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Your Georgia 18-Wheeler Injury Attorneys

Georgia Truck Accident Lawyers

Big Trucks. Big Insurers. We Don’t Back Down.

When an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer hits a passenger car, the people inside rarely walk away the same. Morrison & Hughes takes on the trucking companies and their insurers across Georgia — preserving the black-box data, exposing the violations, and fighting to make you whole.

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Injury cases: no fee unless we win
We move fast to preserve ELD & black-box data
6 office locations statewide
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U.S. Large-Truck Deaths
In 2023 — about 15 per day (NHTSA, 2023)
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GA Large Trucks in Crashes
In one year (GOHS, 2021 data)
0%
GA Truck Deaths Are Multi-Vehicle
Other drivers, not the trucker (GOHS, 2021)
0%
Victims in Other Vehicles
Of those killed in large-truck crashes (NHTSA, 2022)
Holding Trucking Companies Accountable Across Georgia

A Truck Crash Is Not Just a Bigger Car Crash.

A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh 20 to 30 times more than the car beside it and needs the length of a football field to stop. When a commercial driver is fatigued, speeding, distracted, or pushed past federal limits by a delivery schedule, the people in the other vehicle pay the price. The injuries are catastrophic and the defendants are well-funded.

Truck cases are different from ordinary car wrecks. There may be a driver, a motor carrier, a broker, a shipper, a maintenance contractor, and multiple insurers — each with their own lawyers working from the moment of the crash. Morrison & Hughes Law Firm investigates fast: we send spoliation letters to preserve the electronic logging device (ELD) and engine “black box,” pull the driver’s qualification and hours-of-service records, and build every case as if it will be tried to a Georgia jury.

Tell Us What Happened
Red semi tractor-trailer hauling cargo on a Georgia interstate highway
The Reality on Georgia & U.S. Roads

Truck Accident Statistics

The numbers below come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). They show who is really at risk when a big rig is involved — and why early investigation matters.

U.S. Large-Truck Crash Deaths by Year

People killed in crashes involving large trucks, nationwide
Source: NHTSA / FARS — 2018: 5,006; 2019: 5,032; 2020: 4,965; 2021: 5,788; 2022: 5,936; 2023: 5,472.

Who Dies in Large-Truck Crashes

Share of fatalities by who they were, U.S.
Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts — roughly 71% of those killed in large-truck crashes are occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists; about 17% are truck occupants.

Where Georgia Truck Crashes Happen

Single-vehicle vs. multi-vehicle large-truck crashes in GA
Source: Georgia GOHS, 2021 Large Trucks Traffic Safety Facts — 89% of GA large-truck crashes (and 87% of the deaths) involved at least one other vehicle.

Driver-Related Factors in Truck Crashes

Selected contributing factors, U.S. large-truck crashes
Source: FMCSA Large Truck Crash Causation Study & NHTSA — fatigue was coded for ~13% of CMV drivers in serious crashes; speeding, distraction, and impairment remain leading driver factors.
Why Truck Crashes Happen

Common Causes of Georgia Truck Accidents

Most serious truck crashes trace back to choices made long before impact — by the driver, the carrier, or the company pushing freight on an impossible schedule. Federal regulations exist precisely because these failures are so deadly.

Driver Fatigue & Hours-of-Service Violations

FMCSA limits property-carrying drivers to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour window after 10 hours off duty. Being awake 18 hours impairs a driver like a 0.08 BAC. Falsified logs and ignored ELD warnings are among the first things we look for.

Speeding & Tailgating

A loaded rig needs far more stopping distance than a car. Speeding for a deadline, or following too closely on I-285, I-75, and I-85, turns a routine slowdown into a fatal underride or rear-end crash.

Distracted Driving

Phones, dispatch tablets, and onboard screens. Georgia’s Hands-Free Act (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241.2) and federal rules both prohibit hand-held device use by commercial drivers — violations are powerful evidence of negligence.

Negligent Hiring & Training

Carriers that put unqualified, unlicensed, or previously cited drivers behind the wheel can be directly liable. We pull the driver qualification file, CDL history, and prior violations to prove what the company knew.

Improper Loading & Overweight Cargo

Shifting, unsecured, or overloaded freight causes rollovers, jackknifes, and lost loads. Liability can extend to the shipper or loading company, not just the driver.

Poor Maintenance & Brake Failure

Federal regs require systematic inspection and repair. Worn brakes, bald tires, and defective lighting routinely turn up in post-crash inspections — and point straight to the carrier’s maintenance records.

Impaired Driving

Alcohol-impaired large-truck drivers in fatal crashes rose 19% from 2022 to 2023 (NHTSA). Drugs, including stimulants used to stay awake, also play a role. Impairment can support punitive damages in Georgia.

Blind-Spot & Wide-Turn Crashes

Large trucks have “no-zones” on all four sides. Unsafe lane changes and squeeze-play right turns crush cars the driver claims they “never saw.”

Underride Collisions

When a car slides beneath a trailer, the results are often fatal. Missing, damaged, or non-compliant underride guards raise serious questions about the trailer and its owner.

