ffffffCarrollton is an essential junction for logging trucks in the northwest corner of Georgia. Located within a short drive of the Alabama border, Carrollton serves as a gateway for logging trucks entering Georgia from Alabama. Also, the roads leading to Carrollton, such as State Roads 166, 16, and 27, which runs north from Carrollton to intersect with Interstate 20 running east and west through Georgia into Alabama, are filled with logging trucks moving forestry products and equipment into and out of Georgia. As the logging industry continues to thrive in Georgia and Alabama, the number of logging truck accidents may increase.

Logging truck accident claims in Georgia fall under the law governing personal injury cases. Because of the specialized nature of the logging industry, Georgia logging truck accident victims should have experienced lawyers, and our attorneys Know What It Takes To Win.^TM Our Georgia Logging Truck Attorneys know the complicated legal and practical issues that arise in these types of cases, the nuances of the law and claims processes, as what is necessary to navigate the litigation process.  We fight hard on behalf of each and every client in order to help them and their families obtain justice under the law and valuable compensation for their injuries.

Georgia’s forestry industry is a crucial component of the state’s economy. The chances are high that you will encounter a logging truck on your travels throughout Georgia because of Georgia’s thriving forestry industry. Therefore, motorists are just as likely to encounter Georgia logging trucks on interstate highways such as I-95 and I-275, state roads, and back-country roads as well. The increase in the number of logging trucks on the road commensurately increase the chances of becoming a victim of a logging truck accident in Georgia.

Large truck accidents are not uncommon in the state of Georgia, and these accidents can have devastating effects on the people involved. Although most tractor-trailer drivers are safe and law-abiding, many large truck accidents are caused by negligence on the part of drivers and trucking companies.

If you were involved in a vehicle collision with a semi-truck in Georgia, you likely have a lot of questions about the steps you should take next. Some answers to common questions about trucking accidents are below.

Both the federal government and the government in Georgia have enacted regulations designed to prevent dangerous trucking activity on the roadways. These regulations apply not only to driver conduct but also to vehicle maintenance and cargo.

While most truckers are highly trained and responsible drivers, a select few cause serious and sometimes fatal accidents.  According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), some of the main causes of truck accidents are as follows:

UNITED STATES – According to an online news story posted to talkbusiness.net, a safety organization is pushing for new safety features to be required on all U.S. semi-trucks. Road Safe America has completed an analysis of fatal traffic accidents involving semi-trucks and concluded that the number of deaths is increasing.

COLUMBIA, MO. – According to an online news report from abc17news.com, a truck driver from Georgia has been given five years of probation in connection with a fatal vehicle crash that occurred in 2015 in Boone County, Missouri.* 

In Georgia, the corridor of Interstate 285 between Interstate 75 and Interstate 85 is the site of frequent accidents involving large trucks and buses, according to local reports. When these accidents occur, due to their scale, several lanes of the interstate have to be shut down, and gridlock ensues throughout the area. Aside from the traffic backups, these accidents are known for causing serious injuries and fatalities. In 2016, 179 people died on Georgia roads in accidents that involved a bus or an 18-wheeler truck. 

Truck drivers must receive a certification from state and federal authorities before they can drive a commercial vehicle. Tank truck drivers undergo the same certification process and more if they are hauling combustible liquids, hazardous waste, or liquefied gas. The substantial amount of professional training tank truck drivers receive does not prevent accidents, especially rollovers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration approximates that 78% of all rollover accidents happened due to driver error.

UNITED STATES – September 12, 2018 (theledger.com) In a story online at theledger.com (sharing an article from the Kansas City Star) a reporter discusses an increase in the rate of fatal semi-truck accidents in the United States, as well as a failure to respond to these accidents on the part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has posted information about Georgia’s seatbelt laws, which underwent a change in the recent past, when they were expanded to include pickup trucks.

ACWORTH, GA. – April 27, 2018 (ajc.com) The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced that it was ordering the shutdown of Daya Trucking of Acworth, Georgia. The decision comes after an investigation found the trucking carrier was violating several regulations.*

The sight of a fire in the immediate aftermath of a Georgia trucking crash is horrific. That is why it is imperative to get away from a vehicle after a collision in a trucking accident. Unfortunately, many people cannot extricate themselves from the burning wreckage. According to the National Fire Protection Agency's latest figure, approximately 287,000 vehicle fires occur annually. These vehicle fires cause the deaths of about 480 people. The National Fire Protection Agency's statistics did not calculate the number of people injured by a motor vehicle fire.

Montlick & Associates Large Truck Crash Lawyers Discuss The Physical Forces Applied to Body In A Truck Crash

The drivers in Georgia are very familiar with the rumble of large, tractor-trailer trucks on the Interstates that crisscross the state. The roar of the wheels is the sound of commerce moving throughout the state and through Georgia to its neighbors. Georgia drivers also understand well the danger sharing the roads with 18-wheelers could present. Those of us who drive smaller cars must be wary of driving near a semi-truck because one wrong move by the truck driver and could suffer catastrophic injuries or death in a large truck crash.

The Trucking Accident Claim Process in Georgia

Over five thousand deaths and over 200,000 serious injuries occur each year as a result of a collision between an 18-wheeler and a passenger vehicle. While there are certain steps you should take immediately following the accident, there is also a specific process involved in pursuing a claim. A trucking accident is often serious and therefore traumatic for the victims. When an 80,000 pound truck collides with a 3,000 pound passenger vehicle, fatalities or serious injury can result. In some cases the truck may also be loaded with a hazardous cargo which will compound the devastation of the accident.

The Hazards of Poorly Secured Cargo on Large Commercial Trucks in Georgia 

A semi-truck overturned and crashed on I-110 spilling a load of wooden pallets across the roadway. The Houston truck driver was cited for careless operation, and I-110 was shut down for nearly six hours. Thankfully, the only injuries sustained were minor ones to the driver of the truck as other drivers were able to narrowly miss crashing into the pallets scattered across the Interstate. The accident could have been much more serious, resulting in injuries or even fatalities.

Trucking Accidents in Georgia Caused by Bad Brakes

An inattentive driver, paired with faulty brakes, is believed to be the cause of a truck accident in the Nevada desert in which a large commercial truck struck an Amtrak passenger train. Six people died and another sixteen were seriously injured in the accident. The truck, pulling two empty trailers struck the left side of the Amtrak train which was en route from Chicago to California. The collision destroyed the truck as well as several train cars, resulting in a fire which engulfed three train cars. The truck driver, the train conductor and four train passengers were killed while sixteen other train passengers were seriously injured.

The Business of Trucking

Big trucks are big business; the trucking industry employs an astonishing 7.3 million people, carrying nearly 70% of all freight—over $8.3 trillion dollars’ worth of merchandise annually.  In 2015, commercial trucks logged approximately 296 billion miles. While commercial trucks make up only 12.2% of all registered vehicles, they pay over $38 billion dollars in state and federal highway user taxes.  It goes without saying that the trucking industry is huge, and therefore, when a trucking accident occurs due to a trucker's negligence, it is common for the trucking company to employ extremely aggressive defense tactics in an effort to minimize liability.