Sanitation workers keep streets and neighborhoods clean, helping residents maintain a healthier and happier quality of life. Still, they must operate their vehicles with the utmost care when providing their services, upholding the safety of all others on the roads. A Walterboro truck accident lawyer can help you fight back if you have been hurt in a garbage truck accident caused by someone else’s negligence.
Shelly Leeke Law Firm has earned a “Featured Lawyer” recognition by Lawyer Central, and a Garbage Truck accident lawyer in Walterboro from our firm can put our trusted services to work for you. Garbage-truck claims can be complicated, but we will work through any challenges in the effort to get you the compensation you deserve.
Immediate Steps You Can Take to Strengthen Your Accident Claim
Knowing how to protect your rights after a truck accident provides immediate support for your claim. Call the authorities to the scene to make an official report. Exchange insurance and contact information from the truck driver and others involved, and be sure to note any other identifying information on the truck. Report the accident to your insurance company, but keep your comments brief and factual.
Be mindful to avoid saying anything that could be twisted or misinterpreted as admitting fault. It is best to keep your conversation with the other involved parties to a minimum during the information exchange. Then, photograph the full scene, documenting vehicle damage and positions, road conditions, traffic signals, and other relevant details.
Of course, if you are injured and moving, you could risk worsening your condition, so stay still until medical services arrive. If you do not need emergency care, you should still get to a doctor right away. Delaying care gives the other side the chance to question whether your injuries are as severe as you claim or to accuse you of making them worse by failing to get care.
Finding the Cause of a Garbage Truck Accident
Garbage truck accidents happen for a variety of reasons. Their size and equipment can reduce the truck operator’s ability to see pedestrians or other vehicles traveling nearby. Operators may be so focused on getting their sanitation jobs done that they forget to focus on the road. In the attempt to finish the job early, they may move too quickly through local streets.
A vehicle malfunction can also cause an accident. Garbage trucks comprise complicated systems. If any part or system stops working or has a defect, an accident may result. Another driver could also cause an accident, perhaps making an unsafe maneuver or sudden stop. In trying to avoid a collision with that car, the garbage truck could hit another.
Your Walterboro personal injury lawyer will perform a thorough post-crash analysis to determine what happened and identify the negligent party. There are several possibilities for who you can sue in a truck accident, and your attorney will work to find answers.
Filing a Garbage Truck Accident Claim in Walterboro
After identifying the party at fault, your attorney can file your truck accident claim. Under Title 15 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, victims generally have three years to file a claim against a private entity. Many garbage trucks are government-owned, and this status changes that timeline.
Per the South Carolina Tort Claims Act (SCTA), those injured by a government vehicle, employee, or entity must file against the relevant government office within a year of the incident. There are other differences in the procedures for filing against the government, and the SCTA includes protections exempting government agencies from certain lawsuits.
To ensure you file on time and according to the rules relating to your claim, partner with a Walterboro garbage truck accident attorney as soon as possible after your accident. An early partnership allows time to investigate, collect evidence, and file appropriately within whichever legal deadline applies to your situation.
How a Walterboro Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer Will Fight for Maximum Damages
The team at Shelly Leeke Law Firm knows the kinds of evidence needed to prove negligence in a truck accident case and will leave no avenue of information unexplored in building your claim. The stronger the evidence, the greater your chances of securing the compensation you need.
South Carolina victims can sue for damages if they are less than 50% to blame for the incident, according to Section 15-38-15 of the South Carolina Code. If those eligible hold a smaller percentage of fault, their compensation will be reduced by that lower percentage.
Count on your attorney to find evidence to prove the other side’s negligence and to deflect accusations of fault against you. We will handle all discussions and negotiations with the involved insurance companies. These companies often try to minimize victims’ losses and inflate their culpability, but we are well prepared to derail these tactics.
You May Be Entitled to Economic and Non-Economic Damages
Your attorney will assess the consequences of the accident with tremendous care, providing evidence to support the value of your settlement demand. Your attorney will consult with your doctors and review your medical bills to value your care costs and determine the finances needed for your continued care.
We will also calculate your lost income and lost future earnings if you cannot return to work, and account for all other accident-related expenses when tabulating these economic damages. For example, you may need to pay for transportation or hire child care as you recover.
Your physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced enjoyment of life are other significant losses. Your attorney will speak with you, your caregivers, and loved ones about how your life has changed since the accident to determine the value of these non-economic damages. You can trust us to pursue the highest amount possible.
Shelly Leeke Law Firm Is on Your Side
Reach out to arrange a free case consultation from Shelly Leeke Law Firm today. A garbage truck accident attorney in Walterboro is ready to lead your fight for justice. Our entire team is on your side and will put the full strength of our skill, experience, and resources into securing the most favorable outcome possible.
