A Principal Founder of Truck Accident Law
Joe Fried is one of the original truck crash lawyers in the country and he is at the top of the field. His passion for what he does is palpable, and his reputation and record-setting results speak for themselves. Joe has litigated cases in more than 35 states, which gives him an unmatched perspective, and his leadership in the field of truck crash law and trucking safety is second to none.
Joe is known as one of the principal founders of truck crash law as a unique field. He has helped to change the way truck crash cases are handled. Joe is credited with developing many of the best practices used by lawyers nationally in truck accident investigation and truck accident litigation.
He co-founded the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys with the goal of educating lawyers around the country about how to maximize results in truck crash cases. He worked with the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) to create and get approval from the American Bar Association for a Board Certification in Truck Accident Law. He has chaired the American Association of Justice Trucking Litigation Group and the National Trial Lawyers Trucking Trial Attorneys Group. Joe has given over 600 presentations to lawyer, judge, police, and trucking industry audiences in the last 13 years.
Law Enforcement Background
Joe's dedication to justice did not start with trucking. Joe has protected the vulnerable and fought for the deserving underdog since childhood. As a kid, he fought bullies in schoolyards and playgrounds. In high school, he was the guy who protected the unpopular students.
At age nineteen, Joe became one of the youngest police officers in Atlanta, Georgia, working 80-hour weeks while attending undergraduate school. As a police officer, he investigated hundreds of crashes and crime scenes and spent many hours in courtrooms. Joe learned that justice is not blind and that people are not always treated equally in a courtroom. More importantly, Joe witnessed firsthand the difference that a good lawyer can make.
Education and Early Legal Career
Joe graduated with highest honors from Oglethorpe University, then with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law. He served as an attorney law clerk to the Honorable B. Avant Edenfield, Chief U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Georgia. In 1994, Joe entered private practice in Atlanta and was also appointed as a part-time Magistrate Judge in Fulton County, Georgia (where he used to be a police officer).
He was hand-selected by then-chief judge Charlie Carnes and was the youngest judge to ever have been appointed in Fulton County, Georgia. Joe served as a part-time judge for 20 years while simultaneously building and running a serious injury law firm with a national reach.
Creating Innovative New Approaches to Truck Crash Law Cases
After years of successfully handling defective automotive product cases, it was time for a change. In the fall of 2006, everywhere Joe turned he saw truck crashes and truck safety issues. He recognized that other lawyers were treating these cases as if they were just big car crash cases. He knew instinctively that this was not the right approach.
At 3:00 am, tossing and turning in bed, Joe felt called to focus on commercial motor vehicle crash cases. He accepted the calling. Later that very day, Joe was retained in his first truck crash case. Other lawyers thought Joe had lost his mind to focus on something so narrow, but Joe believed that it was through this narrow focus that he could make the biggest difference. From that day on, Joe has made it his business to know more about the trucking industry and trucking safety than any other lawyer in the country.
By focusing on the unique aspects of truck crash cases, from the trucking safety regulations to driver training to corporate compliance to the dynamics of crashes, Joe started to develop new approaches to handling truck crash cases that had never been seen before. It did not take long for people to start noticing his results. The successes started coming quickly and news of them spread nationally. That was the beginning.
Thought Leadership in the Truck Accident Litigation Sector
Joe believes that through the proper handling of truck crash cases, highway safety is improved, and the world is made safer. He teaches to build an army of lawyers who know how to handle these cases properly.
To help lawyers represent their clients better against billion-dollar trucking giants, Joe co-authored with his partner, Michael Goldberg, Understanding Motor Carrier Claims. Now in its sixth edition, the book's tactics have been used by thousands of lawyers throughout the U.S. Joe has authored many articles, several DVDs and book chapters, and dozens of professional presentations specific to truck crash cases and trucking industry safety.
Multidisciplinary Background
Joe brings to his cases uncommon multidisciplinary training and experience. This includes training in physics, engineering, forensics, biomechanics, human factors, and accident reconstruction. His background gives him a strong edge investigating cases, communicating with law enforcement, working with expert witnesses, and taking on technical witnesses at trial.
Joe also has advanced training in psychology, psychodrama, story development and telling, neurolinguistics programming, and persuasion sciences. These skills are invaluable for finding and presenting the compelling human story of a case. Joe is known for his unique and creative practices of developing and presenting cases.
Accomplishments and Community Involvement
Joe enjoys the honor of being a senior faculty member at Trial Lawyers College where he helps develop cutting-edge practices and teaches them to other lawyers around the country. He is Board Certified by the NBTA in Truck Accident Law. Over 95% of Joe's cases are sent to him by other lawyers who know about his abilities and track record.
Joe was named Trucking Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2014 and 2015 by the American Association of Justice Trucking Litigation Group, Best Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer by Best Lawyers in America in 2016 and 2020, 2020 Georgia Legal Trailblazer by ALM (Law.com), and has been named a Super Lawyer every year since 2007. His cases have received national attention from countless publications, including The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.
Joe is currently involved in the following trucking organizations:
- Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (Co-Founder, Founding Director, 2016 to Present)
- American Association for Justice, Trucking Litigation section (Chair 2016-2017, Executive Board 2010-2019)
- NBTA National Board of Truck Accident Attorneys, National Board of Trial Advocacy (Founding Co-Chair, 2015 to present)
- National Trial Lawyers Association ““ Trucking Trial Lawyers (President 2015-2019)
- Truck Accident Attorneys Roundtable (Founding Partner)
Joe is licensed in Georgia, Florida, New York, Tennessee, and Texas and has handled cases in over 35 States (pro hac vice).