If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident in North Carolina, don’t navigate the aftermath alone. Contact Galbavy Law today for a free consultation to discuss your case and ensure your rights are protected.
Truck accidents are some of the most devastating collisions on North Carolina roads. The sheer size and weight of an 18-wheeler or tractor-trailer mean that when these vehicles collide with cars, motorcycles, or pedestrians, the injuries are often more catastrophic and more likely to result in death. Victims are left with mounting medical bills, time away from work, and a future that may look very different from what they planned.
At Galbavy Law, they understand what individuals face after a serious truck crash. David Galbavy, a Board-Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation and a former insurance defense attorney, leads the firm. For years, he represented insurance companies, gaining insights into how they evaluate claims, deny responsibility, and minimize payouts. Today, he utilizes that insider knowledge to advocate for people across North Carolina who have been harmed by negligence.
Our firm has successfully recovered substantial settlements for clients throughout Charlotte, Hickory, and various communities in the state. Many of these cases involved orthopedic injuries, surgeries, and permanent impairments. We understand the devastating impact of these injuries and are committed to effectively presenting them in negotiations and in court.
Truck accident cases are not the same as car accident cases. They involve federal regulations, commercial trucking companies with powerful insurers, and complex investigations. Add to that North Carolina’s contributory negligence law, which can bar recovery if you are found even one percent at fault, and the need for experienced legal representation becomes clear.
If you are searching for a North Carolina truck accident attorney who will treat your case with the seriousness it deserves, Galbavy Law is here to help.
When you are injured in a truck accident, you have the right to pursue compensation for the harm you have suffered. This includes your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and the pain and suffering you endure. In cases of permanent impairment, you also have the right to seek damages that reflect the lifelong impact of your injuries.
Truck accident cases are unique because they often involve multiple parties. The truck driver may be at fault for distracted driving or fatigue. The trucking company may share responsibility if it pressured the driver to exceed hours-of-service limits or failed to properly maintain the vehicle.
Cargo companies can be held liable for improperly loaded trailers that result in rollovers.
Manufacturers may be responsible for defective parts that fail on the highway. Identifying all responsible parties is essential for maximizing recovery. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations govern driver qualifications, vehicle maintenance, and carrier responsibilities.
Your rights are also shaped by North Carolina’s strict contributory negligence rule. If the insurance company can show that you were even slightly at fault (perhaps for speeding a few miles over the limit or not signaling a lane change), they may try to bar you from recovering anything. This is one of the harshest rules in the country, making truck accident claims especially challenging.
An experienced 18-wheeler accident lawyer that NC drivers trust can help protect those rights by conducting a thorough investigation. This includes securing the truck’s black box data, reviewing driver logs, checking maintenance records, and working with accident reconstruction experts.
For example, a tractor-trailer crash on I-85 near Charlotte may involve examining skid marks, interviewing witnesses, and analyzing traffic camera footage to prove the truck driver’s negligence. FMCSA’s electronic logging device requirements explain how driver hours and events are recorded in commercial trucks.
Your rights extend beyond immediate medical bills. If you suffered orthopedic injuries requiring surgeries or if you have a permanent impairment, your claim should include the cost of future medical care, rehabilitation, and the loss of earning capacity. Pain, suffering, and emotional trauma are also recognized under the state’s law.
At Galbavy Law, the team fights to ensure that clients' rights are not only recognized but fully exercised. As a truck accident lawyer, they take pride in standing up to trucking companies and insurers who attempt to deny responsibility and shift blame.
Truck crashes in North Carolina seldom occur randomly. Usually, they result from preventable factors such as driver mistakes, unsafe company policies, poor vehicle maintenance, or dangerous conditions. Determining the exact cause is essential for enhancing safety and strengthening legal claims following an injury. In cities like Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Asheville, these patterns consistently recur.
Long shifts, tight delivery windows, and pressure to meet quotas contribute to fatigue being a leading factor in truck collisions.
A split-second glance away is far more dangerous in an 80,000-pound vehicle.
Evidence that can help build your case includes phone records, dashcam footage, and witness statements.
Large trucks need more time and distance to stop; speed and aggression erase that margin. Speed can be reconstructed from ECM data, skid marks, and impact analysis.
Cargo shifts turn stable trucks into rollover and jackknife risks.
