.avif)
.avif)
.avif)
Our History
Three Generations Representing the Injured After Truck Wrecks
When Arthur Farrar opened the firm in Douglas in 1949, he built the practice on a simple principle: take care of the people in front of you. Over the years, that principle was carried forward by attorneys including Curtis Farrar and Joey Hennesy, helping establish the firm's reputation for serving injured people throughout South Georgia.
Today, Kirk Farrar, Matt Hennesy, Drew Tanner, and Andrew Tanner continue that tradition with compassion, preparation, and personal attention. That history matters in a truck accident case. These cases move quickly; the trucking company often starts building its defense right away, and injured people need a law firm that knows how to tell their story, preserve the evidence, and pursue the case for its full value.
Handling Every Truck Accident Case with Care
At Farrar, Hennesy & Tanner, you work directly with an attorney from the first call through the final resolution. You won’t be handed off to a case manager or left wondering who is handling your case.
We Start by Listening
Our experienced trucking accident lawyers want to understand what happened and what matters most to your family.
We Move Quickly to Preserve Evidence
The first weeks after a truck accident can be critical. We send preservation letters right away, so important records can be preserved before they are lost, overwritten, or harder to obtain.
We Investigate Every Layer of Responsibility
The driver is rarely the only party at fault. We look at the motor carrier, cargo loader, maintenance contractor, broker, and parts manufacturers. All of these independent parties could have their own level of responsibility and each with its own insurance.
We Calculate What Your Case Is Truly Worth
Truck injuries are often catastrophic and slow to reveal their true scope and effect on your life. We document the full extent of your losses, including future medical care and lost earning capacity.
We Negotiate from a Position of Strength
We prepare each case carefully, with trial in mind when that is required. We push back on lowball offers.
We're Ready to Try Your Case
If the offer isn't fair, we go to court. After 75 years of trial work in South Georgia, we know what that takes.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in Georgia
The hours after a wreck with a tractor-trailer are stressful and confusing, with most people thinking about pain and family, not evidence. A few practical steps can protect your claim:
Call 911 and Request a Police Report
The official report is one of the most important documents in your case.
Get Medical Attention, Even If You Feel Okay
Adrenaline masks injuries, and truck-wreck forces often cause internal damage that isn't visible. A doctor's record also creates a timeline the insurer can't dismiss.
Take Photos of the Scene, the Vehicles, and Any Visible Injuries
Document the truck, any company markings or DOT numbers, the cargo, road signs, skid marks, and weather.
Get the Driver's and Company's Information
In a commercial case, the trucking company's name, DOT number, and motor carrier number matter as much as the driver's.
Notify Your Own Insurance Company
Most policies require prompt notice, even when you weren't at fault. Waiting can give your insurer a reason to deny coverage later.
Do Not Talk to the Trucking Company's Adjuster or Investigator
They may show up within a day to ask for a recorded statement. Politely decline until you've spoken with one of our skilled truck accident attorneys.
Keep Every Bill, Receipt, and Pay Stub
These records become the foundation for calculating the full value of your claim.
#cta_start
Ready to Get Honest Answers About Your Case?
Talk to our experienced truck accident lawyers in Douglas, GA. Your consultation is free, and you owe us nothing unless we win.
#cta_end
Why Truck Accident Cases Are Different
A wreck with an 80,000-pound truck isn't just a bad car accident. It’s a specific kind of legal case that’s complex, and not every lawyer or law firm is capable of handling it. Three things set these cases apart:
The Physics Aren't Fair
A loaded tractor-trailer weighs 80,000 pounds. A passenger car weighs 4,000 pounds. Large trucks account for roughly 14% of Georgia traffic fatalities, and three out of four people killed in those crashes are in the other vehicle.
The Trucking Company Moves First
Carriers send rapid response teams within hours, photographing skid marks and taking statements while you're still at the hospital. That head start is exactly why injured drivers need their own counsel, fast.
Federal Rules Become Evidence
Commercial trucks are governed by federal regulations on hours of service, brake inspections, and hiring. A driver fifteen hours on the road. Three missed inspections. A drug screen that should have ended a hiring conversation. Our job is to get those records before they "go missing".
Compensation Available in a Georgia Truck Accident Claim
Truck wrecks often cause injuries that can permanently alter someone's life and finances. Settlement value isn't just a number on a chart that was picked out of thin air, but a careful accounting of what the crash actually cost you and will keep costing you. In a serious case, that usually includes:
- Current and future medical bills: Not just the ER visit, but the surgeries that follow, the years of physical therapy, the assistive equipment, the home health care.
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity: What you couldn't earn during recovery, and what you can't earn going forward if the injuries don't fully heal.
- Pain, suffering, and the loss of the life you had: The part insurance adjusters most want to minimize.
- Home and vehicle modifications: Ramps, lifts, accessible bathrooms, adapted vehicles.
- Loss of consortium: The impact on a spouse and family.
- Punitive damages: Available in Georgia when the conduct was especially reckless, such as a driver falsifying logbooks, driving impaired, or a company knowingly ignoring federal safety rules.
The harder the trucking company fought to cut corners, the more these categories came into play.
Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle
Our truck accident lawyers have represented clients across the full range of commercial truck crashes, including:
- Semi-truck and 18-wheeler collisions
- Tractor-trailer accidents
- Jackknife and rollover crashes
- Underride and override accidents
- Rear-end collisions involving large trucks
- Cargo spill and unsecured load accidents
- Tanker truck and hazmat spills
- Logging truck accidents
- Delivery truck accidents
- Garbage truck and sanitation vehicle accidents
- Crashes caused by fatigued, distracted, or impaired truck drivers
- Fatal truck accidents and wrongful death claims
If you don't see your situation listed, call us anyway. Our truck accident lawyers in Georgia will let you know whether your case is one we can help with.
Common Injuries After a Truck Accident
The size and weight difference between a tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle means truck wrecks tend to produce some of the most serious injuries we see. Many take months or years to heal, and some change a person's life for good. The cases we see most often involve:
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Severe neck and back injuries, including herniated discs
- Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
- Multiple broken bones and complex fractures
- Crush injuries
- Fatal injuries giving rise to wrongful death claims
If any of this describes what you or a family member are going through, you don't have to figure out the next step alone.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Georgia
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration research has long shown that driver error is the most commonly cited factor in commercial vehicle crashes, but the driver is rarely the only piece of the puzzle. In the cases we handle, our exceptional truck accident attorneys in Coffee County often find a combination of:
- Driver fatigue and hours-of-service violations. Long-haul drivers face tight schedules, and fatigue slows reaction time as much as alcohol does.
- Distracted driving. Phones, GPS units, and onboard systems pull attention from the road.
- Impaired driving. Alcohol, illegal drugs, and even some prescription medications affect judgment.
- Speeding and aggressive driving. A loaded tractor-trailer needs hundreds of feet to stop. Speed shrinks that margin to zero.
- Improperly loaded or overloaded cargo. Shifting loads causes rollovers and jackknifes; overweight trucks blow tires and burn out brakes.
- Poor maintenance. Brake failures, tire blowouts, and steering problems indicate maintenance wasn't properly performed.
- Negligent hiring or training. Putting unqualified drivers behind the wheel is the company's responsibility.
- Blind spot collisions. A semi's "no-zones" can hide an entire passenger car on both sides and behind the trailer.
Hurt in a Truck Accident in Douglas?
Talk to our truck accident lawyer in Douglas, GA, as soon as possible. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
(912) 384-2287
Our Team
Meet Your Georgia Truck Accident Attorneys
%202%20(1).avif)
Why Clients Choose Us
Why Injured Georgians Trust Us with Their Truck Cases
75+ Years Protecting South Georgia's Injured
Since 1949, our firm has served injured people and families across South Georgia with preparation, personal attention, and a commitment to being the most prepared lawyers in the courtroom.
Trial-Ready Against the Trucking Industry
We've handled cases against national motor carriers, regional fleets, and local trucking outfits. Insurers know we're prepared to take a case all the way.
No Fee Unless We Win
Free consultation. You owe us nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Areas We Serve
From Douglas to All Corners of South Georgia
Our Douglas office sits at the center of Coffee County, and we accept truck accident cases throughout South Georgia. Most of our clients live within a 60-mile drive of the office, including:
.avif)
Free Consultation
We Won’t Let the Trucking Company Write the Story of Your Case
The insurance adjusters and investigators are already hard at work building their defense to pay you as little as possible. Every day you wait, evidence becomes harder to find and secure, and your leverage diminishes. Talk to our Douglas truck accident attorney today for a free, confidential consultation. No fee unless we win.
Frequently Asked Questions on
Truck Accident Claims
How much are most truck accident settlements in Georgia?
There is no meaningful average truck accident settlement. The value depends on the severity of the injuries, medical bills, lost income, long-term limitations, fault, and available insurance coverage. During a free consultation, we can review the facts and explain what may affect the value of your case.
When should I not accept a truck accident settlement offer?
Turn it down when it doesn't cover what the crash actually cost you, such as lost wages, future medical care, long-term impact on your ability to work, and pain and suffering. First offers from trucking insurers are almost always low, designed to close your file before you understand the full extent of your injuries. With the right evidence, most can be pushed substantially higher.
How long does a truck accident case take to settle in Georgia?
It depends on the complexity. Most cases fall into three buckets:
- Simple: Clear liability, moderate injuries, a cooperative insurer — six months to a year;
- Moderate: More serious injuries or a fault dispute — one to two years;
- Complex: Catastrophic injuries, multiple liable parties, or a carrier digging in — two years or more, sometimes needing to take the case to trial before they agree to settle for a fair amount.
Faster isn't better. A quick settlement feels like relief, but if it closes before you know the full cost of your medical care, lost earnings, and long-term limitations, you carry that gap for life. We don't recommend settling until we know what the crash has actually cost you.
How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in Georgia?
Generally, two years from the date of the accident for personal injury claims, including those involving commercial trucks (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). Claims involving government-owned vehicles, such as sanitation trucks or other state-owned equipment, may have much shorter notice periods, sometimes as short as 6 months. The sooner you call, the better.
Who can be held responsible for a truck accident in Georgia?
Liability often extends beyond the driver. The motor carrier, the company that loaded or secured the cargo, the maintenance contractor, the truck broker, and parts manufacturers can all share responsibility depending on what caused the crash. One of the first things we do is identify every potentially liable party so that every available source of coverage is on the table.
What if a loved one was killed in a truck accident?
Georgia law allows certain family members to bring a wrongful death claim against the at-fault parties (O.C.G.A. § 51-4-2). The damages can include the full value of the life lost, as well as medical and funeral expenses. We handle these cases with the seriousness they deserve and the patience the family needs.
Can I still file a claim if I was partly at fault?
Yes, as long as you were less than 50% at fault (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33). Your percentage of fault will reduce your recovery, but you can still pursue compensation.