What Truck Crash Victims Are Up Against

Common Truck Accident Injuries

Because of the sheer mass involved, collisions with commercial trucks produce some of the most severe injuries we see — often requiring surgery, lifetime care, and full economic and medical projections.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

The violent forces of a truck collision cause concussions, contusions, and diffuse axonal injuries that alter memory, personality, and the ability to work — sometimes permanently.

Spinal Cord Injuries & Paralysis

Crushed or fractured vertebrae lead to paraplegia and quadriplegia. These cases demand lifetime medical and attendant-care modeling.

Multiple & Compound Fractures

Pelvis, femur, ribs, and arms shatter under truck-crash forces. Surgical hardware, infection risk, and revision surgeries are common.

Amputations & Crush Injuries

Victims pinned or crushed in underride and rollover crashes face traumatic or surgical amputation, prosthetics, and lifelong rehabilitation.

Internal Organ Damage & Bleeding

Blunt-force trauma ruptures the spleen, liver, lungs, and kidneys, causing life-threatening internal hemorrhage that may not appear for hours.

Burns & Fatal Injuries

Ruptured fuel tanks cause fires and severe burns. Tragically, many truck crashes are fatal — surviving families may have a Georgia wrongful death claim.

It’s Rarely Just the Driver

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Georgia Truck Crash

One of the most important reasons to hire a truck-accident attorney early: there is usually more than one responsible party, more than one insurance policy, and more than one theory of liability. We identify every defendant.

The Truck Driver

For negligent operation — speeding, fatigue, distraction, impairment, or violating federal safety rules.

The Motor Carrier

Under vicarious liability for its driver’s on-the-job negligence, and directly for negligent hiring, training, retention, and supervision.

The Carrier’s Insurer

Georgia’s direct-action statutes (O.C.G.A. §§ 40-1-112 & 40-2-140) allow the motor carrier’s insurer to be brought into the case in defined circumstances — a tool we use strategically.

The Broker or Shipper

Companies that hired an unsafe carrier or improperly loaded the freight can share responsibility for the crash.

Maintenance & Repair Contractors

When brake failure or a mechanical defect causes the crash, the company responsible for upkeep may be on the hook.

Parts & Equipment Makers

Defective tires, brakes, or missing underride guards can support a product-liability claim against the manufacturer.

Free Case Evaluation

Do You Have a Truck Accident Case?

Answer a few quick questions. We’ll tell you whether you have a potential case, and a Morrison & Hughes attorney will call you. Free, confidential, no obligation.

Step 1 of 6

Were you injured in the crash?

Even soft-tissue or delayed-onset injuries count. (If a loved one was killed, choose “Yes.”)

Tell us why you are seeking legal advice

A few words about your situation helps us point you to the right attorney. There’s no obligation.

Did a commercial truck cause or contribute to the crash?

A tractor-trailer, 18-wheeler, box truck, dump truck, tanker, or other commercial vehicle.

When did the accident happen?

Georgia’s statute of limitations is generally two years (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). Truck evidence disappears fast — sooner is better. We act fast to preserve your case.

Did you receive medical treatment?

ER visit, urgent care, doctor visit, ongoing therapy — anything counts.

Are you currently represented by another attorney for this crash?

If yes, please contact your attorney first.

One last step — send this to our team

Your answers are already written into the message below. Add your contact details, tell us anything else in your own words, and press Send Message. Nothing is sent until you do.

Know the Statutes & Federal Rules

Georgia & Federal Laws That Affect Your Truck Case

Truck crashes are governed by both Georgia tort law and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). The rules below shape who you can sue, how long you have, and what you can recover.

O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33

Two-Year Statute of Limitations

You generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit in Georgia. Claims involving government vehicles carry much shorter ante litem notice deadlines.

O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33

Modified Comparative Negligence

You can recover damages if you are less than 50% at fault, with your award reduced by your share of fault. At 50% or more, recovery is barred. Trucking insurers aggressively try to shift blame — we fight back.

O.C.G.A. §§ 40-1-112 & 40-2-140

Direct Action Against the Carrier’s Insurer

Georgia’s direct-action statutes allow a motor carrier’s insurer to be brought into the lawsuit in defined circumstances. After Senate Bill 426 (effective July 1, 2024), joinder is generally available where the carrier is insolvent, bankrupt, or cannot be served — a strategy we evaluate in every case.

49 C.F.R. §§ 395 (HOS / ELD)

Federal Hours-of-Service & ELD Rules

Property-carrying CMV drivers may drive a maximum of 11 hours within a 14-hour window after 10 consecutive hours off duty, with required breaks. Electronic logging devices record this. Violations are strong evidence of negligence.

49 C.F.R. §§ 391, 392, 396

Driver Qualification, CDL & Maintenance

Federal rules govern who may drive (CDL, medical certification, driver qualification files), how they must operate, and how carriers must inspect, repair, and maintain their fleets. Breaches support negligence and negligent-hiring claims.

