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North Carolina Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer | Tatum & Atkinson

North Carolina Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer

Home / Truck Accident Attorney / North Carolina Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer

We have all seen garbage trucks collecting waste throughout the city and collecting trash in residential neighborhoods. Waste collection vehicles are trucks designed to haul trash from consumers to landfills or recycling treatment facilities. Waste sanitation workers perform a necessary service for the community, helping to preserve the beauty of our cities. However, garbage truck accidents can create deadly consequences. The experienced garbage truck accident attorneys at Tatum & Atkinson, ‘the Heavy Hitters,’ have over 65 collective years of experience representing truck accident injury victims and negotiating with companies and insurers on their behalf across North Carolina.

Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer

Garbage truck accidents can be complex and involve government entities, insurance companies, and private entities. An accident with a garbage truck is often much more complicated than a typical car accident and should only be handled by a law firm with experience winning cases such as this. At Tatum & Atkinson, ‘the Heavy Hitters,’ we have experience handling trucking law and garbage truck accident claims. Our garbage truck accident attorneys can help you with your medical expenses and recover lost wages, pain and suffering, wrongful death, and other damages.

Garbage Truck Accident Causes

There are several reasons why a garbage truck may crash. However, there are several common factors typically contributing to these types of accidents:

  •  Inclement weather: garbage collectors are expected to pick up trash and recycling in snow, rain, sleet, hail, and wind. When driving in these conditions, visibility can be reduced, and road conditions can become impaired, making the chance of a collision much more likely.
  •  Overloaded trucks: Overloaded trucks can make the vehicle difficult to handle and may lead to rollover crashes and debris flying into the roadway, endangering other drivers.
  •  Early morning routes: Trash collection often takes place in the early morning hours when visibility may be low, and motorists are not always alert.
  •  Frequent stopping: Due to the nature of waste collection and the frequent stopping involved, it can become very easy for rear-end collisions to occur when garbage trucks stop suddenly.
  •  Routes: Garbage collection trucks commonly drive through narrow roads in residential and commercial areas, dangerously close to pedestrians and other motorists.
  • Failure to perform proper maintenance: If garbage collection vehicles are not properly maintained and repaired, accidents may occur.
  • Driver negligence: Driver negligence is a leading cause of accidents and occurs when a driver speeds, disobeyed traffic laws, fails to use traffic signals, drives while distracted, or drives while under the influence. If negligence was the cause of a collision in which you were involved and obtained an injury, you will need an experienced truck accident attorney to ensure that you receive just compensation for your damages.

Garbage Truck Accident Victims

Waste Management Employees

Being an employee of waste management and collection service providers can be dangerous. Trash collectors are among the most likely to be injured by a garbage truck accident. In fact, waste collection management is considered one of the deadliest jobs in the U.S., with around 25 work-related fatalities for every 100,000 employees. An experienced garbage truck accident attorney can review your case and help determine what options for compensation may be available to you.

Other Motorists

In many garbage truck accident cases, other drivers collide with garbage trucks due to various reasons such as frequent stopping, poor road conditions, tailgating, and more.

Bicyclists and Pedestrians

When it comes to garbage truck accidents, sadly, bikers and pedestrians are often frequent victims. Due to the noise of the garbage vehicle, the large blind spots, and the frequency in which garbage trucks are routed in highly populated areas, unsuspecting pedestrians have been susceptible to being hit.

What Should I Do if I Am in an Accident With a Garbage Truck?

If you are involved in an accident with a garbage truck, you should take the following steps:

  • Receive Medical Attention: If you have been involved in a collision with a garbage truck, it is essential that you seek medical attention, even if you feel okay. Pain may be delayed in an accident due to adrenaline and may not appear for hours or days later. Additionally, injuries such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI) may go unnoticed. It is essential to receive a proper medical evaluation.
  • If you have been involved in a collision with a garbage collection vehicle, 9-1-1 should be called immediately to ensure a report is made. Take the name and badge number of the responding officer.
  • If there were any witnesses at the scene of the accident, ensure that you collect their names, telephone numbers, and addresses, if possible.
  • If possible, take photos of the scene of the accident, including any injuries, the vehicles, the surrounding area, and any cross streets.
  • Report the accident to your insurer. Do not speak to any other party’s insurance company until you have consulted with an attorney.
  • Speak to an experienced garbage truck accident attorney. An attorney can help alleviate your concerns and advise you as to what steps to take next.

What Kind of Compensation May I Recover?

Typically, in a garbage truck accident, trucking accident injury victims may be entitled to two types of compensation for their damages, economic and non-economic.

Economic Damages

Economic damages include specific monetary amounts associated with your injuries, such as:

  • Medical expenses
  • Future medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Diminished earning capacity

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages account for non-financial losses experienced due to the accident, such as:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Disfigurement
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of consortium
  • Wrongful death

Garbage truck accidents often result in severe injuries that may necessitate significant recovery time; other injuries may be permanent. Truck accident injury victims and their families can be left with enormous medical expenses, lost wages, emotional trauma, and potentially funeral expenses. The experienced truck accident attorneys at Tatum & Atkinson, ‘the Heavy Hitters,’ will assess all of the economic and non-economic damages sustained by you or your family and will fight for the just compensation you deserve.

How Much Compensation Could I Receive for My Garbage Truck Accident Claim?

Garbage truck accidents often result in severe injuries that may necessitate significant recovery time; other injuries may be permanent. Truck accident injury victims and their families can be left with enormous medical expenses, lost wages, emotional trauma, and potentially funeral expenses.

Garbage Truck Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident with a waste collection vehicle, call us today so that we may help preserve evidence and provide you with the best chance of receiving the financial recovery you deserve. The experienced attorneys at Tatum & Atkinson, ‘the Heavy Hitters’, believe that individuals who are injured due to the negligence of another deserve to be fully compensated for their pain and other damages. We fight for our clients’ rights and to recover the maximum compensation possible for each and every client.

If you or a loved one have been injured due to a garbage truck accident contact our law office today by calling (800) 529-0804 or contacting us online to talk to our knowledgeable legal team. Every case evaluation is free; if we take your case, you will owe us nothing until you win.