Greenville, South Carolina, Truck Accident Lawyer

The experienced Greenville truck accident attorneys at The Melonakos Law Firm handle 18-wheeler and other large truck crash cases in South Carolina. Our Greenville truck accident lawyers help injured individuals seek maximum compensation for their injuries and related losses resulting from collisions involving 18-wheelers and other large commercial motor vehicles. Let our Greenville truck accident lawyers manage your legal case while you heal and rebuild your life.

Call now or complete our contact form for a free consultation with our Greenville tractor-trailer accident attorneys.

Understanding Your Truck Accident Claim Value in Greenville, SC

Your truck accident claim could include compensation for the many losses you may have experienced from the crash, including:

• Current and future medical expenses related to the accident
• Lost income and reduced future earnings
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• The cost to repair or replace your car or other damaged property

The potential value of a settlement or verdict in your truck accident claim depends on the unique facts of your specific situation. Some examples of factors that could affect how much money you can recover include:

• The severity and long-term effects of your injuries
• The impact on your ability to earn a living
• The amount and quality of evidence showing liability
• The amount of available insurance coverage
• The number of other injured parties
• Whether you were at all to blame for the crash
• Your attorney’s experience and effectiveness

Key takeaway: The best way to get an idea of your case’s potential value is to get a free claim review from an experienced Greenville truck accident lawyer at The Melonakos Law Firm. Contact us now to arrange one.

Key Reasons Why You Should Work with Our Greenville Truck Wreck Lawyers

Who you choose as your Greenville truck accident lawyer could make a big difference in the outcome of your case. Here are just a few reasons why you should choose The Melonakos Law Firm:

We Deliver Significant Results

• You get one chance to recover compensation after a Greenville tractor-trailer accident, and you should make the most of it.
• Our Greenville tractor-trailer accident lawyers have recovered over $50 million in compensation for our previous clients. While past results don’t guarantee future outcomes, we are ready to put our experience to work for you.
• We’ll start by thoroughly assessing what you’ve suffered in order to seek maximum compensation for all your losses.

We Have Meaningful Courtroom Experience

• Attorney Michael Melonakos has tried over 20 bench trials and over 30 jury trials.
• You can trust that we understand the nuances of personal injury cases and what it takes to win them.
• Our willingness to take cases to court can provide extra leverage that actually makes a favorable settlement more likely.

We Provide Personalized Attention

• You are more than just a case to us.
• We prioritize personal attention for every client and will keep you fully informed at every stage of your case.
• We’re always available to answer your questions or concerns, and we tailor our approach to your needs.

Key takeaway: The Melonakos Law Firm’s South Carolina truck accident attorneys possess significant experience in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. We are ready to put our resources to work for you to seek the results you need, all while providing personalized client service.

Why Are Large Truck Accident Cases Frequently More Complex?

Several factors can make commercial truck accident cases more complex than other personal injury claims:

• Severe injuries – Truck accidents often result in particularly severe injuries, given the size and weight of the commercial vehicles involved.
• High medical bills – The more severe injuries lead to more expensive medical bills for patients, more time away from work, and a higher risk of long-term impairment.
• Higher stakes – More money is on the line because commercial trucks typically carry liability insurance coverage with much higher limits than personal cars – often $1 million or more.
• Tough fight from insurers – The increased claim value means that insurers will fight them all the harder.
• Numerous defendants – Truck accident claims often involve multiple potentially at-fault parties. For instance, a truck crash resulting from fatigue might involve the driver (for failing to take their required breaks) and the trucking company (for failing to enforce safety regulations).
• Copious evidence – You need a lawyer who knows how to pore through the evidence to determine everyone who could be at fault for what happened and to hold them financially accountable for the consequences.
• Complex trucking regulations – A complex web of state and federal trucking regulations frequently applies to truck accident claims. Inexperienced lawyers or attorneys who don’t often handle truck accident claims might not fully understand these laws, how to identify potential violations, and how to use those violations to establish liability.

Key takeaway: Truck crashes are often more severe than passenger car accidents, resulting in more significant injuries and greater financial losses. Because commercial motor vehicles usually carry higher insurance limits, insurance companies typically put up a vigorous fight in 18-wheeler accident claims. Such cases often involve complex evidence and regulations that may not be applicable in a typical car crash claim.

