The driver of the truck that was involved in a fatal Atlanta accident last week, has been arrested and charged. The driver of the truck, Joseph Gordon was driving his tractor-trailer on Interstate 285, when his vehicle crossed the fog line, and hit a minivan parked in the emergency lane. In the minivan was a 44-year-old woman, who had stopped her car in the emergency lane to make a call. She sustained fatal injuries. Golden has now been arrested and charged in her death.
In any truck accident claim in Atlanta, there are a number of entities that can be named. For instance, your claim can include the driver of the truck at the time of the crash, as well as the trucking company that employed the driver, or owned the vehicle. Trucking companies are held to higher standards of hiring practices, which means that they can be held liable for incompetent driving by their drivers.
Besides, your truck accident claim can also name the manufacturer of the truck in case of defective components contributing to the crash or the truck leasing company, or maintenance or repair companies in case of faulty maintenance or repairs of the truck.
Most truck accident claims in Atlanta, however, will center on the condition of the driver or his competence. For instance, a driver who operates a truck for longer than Federal Safety rules allow him to, can be a major factor in an accident. So can a distracted driver, who is snacking, or talking on a cell phone, or operating a computer while driving. Alcohol and drug use are rampant in the trucking industry, which is why there are strict rules by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to keep intoxicated truck drivers off the highways. Your Atlanta truck accident attorney will conduct a separate investigation into the truck accident, to prepare your claim. One thing to keep in mind is that the rules of the road are different for over-the-road truckers (i.e., the drivers of 18 wheelers) than they are for every day drivers who are driving their personal automobiles. The reason for this is basically two-fold: 18-wheel trucks are inherently more dangerous than cars because they are heavier and trucks are used for commercial enterprises, which seek to optimize profits. This leads to cost-cutting on the part of trucking companies and truck drivers who drive an unsafe amount of hours. Because of these competing forces, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is charged with enforcing rules for truckers that are separate and above those rules and laws that every day automobile drivers must obey. These additional federal rules and regulations are, many times, are what a lawsuit against a trucking company is primarily based.
Robert J. Fleming has been handling wrongful death cases, dental malpractice, truck accidents, car accident cases and premises injury cases for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years. He practices in and around the Atlanta area including handling lawsuits in Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Cobb and other counties and nearby cities including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously injured in a car accident and would like quality legal representation, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.