State tort laws generally define the duty of drivers as ordinary care under an ordinary negligence standard. Occasionally, state laws set a different standard such as requiring proof of “willful or wanton” conduct in order to hold a defendant liable. However, when a motor carrier driver is driving in adverse weather, an “extreme caution” standard under 49 C.F.R. § 392.14 should preempt any lower standard under state law. Of course a trial court judge may or may not be willing to hold a state statute is preempted by a federal regulation.

Ken Shigley represents plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases statewide in Georgia, and in other states subject to the multijurisdictional practice and pro hac vice rules in each state. Ken Shigley was designated as a “Super Lawyer” in Atlanta Magazine and one of the “Legal Elite” in Georgia Trend Magazine. He is President-Elect of the State Bar of Georgia (2011-12), a Certified Civil Trial Advocate of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Chair of the Southeastern Motor Carrier Liability Institute and former chair of the Georgia Insurance Law Institute. He particularly focuses on cases arising from truck wrecks and accidents (tractor trailers truck wrecks, semi truck wrecks,18 wheeler truck wrecks, big rig truck wrecks, log truck wrecks, dump truck wrecks). He and Sally have been married since 1983, and are the proud parnts of two young adults, Anne Shigley and Ken Shigley, Jr.