Common Causes and Types of Truck Accidents in Greenville

Some common causes and types of Greenville truck accidents include:

• Distracted driving accidents – Truck drivers work long hours at a job that’s both dull and high-pressure, which puts them at risk of succumbing to distracted driving. Texting while driving, talking on the phone, using GPS devices, and engaging in other distractions can prevent truck drivers from noticing potential hazards that can cause a crash.
• Impaired driving accidents – Despite strict laws against impaired driving, some truck drivers drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, severely compromising their ability to safely handle these large, dangerous vehicles. Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can have similar side effects if drivers aren’t careful about when and how they take them.
• Tailgating accidents – Semi-trucks are significantly larger and heavier than passenger cars, meaning they require longer to slow down and stop. Truck drivers who follow other traffic too closely can easily cause a potentially devastating crash.
• Sideswipe accidents – Tractor-trailers have large blind spots on either side and directly behind the trailer. Truck drivers who aren’t careful when passing, turning, or changing lanes may collide with a vehicle next to them.
• Head-on accidents – Distracted, impaired, or careless truck drivers can cross into the path of oncoming traffic, potentially leading to horrific head-on collisions.
• Wide-turn accidents – Trucks must make wide turns to avoid hitting objects, but drivers must be careful when making these turns. Otherwise, the truck might strike nearby vehicles while making the turn.
• Intersection accidents – Driver distractions, vehicle defects, and other hazards can make a truck driver lose control at an intersection and collide with other traffic.
• Speeding accidents – Speeding is particularly dangerous for truck drivers because trucks already need extra space to slow down and stop. Speeding heightens these dangers while also increasing the severity of injuries in a collision.

Important Deadlines for Commercial Truck Accident Cases in South Carolina

The sooner you speak with our Greenville truck accident lawyers, the sooner we can begin building your claim and protecting your interests.

Statute of Limitations

• Three years – Although the South Carolina statute of limitations on personal injury claims is three years from the date of the accident, you should not wait until the last minute to get help from a lawyer. Evidence can disappear, and witnesses’ memories can fade with time. Our attorneys are ready to preserve critical evidence and testimony to protect your right to pursue commercial vehicle accident compensation.
• Deadline exceptions – Some narrow exceptions could apply in your case. For example, if your claim is against a government agency, you could have a much shorter notice period. Other situations could extend the timeline, such as if you were still a minor at the time of the accident.

Key takeaway: Reach out to The Melonakos Law Firm for a free claim review as soon as possible to protect your right to pursue compensation. Even if you think you have waited too long, it is still worth your time to contact us, as a narrow exception may apply in your situation.

Legal Options for Greenville Truck Accident Victims

If someone else is responsible for causing the 18-wheeler accident that injured you, they could owe you compensation for the harm you suffered as a result.

Insurance Claims

• Your first option for pursuing compensation is to file a claim against the at-fault party’s liability insurance policy.
• Most trucks engaged in interstate operations in South Carolina carry at least $750,000 in liability insurance, with policy minimums going up to $5 million in the case of hazardous materials.

Negotiations and Settlements

• Most successful truck accident cases end in an insurance settlement.
• By building a solid case, our attorneys will be prepared to negotiate from a position of strength.
• Negotiations can continue even once a lawsuit is underway.

Court Cases

• You might need to file a lawsuit if the liable parties and their insurers won’t offer a fair deal.
• You can take your case before the court, which will decide whether the defendants in your case are liable for your injuries and, if so, how much they owe you.
• If you wish to file a truck accident lawsuit and take your case to trial, you must do so within three years of the crash date, according to the statute of limitations. Only very narrow exceptions can extend the deadline for filing a lawsuit. Missing the deadline would likely mean you cannot pursue compensation for your losses. It’s best to talk to our Greenville truck accident attorneys as soon as possible.

Proving Liability in Your Greenville Truck Accident Claim

The key legal issue in a truck accident claim is showing how the truck driver or another party caused the crash through their careless actions. Our Greenville truck accident lawyers can gather evidence like the following examples to support your claim:

