Atlanta Truck Accident Lawyers

A crash with a fully loaded tractor-trailer is not like a fender bender. The truck can weigh 20 times more than your car, the injuries are often serious, and within hours, the trucking company has investigators working to limit what it pays you.  

If you were hurt in a crash with a commercial truck around Atlanta, the truck accident lawyers at Prieto, DelCampo, Lopez, & Marigliano LLC can help you understand your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve. 

Several of our attorneys built their careers on the defense side, and two are former DeKalb County judges. We know how trucking companies and their insurers evaluate a claim, because we used to work alongside them. Now we put that insight to work for the injured. 

Contact our motor vehicle accident lawyers today for a free consultation.

Why Truck Accident Cases Are Different From Car Crashes 

Truck cases are more complex than ordinary car accident claims, and the difference starts with physics. A loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When a truck collides with a passenger vehicle, the occupants of the smaller vehicle absorb most of the impact, which is why these crashes so often cause life-changing injuries. 

The legal side is more involved, too. A car accident claim usually involves one driver and one insurance policy. A truck case can involve the driver, the company that hired the driver, the company that owned the trailer, the people who loaded the cargo, and more. Federal trucking regulations also apply, and a violation of those rules can become powerful evidence that someone was negligent. 

Common Injuries in Atlanta Truck Accidents 

Because of their size and weight, truck crashes tend to produce severe, lasting injuries. The injuries we see most often include: 

• Traumatic Brain Injuries: A blow to the head resulting in a brain injury can cause lasting cognitive, memory, and mood problems.  
• Spinal Cord Injuries: Damage to the spine can lead to partial or full paralysis and a lifetime of care. We handle spinal cord injury cases of this kind. 
• Broken Bones and Crush Injuries: Fractures from a truck collision are frequently severe enough to require surgery and long rehabilitation. 
• Internal Injuries: Damage to internal organs is not always obvious at the scene, which is one reason prompt medical care matters so much. 
• Severe Burns: Fuel and cargo fires can cause burns requiring skin grafts and leaving permanent scarring. 

Serious truck crash injuries are often treated at Grady Memorial Hospital, home to the Marcus Trauma Center, Atlanta’s only Level I trauma center and one of the busiest in the Southeast. When a crash ends in death, our team can also help families seek justice through a wrongful death claim. 

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Truck Accident? 

One of the most valuable things a lawyer does in a truck case is identify everyone who may share responsibility. More liable parties can mean more available insurance coverage to pay for your losses.  

Depending on the facts, the responsible parties may include: 

• The Truck Driver: For speeding, distracted driving, driving while fatigued, or driving under the influence 
• The Trucking Company: For pushing drivers past federal hours-of-service limits, poor hiring, inadequate training, or failing to maintain its trucks 
• The Truck or Trailer Owner: When the vehicle is owned by someone other than the driver or carrier, and was not kept in a safe condition 
• The Cargo Loader: When improperly loaded or unsecured freight causes a truck to tip, jackknife, or spill its load 
• A Maintenance Provider or Parts Maker: When a faulty repair or defective part, such as brakes or tires, contributes to the crash 

Georgia is an at-fault state, so the party who caused the crash is responsible for the resulting harm. Georgia also follows a modified comparative negligence rule under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33.  

As long as you are less than 50% at fault, you can still recover, though your share of the blame reduces your compensation. Sorting out fault among several parties is exactly the kind of work an experienced lawyer handles. 

Evidence That Can Make or Break a Truck Accident Claim 

Trucks generate a trail of evidence that ordinary cars do not, and much of it can disappear fast.  

The most important evidence in a truck case includes: 

• Black Box and Engine Data: Electronic control modules record speed, braking, and other details from the moments before a crash, and that data can be overwritten quickly. 
• Driver Logs and Qualification Files: Electronic logging devices show whether the driver was on the road longer than federal rules allow. 
• Maintenance and Inspection Records: These reveal whether the company kept the truck in safe operating condition. 
• Camera and Witness Evidence: Dash cameras, surveillance footage from nearby businesses, and eyewitness accounts help reconstruct what happened. 

Because some of these records can be lost or destroyed within days, a lawyer can send a preservation request early to help protect the evidence. The sooner we get involved, the more we can do to keep that proof intact. 

Compensation You May Be Able to Pursue 

After a serious truck crash, the financial weight can be crushing. Georgia law allows injured people to seek compensation for both the bills you can count and the losses that are harder to measure. 