You can build your case gathering evidence such as bills of lading, weigh-station records, loading protocols, photos of trailer interiors, and expert load analyses.
Heavy commercial vehicles demand constant, documented maintenance.
An investigation for this type of case would include maintenance logs, pre- and post-trip inspection reports, parts invoices, and a physical inspection of the truck/trailer.
Weather magnifies existing risks; trucks must adjust or park.
To build a strong case, your lawyer will likely combine weather data, 911 CAD logs, and dashcam visibility conditions to show a failure to adjust on the part of the driver. The National Weather Service provides statewide advisories that help drivers anticipate hazardous road conditions.
While alcohol and drug impairment is a less frequent reason for a truck accident in North Carolina, it is often the most devastating.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research shows impaired driving remains a leading cause of severe and fatal crashes.
Key evidence in a case like this includes toxicology reports, the driver logs, bar/stop receipts, and witness testimony.
Tractor-trailers are ill-suited to tight grids without extra care.
When investigating an accident, several key elements are important to examine. Turn-path diagrams illustrate how vehicles moved and interacted. Corner camera footage provides a helpful outside perspective of the incident. It's also essential to look at pedestrian signals, which show the traffic light status for pedestrians at the time. Lastly, side-underride impact evidence reveals how a smaller vehicle may have been affected by a larger vehicle.
These elements work together to create a clearer understanding of the accident.
All these factors have a common link: they are preventable. Crashes occur when a driver drives while tired or distracted, a carrier neglects maintenance, cargo is mishandled, or weather and urban conditions are ignored. The impacts on victims are often severe: orthopedic injuries, surgeries, permanent impairments, and lifelong consequences and limitations.
Establishing liability often goes beyond the driver alone and may include the carrier, loader, maintenance contractor, or parts manufacturer. In North Carolina, this matters significantly because insurance companies often apply a rule called contributory negligence to deny claims. That means if they can show you were even 1% at fault, they may try to block you from getting any compensation.
Medical Expenses, Lost Wages, Non-Economic Damages, Property Damage, Punitive Damages.
One of the most essential parts of any truck accident claim is understanding what compensation you are entitled to. Victims of tractor-trailer crashes often face some of the most serious injuries and the highest expenses of any type of motor vehicle accident. The law in North Carolina provides for several categories of damages, but insurance companies will not tell you everything you are entitled to. At Galbavy Law, our role is to make sure nothing is left out of your claim and that your compensation reflects the true cost of what you have endured.
The first category is medical expenses. Truck accident injuries are often catastrophic, requiring immediate emergency treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, and intensive rehabilitation. Orthopedic injuries are prevalent, including broken bones, joint damage, spinal cord injuries, and injuries that require surgical intervention.
These cases do not end with the first hospital visit. Many clients require months or years of follow-up care, additional surgeries, and long-term physical therapy. Future medical needs must be included in your claim, not just the bills you have already received. We work with doctors and medical experts to project the costs of future treatment so that your settlement or verdict covers the full scope of your medical care.
The second category is lost wages and loss of earning capacity. After a serious truck accident, it is common for victims to miss weeks or months of work. In cases involving permanent impairment, many are unable to return to their previous jobs at all. The law allows for recovery not only of the wages you lost immediately but also of the future income you will lose because of your injury. This may include retraining for a new career, adjustments to reduced hours, or compensation for being unable to work at all.
Property damage is another area of compensation. Truck accidents often cause severe damage to vehicles and personal property. Repair or replacement costs are part of your claim, but they are usually only a small portion compared to medical and wage losses.
Non-economic damages are equally important. These cover the human side of your injury, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. The pain from broken bones, the emotional trauma of surgeries, and the frustration of being unable to care for your family or participate in activities you once enjoyed are all recognized under the law. In cases involving scarring or disfigurement, these damages also account for the emotional toll of permanent changes to your appearance.
Permanent disability and impairment ratings are another critical aspect. When an injury leaves lasting limitations, doctors assign an impairment rating that reflects the degree of permanent loss. This rating directly affects the value of your claim. As a Board-Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation, I have extensive experience with impairment ratings and how to use them effectively to increase compensation in personal injury cases.
