Experienced Georgia Auto Accident and Truck Accident Attorney
The type of automobile accident or truck accident often determines the parties’ relative liability and nature of injury. For instance, a driver that is stopped at a traffic control device, who is hit from behind, is typically never at fault, and typically suffers a back or a neck injury based upon the biomechanics of the car and the human body. The offending driver is almost always charged with “following too closely'” in a rear end collision.
Below are some common types of automobile impacts and some possible injury consequences.
Intersection Accident. Intersection collisions typically result in side impact or Tbone wrecks that can be extremely serious if the impact occurs directly perpendicular to a driver of passenger. Internal injuries, head injuries, neck and back injuries and spinal cord injuries are the unfortunate consequences.
Head On Collision. Head-on impacts are self explanatory. These usually involve one party crossing the centerline of the road into the lane of a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. Head injuries, limb injuries, spine injuries, amputation injuries, and laceration injuries result from side impact accidents, depending on the speed of the vehicles.
Failure to Yield. These accidents can result in side impact collisions or collisions from behind depending on the direction of travel of the vehicles. The nature of injuries of the parties varies.
Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign, Yield Sign or Red Light. Like failure to yield accidents, these crashes can result in varying types of impacts and injuries.
Pedestrian Accident. Pedestrian impacts are typically head on and catastrophic for the pedestrian because he is completely unprotected against the vehicle. Traumatic brain injury, spine injury, road rash, broken bones, internal injuries and limb injuries can be tragic consequences.
Collision from Behind. The offending driver is usually cited for “following too closely” in a rear impact collision, but typically this driver simply fails to stop in time.
T-Bone or Side Impact Collision. With head on collisions, side impact collisions are typically the most serious of accidents. Head injuries, limb injuries, spine injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputation injuries and death are all some tragic consequences.
Driving While Texting or Driving Using Cell Phone. While not illegal in Georgia yet, a driver who causes an accident while distracted by his or her electronic device is liable under general negligence law. Victims of distracted drivers can suffer a variety of injuries based upon the type of impact.
Types of Truck Accidents
Improper Left Turns. Typically, these turns involve truck left turns where the truck driver does not have ample time to complete the turn before oncoming traffic travels into the path of the turning truck. Truck drivers must be patient, cautious and decisive when making turns. If not, the tragic result can be a serious head injury, spine injury, traumatic brain injury, amputation injury or death occurring when the non-negligent driver slams into the cab or trailer of the truck.
Underrides. As the name implies, an underride occurs when a truck driver makes a maneuver that causes his trailer to be in the right of way of another vehicle that is forced under the trailer or carriage. Underride collisions are often gruesome and fatal and can result in decapitations.
Rear End Collision. A rear-end collision occurs when a truck strikes another vehicle from behind. Truck driver fatigue, overloading, and brake failure must all be investigated to understand the cause of the collision. Head injuries, neck and back injuries, and spinal cord injuries can result
Cargo Shifts. A cargo shift can injure motorists when the cargo slips off the bed of the truck onto the roadway or directly onto another vehicle. Improperly loaded freight is a major problem for interstate truck companies, and may implicate both the carrier and the shipper.
Improper Lane Change. Eighteen wheel trucks are massive vehicles and drivers can make lane changes in which they do not have sufficient clearance. Other times, the truck driver may simply fail to stay in his or her lane. Driver fatigue can be an issue with these types of collisions, and the driver logs must be ordered to determine all the factors.
Stopped Trucks. A truck stopped in the road or along the side of the road is extremely dangerous. A motorist can fail to see a stopped truck until it is too late. Federal laws require stopped truck to place reflective markers behind their vehicles to warn oncoming traffic. Decapitations and serious head injuries can result.
If you have been seriously hurt in an automobile accident or tractor-trailer accident in Georgia, Charles Scholle would like to help. From a main office in Gwinnett County, he serves clients from offices in Midtown and the Perimeter and represents victims throughout Atlanta and Georgia. To set up your free consultation, you can send the firm a message online or call toll-free at 866-972-5287 or in Atlanta at 770-717-5100.