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Karonnie R. Truzy

Partner and Chief Diversity Officer
“We Stand Up For You®, so you can Stand Up for those you love."

- Christopher H. Roberts

My job in helping my clients is one of the best parts of my day. All your preparation, time, and effort being put forward to do something that is worthy gives you the satisfaction to go home, look yourself in the mirror, and smile at who is looking back at you! It is great coming into work each day knowing that you have people with the same goals for helping our clients.

Bio

As an attorney with a caring heart for helping people who are facing the difficulties resulting from injuries, Karonnie Truzy’s professional goal is to give his 100% effort to all cases and to have clients who walk away gratefully appreciating how their cases have been handled. His practice focuses on cases involving traumatic injury from automobile accidents including commercial motor vehicles, Section 1983 Excessive Police Force, automobile negligence, premises and/or construction liability, nursing home liability, and wrongful death cases.

Karonnie received his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Government from the University of South Carolina Upstate as a basketball player and then earned his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law. While at Wake Forest he was a member and Captain of the American Association for Justice Trial Team, was active in the Black Law Students Association, was a member of the Order of Barristers, and was named a 2001 Outstanding Advocate. Karonnie and his wife Ebony have a daughter and twin sons. He enjoys spending his free time serving on the Elder Board of Oak Springs Missionary Baptist Church, grilling in competitions, and watching and playing basketball.

His admissions and memberships include the North Carolina State Bar, the North Carolina Bar Association, the Guilford County Bar Association, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. He is also a member of the American Association for Justice, the American Association for Justice Truck Litigation Group, the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, and the North Carolina Advocates for Justice. He additionally serves on the Board of Governors and in the First Chair of Diversity for the North Carolina Advocates for Justice. His recognition by the National Trial Lawyers as a Top 40 Under 40 attorney and by the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum has resulted in numerous written and published articles in the North Carolina Advocates for Justice Trial Magazine and the American Association for Justice Truck Litigation magazine along with various speaking engagements throughout the country through the American Association for Justice Truck Litigation Group. Most recently, North Carolina Lawyers Weekly has selected Karonnie for its inaugural “Power List” of attorneys in North Carolina.

Education

  • University of South Carolina at Spartanburg, B.A. – 1998
  • Wake Forest University School of Law, Juris Doctorate – 2001
    • Order of the Barristers – 2001
    • Outstanding Advocate Award – 2001

Bar Admissions And Memberships

  • North Carolina State Bar – 2001
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina – 2012
  • United States District Court for the Middle District North Carolina – 2005
  • United States District Court for the Western District North Carolina – 2012
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit – 2014
  • North Carolina Advocates for Justice
  • American Association for Justice
  • Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys
  • AAJ Trucking Litigation Group
  • Guilford County Bar Association
  • Forsyth County Bar Association
  • Chief Diversity Officer, NCAJ – 2017-2019
  • Board of Governors, NCAJ – 2012-2017
  • North Carolina Bar Association Board of Governors – 2013
  • Chief Diversity Officer: Truck litigation Group – 2020

Awards

  • Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys – Board Certified
  • Board Certified Advocate recognized by the National Board of Trial Advocacy – 2022
  • North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, Attorney Power List – 2021
  • Best Lawyers – 2019-2020
  • EBBIE Award Winner, NCAJ – 2018
  • Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum – 2015
  • National Trial Lawyers, Top 40 under 40 – 2013
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum – 2010

Speaking

  • April 2017 NJAJ Boardwalk Seminar “Extreme Caution: Commercial Driving in Winter Weather”
  • May 2017 AAJ Summer Convention “Extreme Caution: Commercial Driving in Winter Weather”
  • September 2017 ATAA Symposium “Adverse Weather: Where Do I Start?”
  • March 2018 AAJ Truck Litigation Group Trucking College “Winning the Tough Liability Case”
  • April 2018 AAJ Jazz Fest “Investigating the Major Truck Wreck”
  • May 2018 NJAJ Boardwalk Seminar “Effective Depositions in Trucking Cases”
  • November 2018 AAJ Trucking Litigation Group Members Only “How Sudden is the Emergency”
  • November 2018 NBTA All-Stars “Updated in Broker Liability”
  • February 2019 NCAJ Civil Litigation CLE “Opening Statement: Where Are You Going”
  • March 2019 360 Law Presentation “Contributory Negligence: The All or Nothing Game”
  • July 2019 AAJ Summer Convention “Litigating the Commercial Motor Vehicle Case: Divergent Strategies”
  • September 2019 ATTA Symposium “Introduction to the Transportation Cycle”
  • October 2019 NCAJ Paralegal Seminar “Making Your Client’s ‘Specials’ Special”
  • October 2019 AAJ Trucking Deposition College “Deposing Commercial Drivers”
  • December 2019 AAJ Winter Convention “Opening Up the Black Box”
  • January 2020 NCAJ Deposition College “Understanding the Types of Depositions”
  • April 2020 AAJ Jazz Fest “Winning Your Case Through Depositions”
  • May 2020 Kentucky Justice Association “Opening Up the Black Box”
  • August 2020 NCAJ Trucking College “Understanding the Transportation Cycle”
  • September 2020 ATAA Symposium “Duties of the Motor Carrier”
  • May 2022 ViP Tutoring – “Virtual & in-Person Tutoring and Peer Guides Program”
  • June 2022 Juneteenth Greensboro Building Legacy “SiStars of Juneteenth”

