Amazon trucks are often a welcome arrival as they deliver goods to both businesses and individuals alike. However, there is also a rise in the risk of accidents involving Amazon delivery trucks, just by virtue of their substantial presence on the road and the inherent dangers of trucks.
Injury victims need help recovering compensation in many cases, especially against large companies like Amazon. Getting help from a lawyer can mean having a professional fight on your behalf for damages and having someone with experience in these kinds of fights stand up to these dangerous drivers for you.
Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free case evaluation with our Amazon delivery truck accident lawyers.
Common Causes of Amazon Delivery Truck Accidents in Georgia
You may be asking how Amazon trucks are more dangerous than any other driver on the road. The following are some examples of why trucks are particularly dangerous and create an increased risk for accidents.
Aggressive Driving
Roads everywhere are plagued by aggressive drivers and road rage. When giant trucks are added to the equation, the risk for serious injury and death only increases.
Aggressive and reckless drivers can also be found behind the wheels of these gargantuan vehicles. Intimidating drivers, tailgating them, or clouding them with exhaust is extremely dangerous. In some cases, truck drivers have even pushed other cars off the road These aggressive and reckless actions can and do cause substantial injury and death. Our Georgia truck accident lawyers will seek to persuade the court that you should receive even more damages due to the truck defendant’s aggressive behavior.
Negligent Hiring
Amazon and other companies that employ truck drivers have a duty to ensure that their drivers are competent and safe on the road, and there are state and federal regulations to follow. These companies may be liable for negligent hiring if they are found to have hired a driver whose background revealed that they would not have been safe drivers. In some cases, a driver might have past accidents or a criminal record that their employer neglected to discover, or simply disregarded. If such a driver causes accidents or injuries on the road, the employer could be liable. Employers can also be held liable for negligent retention if they keep a driver they know to be dangerous on staff.
Brake Failure and Improper Braking
Many accidents can be caused by a truck driver failing to brake properly, which can be aggravated by inadequate brake inspections and maintenance. Heavy trucks cannot stop or slow down as quickly as cars. Their enormous weight and speed can also create devastating impacts. Good truck accident lawyers will know how to discover problems with brake inspections and maintenance logs, as well as other equipment issues that might have contributed to the crash. In some cases, total brake failure – potentially caused by negligent manufacturing – could be the cause of the crash.
Other Dangers of Trucks
Trucks often carry freight and goods, and these wares may not be properly secured in or onto the truck. Injury or death might occur when items fall from a truck onto the road or into other cars. In snowy weather, some truck drivers will not clear the snow from the top of the truck or attached trailer, causing it to fly off and blind drivers behind the truck.
Trucks can also have many more wheels than cars and layers of tires shedding during transit can be incredibly dangerous to other drivers. Also, because of the greater difficulty braking, trucks frequently overturn or become disabled on roadways, creating even more hazards for other drivers. These issues can all contribute to a truck driver’s negligence.
How Insurance Covers Amazon Delivery Truck Accidents in Harrison, GA
Your attorneys should have experience dealing with insurance companies, as many truck accidents will be covered under such policies. Amazon or the specific delivery company involved in your accident case most likely has insurance that covers all of their drivers, and truck drivers in Georgia are required to carry commercial driver’s insurance. If you are injured by a truck, whether from Amazon or another company, your attorneys should be able to help you submit insurance claims that might cover a portion of your damages. However, insurance companies are often reluctant to pay damages in an injury case, and claims often need to go to court before they can be paid in full.
Getting Punitive Damages for Amazon Delivery Truck Accidents in Harrison, GA
As part of your case, you may be awarded different kinds of damages. Some of these damages are meant to compensate you for your past and present pain and suffering, the losses you have suffered, your medical bills, and more. But there is another sort of damages that the wrongdoer must pay when their conduct has been particularly egregious known as punitive damages.
O.C.G.A. § 51-12-5.1(b) states that punitive damages may be awarded when it is proven by “clear and convincing evidence” that the defendant acted with a malicious intent, or acted so recklessly as to create malice in effect.
The purpose of punitive damages is in the very nature of their name: to punish the wrongdoer. Therefore, the amount of punitive damages may be high, as a lower amount would be a less effective punishment for a large company. These damages are in addition to other damages your attorneys will seek for you, such as past and present pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, medical expenses, and so on.
Our Harrison, Georgia Amazon Delivery Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help
For a free case assessment with our Amazon delivery truck accident attorneys, contact Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 today.
