as traumatic brain injuries. Damage to the brain often results in lasting consequences requiring immediate diagnosis and long-term treatment. Brain damage can lead to cognitive issues that may permanently impact a person’s cognitive activity, emotions, and ability to conduct activities of daily living.

Imagine waking up in a fog, but that fog would be every day for the rest of your life. Traumatic brain injuries seen in truck accidents involve concussions, coup-contrecoup, and brain contusions.

SIGNS THAT YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE MAY HAVE SUFFERED A TBI

There are a variety of signs and symptoms associated with traumatic brain injuries. The severity of such symptoms may vary based on the severity of the injury. Common symptoms include:

• Inability to remember the cause of the injury or events that occurred leading up to it.
• Confusion and disorientation.
• Difficulty remembering new information.
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Blurry vision.
• Changes in taste or smell.
• Sensitivity to light.
• Fatigue or drowsiness.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Ringing in the ears.
• Trouble speaking coherently.
• Changes in emotions or sleep patterns.
• Clear fluids draining from the nose or ears.
• Periods of unconsciousness following the injury.

While the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury may appear at the time of injury or immediately after, some symptoms may not develop for days or even weeks.

Back Injuries and Spinal Cord Damage

The size and weight of a tractor-trailer can also result in injury to someone’s spine. An impact on a person’s back can cause damage to the spinal cord. The brain receives sensory information through the spinal cord. If it is damaged, these functions can be compromised.

An accident where the back is injured often results in fractured vertebrae and can cause injuries to the sensitive nerves in the spinal cord. These injuries can cause conditions ranging from paralysis and issues with moving around to numbness and even incontinence.

SIGNS THAT YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE MAY HAVE SUFFERED A BACK INJURY

There are a variety of signs and symptoms associated with back injuries. The severity of such symptoms may vary based on the severity of the injury. Common symptoms include:

• Pain or tenderness.
• Pain that worsens with movement.
• Stiffness or difficulty moving.
• Difficulty standing up.
• Muscles spasms on either side of the spine.
• Pain that radiates down one or both legs.
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
• Numbness or pins and needles to the arms, legs, hands, or feet.
• Blood in the urine.

SIGNS THAT YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE MAY HAVE SUFFERED A SPINAL CORD INJURY

There are a variety of signs and symptoms associated with spinal cord injuries. The severity of such symptoms may vary based on the severity of the injury. Common symptoms include:

• Pain or an intense stinging sensation.
• Muscle weakness.
• Loss of voluntary muscle movement in the chest, arms, or legs.
• Breathing problems.
• Loss of feeling in the chest, arms, or legs.
• Loss of bowel and bladder function.
• Loss or altered sensation, including the ability to feel heat, cold, and touch.
• Changes in sexual function, sexual sensitivity, and fertility.
• Difficulty with balance and walking.
• Quadriplegia (loss of function in the arms and legs).
• Paraplegia (loss of function in the legs and lower body).

Internal Organ Damage

Internal organs can often be damaged by the force of an accident with a semi-truck or tractor-trailer. Some of the damage to these organs include rupturing, tearing, and contusions, which can all turn out to be severe injuries. The organs can lose function, or internal bleeding can damage the body’s other organs or hemorrhage, which is irreparable and deadly.

SIGNS THAT YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE MAY HAVE SUFFERED INTERNAL ORGAN DAMAGE

There are a variety of signs and symptoms associated with internal organ damage. The severity of such symptoms may vary based on the severity of the injury. Common symptoms include:

• Headache
• Stiff neck.
• Confusion
• Vision loss.
• Weakness
• Slurred speech.
• Lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting.
• Shortness of breath.
• Low blood pressure.
• Blood in the urine or stool.
• Abdominal pain.
• A large area of deeply purple skin.
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness.

Liability of Spartanburg Trucking Companies and Drivers

Who is to Blame For My Truck Accident?

Unlike auto accidents involving only passenger vehicles, truck accidents can quickly become very complex. In many cases, more than one factor contributes to truck accidents in SC and the truck driver isn’t always at fault.

To determine what caused your trucking accident, your attorney will need to conduct a full investigation into the truck accident. This can include an analysis of multiple factors that may have contributed to the accident, such as reviewing the driver’s logbook, the truck’s load, and the operator’s driving history.