Education

Bar Admissions
and Memberships

  • North Carolina State Bar – 2001
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina – 2012
  • United States District Court for the Middle District North Carolina – 2005
  • United States District Court for the Western District North Carolina – 2012
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit – 2014
  • North Carolina Advocates for Justice
  • American Association for Justice
  • Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys
  • AAJ Trucking Litigation Group
  • Guilford County Bar Association
  • Forsyth County Bar Association
  • Chief Diversity Officer, NCAJ – 2017-2019
  • Board of Governors, NCAJ – 2012-2017
  • North Carolina Bar Association Board of Governors – 2013
  • Chief Diversity Officer: Truck litigation Group – 2020
  • Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys – Board Certified
  • Board Certified Advocate recognized by the National Board of Trial Advocacy – 2022
  • North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, Attorney Power List – 2021
  • Best Lawyers – 2019-2020
  • EBBIE Award Winner, NCAJ – 2018
  • Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum – 2015
  • National Trial Lawyers, Top 40 under 40 – 2013
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum – 2010
  • April 2017 NJAJ Boardwalk Seminar “Extreme Caution: Commercial Driving in Winter Weather”
  • May 2017 AAJ Summer Convention “Extreme Caution: Commercial Driving in Winter Weather”
  • September 2017 ATAA Symposium “Adverse Weather: Where Do I Start?”
  • March 2018 AAJ Truck Litigation Group Trucking College “Winning the Tough Liability Case”
  • April 2018 AAJ Jazz Fest “Investigating the Major Truck Wreck”
  • May 2018 NJAJ Boardwalk Seminar “Effective Depositions in Trucking Cases”
  • November 2018 AAJ Trucking Litigation Group Members Only “How Sudden is the Emergency”
  • November 2018 NBTA All-Stars “Updated in Broker Liability”
  • February 2019 NCAJ Civil Litigation CLE “Opening Statement: Where Are You Going”
  • March 2019 360 Law Presentation “Contributory Negligence: The All or Nothing Game”
  • July 2019 AAJ Summer Convention “Litigating the Commercial Motor Vehicle Case: Divergent Strategies”
  • September 2019 ATTA Symposium “Introduction to the Transportation Cycle”
  • October 2019 NCAJ Paralegal Seminar “Making Your Client’s ‘Specials’ Special”
  • October 2019 AAJ Trucking Deposition College “Deposing Commercial Drivers”
  • December 2019 AAJ Winter Convention “Opening Up the Black Box”
  • January 2020 NCAJ Deposition College “Understanding the Types of Depositions”
  • April 2020 AAJ Jazz Fest “Winning Your Case Through Depositions”
  • May 2020 Kentucky Justice Association “Opening Up the Black Box”
  • August 2020 NCAJ Trucking College “Understanding the Transportation Cycle”
  • September 2020 ATAA Symposium “Duties of the Motor Carrier”
  • May 2022 ViP Tutoring – “Virtual & in-Person Tutoring and Peer Guides Program”
  • June 2022 Juneteenth Greensboro Building Legacy “SiStars of Juneteenth”

The Personal Injury Lawyers

Who'd Rather You Never Need Them

Kimberly and I met in 1992 as kindred spirits, both drawn to the idea of building something larger than ourselves—an extension of our family committed to serving others. We married in 1994, while I was practicing law, and Kimberly worked in healthcare consulting. We thought we understood how the legal system worked. Then September 19, 1995 changed everything.

It’s the worst possible situation to be in after a serious injury. I’m sitting across from a guy who’s supposed to be one of the better traumatic brain injury lawyers, but I’m realizing he doesn’t understand what Kimberly and I are going through!

I got hit by a tractor-trailer just two months before. My wife Kimberly—nineteen weeks pregnant with our first child—has had to watch me deal with personality changes, possible lifelong symptoms, and terrifying fears of our family's future.

What makes it all worse is the fact that I am a lawyer with years of experience, and yet even I can’t get the kind of representation we desperately need. It’s a scary situation.

I grew up in Charlotte. My mother was a teacher, my father a manager working with blue-collar contractors. My parents instilled in me a simple principle: stand up for people who can’t stand up for themselves. Becoming an Eagle Scout reinforced it.

Kimberly grew up in Rockingham, a small North Carolina community. Her parents, a nurse and a salesman, also instilled the importance of community service. Sunday mornings singing in youth prison ministry, working with rehabilitation centers, partnering with local organizations – all part of Kimberly’s youth and what shaped her heart.

My brain injury accident showed us that even being on the inside of the legal profession didn’t protect us from getting poor representation. Our lawyer didn’t really serve us well because he couldn’t put himself in our shoes.

After my personal injury, I knew exactly what kind of lawyer I wanted to be:

someone who truly understands what clients are going through because I've been there myself. Kimberly joined me, bringing her healthcare background and passion for wellness. We built our practice around a simple idea—we don't just handle your case, we understand your whole journey, and we prepare you for it.

Today we’ve been in business for 35 years and we’ve recovered billions of dollars for our clients, but more importantly, we’ve advanced our services to what we call “whole person legal care.” We don’t just fight for financial recovery—we address the physical, emotional, and mental needs that make up a whole person. We prepare people before accidents happen through safety education. We stand beside them during their recovery. And we help them figure out where to go when their time with us is done.

What drives us is knowing that if you know better, you have to do better. Through our Roberts Center, we give away thousands of bicycle helmets, teach CPR, provide scholarships, and run safety programs in schools because we’d rather prevent accidents happening to your family than litigate them.