Georgia Truck Accidents Client Resource Center

ATLANTA, GEORGIA TRACTOR TRAILER LAW FIRM – CLIENT RESOURCE CENTER

Our Atlanta-based law firm has handled many serious injury cases against big commercial trucking companies over the last decade.

Our clients often come into our offices asking many of the same questions and expressing similar concerns. Therefore, we thought that it would be helpful and informative for our clients and other individuals, both inside and outside of Georgia, who have been injured in Georgia trucking collisions to be able to find the answers here to many common questions about truck collisions.

A driver of a big truck rear-ended, T-boned, or slammed into my car, causing property damage and injuries. Do I contact the driver’s insurance company or the tractor-trailer company’s insurance? The answer is that you should not communicate with either one. Generally, any serious truck collision requires that you retain a qualified Georgia truck lawyer to help you. Insurance companies do not treat individuals who are representing themselves as fairly or honestly as they should. A Georgia trucking lawyer will probably deal with the commercial trucking company’s insurance rather than the truck driver’s insurance. Why? Generally, when a truck driver causes a collision he or she is driving in connection with his employment at a particular trucking company. Therefore, the business/commercial policy that covers the business aspects of the truck will be applicable to most wrecks.

Is the tractor-trailer’s insurance the only one to whom a claim should be directed? Often, the answer is ‘no.’ For example, many big truck wrecks in Georgia are caused by improper loading of freight or cargo. Improper loading may result in cargo shifts while the truck is on the road, causing swaying of the trailer or other dangerous conditions. In those situations, investigation should be done into the person or company who loaded and/or secured the cargo.

Why is a commercial truck wreck different than a car wreck? First, truck collisions usually involve much larger force, property damage, and injuries because of the size of many commercial vehicles. Tractor-trailers weigh tens of thousands of pounds. Therefore, when a big truck collides with a passenger car the car almost always “loses” that battle. Perhaps more importantly, trucking companies and truck drivers are subjected to numerous regulations at the state and national level. Private passenger cars do not have to comply with these substantial regulations. Why does that matter? Our Atlanta, Georgia injury law firm has recovered millions of dollars for clients injured in big truck wrecks by using these regulations against tractor-trailer companies. If these truck drivers and their employers do not comply with hours of service rules, logbook requirements, post-collision drug/alcohol testing, cell phone usage, and other rules, the value of these cases may rise significantly.

Is it important to hire an Atlanta injury lawyer who has handled truck wreck cases in the past? The answer is emphatically, “yes!” Not all lawyers are right for all injury cases. A lawyer who has handled car wreck cases may have little, or no, experience with Georgia truck wreck claims. Why does that matter? Without substantial experience in trucking collisions, many lawyers do not know what documents to request, what witnesses to interview, what theories of negligence are available, and how to properly value the case. Before hiring any lawyer for a commercial truck wreck case, you should ask the lawyer:

• How many truck collision cases have you handled in Georgia?
• How many times have you taken the deposition of a CDL/professional truck driver?
• Have you ever deposed the Safety Director of a trucking company?
• Do other lawyers associate you on truck cases to lend your expertise?
• Have you spoken at legal seminars on Georgia trucking matters?
• Do you have references from past clients who will talk with me about your work in their truck case?