In South Carolina, numerous parties can share the blame for the accident including:

• Truck driver
• Trucking company
• Maintenance company
• Shipping or loading company
• Truck manufacturer

At Strom Law Firm, our Spartanburg truck crash attorneys will begin our investigation by asking several questions including:

Did the driver follow federal regulations regarding the number of hours spent behind the wheel each day?

According to federal law and regulations, a trucker can spend 11 hours out of each 14-hour shift behind the wheel. After reaching those 11 hours or the end of the 14-hour shift, the driver must spend at least 10 hours off the road before resuming his trip.

Sometimes, however, trucking companies pressure their drivers to exceed those federal mandates to meet deadlines or extend their drive time. If the company allows those driving behaviors, the company may share liability for the accident, especially if it pressures drivers to push beyond the federal mandates.

Did a shifting load incident cause the collision?

Shifting loads can cause serious problems for many truck drivers. On a flatbed truck, shifting cargo can fall from the truck, causing serious injury to others around the vehicle. In a traditional truck and cab, a shifting load can make the load more likely to tip over on a curve or in a dangerous situation, substantially increasing the risk of a truck rollover accident.

Often, trucking companies hire other individuals to handle cargo loading and unloading. An improperly-loaded truck that causes a semi-truck accident may leave liability resting with the company that loaded the vehicle.

Did the company force the driver to drive in unsafe conditions?

From icy or very wet roads to high winds, even experienced drivers may face weather conditions that make it unsafe to get behind the wheel. Likewise, illness and inebriation can both make it dangerous for drivers to operate a truck.

If the company forces the driver to continue his route though it knows a truck cannot safely navigate in those conditions, the company may share liability for any accident caused by that negligence of the driver.

Did a mechanical failure cause or contribute to the accident?

Trucks need careful, regular maintenance to keep them running as effectively as possible and reduce accident risk. Unfortunately, trucking companies do not always take good care of their vehicles. Trucking companies may ignore maintenance requests or put off routine maintenance to cut costs. These cuts, however, can prove incredibly dangerous, especially if the driver has reported a serious problem with the vehicle and has to take it out on the road anyway.

If the company does not take care of needed maintenance, the company may share liability for the accident. If the company does conduct maintenance, but a mechanical failure occurs due to mechanic error, the mechanic may share liability.

If a mechanical failure in a new vehicle causes a trucking accident, the truck manufacturer may share liability for the accident. Likewise, if an error in a newly-installed part, including tires or brakes, causes a serious accident, the manufacturer of that part may share liability for the accident.

If you suffered serious injuries in a truck accident, a truck accident attorney at Strom Law Firm can help provide you with a better picture of what factors contributed to your accident and how much compensation you should expect for your damages. Consult our experienced Spartanburg truck accident attorneys to learn more about how to navigate your trucking accident case.

Spartanburg Truck Accidents FAQ

Large trucks are a common sight on Spartanburg’s roadways. Unfortunately, this also means that an accident with a truck is a frequent risk for drivers and pedestrians alike. Truck accidents often cause substantial injuries, serious confusion, and a lot of questions.

If you have specific questions about your accident, contact an experienced Spartanburg truck accident attorney as soon as you can following your accident. Below, we answer some of the questions we hear most often about truck accidents in Spartanburg, SC.

What are the different types of commercial trucks? When and where do most fatal commercial truck accidents occur? How long does it take to receive compensation for a Spartanburg truck accident lawsuit? How much do you need to recover from your injuries? How much do you need to negotiate before reaching an agreement with the insurance company? What type of evidence will my attorney review and utilize in my truck accident case? Will I have to go to court to settle my Spartanburg truck accident claim? What happens if the Spartanburg truck driver’s insurance company makes me a settlement offer? Do I really need an attorney to help handle a truck accident claim in Spartanburg? How much will your Spartanburg truck accident attorneys cost me? How will you pay for that attorney? What is the difference between a Spartanburg commercial truck accident and an accident with a passenger vehicle? Can I receive compensation if I was partially at fault for the accident?

Contact a Spartanburg Truck Accident Attorney at Our Law Firm Today

Severe injuries and lifelong medical expenses resulting from a truck accident are serious issues for accident victims. Experienced truck wreck lawyers at the Strom Law Firm are here to talk to you and take a look at your case. We know what it takes to negotiate with insurance companies.

Do not resolve your truck accident case for too little. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm are ready to litigate your case through depositions, hearings, and trial. Schedule your free consultation with a Spartanburg personal injury lawyer today at 864-598-1111.