Identifying the Truck That Hit You

In the State of Georgia, commercial trucks account for a significant portion of accidents involving serious injuries and wrongful deaths. When one considers the number of interstate and state highways that connect to Atlanta alone, the frequency of crashes involving commercial vehicles shouldn't surprise anyone. And because of the size of the trucks involved (usually over 10,000 pounds), it's usually the car driver who sustains the greatest injuries.

Personal injury lawyers who attempt to collect damages from the insurance companies of businesses and trucking companies must first determine the type of carrier that struck their client.

Intrastate Carrier – An intrastate carrier only operates within the borders of the State of Georgia. These carriers are governed by the regulations of the Georgia code.

Interstate Carrier – An interstate carrier transports goods across the state lines. These carriers must register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, get a USDOT number, and obtain authority to operate from FMCSA.

Identifying which type of carrier has struck a client's vehicle is an important early step that any competent Georgia personal injury attorney should know to take. Proper identification of the carrier informs the P.I. lawyer as to which set of regulations govern the trucking company and the driver's conduct.

When a personal injury lawyer investigates a crash involving a commercial vehicle, as part of his or her due diligence, the attorney should make certain that the driver of that vehicle has complied with Georgia or Federal requirements—whichever is applicable. These regulations are established to ensure that the drivers of commercial vehicles are operating in as safe a manner as possible. Any violation—whether it's exceeding the maximum number of hours of service, or a failure to maintain the proper equipment on a vehicle—can be a factor that contributed to the cause of the crash or increased its severity.

When selecting a Georgia personal injury attorney to handle your commercial vehicle crash, you should ask whether he or she has experience in handling accidents involving both interstate and intrastate carriers. If not, make certain that they are at least experienced with the government regulations that are applicable to your case. Choosing an attorney who is experienced with litigating truck crash injury cases in Georgia is the key to obtaining an appropriate settlement or award.