That generally falls into two categories: 

• Economic Damages: Medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and property damage 
• Non-economic Damages: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life 

Georgia changed its tort laws in 2025, and some of those changes affect how medical damages are presented at trial. Defendants may now introduce the amounts actually paid for your care, not just the amounts billed.  

These rules are still developing, and an attorney can explain how they may apply to your situation. You may be entitled to compensation, and we can help you understand what your claim could be worth. 

Steps to Take After a Truck Accident in Atlanta 

What you do in the hours and days after a crash can shape your claim. If you are able, these steps help protect both your health and your case: 

• Call 911. Get medical help on the way and create an official police record of the crash. 
• See a doctor. Some truck crash injuries, including brain injuries and internal bleeding, are not obvious right away. 
• Document the scene. Photograph the vehicles, the road, and any visible injuries, and note the truck’s company name and DOT number. 
• Avoid recorded statements. The trucking company’s insurer may call quickly. You do not have to give a recorded statement before speaking with a lawyer. 
• Talk with an attorney. Early legal help means evidence can be preserved while you focus on healing. 

Many of these crashes happen on the region’s busiest corridors. I-285, the Perimeter that loops the city, carries heavy truck traffic, and the interchange where it meets I-85 at Spaghetti Junction is one of the most complex in the country.  

GA-400, I-20, and the Downtown Connector see constant freight traffic as well. Crashes on roads like these often involve serious injuries and out-of-state trucking companies, which makes early investigation all the more important. 

How an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help 

After a truck crash, you should be focused on recovering, not fighting an insurance company. Our firm can investigate the crash, identify all parties who may be responsible, work with the insurers, and build a case for full and fair compensation. We work on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay no upfront legal fees, and we are paid only as a portion of any recovery. 

Our background is part of what sets us apart. Because several of our attorneys defended companies and insurers earlier in their careers, and two served as DeKalb County judges, we understand how the other side builds and values a case.  

You can review our past results on our verdicts and settlements page. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a particular outcome, but they reflect the firm’s commitment to the people it represents. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Questions Should I Ask a Truck Accident Lawyer? 

Ask whether the lawyer has handled commercial truck cases, how they investigate and preserve evidence, and how their fees work. A good consultation should leave you understanding your options and the likely next steps. At our firm, that first consultation is free. 

Who Is Liable in a Truck Accident? 

Liability can fall on more than just the driver. The trucking company, the truck or trailer owner, the cargo loader, a maintenance provider, or a parts manufacturer may all share responsibility depending on what caused the crash. Identifying every liable party is important because it can open up more insurance coverage to pay for your losses. 

What Are the Most Common Injuries in Truck Accidents? 

Truck crashes commonly cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, internal organ damage, and severe burns. Because commercial trucks are so much larger than passenger vehicles, these injuries are often serious and long-lasting. Prompt medical care matters, since some injuries are not obvious at the scene. 

How Does a Lawyer Help With a Truck Accident Insurance Claim? 

A lawyer handles the insurance company, so you do not have to. That includes investigating the crash, gathering and preserving evidence, calculating the full value of your losses, and negotiating for a fair result. If the insurer will not offer fair compensation, your attorney can take the case to court. 

What Are My Legal Rights and the Steps to Take After a Truck Accident? 

You have the right to seek compensation from anyone whose negligence caused your injuries, and you are not required to accept the insurer’s first offer. After a crash, get medical care, report it to the police, document the scene, avoid giving recorded statements to the trucking company’s insurer, and speak with a lawyer. Taking these steps early helps protect both your health and your claim. 

How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Claim in Georgia? 

In most cases, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in Georgia, under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. Some situations carry shorter deadlines, such as claims involving a government vehicle. Because evidence in truck cases can disappear quickly, it is wise to start the process well before the deadline. 

Talk With an Atlanta Truck Accident Lawyer Today. 

If a truck crash has left you injured or taken someone you love, you do not have to face the trucking company and its insurers alone. The Atlanta team at Prieto, DelCampo, Lopez, & Marigliano LLC can review what happened, explain your options, and handle the legal side while you focus on healing. There are no upfront legal fees, and you owe us nothing unless we recover for you. 

Contact motor vehicle accident lawyers to schedule a free consultation. The sooner we hear from you, the sooner we can begin protecting your claim.