In September 2013, a motorcyclist was killed in Atlanta in a collision with a semi-truck.

Police state that 45-year-old Edward Bridges, of Riverdale, was riding northbound on Interstate 75, near the intersection of Interstate 675 in Henry County, when a southbound semi-truck crossed the median and collided with Mr. Bridges almost head-on.

Apparently the semi-truck was attempting a lane change and lost control. According to authorities, criminal charges against the driver are pending.

Catastrophic injuries

It is always a good idea to ride with a helmet. Unfortunately for Mr. Bridges and his family, no safety equipment could possibly protect him against an oncoming semi-truck moving at highway speed. Experienced Atlanta personal injury attorneys routinely handle cases involving catastrophic injuries, including:

• Severe burns: A nontanker semi-truck may carry up to 300 gallons of diesel fuel; a tanker semi-truck obviously carries much more. If there is even one spark, the highly flammable fuel can erupt into a fireball almost without warning. The resultant burns nearly always require, at the minimum, multiple corrective surgeries and months of rehabilitative care.
• Internal injury: If the truck is moving at 75 mph and the bike is also moving at 75 mph, the rider is thrown through the air at a staggering 220 feet per second, or over half the length of a football field.
• Wrongful death: Due to severe burns, internal injuries and other catastrophic injuries, many semi-truck accident victims do not survive. In fact, approximately 2,000 people die in semi-truck accidents every year.

A semi-truck driver is often the employee of an interstate trucking company, which may be headquartered in Florida, New York, California, Texas or almost any other state. It is important to partner with a law firm that has the resources to prosecute such cases, and help ensure that you and your family get fair compensation for the victim’s injuries.

Gregory McMenamy handles semi-truck accident cases in Georgia, throughout the Southeast and throughout the country. For a free consultation with an Atlanta lawyer who is experienced in complex cases, contact our office.