• Traffic or surveillance cameras – Videos from surveillance cameras, traffic cameras, and dash cams can provide a neutral perspective on the crash and reveal the truck driver’s actions. For example, a camera might have caught the truck driver looking at their phone or running a traffic signal.
• Eyewitness accounts – Eyewitnesses can testify about what they saw in the moments leading up to a truck accident, which may indicate who caused the collision. For instance, a bystander may have seen a truck driver looking at their phone or noticed the truck was following too closely behind another car.
• The truck’s electronic logging device – By law, most commercial trucks must have electronic logging devices. Electronic logging device data may indicate that the truck driver failed to take their required breaks, potentially putting themselves and others at risk.
• Expert testimony – Professional accident reconstructionists and other specialists can closely examine the evidence from the scene to reconstruct the events that occurred. These experts can even recreate the crash conditions through computer modeling with the right evidence.
• Truck maintenance records – Large commercial motor vehicles require regular maintenance to ensure their safety. If a mechanical failure, such as a tire blowout, contributed to the crash, the truck’s records may indicate a lack of maintenance.
• The truck driver’s personnel file – Information in the truck driver’s records could indicate that the trucking company unreasonably employed a driver with a known history of safety infractions, such as hours-of-service violations or speeding tickets.
• Cargo loading documents – Papers related to the loading of the cargo could provide evidence of issues with the load. For example, the records could indicate that the truck was overweight or oversized, or that the cargo was improperly secured.

Key takeaway: Commercial truck accidents often involve a wide range of complex evidence and testimony. You need a South Carolina truck accident attorney from The Melonakos Law Firm to thoroughly investigate the crash that harmed you to secure all of the necessary evidence to prove liability on the part of the truck driver, trucking company, or another responsible party.

What to Do After a Truck Accident in Greenville, SC

Follow these steps after a truck accident to protect your health and legal rights:

• Seek immediate medical attention for your truck accident injuries and follow your doctor’s instructions.
• Save your medical bills and other receipts for later use.
• Take notes about everything you remember regarding the accident and how it happened.
• Don’t talk to any insurance companies without talking to an experienced commercial truck accident attorney first.
• Get help from our Greenville truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents in Greenville, South Carolina

• How much compensation can I expect from my commercial truck accident case?

Because every case is unique, it is impossible to speculate on its potential value without a thorough review of its specifics. Some factors that could affect the outcome include the extent of your medical bills, the crash’s impact on your income, the amount and quality of your evidence, whether liability is clear, the amount of insurance coverage available, and the experience and resources your attorney possesses. A free claim review from The Melonakos Law Firm is the best way to get a better idea of how much compensation you could recover in a truck accident case.

• How long does a truck accident lawsuit take in South Carolina?

The timeline of your truck accident lawsuit will heavily depend on factors specific to your situation. Straightforward claims with less severe injuries and undisputed liability could yield a negotiated settlement within a few months. More complex cases could be resolved through negotiations within a year or so. Cases that require litigation could take several years to resolve.

• What if I was partially at fault for the accident?

You could still recover partial compensation for your losses even if you were partially at fault for the truck crash. South Carolina applies comparative negligence rules, which allow partially at-fault individuals to recover partial compensation for their losses, so long as they were no more than 50 percent at fault. Under comparative negligence, compensation is reduced according to the percentage of fault assigned to the claimant.

• What’s the difference between settling and going to trial?

Settling a case involves reaching a mutual agreement to resolve a claim for a negotiated sum. The claimant receives the sum in exchange for giving up the right to seek compensation through court proceedings. Once a case settles, the claimant cannot go back and request additional compensation from the defendant. Going to trial involves presenting the claim to the court, which will decide whether the claimant receives compensation and, if so, how much compensation to award. Trials can present both risks and opportunities for both parties, whereas a negotiated settlement offers more control over the outcome. However, in some situations, a trial could be the best option for seeking maximum compensation.

• How do insurance companies determine truck accident settlement amounts?

An insurance adjuster will assess the evidence presented in the case, including evidence related to liability and the extent of losses, to determine what the insurance company thinks the claim is worth. The adjuster’s initial offer will almost always be less than the full extent of your losses. That is why it is critical to work with our experienced South Carolina truck accident attorneys who are ready to fight for your best interests at the negotiating table.

How Our Greenville Truck Accident Attorneys Can Help You

Life after a serious truck accident is challenging, but you don’t have to go through it alone. While you rest and heal, the Greenville tractor-trailer accident lawyers at The Melonakos Law Firm can:

• Investigate the accident to determine the cause of the collision and identify who should be held financially responsible.
• Document the full scope of your injuries using evidence like your medical records and pay stubs.
• File an insurance claim against the liable parties.
• Negotiate assertively for a settlement from the insurer that reflects the full extent of what you’ve suffered.
• Push back if a trucking company or an insurance company denies liability or makes an unfair offer.
• Take them to court if they dig in their feet.

Our extensive litigation experience gives us an edge in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. We’re ready to use it to your advantage.

Contact The Melonakos Law Firm now or complete our contact form for a free consultation with an 18-wheeler accident lawyer in Greenville.

Written by Michael Melonakos, J.D., Licensed in South Carolina since 2012.