Spoliation of Evidence

Preserving the Black Box & ELD Data

ELD logs, ECM “black box” data, dash-cam footage, and driver files can be overwritten or destroyed within days. Georgia law allows sanctions for spoliation when a carrier destroys evidence after a duty to preserve arises — which is why we send preservation letters immediately.

Your First 72 Hours

What to Do After a Truck Crash in Georgia

Trucking companies dispatch rapid-response teams to crash scenes within hours. What you do early directly affects what you can recover — and how much evidence survives. Don’t let the trucking company get a head start. Let us help you protect your case from the very beginning.

1. Get Medical Care Immediately

Even if you “feel okay.” Adrenaline masks brain and internal injuries. The medical record is the foundation of your case.

2. Call 911 & Get the Crash Report

Insist on an official Georgia Uniform Motor Vehicle Crash Report. Note the truck’s company name, USDOT number, and trailer markings if you safely can.

3. Document the Scene

Photos of both vehicles, the truck’s plates and placards, skid marks, road conditions, and your injuries. Get witness names and numbers.

4. Don’t Talk to the Trucking Insurer

Their adjusters and investigators arrive fast and are trained to minimize your claim. Decline recorded statements. Refer them to your attorney.

5. Preserve the Evidence

Don’t repair your vehicle yet. The ELD, ECM, dash-cam, and driver logs are critical — and a lawyer can demand they be preserved before they vanish.

6. Call Morrison & Hughes

The earlier we are involved, the faster we send spoliation letters, hire reconstruction experts, and lock down the carrier’s records.

Common Questions

Truck Accident FAQs — Georgia

How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in Georgia?
Under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit, and two years from the date of death for a wrongful death claim. But truck cases shouldn’t wait — electronic logs, black-box data, and dash-cam footage can be overwritten within days or weeks, so the sooner an attorney can send a preservation letter, the better.
Who can be held responsible besides the truck driver?
Often several parties. The motor carrier can be vicariously liable for its driver and directly liable for negligent hiring, training, or maintenance. A broker or shipper may share fault for hiring an unsafe carrier or loading the freight improperly. A maintenance contractor or parts manufacturer can be liable for mechanical failures. Identifying every defendant — and every insurance policy — is one of the most valuable things a truck-accident lawyer does.
What is the “black box” and why does it matter?
Commercial trucks carry an electronic logging device (ELD) that records hours of service and an engine control module (ECM), or “black box,” that records speed, braking, throttle, and other data in the seconds before a crash. Combined with dash-cam footage and the driver’s logs, this data can prove fatigue, speeding, or hard braking. Because it can be overwritten, we move quickly to demand its preservation — and Georgia law allows spoliation sanctions if a carrier destroys it.
Can I sue the trucking company’s insurance company directly?
Georgia has direct-action statutes (O.C.G.A. §§ 40-1-112 and 40-2-140) that allow a motor carrier’s insurer to be joined in the lawsuit. Senate Bill 426, effective July 1, 2024, narrowed this for causes of action arising after that date — generally to situations where the carrier is insolvent, bankrupt, or cannot be served. Whether a direct action applies depends on your specific facts, which we will evaluate for you.
The truck driver’s insurer offered me a fast settlement. Should I take it?
Almost never without review. Early offers are designed to close the file before the full extent of your injuries — TBIs, spinal damage, and orthopedic injuries — is known, and before you discover how many defendants and policies exist. Once you sign a release, the case is over. Have a truck-accident attorney review any offer first.
What if I was partly at fault for the crash?
You may still recover. Georgia follows modified comparative negligence (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33): you can recover as long as you are less than 50% at fault, with your award reduced by your percentage of fault. Trucking insurers routinely try to inflate your share of blame, which is exactly why having your own investigation and reconstruction matters.
Is it free?
We handle truck-accident cases on a contingency fee — you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you. The initial consultation is free and confidential. There is no risk in calling.
From the Morrison & Hughes Blog

Truck Accident Resources

Real guidance for Georgia drivers and families, written by attorneys who take on trucking companies. Read these before you talk to a trucking insurer.

Related Reading

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Related Practice Areas

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Car Accidents

Most truck crashes involve a passenger vehicle. Our car-accident practice covers every angle of multi-vehicle collisions on Georgia roads.

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Wrongful Death

When a truck crash takes a loved one, surviving family members have rights under Georgia’s Wrongful Death Act. We help families pursue the full value of the life.

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Catastrophic Injuries & Amputations

Spinal cord injuries, TBIs, amputations, and disfigurement from truck crashes require lifetime damage modeling and the right expert witnesses.

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Service Areas: Find Your Local Truck Accident Attorney

We handle truck accident cases statewide. Six office locations across Georgia.

Marietta Alpharetta & Roswell Decatur Hiram Fayetteville LaGrange All Service Areas

Hit by a Truck in Georgia? Call Before the Evidence Disappears.

Free, confidential consultation — 24/7. We’ll listen, move to preserve the truck’s data, tell you what your case is worth, and walk you through what comes next. No fees unless we recover for you.

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