Macon Truck Accident Lawyer
If you or a family member has been seriously injured in a Macon truck accident, Gautreaux Law represents individuals and families in your situation. If you have lost a loved one, you may have a wrongful death claim under Georgia law.
Gautreaux Law handles truck accident cases under both Georgia law and federal motor carrier regulations. Call (478) 475-3428 for a free consultation. No fee unless we recover.
“No fee unless we recover” refers only to attorney’s fees. Court costs and other case expenses are typically advanced by our firm and reimbursed from any recovery. Contingent fee arrangements are not permitted in all types of cases. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
WHY TRUCK ACCIDENT CASES ARE DIFFERENT
A loaded tractor-trailer can weigh 80,000 pounds. A typical passenger car weighs around 4,000 pounds. That difference explains why truck crashes produce injuries far more severe than other collisions on the road.
Macon sits at the intersection of Interstate 75 and Interstate 16, two corridors that the Georgia Department of Transportation has designated as part of Georgia’s statewide freight network. Bibb County (Macon) recorded 52 traffic fatalities in 2022, according to Georgia Department of Transportation crash data, placing it among the ten deadliest counties in the state.
Federal law requires most commercial trucking companies to carry a minimum of $750,000 in liability insurance (49 CFR § 387.9). Carriers hauling hazardous materials must carry up to $5 million. Some carriers maintain coverage above the federal minimum. The size of these insurance towers changes the way these cases are investigated, negotiated, and tried.
HOW GAUTREAUX LAW HANDLES THESE CASES
Truck accident cases require attorneys who understand federal motor carrier regulations, not just Georgia personal injury law. Our team brings that understanding to the cases we handle.
Attorney Jarome Gautreaux has practiced personal injury law in Georgia since 2000 and has recovered more than $100 million for clients across a range of personal injury matters. He co-authored Georgia Law of Torts: Trial Preparation and Practice, published by Thomson Reuters, and serves as an adjunct professor at Mercer University School of Law. In August 2021, he presented “Litigating a Truck Accident Case: From Pleadings to Discovery” at a State Bar of Georgia ICLE seminar on truck accident claims.
Attorney David Cooke, a former two-term elected District Attorney for the Macon Judicial Circuit, has taken more than 150 jury trials to verdict. His experience investigating cases and presenting evidence to juries strengthens the firm’s trial preparation. In 2019, the Macon Bar Association named him Attorney of the Year.
Attorney Griffin Green, a published member of the Mercer Law Review and former clerk for the State Court of Bibb County, supports the firm’s truck accident practice with strong research capability and local court experience.
Gautreaux Law handles truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney’s fees unless the firm recovers compensation on your behalf.
COMMON CAUSES AND TYPES OF TRUCK ACCIDENTS WE HANDLE
Truck crashes happen for reasons that often trace back to decisions made long before the collision. Driver fatigue remains one of the leading causes. Federal law limits commercial truck drivers to 11 hours of driving per shift, with required rest periods between shifts (49 CFR Part 395). Hours-of-service violations are a recurring factor in fatigue-related crashes.
Other common causes include distracted driving, deferred or inadequate vehicle maintenance, insufficient driver training, improper cargo loading, and drug or alcohol impairment.
The types of truck crashes we handle include jackknife collisions, rollovers, underride accidents (rear, side, and front), brake failures, blind-spot collisions, runaway truck incidents, rear-end crashes, and head-on collisions. These accidents involve a range of commercial vehicles: tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, dump trucks, delivery vehicles, garbage trucks, logging trucks, and hazardous materials tankers.
Truck accident injuries frequently include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, multiple fractures, severe burns, and amputations. When a truck crash results in death, families may pursue a wrongful death claim under Georgia law.