In some instances, victims may also be entitled to punitive damages. These are awarded when the defendant’s conduct was especially reckless or intentional, such as when a truck driver was drunk or a company knowingly violated safety regulations. Punitive damages are designed to punish wrongdoing and deter future misconduct.
What makes truck accident compensation especially complex is the number of parties involved and the size of the insurance policies held by these parties. Commercial trucking companies often have significant policies, but they fight aggressively to protect them.
They may try to blame the driver, shift responsibility to a subcontractor, or argue that you were partially at fault under the state’s contributory negligence rule. This is why it is crucial to have an experienced North Carolina truck accident attorney who knows how to fight back effectively.
At Galbavy Law, we take a comprehensive approach to calculating damages. We do not accept the first offer from the insurance company; instead, we choose to delve into the details, collaborate with experts, and prepare every case as if it will ultimately be tried in court. This diligent approach has resulted in significant settlements for our clients across Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Asheville. Our achievements include successfully handling cases that involved multiple surgeries, long-term impairments, and clients requiring ongoing medical care.
The goal of compensation is not just to cover bills. It is to rebuild lives. After a truck accident, you deserve to have your future protected, your family supported, and your suffering recognized.
After a severe truck accident, victims typically encounter two main challenges: recovering from serious injuries and dealing with large trucking companies and their insurers. Unlike typical car accidents, tractor-trailer crashes involve corporate defendants, federal regulations, and legal teams prepared to defend their interests from the start. Navigating this process without experienced legal help is risky, especially in the state where the contributory negligence rule can prevent you from winning your case if you are found even one percent at fault.
Insurance companies and trucking firms act swiftly after a crash. Investigators are often dispatched immediately to gather evidence that favors their case. Driver logs, black box data, and maintenance records can be lost if not secured promptly. Adjusters may reach out to victims within days, proposing quick settlements that seem appealing as bills mount, but these settlements usually do not cover the actual value of the claim. Without a lawyer, it's easy to relinquish your rights for far less than you deserve.
Hiring a North Carolina truck accident attorney levels the playing field. At Galbavy Law, we know the tactics trucking companies use because I used to defend them. My years as an insurance defense attorney taught me how insurers evaluate claims, the weaknesses they look for, and the arguments they rely on to deny responsibility. Now, that knowledge works in your favor. We anticipate these strategies, close the gaps before they can be exploited, and build a case designed to withstand every challenge.
Truck accident cases are also medically complex. Victims often suffer orthopedic injuries such as multiple fractures, torn ligaments, spinal injuries, and joint damage. These injuries require surgery, rehabilitation, and sometimes result in permanent impairments. Insurance companies often undervalue these claims, offering settlements that cover the initial hospital bill but overlook the need for long-term care. At Galbavy Law, we collaborate closely with orthopedic surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, and other experts to provide a comprehensive understanding of the full medical impact of the accident.
Another reason hiring a lawyer matters is the number of potentially responsible parties. A single accident might involve the driver, the trucking company, the cargo loader, the maintenance provider, and even the manufacturer of defective parts. Identifying and pursuing claims against each party requires specialized expertise and thorough investigation. Without an attorney, victims risk leaving compensation on the table by failing to hold all parties accountable.
Local knowledge is just as crucial. Truck accidents on I-40 and I-85 involve different courts, procedures, and jury expectations compared to crashes in downtown Charlotte, Raleigh, or Asheville. Recognizing these differences can significantly influence how a case is presented and ultimately resolved. A lawyer experienced in NC offers an advantage that out-of-state firms or high-volume practices cannot provide.
Perhaps most importantly, hiring the right lawyer provides peace of mind. Victims should be able to focus on healing, not on paperwork, phone calls with adjusters, or the fear of making a costly mistake. At Galbavy Law, we handle every communication and filing, keeping our clients informed and involved throughout the process. You will never be left wondering where your case stands or what comes next.
In a state with strict contributory negligence laws and powerful trucking interests, hiring an experienced attorney is not only helpful but also essential. By choosing Galbavy Law, you gain an advocate who knows how to fight trucking companies, understands the medical challenges of orthopedic injuries, and is committed to treating your case with the seriousness it deserves.
Not all law firms approach truck accident cases the same way. At Galbavy Law, we believe what sets us apart is the combination of specialized credentials, proven results, and a client-centered philosophy that prioritizes your needs.
