Irmo Woman Wins $1 Million Settlement After Rear End Collision With Semi Truck

Truck driving is a physically and mentally demanding job, which is why it pays so well and also why it is so hard for trucking companies to hire as many employees as they need.  If there is anything wrong with the truck, or if the driver makes a minor mistake, the results can be disastrous.  A collision that would have merely been a fender bender if both of the vehicles had been cars can cause severe injuries if one of the vehicles involved is a commercial truck.  Therefore, the companies that transport freight by truck and hire commercial truck drivers are legally responsible for ensuring that the trucks meet safety standards and that the drivers comply with regulations and have an exemplary driving record.  If you have been injured in an accident involving a commercial truck, and the company responsible for the truck should have seen the warning signs before the trip that led to the accident, contact a Columbia truck accident lawyer.

Truck Was Unauthorized and At Fault Driver Had a Long History of Traffic Violations

Ms. Krawzak’s life changed in February 2023.  She was driving her car on Broad River Road in Irmo and stopped at a red light.  The vehicle behind hers was a semi truck, but the driver of the truck did not apply the brakes in time, and it rear-ended Ms. Krawzak’s vehicle.  As a result of the collision, she sustained injuries to the head, neck, shoulder, back, and right hip, and some of these injuries required surgery.  Even after extensive treatment, she continued to suffer from symptoms of the injuries she sustained in the accident.  The treatment and the residual symptoms caused her heavy financial losses.

Ms. Krawzak sued the company that owned the truck and employed the driver that caused the accident; the Stanley Law Group represented her in this legal action.  In the course of the legal dispute, the plaintiff discovered that the truck involved in the accident had “not authorized” status at the time of the accident, meaning that its maintenance was not up to date.  She also discovered that the driver had received numerous traffic citations before being hired to drive the truck.  The company should have found out about this before hiring the driver if it had done the pre-employment background checks required by law.  Since it did not, or since it hired the driver despite these red flags, this counted as negligence on the part of the trucking company.  In 2024, the lawsuit reached a settlement, and the defendant paid the plaintiff $1,025,000 in compensation.  Most personal injury lawsuits settle without going to trial.

Let Us Help You Today

The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you pursue a lawsuit after a truck accident, if it is not possible to get the money you need through an insurance claim.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.