Jody D. Peterman, LLC

08/28/2026

08/25/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Valdosta and Fitzgerald Attorney Thomas Michael Burke Jr. Named to 2027 Georgia Super Lawyers List
VALDOSTA, Ga. — Jody D. Peterman, LLC is proud to announce that attorney Thomas Michael Burke Jr. has been selected to the 2027 Georgia Super Lawyers list in the personal injury practice area, an honor reserved for attorneys who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
Super Lawyers’ patented selection process combines independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations to identify the top five percent of attorneys in each state. Burke’s selection reflects a legal career that spans both sides of the courtroom — a perspective that now shapes how he represents injury victims across South Georgia.
For 25 years, Burke practiced with one of Georgia’s largest insurance defense firms, primarily representing two major South Georgia health systems and defending insurance companies in automobile and premises liability cases. That experience gave him an inside view of how hospitals, insurers, and corporate defendants build their cases — knowledge he now puts to work for plaintiffs at Jody D. Peterman, LLC, where he handles personal injury, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence and products liability matters.
Burke earned his undergraduate degree from Florida State University in 1993 and his Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1998. He began his legal career as a law clerk for the Tifton Judicial Circuit before entering private practice. He is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Georgia.
Burke staffs the firm’s Fitzgerald, Georgia office, where he serves clients throughout South Georgia and beyond to all of Georgia.
“Mike spent decades seeing how the other side builds a defense,” said Jody D. Peterman, founding attorney of the firm. “That’s an advantage our clients don’t get anywhere else in this region, and this recognition from his peers is well earned.”
Jody D. Peterman, LLC is a Valdosta-based personal injury and criminal defense firm serving clients throughout South Georgia. The firm’s attorneys have collectively tried more than 200jury trials and have obtained multiple seven figure settlements and verdicts. .
For more information, contact Jody D. Peterman, LLC at (229) 247-0386 or visit

Jody D. Peterman LLC, Attorney at Law, in Valdosta, Georgia, handles personal injury and criminal defense matters. Call 229-588-2608 for a free consultation.

08/24/2026

https://valdostadailytimes.com/2026/08/24/attorney-jody-peterman-partners-with-empowerment-improvement-crc-inc-to-support-monthly-food-pantry-serving-brooks-county-families/

Attorney Jody Peterman is joining Empowerment & Improvement CRC, Inc. in its ongoing mission to combat food insecurity.

08/22/2026

https://profiles.superlawyers.com/georgia/valdosta/lawyer/stephen-d-delk/4829de80-cadc-48f3-b08c-2939eabc27b4.html

Stephen Delk is one of the top rated Personal Injury attorneys in Valdosta, GA. He has met the stringent Super Lawyers selection criteria.

08/22/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jody Donald Peterman Named to 2027 Georgia Super Lawyers List
Valdosta trial attorney recognized for his personal injury advocacy on behalf of injured Georgians

VALDOSTA, Ga. — Jody Donald Peterman, founding attorney of Jody D. Peterman, LLC, has been selected to the 2027 Georgia Super Lawyers list in the field of Personal Injury – Plaintiff. The distinction places Peterman among the top five percent of attorneys in the state, as determined by Super Lawyers' peer-nomination and independent research evaluation process.

Peterman, who has been licensed to practice in Georgia since 1995, has tried more than 200 cases to verdict — one of the highest publicly reported trial counts among personal injury attorneys in South Georgia. That trial record shapes how his firm approaches every case, from the earliest stages of a claim through negotiation and, when necessary, courtroom trial.

“Super Lawyers recognition reflects the trust of my peers across the legal community, and I don’t take that lightly,” said Peterman. “But what matters most to me is what it represents for our clients: a firm that prepares every case as if it’s headed to trial, because that’s the only way to get insurance companies to take a claim seriously.”

Peterman leads a growing Valdosta-based firm that also includes partners Stephen D. Delk and Thomas Michael Burke Jr., both of whom were also selected to the 2027 Georgia Super Lawyers list — Delk in Personal Injury/Medical Malpractice and Burke in Products Liability and personal injury. Delk spent 14 years defending national trucking carriers and insurers before joining the firm to represent injured clients, and Burke spent 25 years defending South Georgia health systems in medical malpractice litigation before turning his practice to plaintiffs. The firm is headquartered in Valdosta with an additional office in Fitzgerald, Georgia.

Jody D. Peterman, LLC represents plaintiffs in personal injury cases throughout South Georgia and all of Georgia , including cases involving trucking accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, premises liability and wrongful death.

About Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The patented selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. No more than five percent of attorneys in a state are named to the Super Lawyers list each year.

Media Contact
Jody D. Peterman, LLC
304 N. Ashley Street, Valdosta, GA 31601
Phone: 229-247-0386
www.valdostainjurylawyer.com

Jody D. Peterman LLC, Attorney at Law, in Valdosta, Georgia, handles personal injury and criminal defense matters. Call 229-588-2608 for a free consultation.

08/18/2026

Negotiating a semi-truck crash insurance claim
On Behalf of Jody D. Peterman, LLC | Aug 15, 2026 | Truck Accidents |
Those affected by collisions often take for granted that they can quickly and easily obtain compensation from the insurance company covering the party at fault for the crash. When a collision occurs due to the mistakes or negligence of a commercial driver, the situation becomes drastically different.
People often need support handling large insurance claims after a semi-truck crash. Otherwise, they may not receive the compensation they deserve.
What is different about commercial claims?
There are several key differences about semi-truck crash insurance claims that make the process more difficult for people to manage. First of all, the crash can cause the total destruction of vehicles and their contents, even at lower speeds.
Collisions involving semi-trucks often produce catastrophic injuries or fatalities. The total losses sustained can be much higher than in a crash involving two vehicles of similar sizes. It can be difficult to estimate total losses when people face long-term reductions in their earning potential due to injuries or a lifetime of economic pressure due to the death of a family member.
The insurance requirements for commercial trucks are substantially higher than the minimum requirements for personal vehicles. Most commercial trucks have at least $750,000 worth of liability coverage, if not more.
However, insurance companies may be more aggressive about negotiating due to the potential for a larger settlement. Finally, the practical impact of the loss of a vehicle and the serious injuries caused by a semi-truck crash can make it prohibitively difficult for people to manage an insurance claim on top of everything else.
Reviewing a related situation with a lawyer can help injured people and grieving families pursue the optimal amount of compensation possible. A lawyer can help estimate losses, manage insurance communications and identify when a lawsuit might be necessary to protect those affected by a semi-truck collision.
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