Atlanta Bad Weather Truck Accident Lawyers
Truck drivers and other motorists on the road should drive with caution anytime they are on the road. But that caution should be compounded when the weather is poor. Strong rains, thick snow and ice, or dense fog could increase the likelihood of an auto accident, especially when heavy trucks are involved. If you were injured in a truck accident, and bad weather was a significant factor, consider calling an attorney to help your case. A dedicated truck accident lawyer might be able to help you recover damages to pay for your injuries. Reach out to a knowledgeable Atlanta bad weather truck accident lawyer to discuss your legal options for compensation.
How Does Bad Weather Affect Roads in Atlanta?
Atlanta roads are susceptible to the specific effects of bad weather because they continuously see heavy traffic. The combination of heavy usage and poor weather tends to damage the roads over time. Trucks in particular have a difficult time handling poor road conditions because they cannot easily react to changing conditions like icy roads or a sudden traffic standstill.
Assigning Fault Due to Poor Weather
Dangerous weather in the area can impact the assignment of fault in truck accidents because commercial motor vehicle drivers have to slow down or adopt driving practices to suit the weather. Even with that rule in place, defendants frequently try to blame the accident on poor roads or conditions. It is important that the plaintiff has a lawyer who is familiar with trucking rules and regulations, including those that require trucking companies to stop driving completely in hazardous conditions.
A local lawyer who has experience dealing with common truck driver defenses could help determine if an adverse weather condition should have any impact on legal fault and liability.
Other motorists can protect themselves from weather-related accidents by slowing down, keeping tires in excellent condition with good tread depth, anticipating that other drivers may not be doing everything they can to be cautious, and guarding against the weather risks that they are likely to run into.
How Should Someone Gather Evidence of Bad Weather Conditions?
If weather conditions cause an accident, it is imperative that the affected individuals try to take immediate photographic or video evidence. This is especially true if it involves snow, ice, or floodwater, which could potentially disappear by the time officials arrive to document the scene. It is also important to call for help if there are serious injuries that need immediate attention.
Beyond photographic evidence, witness testimony can establish causation, as can vehicle inspections. For example, worn tires and road conditions in a heavy rain can be documented and studied by an expert. A hydrologist might try to recreate or study what the conditions were like at the time of the accident.
A hazardous weather truck crash lawyer could document the conditions through witness interviews, scene inspections, vehicle inspections, and the official weather reports for that day. Waiting for months or even days to begin collecting evidence of the truck accident could compromise the investigation since the local weather conditions are always changing.
Potential Damages in Truck Accidents
The damages that could be recovered in a dangerous weather truck accident are determined by what the injuries are and how the person’s life was impacted. A jury will ultimately decide what should be paid out. This can include compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, future medical treatments, property damage, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and consequential damages, which can include other economic impacts on the person. If the claim involves suing a government entity, such as claiming that inadequate road maintenance or design on a public street caused the crash, then there may be caps on damages. In certain cases the government is fully immune from the claim, so a trustworthy bad weather truck accident attorney should be consulted before deciding to file suit.
Seek Help from an Atlanta Bad Weather Truck Accident Lawyer
The sheer size of some large trucks can make even a minor accident into a major incident that causes catastrophic injuries. When weather wreaks havoc on the roads, it could be difficult to assess who is to blame. Let a local lawyer work with you to file a bad weather truck accident claim. Call now to how a Atlanta bad weather truck accident lawyer could help your case.