David Galbavy is a Board-Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation, a distinction held by fewer than three percent of attorneys in North Carolina. This certification highlights his advanced knowledge of injury law and showcases his proven track record in successfully handling complex cases. In the realm of truck accident claims, where injuries are frequently severe and can lead to long-term impairments, his specialization truly makes a difference.
Before founding Galbavy Law, he worked as an insurance defense attorney, which provided him with insight into how trucking companies and insurers operate. He understands how claims are assessed, responsibility is assigned, and settlements are negotiated to minimize costs and expenses. Now, he applies that knowledge to strengthen his clients' cases, preparing each with an awareness of the defense's arguments and strategies to counter them.
Our results speak volumes. Galbavy Law has secured over $25 million for clients throughout North Carolina. These cases include multiple surgeries, permanent impairments, and families needing lifelong medical support. Although each case is unique, our proven track record demonstrates that we can effectively handle complex claims and achieve substantial recoveries.
Another part of our difference is our focus on orthopedic injuries. Many truck accident victims suffer fractures, spinal injuries, or damage that requires surgical intervention. These injuries are complex and often lead to permanent limitations. We have built a reputation for handling these cases with the depth they need, working closely with medical experts to ensure the full impact of the injury is fully recognized in negotiations and in court.
We are also committed to delivering personalized service. At many large firms, clients typically do not speak directly with their attorney. Staff members handle their cases, and updates are often scarce. At Galbavy Law, our clients work directly with me and a committed team that values clear communication. We return calls, answer questions, and ensure you understand every part of your case. Our clients often tell us that knowing they can reach their lawyer gives them as much reassurance as the compensation we pursue.
Finally, we are deeply connected to the communities we serve. From crashes on city highways and streets to crashes on precarious mountain roads, we are familiar with the landscape, the courts, and the unique challenges that come with each location. We are proud to represent North Carolinians, bringing local knowledge and statewide experience to every case.
The Galbavy Law difference is about more than credentials and results. It is about a commitment to treating every client with respect, providing honest guidance, and fighting relentlessly for justice. When you choose Galbavy Law, you are not just hiring a lawyer. You are gaining a partner who will stand by your side until the fight is won.
Call 911, seek medical attention, and make sure a police report is filed. If possible, take photos of the scene, obtain contact information from witnesses, and refrain from speaking with the trucking company or its insurer until you have consulted a lawyer.
Liability may extend beyond the truck driver. The trucking company, cargo loaders, maintenance providers, and even manufacturers of defective parts may share responsibility. A thorough investigation is necessary to identify all liable parties.
North Carolina’s contributory negligence law bars recovery if you are found even one percent at fault. This makes truck accident cases especially challenging. At Galbavy Law, we build strong cases that focus on proving fault lies with the trucking company and driver, not with you.
The statute of limitations is generally three years for personal injury claims and two years for wrongful death claims. Acting quickly helps preserve critical evidence, such as black box data and driver logs. You can review filing deadlines in the North Carolina General Statutes for personal injury and wrongful death actions.
You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost income, future care, property damage, pain and suffering, and permanent impairments. In cases involving reckless conduct, punitive damages may also apply.
At Galbavy Law, we work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing upfront and we only collect a fee if we win your case. Consultations are always free.
Most cases settle, but we prepare every case as if it will go to court. This preparation strengthens negotiations and ensures we are ready if a trial becomes necessary.
Truck accidents change lives in an instant. Victims are often left with serious injuries, overwhelming medical bills, and uncertainty about the future. You should not have to face trucking companies and their insurers alone, especially in a state with one of the strictest contributory negligence laws in the country.
At Galbavy Law, they have assisted clients across Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Asheville in recovering after devastating tractor-trailer crashes. As a Board-Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation and a former insurance defense attorney, the firm’s leader brings unique experience to every case. Galbavy Law has recovered over $25 million for North Carolinians, with a focus on orthopedic injuries, surgeries, and permanent impairments.
If you are seeking a North Carolina truck accident attorney who will vigorously advocate for your rights and handle your case with the seriousness it deserves, contact Galbavy Law today or use our contact form. The consultation is free, there are no upfront fees, and we are ready to stand by your side from the very first call.
Your recovery begins with one conversation.
1 Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes in future cases because each case is unique and must be evaluated separately. The only way we can assist you is for you to call us about your case.
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