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Ken Shigley is a highly experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer with a proven track record. His practice is focused on high-end personal injury and wrongful death cases, primarily resulting from motor carrier accidents, including commercial trucks, tractor-trailers, big rigs, dump trucks, cement mixers, buses, and logging trucks. Attorney Shigley’s experience in the courtroom and in the classroom teaching other lawyers about aspects of litigating truck accident cases support his desire to help make things better for victims of catastrophic accidents and their families.
The selection of a personal injury attorney with a track record of going head to head with multiple parties in truck accident cases is key to a successful outcome for those suffering injuries as a result of a truck crash in Georgia. A lawyer without such experience may be at a disadvantage when dealing with trucking companies, truck drivers, and associated insurance companies. An attorney with in-depth knowledge of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations and use of technology in the trucking industry, combined with experience conducting multistate investigations, can play a pivotal role in securing a fair settlement or success in court.
An all too common hazard on local streets and highways is the truck driver beset by fatigue. Trucking companies are under pressure to get orders delivered in a timely manner, and drivers may not be monitored closely enough to be sure they are conforming to federal safety regulations. Experts have determined that fatigue is the most recognizable and preventable cause of truck accidents. An experienced Atlanta truck accident attorney knows that a truck driver need not fall asleep behind the wheel to prove liability for a crash. A savvy lawyer can achieve success obtaining records when investigating officers have been unable to do so.
Driver inattention is unfortunately all too common among truck drivers. In some instances, a driver turns their attention to some truck-specific alert or notification such as engine monitoring equipment or a GPS route mapping tool. Sometimes, truck drivers’ attention is diverted due to interaction with a mobile phone or similar device. After analysis, including quantifying the average length of time a driver takes their eyes off of the road to engage in some form of text messaging, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration strengthened regulations regarding distracted driving. Experienced attorneys pay careful attention to mobile device and text messaging records after a truck accident.
Georgia laws regulating the transport of forest products to processing facilities are inferior to federal regulations. Additionally, in many cases, law enforcement officers are inadequately trained to investigate a logging truck accident properly. Lack of training and possible biases can result in a police report that incorrectly blames the victim for causing the accident. Inferior driver qualifications, poorly maintained equipment, loads that exceed established weight limits, and other issues can have a catastrophic impact on the severity of an accident with a passenger vehicle. A skillful truck accident lawyer in Atlanta will work diligently to secure physical evidence and witness statements from the crash scene.
Holding the driver or other parties accountable for injuries sustained in a garbage truck accident can be difficult. It may depend upon whether the truck is operated by a city or county government and if a liability insurance policy covers the garbage truck in question. The nature of the work and potentially high turnover rate may yield a workforce with less training than truckers in other settings. Garbage trucks operated by private companies may have adequate insurance coverage, but uncovering different layers of available insurance can require the skills of a knowledgeable injury accident attorney.
The amount of liability coverage on a dump truck can depend upon whether state or federal regulations apply or whether coverage requirements are specified in written contracts. While some truckers hauling materials within the state of Georgia have contracts that require a minimum of $1Million of liability insurance, state law for intrastate motor carriers requires only $100,000 of liability insurance coverage. An experienced truck accident attorney in Atlanta knows to carefully review accident reports and maintenance records for signs of inadequately maintained dump trucks. The sooner a lawsuit is filed, the greater the chance of recovering evidence of truck maintenance.
National organizations have created training materials to educate those in the profession of safety issues unique to the proper handling of concrete and cement mixing trucks. Unfortunately, that knowledge has yet to reach many cement truck drivers. Accidents can be the result when a driver initiates a ninety-degree turn at an excessive speed. In the event of a rollover of a loaded cement truck, occupants of nearby cars and other bystanders are at risk of injury or death from being crushed by the cement truck or coming into physical contact with the liquid cement itself.
A truck driver veering left onto the opposite side of the road in order to make a right turn into a parking lot or onto a side street may strike a driver attempting to pass the truck in the right lane. If a truck driver’s view is obstructed or their mirror is not positioned correctly, a motorist may not realize that the truck driver does not see the car to the right of the truck. A seasoned Atlanta truck accident lawyer gathers as much evidence as possible during the course of the investigation to build as strong a case as possible.
Much can be learned from a truck accident scene by a thorough investigation of each truck tire. Improper air pressure, excessive wear, or visible damage to the tire are key findings. Mismatched tire sizes, mixing of different types (radial and bias-ply) of tires, and prohibited use of retreaded, regrooved, or recapped tires on the front wheels of a truck are also telling. In the event a defect in the manufacturing of one or more tires is discovered, the tire manufacturer may be liable for damages. Tire industry experts may be retained to testify on behalf of a plaintiff against a tire manufacturer.
Accidents involving a bus can occur in a number of ways. In some cases, a bus driver and one or more passengers are injured when another vehicle collides with the bus. In other instances, a passenger can be injured while embarking or disembarking the bus. An inattentive bus driver may attempt to resume driving without realizing that a passenger who recently left the bus had difficulty exiting the bus completely. Regardless of the type of bus, the investigation of the interior and exterior of the bus, in addition to the gathering of witness statements, is important when attempting to determine liability.
You may schedule your free consultation to discuss your truck crash injury by calling 404-253-7862 or by contacting us online.
Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum based on numerous verdicts and settlements in the millions of dollars
Author & TeacherMy family hired Ken after our parents were killed in a trucking accident in GA in 2013. We worked with Ken for 19 months before our case settled. During this time I thought Ken was outstanding. He was accessible to us at all times and maintained consistent communication. He was patient with us and...
When tragedy struck our family in the form of the wrongful death of our son and caused me physical injuries and changed our lives forever, we dragged our feet about hiring a lawyer. I didn't want to face having to go through the stress. Big mistake. The first thing you do is hire local counsel. I...
After my parents were killed in a tractor truck accident on December 2013, he fought hard against the insurance companies to help my brother, sister, and I. He was honest and always available to answer any questions I had. Ken went out of his way to meet with my brother and I while on vacation in...
I first met Ken when I watched him try a very difficult case involving catastrophic injuries. He was an incredibly effective advocate and was able to obtain justice for his client. I have since come to know him as one of the state's leading trial lawyers, particularly in trucking cases, which...
Ken Shigley is an excellent trial lawyer in the area of commercial trucking. He knows the specialized rules for handling truck wreck cases for the victims and their families when tractor-trailers leave a devastating loss, catastrophic injuries and deaths. He is an advocate who understands the impact...
Trial Preparation and Practice, 2013 ed. by Kenneth L. Shigley, John D. Hadden
2015-2016 Update by Karen Koehler & John W. Chandler