WHO CAN BE HELD LIABLE AFTER A CRASH IN MACON
Responsibility for a truck crash can extend well beyond the driver. Depending on the facts, potentially liable parties may include:
- The truck driver, for conduct such as speeding, fatigue, distraction, or impairment
- The trucking company, for negligent hiring, inadequate training, or pressuring drivers to exceed hours-of-service limits
- The vehicle or parts manufacturer, if a defect contributed to the crash
- Maintenance providers, if improper service led to mechanical failure
- Cargo loaders, if improper loading or overweight cargo caused the truck to lose control
- Freight brokers, in certain cases involving negligent carrier selection
Georgia uses a modified comparative negligence rule. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, an injured person can recover damages only if their share of fault is less than 50 percent. If the injured person is 50 percent or more at fault, they recover nothing. Insurance carriers often work to push that percentage upward during negotiations. An attorney can evaluate whether the fault percentage an insurer assigns accurately reflects the facts of the crash.
Effective July 1, 2024, Georgia limited when a plaintiff can name a trucking company’s insurer as a defendant directly (O.C.G.A. §§ 40-1-112, 40-2-140). Whether this change affects your case depends on when your accident occurred. The FAQ below explains the details.
CASES WE HAVE HANDLED
The insurance policies covering a truck accident case are typically larger than those in an ordinary car wreck.
| $4,850,000 | Trucking Accident | Wrongful Death |
| $1,500,000 | Commercial Vehicle Collision | Wrongful Death |
| $1,000,000 | Collision with 18-Wheeler | Wrongful Death |
| $135,002 | Trailer Door Not Shut Properly | Back Injury |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does it cost to hire a truck accident lawyer?
Gautreaux Law handles truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not pay attorney’s fees unless the firm recovers compensation on your behalf. Court costs and other expenses are typically advanced by the firm and reimbursed from any recovery. Contingent fee arrangements are not available for every type of case.
How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in Georgia?
Georgia law generally allows two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). Wrongful death claims also carry a two-year deadline, measured from the date of death. Claims involving government vehicles or agencies may require an ante litem notice within a shorter period. Certain exceptions, including cases involving minors or individuals with legal disabilities, may extend the filing window.
What if I was partially at fault for the truck accident?
Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If your share of fault is less than 50 percent, you can still recover damages, but the amount is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. If you are 50 percent or more at fault, Georgia law bars recovery entirely (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33).
Should I talk to the trucking company’s insurance adjuster?
Insurance adjusters contact injured parties quickly, and the conversations are typically recorded. Before providing a detailed statement or signing any documents, it is generally advisable to speak with an attorney who can review the facts of your case and advise you on how to protect your interests.
What evidence matters most in a truck accident case?
Key evidence includes electronic logging device (ELD) data, hours-of-service records, vehicle maintenance logs, the driver’s qualification file, the police accident report, witness statements, and photographs from the scene. Some of this evidence, particularly electronic data stored on the truck’s systems, can be overwritten or lost if not preserved promptly.
Can I sue the trucking company’s insurance company directly?
Effective July 1, 2024, Georgia’s Senate Bill 426 narrowed the circumstances under which a truck accident plaintiff can name a motor carrier’s insurer as a defendant. Under the revised law (amending O.C.G.A. §§ 40-1-112 and 40-2-140), direct action is available only when the carrier is insolvent or cannot be served despite reasonable diligence. Which version of the rule applies depends on when the accident occurred. An attorney can explain how this change may affect your claim.
TALK TO A MACON TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
If you have been injured in a truck accident in Macon or anywhere in Middle Georgia, or if you have lost a family member in a truck crash, Gautreaux Law will review your case at no cost. You can speak with an attorney about your situation before making any decisions. Our attorneys handle truck accident cases on a contingency basis, which means no attorney’s fees unless we recover.
Call (478) 475-3428
- Gautreaux Law, LLC
- 778 Mulberry Street, Macon, GA 31201
“No fee unless we recover” refers only to attorney’s fees. Court costs and other case expenses are typically advanced by our firm and reimbursed from any recovery. Contingent fee arrangements are not permitted in all types of cases. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is different and depends on its specific facts and circumstances.
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778 Mulberry Street
Macon, GA 31201