Accidents and damages involved in trucks

On the roads of Serbia, trucks with both domestic and foreign vehicle registration plates are involved in a large number of traffic accidents. You encounter them on highways, parked near stores, and on almost every city street, most frequently on highways. Although eighteen-wheelers usually do not pose a danger, accidents involving them can be extremely serious and even fatal. Currently, there are about 308,000 freight vehicles registered in Serbia, but a large number of foreign trucks also operate on Serbian roads. According to an analysis by the Road Traffic Safety Agency, trucks were involved in 86% of fatal traffic accidents. By contrast, buses were involved in only 16% of cases. About 12% of the deceased were truck drivers, while 46% were drivers or passengers in passenger vehicles, and 35% were pedestrians. Due to their large size, trucks pose an increased danger both to themselves and to other road users. Because of the great weight of trucks, which can reach several tens of tons, they have much longer stopping distances compared to regular passenger vehicles. In collisions between trucks and smaller vehicles, physics works against the smaller, weaker party, which suffers drastic damage. Additionally, trucks have large blind spots, causing pedestrians, cyclists, and smaller cars to “disappear” from the driver’s view. Truck drivers often drive long shifts and may be tired and sleep-deprived, which is another common cause of truck accidents. Furthermore, many roads in Serbia are not adequately adapted for truck traffic.

A study by the Road Traffic Safety Agency also shows that the number of trucks and freight vehicles in Serbia is increasing, and the rate of accidents involving commercial trucks is rising every year. If you are involved in an accident involving a truck in Serbia or Republika Srpska, you will need a law firm specializing in indemnity for truck damages.
Our law firm collaborates with court-appointed mechanical engineering expert witnesses who specialize in assessing truck damage. Our expert witnesses always strive to secure the maximum amount because truck parts are very expensive.
Therefore, it is crucial to find an experienced truck accident attorney in Serbia who can guide you through these challenges. At Gotovac Law Firm, we protect our clients from being taken advantage of by insurance companies. We have successfully secured substantial indemnity amounts for our clients and will strive to ensure you receive the maximum indemnity for your injuries and truck damage. Our firm offers free consultations and operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay legal fees only if we win your case. Moreover, we are fully committed to obtaining everything you are entitled to. While you may feel overwhelmed by the accident, we will help you navigate the complexities and bureaucracy, managing the entire process of receiving indemnity with a fee agreed upon in advance.

LOSS OF PROFIT (LUCRUM CESSANS)
When a traffic accident occurs, the truck owner is entitled not only to indemnity for the damage to the truck but also to indemnity for loss of profit resulting from the inability to use the truck for business purposes. Loss of profit refers to the income the truck owner would have earned had the accident not taken place. For instance, if a truck is unable to operate due to an accident, and consequently misses out on contracted transportation jobs. The amount of loss of profit is assessed by our mechanical engineering expert witness, who calculates the potential daily earnings of the truck if it had remained operational and then multiplies that figure by the number of days needed for repairs. Information regarding the daily earning capacity of a specific truck is obtained from the Association of Transport. Trucks engaged in international freight transport suffer significantly greater loss of profit compared to those operating solely within the Republic of Serbia.

When a traffic accident damages a truck, the indemnity amounts involved are often substantial, so it is essential that the assessment of both the truck damage and the loss of profit is carried out by qualified professionals rather than unqualified estimators. Our law firm proudly represents numerous transport companies across the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska.

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