Atlanta Truck Accident Lawyer

Atlanta Truck Accident Attorney

Atlanta is one of the largest freight hubs in the United States, and drivers in the area are likely to see large commercial trucks on busy highways like I-75, I-85, and the I-285 connector, as well as on smaller arteries throughout the area. Truck accidents may be statistically rarer than standard passenger car accidents, but they are often far more damaging. An Atlanta truck accident lawyer is the ideal resource to consult if you have been injured in this type of accident.

Representing Truck Accident Victims in Atlanta, GA

Stephen T. LaBriola, PC has extensive experience handling all types of complex vehicle accident cases in Atlanta and surrounding areas of Georgia, including commercial truck accident cases. When you choose Stephen LaBriola as your Atlanta truck accident attorney, you have a legal representative who is 100% committed to securing a fair recovery.

You can trust our team to provide ongoing support throughout all stages of your legal proceedings. Stephen recently secured a $15.5 million case result for a client who was seriously injured in a tractor-trailer accident, and this is just one example of the many substantial verdicts and settlements our team has secured for injured clients throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area.

The aftermath of any accident can be traumatic, confusing, and uncertain, but this is especially likely after a commercial truck accident. You may have suffered severe injuries and have little to no recollection of the accident, or you may remember exactly how it happened. In either case, you will need to hire a truck accident lawyer you can trust to gather crucial evidence, identify the party or parties responsible for the accident, and accurately calculate your damages.

Truck Accident Statistics and Common Causes

The National Safety Council (NSC) reported that in 2024, there were 120,724 large trucks involved in crashes resulting in injuries nationwide. Also that year, there were 5,218 large trucks involved in fatal crashes, and 70% of the victims were occupants of smaller vehicles. Additional NSC data shows that in 2024, there were 189 large trucks involved in fatal crashes in Georgia, resulting in 197 deaths. 142 of these deaths were occupants of other vehicles.

A large commercial truck is capable of inflicting devastating injuries to multiple other vehicles in a crash, and occupants of those smaller vehicles are the most likely to suffer the worst of the effects of the crash. If you or a family member were recently injured in a commercial truck accident, it is crucial to hire a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to help you prove how the accident happened. Some of the leading causes of commercial truck accidents include:

• Speeding. This is dangerous for any driver, but especially so for a commercial truck driver whose vehicle requires far more time and distance to slow down or stop to avoid a collision. The truck’s black-box data may prove exactly how fast the truck was moving just before the accident and whether the driver applied the brakes correctly.
• Distracted driving. Every driver has a responsibility to operate their vehicle attentively. Even a few seconds of distraction is dangerous, especially for a commercial truck driver. The driver’s cell phone records may prove their phone was in use just before the accident.
• Moving violations. Illegal turns, failure to yield, improper lane changes, and other moving violations disrupt the flow of traffic and take other drivers by surprise in many cases. This is especially dangerous on busy highways.
• Intoxicated driving. It is illegal in Georgia for anyone to operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If a commercial truck driver causes an accident this way, they may not only face liability for the damages they caused to others, but also criminal charges and loss of their commercial driver’s license.
• Faulty truck maintenance. Large commercial trucks require consistent maintenance, and any mechanical problems need to be addressed promptly. If your accident was the result of any kind of faulty maintenance, then the party responsible for the truck’s maintenance could be held liable for the resulting damages.
• Regulatory noncompliance. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enforces various strict regulations for the trucking industry, and if a trucking company does not enforce these rules in a way that contributes to an accident, the company can face vicarious liability for the resulting damages along with heavy fines and other penalties.
• Fatigued driving. Truck drivers often drive for long periods, and they are required to follow the FMCSA’s hours-of-service rules to get adequate rest between driving shifts. These rules aim to prevent fatigued driving, but if a driver does not follow these rules, or if their employer does not enforce them, this could result in a fatigued driving accident.
• Improperly loaded cargo. A large commercial truck needs to have its cargo packed securely, and the cargo cannot leave the vehicle off-balance. The party responsible for improperly loading the truck may be held liable for an accident if their negligence results in the truck driver not having full control over their vehicle.

