Trucks bound for Spaghetti Junction from the northeast don't go through Norcross so much as past it, on I-85, at highway speed and in heavy traffic. Closer in, box trucks and tractor-trailers work the warehouses, shops and restaurants off Jimmy Carter Boulevard, Buford Highway and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
If one of those trucks hit you, Gary Huggins is a Norcross truck accident lawyer at Huggins Accident Injury Lawyer. He works from Perimeter Center, about 15 to 20 minutes away outside rush hour, and he comes to you if you can't come to him. Call (240) 421-5511, day or night.
Where Norcross truck crashes happen
Each stretch of road brings its own kind of truck and its own kind of crash.
I-85 between Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Spaghetti Junction
Through trucks can't use I-85 inside I-285 unless they have business there, under Georgia Department of Public Safety rules. So rigs heading south toward the Perimeter stay on I-85 past Norcross and then take the ramps at Spaghetti Junction. Our article on Spaghetti Junction crashes explains that interchange.
On this stretch, the typical truck crashes are:
- Rear-end hits in sudden backups. A loaded tractor-trailer needs far more room to stop than a car. When traffic stops short of the interchange, the car in front takes the hit.
- Lane-change sideswipes. Trucks moving over for their exit can drift into a car riding alongside.
- Ramp rollovers and spilled loads. Taking a curved ramp too fast, or with cargo that wasn't secured, can tip a trailer or dump freight across lanes.
Jimmy Carter Boulevard and the industrial streets nearby
Much of the truck traffic here is local. Distribution and light-industrial businesses sit on both sides of I-85, and delivery trucks and 18-wheelers leave the interstate at Jimmy Carter to reach them. On a busy boulevard lined with driveways, the danger is different:
- Wide right turns that trap a car in the gap a truck leaves on its right
- Trucks pulling out of a loading dock or business driveway into fast traffic
- Backing crashes in lots and side streets, which can hit parked cars or people on foot
Buford Highway and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
Supply trucks serve the markets and restaurants along Buford Highway, and freight uses Peachtree Industrial Boulevard to move between Gwinnett and DeKalb. Rear-end and turning crashes at signals are common on both, and pedestrians are especially exposed when a truck turns across a crosswalk.
Did you get the company name or the USDOT number from the truck's door? Call (240) 421-5511 and read it to Gary. That number is how he starts tracing who owns the truck and who insures it.
Why a Norcross truck claim is different from a car wreck
A crash with a commercial truck brings in companies, rules and insurance a car crash never does.
- Several possible defendants. The driver, the motor carrier, the owner of the trailer, the company that loaded the cargo, a freight broker and a repair shop can each play a part. In May 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II that federal law doesn't block state-law claims against a broker that carelessly chose an unsafe carrier.
- Larger insurance policies, often. A for-hire interstate carrier hauling general freight must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage (49 C.F.R. § 387.9). A local delivery business may carry far less, so your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage can matter a great deal.
- Federal safety rules. Interstate drivers are limited in how long they can drive, under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's hours-of-service rules. A tired driver or a carrier that ignored the limits can be strong evidence.
- Direct claims against some insurers. In certain cases Georgia lets an injured person name a motor carrier's insurance company as a defendant (O.C.G.A. § 40-1-112 and § 40-2-140).
The Georgia rules that decide it
- Fault. Georgia uses modified comparative negligence (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33). If you are 50% or more at fault, you recover nothing; below that, your award shrinks by your share. Trucking insurers often argue the car driver caused the crash, so the evidence matters.
- Deadlines. Most injury claims must be filed within two years (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). A claim against the City of Norcross needs written notice within six months, and one against Gwinnett County within 12; our ante litem notice guide explains how.
- Impaired drivers. A commercial driver is legally impaired at a 0.04 blood-alcohol level (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391).
- Seat belts. Since SB 68, juries may hear whether you were buckled in (O.C.G.A. § 40-8-76.1), so keep any proof that you were.
A Norcross truck case is often filed in the State Court of Gwinnett County in Lawrenceville. Still, venue depends on who is being sued, and an out-of-state carrier may change the picture.
What Gary does in the first week
- Meets you at home, by video, or at the hospital: Northside Hospital Gwinnett in Lawrenceville, or Grady Memorial downtown, a Level I trauma center.
- Sends preservation letters to the carrier and anyone else who may hold the truck's logs, engine data, dash-cam video or dispatch records. Logs only have to be kept for six months.
- Asks nearby businesses along Jimmy Carter Boulevard or Buford Highway for camera footage before it records over.
- Gets the crash report from Norcross Police, Gwinnett County Police or the Georgia State Patrol.
- Looks up the carrier's federal record, including registration, insurance filings and inspection history.
- Handles the adjusters, so you don't give a recorded statement that's used against you later.
Talk to a Norcross truck accident lawyer today
Gary Huggins handles truck crash claims for families in Norcross and across Gwinnett County, and he speaks Spanish. Our office is on Crown Pointe Parkway in Perimeter Center, near I-285 and GA-400, and Gary will meet you there, at your home or at your bedside. For a broader look at trucking claims, read our Atlanta truck accident lawyer page, or see our Norcross injury lawyer page for other cases.
There is no attorney's fee unless we recover compensation for you. Call (240) 421-5511 for a free consultation, any hour of the day.
Free consultation. Gary meets Norcross clients at our Perimeter Center office, by video, or at home or in the hospital. (240) 421-5511
Other Norcross cases
Truck accident lawyer in nearby communities
Questions people ask about Norcross truck accident claims
The truck that hit me in Norcross was a rental box truck. Who pays?
It depends on who was driving and why. If the driver was working, the business that sent them out is usually responsible, and its commercial policy may apply. The rental company’s own coverage may also come into play, depending on the rental contract. If the driver was moving furniture on a personal errand, their personal auto policy is often the first stop. Gary sorts out which policies exist, then turns to your own UM coverage if the limits fall short.
Gwinnett County Police or Norcross Police: who has my truck crash report?
Whichever agency worked the crash. Norcross Police cover the city limits, while many addresses that say “Norcross” are in unincorporated Gwinnett, where Gwinnett County Police respond. On I-85 the Georgia State Patrol may handle it. The officer’s card or the report number tells you which. Most agencies post reports on BuyCrash a few days later, or you can ask the agency’s records unit.
How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in Gwinnett County?
Generally two years from the crash for an injury claim (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33), and two years from the date of death for a wrongful death claim. Property damage has four years. If a city or county truck was involved, written notice is due much sooner: six months for a city and 12 months for a county or the State. Waiting is risky for another reason, too: a carrier only has to keep driver logs for six months.
The trucking company says I was in the driver’s blind spot. Does that end my claim?
Not by itself. Georgia’s modified comparative negligence rule (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33) only bars recovery if you are found 50% or more at fault; a smaller share reduces your award instead. Truck drivers have a duty to check their mirrors and signal before changing lanes, blind spot or not. Engine data, dash-cam video and witness accounts are how blind-spot claims get tested, which is why Gary asks for them right away.
¿Gary habla español? / Does Gary speak Spanish?
Yes. Gary Huggins speaks Spanish and can explain your truck crash claim, the insurance letters and the court process in Spanish, in person, by phone or by video. Many families in Norcross prefer that, and you never have to rely on a trucking company’s adjuster to translate. Our Spanish truck accident page has the basics: abogado de accidentes de camión.