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Narrator: Welcome to Peachtree Injury Talk with attorney Jordan Jewkes.
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Kevin Rosenquist: Hello and welcome to Peachtree Injury Talk with Attorney Jordan Jewkes. I'm your host, Kevin Rosenquist, and today we are diving into the essentials you need to know about personal injury law in Georgia. Jordan, great to see you again.
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| 00:18 |
Jordan Jewkes: Hey, thanks, Kevin. Thanks for having me back.
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| 00:20 |
Kevin Rosenquist: All right, so we're going to talk about trucking accident cases in Georgia. We talked last episode about personal injury law in general, but what specifically interests you about taking on serious and sometimes catastrophic trucking accident cases?
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| 00:35 |
Jordan Jewkes: Yeah, right. If you've driven on the freeways in Georgia, you see a ton of these big tractor-trailersā18-wheelers, diesels, whatever you want to call them. They fill the roadway. Fortunately, 99% of truckers are great driversāvery attentiveābut some cut corners or don't follow the regulations, and that can cause serious harm.
So one of the reasons we pursue these cases is to help make the roadways safer. And when someone is injured by a truck, itās usually a significant injury. You have to hold these companies accountable to protect others on the road.
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| 01:14 |
Kevin Rosenquist: It seems like thereās a growing number of trucking accident cases on Georgia roads. Why do you think that is?
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| 01:21 |
Jordan Jewkes: Well, Atlanta is a growing cityāpeople love to move here. And historically, Atlanta was called āTerminus,ā meaning itās a transportation hub. That hasnāt changed.
One thing a lot of people donāt know is that trucks arenāt supposed to use the connectorā75/85 through Atlantaāunless they're making a local delivery. They're supposed to use the 285 perimeter. So if you've driven on 285, you know itās jam-packed with trucks. That restriction is meant to ease inner-city congestion, but it creates heavy truck traffic around the cityās edge, which increases the risk of wrecks.
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| 02:10 |
Kevin Rosenquist: What's the number one cause of trucking accidents?
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| 02:16 |
Jordan Jewkes: Thereās a lot of data, but a common theme is that drivers are in a hurry. Often they don't get the sleep they're required to get. Fatigue is a major issue.
The trucking industry is heavily regulated because of the sheer size and danger of these vehicles. They canāt brake or maneuver like a regular car. Drivers need a commercial license and extensive training. But sometimes, they skip safety steps to save timeāand thatās when accidents happen.
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| 03:04 |
Kevin Rosenquist: Maybe a little overconfidence too. Get too comfortable, go a little faster than they should, then canāt brake fast enough.
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| 03:14 |
Jordan Jewkes: Exactly. And thatās not unique to truckers. That applies to attorneys and podcasters tooāwe all have to stay alert in our professions or risk doing harm.
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| 03:30 |
Kevin Rosenquist: What makes trucking accident cases different from regular car crashes?
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| 03:35 |
Jordan Jewkes: Great question. Most people wouldnāt know the difference without legal experience, but trucking cases are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act. That applies to commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds, which is basically all of them.
These laws cover everything from sleep hours and logbooks to what medications drivers can take. Itās similar to the regulations for airline pilots. Thereās a reason you and I canāt just walk into Amazon and ask for truck keysāyou need specialized training and licensing.
To figure out what went wrong in a trucking crash, we often have to bring in experts who understand those regulations and how they were violated. Itās much more complex than your average car accident.
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| 05:03 |
Kevin Rosenquist: What kind of experts do you bring in?
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| 05:06 |
Jordan Jewkes: We use accident reconstructionists, engineers, highway safety experts, and trucking expertsāoften retired drivers who now testify in court. Knowing which expert to use can be the difference between winning or losing a case.
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| 05:37 |
Kevin Rosenquist: People sometimes try to handle personal injury cases themselves. Thatās risky, but I imagine trying to handle a trucking case alone is even worse.
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| 05:53 |
Jordan Jewkes: Yeah, it's a whole different ballgame. Insurance companies already fight hard on car accident claims. With trucking, itās even tougher. Youāre going up against powerful companies, and without representation, your chances are slim.
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| 06:26 |
Kevin Rosenquist: It sounds like trucking companies also have access to critical data, like a black box?
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| 06:36 |
Jordan Jewkes: Thatās right. Trucks have electronic control modulesābasically black boxesāthat record speed, braking, and more. One of the first things we do is send a notice to preserve that data. If they keep driving the truck, that data can get overwritten or lost.
Different trucksāVolvos, Peterbilts, Macksāthey all have different systems. You need the right expert to go retrieve and interpret that data. Itās essential and time-sensitive.
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| 07:40 |
Kevin Rosenquist: Walk me through what happens in a typical trucking case in Georgia.
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| 07:44 |
Jordan Jewkes: Like all wrecks, step one is getting medical help and calling the police. Take photos, start documenting everything.
But in trucking cases, you also need to send someone to the scene, hire an expert to download the black box data, and reconstruct what happened. That has to happen quickly. Then we look into the driverās historyātraining records, sleep logs, medication use.
We build a timeline of what led up to the wreck. It's rarely just āI ran a red light.ā Itās usually a series of mistakes: fatigue, pressure to meet deadlines, ignoring safety rules. Once our client is finished with treatmentāor we at least know their prognosisāwe negotiate with the insurance company to reach a fair settlement.
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| 10:07 |
Kevin Rosenquist: How often do insurance companies try to lowball or deny settlements?
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| 10:18 |
Jordan Jewkes: All the time. Itās what they do. And they know which attorneys are serious about going to trial and which ones just want a quick settlement.
At The Jewkes Firm, we prepare every case as if it will go to trial. Thatās how we maximize valueāeven though most cases settle. But if the insurance company knows youāre ready for court, theyāll take your case much more seriously.
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| 11:21 |
Kevin Rosenquist: What are the biggest challenges in a trucking accident case?
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| 11:28 |
Jordan Jewkes: The defense is well-funded. They hire top experts, doctors who will claim your injuries aren't real, or that your MRI doesnāt show anything. They have elite attorneys trying to discredit your case.
You need resources to fight that. Itās expensive and time-consuming. But if you donāt do it right, the victim wonāt get what they deserve.
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| 12:30 |
Kevin Rosenquist: I can see why you left the insurance side. Sounds frustrating.
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| 12:41 |
Jordan Jewkes: It is. Whatās crazy is insurance companies would rather pay their attorneys than pay the victim a fair settlement.
In a perfect world, theyād say, āWeāre at fault, we caused harm, hereās a fair offer.ā But they never do that. Thatās why attorneys like me exist.
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| 13:17 |
Kevin Rosenquist: If someone dies during a caseāsay the claim has already startedādoes the case continue?
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| 13:29 |
Jordan Jewkes: Yes, absolutely. Unfortunately, many fatalities on Georgia roads involve trucks. If someone passes awayāwhether from the wreck or later complicationsātheir heirs can continue the claim.
Usually, itās a spouse, children, or parents. Whoeverās legally designated as the heir takes over the case. The goal becomes seeking justice and ensuring accountability.
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| 14:24 |
Kevin Rosenquist: Thatās such a hard thing for a family. But I can imagine they still want to see someone held responsible.
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| 14:41 |
Jordan Jewkes: Exactly. Most of our clients arenāt about the moneyāthey want to make sure this doesnāt happen to someone else. Money doesnāt heal injuries or bring people back. Itās about accountability and protecting others.
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| 15:51 |
Kevin Rosenquist: And letās be honestāthis kind of accident uproots your life, even beyond the physical injuries.
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| 16:05 |
Jordan Jewkes: Right. It changes everythingāyour work, your family life, your health. And trucking cases often reveal a series of preventable mistakes: skipped safety checks, ignored no-cellphone policies, lack of rest. Itās rarely a single errorāitās a failure to follow safety regulations that protect everyone on the road.
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| 17:01 |
Kevin Rosenquist: When it comes to trucking attorneys in Georgia, what sets you and your firm apart?
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| 17:07 |
Jordan Jewkes: I think it's our approach. We treat clients like family, knowing this may be the first time theyāve ever hired an attorney. We walk them through every step.
Also, my background in insurance defense gives me insight into how these cases are defended. I know what to expect, what tactics theyāll use, and how to counter them. And for larger cases, we often bring in a team approachāworking with other attorneys to strategize the best outcome.
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| 18:02 |
Kevin Rosenquist: As I said before, your passion for helping people really shows. Everyone in Georgia thanks you for what you do.
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| 18:10 |
Kevin Rosenquist: Thanks for tuning in to Peachtree Injury Talk with attorney Jordan Jewkes. For more information or to connect with Jordan, visit jewkesfirm.com (http://jewkesfirm.com)āthatās J-E-W-K-E-S firm. Donāt forget to like, subscribe, and leave us a review in the comments.
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| 18:24 |
Jordan Jewkes: You too. Thanks, Kevin.
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| 18:26 |
Narrator: Thanks for watching. Be sure to hit that like and subscribe button and leave us a review in the comments.
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