The city of Albany is located in southwestern Georgia and has a population of approximately 75,600 making it the ninth largest city in Georgia. Albany is the county seat for Dougherty County. Albany is home to Albany State University, Albany Technical College and Darton College. There are two main trucking routes that run through the city of Albany: US 19 and 82. US 19 runs north from Albany to Atlanta and south into Florida. US 82 runs west from Albany to Alabama and east through Tifton, and onto Brunswick where it meets Interstate 95. Southwest Georgia Regional Airport provides air services to Albany.
Recent Truck Accidents in the Area
October 10 – on River Road
Around 1:00 a.m., a collision occurred involving a tractor-trailer near Albany, Georgia. Mr. Yip Thai Nguyen of Westminster, California was driving his tractor-trailer south in Mitchell County, Georgia when he ran a stop sign and was hit by Ms. Barbara Ann Thomas of Leary, Georgia. Ms. Thomas was driving along State Route 37. Mr. Nguyen and Ms. Thomas were both injured in the collision. Mr. Nguyen was issued two citations, one for running a stop sign and two for driving too fast for conditions.
24-Hour Awareness: The most dangerous time for truck drivers is after midnight and before 6 a.m. Many truck drivers overdrive their headlights, meaning they drive at a speed that exceeds their ability to see hazards within the visibility of the headlights. Fatigue is also an issue with nighttime driving. Truck drivers are only allowed to drive 11 hours per day according to federal regulations. As they near or exceed this limitation, the truck driver becomes tired and sleepy and prone to not recognizing traffic control devices. We have handled numerous nighttime tractor-trailer accidents. You can see our case results by clicking here.
May 2, 2011 – Intersection of State Highway 520 and Doublegate Drive
Truck Accident Attorney in Atlanta
A pregnant teenager from Lee County, Heather Aycock, died after the silver Mustang in which she was a passenger was involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer. The accident occurred just north of the Dougherty-Lee County line. The Georgia State Patrol identified the driver of the tractor-trailer as Berry Broadhead of Alabama. The driver of the silver Mustang was confirmed to be Teresa Aycock. Authorities are not certain as to how the accident occurred but believe the Mustang was turning at the time of the collision when it was struck by the tractor-trailer.
Smith System of Defensive Driving: Truck drivers must be diligent in their lookout for vehicles around them. Because of the size and velocity of a tractor-trailer, even a low speed collision with a passenger vehicle can have devastating results. Truck drivers are taught to use the Smith System of Defensive Driving. The Smith System cautions the truck driver to beware of traffic around them and to always have an escape route in mind for all traffic on the highway. Truck drivers are professional drivers and are held to a higher standard of care than a regular driver like you and me. We have handled numerous collisions involving tractor-trailers and commercial vehicles. You can see our case results by clicking here
Georgia Law
Interstate trucking companies are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (“FMCSR”), including trucking operations, driver qualifications, hours of service, maintenance of equipment, insurance, and alcohol and drug testing. Georgia also has state specific regulations governing intrastate trucking companies. Intrastate trucking companies pick up and deliver loads only in the state of Georgia and do not cross state lines. By statute, Georgia has adopted many of the federal regulations as also being applicable to intrastate trucking companies. Under Georgia law, intrastate trucking companies must have minimum insurance of $100,000/ $300,000 in liability coverage. Georgia also has a special exemption for logging trucks from many regulations applicable to other commercial vehicles.
Albany Truck Accident FAQs
What Compensation Can Be Recovered from a Truck Accident?
If you are a victim of a truck accident, the most important thing to focus on is your health and recovery. Accident-related expenses, such as medical costs to pay for truck accident injuries, can quickly add up causing undue stress on a person. Working with Georgia truck accident lawyers can help you get the compensation you need from an insurance company to cover expenses such as medical bills, time lost from work, rehabilitation and any other costs that you might have to endure as a result.
Payment for damages in a truck accident settlement can help take care of:
- Emergency room and hospital bills
- Rehabilitative care
- Lost wages or the loss of earning capacity due to injuries
- Pain and suffering
The cost of being injured in a truck accident can lead to expenses that last several days or even weeks past the initial incident. We want to make sure that you are eligible for the full amount of compensation you are entitled to in order to provide some relief for the future. Over the years, our attorneys have secured successful verdicts and multi-million dollar settlement for our clients. We fight for the best possible outcome with every case we take.
How Can an Albany Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me?
When you’ve been injured in a truck accident, the last thing you may want to do is deal with an insurance company or a driver’s trucking company. Our Atlanta-based law firm has the experience and expertise necessary to handle your case, whether in Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee or New York, so that you can concentrate on your recovery. Since our practice is devoted to these specific types of cases, we know the rules that a trucking company must follow and expectations to set when discussing settlement offers.
Without an attorney, an insurance company may pay out a minimal settlement to you that will not begin to cover the cost of your truck accident injuries. You should not have to suffer more for an accident that you were not at fault for causing. Our lawyers will fight on your behalf for a favorable verdict and fair settlement offer.
There is a statute of limitations in place, which is the time a person has to file a claim for a trucking accident. Therefore, it’s best to speak to our Georgia truck accident lawyers as soon as possible to review your options and begin gathering evidence and information from the accident to put together a complete claim.
What is the Average Commercial Truck Accident Settlement?
Every trucking accident case is different. There’s no real “average” settlement amount for semi-truck or 18-wheeler accidents. The final settlement for any trucking accident claim will depend on many factors, including the extent of the injuries, financial losses involved, and fault (such as whether a driver was acting negligently versus recklessly).
On the other hand, the opposing party (and their insurance company) will likely try to present a settlement figure that is too low or that doesn’t cover all the losses involved. A skilled attorney will be able to negotiate for the proper settlement amount that fully meets the injured party’s needs.
At Fried Goldberg, our team of Georgia truck accident lawyers have secured settlements for amounts over $30 million. We have recovered a total of nearly $1 billion for our clients in the state of Georgia alone.
What to Ask an Albany Truck Accident Lawyer?
It’s a lawyer’s job to ensure that all your questions and concerns are addressed. You should feel free to raise any inquiries that you may have in connection with your trucking accident case. You can ask any variety of questions, like:
- How long do I have to file a lawsuit?
- Will this incident affect my work situation?
- What damages might be available to me?
- Who can I contact as my case is being handled?
- You can reach the attorneys at Fried Goldberg at 877-591-1801 for a free, no obligation consultation.
- Our attorneys are available to answer any questions you might have about your case.
Contact Trucking Accident Law Firm
At Fried Goldberg, 95% of our practice is devoted to representing victims of commercial truck accidents. Our expert attorneys are nationally recognized for their expertise in this complex area of the law. Every truck accident case needs a truck accident attorney.
While our focus area is in commercial vehicle accidents, our experience extends to all areas of personal injury litigation. For a free consultation with one of our attorneys, please call us at one of the below phone numbers or complete the form on this page and we will respond promptly.
Address: 3550 Lenox Road Northeast, Suite 1500, Atlanta, GA 30326
Phone: 877-591-1801
Toll Free: (877) 591-1801