These are only a few of the possible ways for serious truck accidents to happen in Atlanta. After you have received medical care for your injuries, it is crucial that you hire a truck accident lawyer at your first opportunity to start building your case. Some of the evidence you need to prove liability could be lost relatively quickly, but a skilled attorney can send letters demanding evidence preservation to prevent spoliation.

Proving Liability for a Commercial Truck Accident

Once your Atlanta truck accident lawyer has gathered sufficient evidence to name the party or parties responsible for your accident, they can assist you with establishing liability for your damages. In Georgia, fault decides liability for the damages resulting from a vehicle accident. This means that if you think another party injured you in an accident, you need to prove fault before you can claim damages.

Fault may fall to one party, and it is also possible for multiple parties to share liability. For example, a trucking company may be held vicariously liable for their employee’s actions, or another driver may have contributed to the truck driver causing your accident. You may also be accused of comparative negligence, so it is crucial that you have an experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer representing you who can address any such issues that arise.

It is vital to understand that trucking companies will immediately respond whenever they learn that one of their drivers has been involved in a collision. The company will consult their legal team and their insurance representatives to immediately look for any and all ways for them to minimize their liability, so you need to hire legal counsel you can trust to level the playing field.

It is also important to remember that some of the evidence you need may be lost if you do not act quickly. For example, a vehicle’s black box data consistently records new data, and this data could be wiped if the vehicle is taken for repairs. Your attorney can send a letter demanding the preservation of this evidence; otherwise, it could be legally deleted and permanently lost.

Witness testimony is also most reliable when it is obtained as soon as possible after an event. Your attorney can identify witnesses who saw your accident happen firsthand and record their statements while their memory is fresh. You will also need an attorney’s help to challenge any allegations that you contributed to causing the accident.

Claiming Compensation for a Commercial Truck Accident

Every Georgia driver is required to have auto insurance that includes bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage. When a covered driver is found liable for an accident, their insurance policy can pay for the damages they caused to others.

Filing an auto insurance claim is usually your primary channel for recovering your damages after an accident, and this also applies after a truck accident. However, large trucks are usually covered by commercial auto insurance policies that can provide far more coverage than the average private individual’s policy in Georgia, but you should not take this to mean that you can expect insurance to fully cover your losses, or that filing your claim will be a simple matter.

Almost every insurance company pushes back against injury claims however they can, hoping to settle for as little as possible. You should expect the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier to look for any ways they can find to justify devaluing or denying your claim. Some insurance companies act in bad faith, hoping injured claimants will either accept lowball settlement offers out of desperation or that they will not know how to fight an unfair claim denial.

When an insurance company sees that you have legal counsel, they are far more inclined to handle your claim in good faith and offer a reasonable settlement. You can trust your Atlanta truck accident attorney to guide you through every step of the insurance claim-filing process and resolve any unexpected issues you encounter as you seek compensation for your damages.

Many truck accidents result in catastrophic injuries, such as traumatic brain damage, spinal cord injuries, internal organ injuries, broken bones, and soft tissue damage. Some victims face permanent disability because of these accidents, and you may need to file a personal injury claim to recover suitable compensation for the extensive economic and non-economic damages you suffered in your accident. A skilled attorney can potentially help you recover:

• Property losses, such as the cost of repairing your vehicle or the actual cash value of the vehicle if it was damaged beyond repair.
• Medical expenses, including the cost of any future medical care you require if you suffered a catastrophic injury. Your attorney can help you recover compensation for hospital bills, surgery costs, ambulance fees, prescription medication costs, and the cost of any necessary in-home medical care you may need for a serious injury.
• Lost wages. The victim of a truck accident may be unable to work for an extended time. If so, they can claim compensation for the wages they were unable to earn while they were recovering from their injuries.
• Lost earning capacity. When a victim of a truck accident cannot return to work in the future due to a catastrophic injury, a skilled attorney can calculate the future income they would have otherwise been able to earn and include these projected losses as economic damages in the personal injury case.
• Pain and suffering. Georgia law allows a personal injury plaintiff to claim compensation from the defendant for the physical pain and psychological trauma the defendant caused. The pain and suffering compensation a plaintiff receives is meant to reflect the scope and severity of the damage the defendant caused, and more serious injuries tend to result in greater compensation.
• Punitive damages. In some accident cases, plaintiffs are awarded punitive damages in addition to the compensatory damages obtained from defendants. Punitive damages are typically only awarded in response to serious injuries caused by egregious negligence or illegal misconduct, such as an accident caused by intoxicated driving.

Commercial truck accidents can be devastating, and many victims struggle to recover for years after these experiences. Stephen LaBriola provides client-focused and results-driven legal counsel in every case he accepts. You can trust our team to provide compassionate and responsive guidance throughout your legal proceedings.

Stephen LaBriola has a proven record of confronting major insurance carriers and resolving difficult civil claims in Atlanta. If you believe that another party is responsible for causing your recent commercial truck accident, you have a short time in which to build your case. Reach out to Stephen LaBriola at your first opportunity to learn how an experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer can help with your recovery.

FAQs

How Do You Prove Fault for a Commercial Truck Accident in Atlanta?

Proving fault for a commercial truck accident in Atlanta will usually require several forms of evidence that your attorney can obtain on your behalf. You may need the truck’s black-box data, maintenance records, documentation from the trucking company, physical evidence from the scene of the crash, police reports, witness statements, and cell phone records to help you prove exactly how your accident happened.

Can I Claim Damages if I Was Partially at Fault for a Truck Accident?

You may still be eligible to claim damages if you were partially at fault for a truck accident, but only if you are found less at fault than the defendant, and you will receive a reduced recovery. Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence law, so a plaintiff found partially liable will have their percentage of fault deducted from their compensation. However, the plaintiff is barred from claiming damages if they are found more at fault than the defendant.

What Is My Truck Accident Claim Worth in Georgia?

In Georgia, the total value of your truck accident claim largely depends on the severity of the injuries you suffered. Your attorney may be able to help you recover compensation for all of your medical expenses after the accident, repayment of income you are unable to earn while you recover from your injuries, the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle, and compensation for pain and suffering.

Why Should I Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer to File an Insurance Claim?

You should hire a truck accident lawyer to file an insurance claim because the insurance company will be looking for any reason they can find to devalue or deny your claim. Never assume that an insurance company is on your side, and if an insurer contacts you after your accident, do not attempt to negotiate any type of settlement without first consulting an attorney. Your legal representative can verify that the insurance company treats you fairly.

Are There Penalties for Causing a Truck Accident in Georgia?

There could be various penalties for causing a truck accident in Georgia depending on how the accident happened. A truck driver could lose their commercial driver’s license and face criminal charges if they caused the accident because they were driving under the influence. A trucking company could face heavy fines if regulatory noncompliance contributed to the accident. Your attorney can explain how any such factors could influence your case.

What Does it Cost to Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer in Atlanta?

The cost to hire a truck accident lawyer in Atlanta will vary from lawyer to lawyer. Many personal injury attorneys in Georgia work on a contingency fee, only charging a client if they successfully recover compensation, and there is no fee if there is no recovery. Other attorneys charge hourly rates, so be sure to verify a potential attorney’s billing policy so you know what to expect in terms of your legal fees.

Stephen LaBriola has a strong record of providing exceptional legal advocacy to severely injured clients throughout the Atlanta area, and our team knows the various legal challenges you are likely to encounter following a commercial truck accident. If you or a loved one are struggling with the aftermath of a recent accident, contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer.