Queens Truck Accident Lawyer
A serious truck accident can change your life in an instant. If you or a loved one were injured in a truck accident, an experienced Queens truck accident lawyer can stand up for your right to fair compensation.
Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.A., will fight to get full compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Call our law firm today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your options.
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How Can an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Help if I Was Hurt in a Truck Accident?
Commercial truck accidents can cause brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other catastrophic injuries. In order to get the fair compensation you deserve, it’s up to you, as the accident victim, to find out who caused the accident. Establishing causation is necessary to hold the responsible parties liable for damages.
Trying to find out what caused a truck accident on your own can be an uphill battle. Determining the cause of a truck accident requires an in-depth investigation. Our lawyers have both the practical experience and financial resources to find out what happened.
Insurance companies and defense lawyers will start working immediately to protect the trucking company and truck driver. In fact, the insurance adjusters might get to the scene before the accident is even cleared.
You need a lawyer with the skills to level the playing field.
When you choose Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C., our personal injury attorneys will conduct a comprehensive investigation to determine the cause of your truck accident. That means:
- Obtaining the truck company’s safety records
- Reviewing the driver’s log of hours spent on the road
- Finding out whether the truck was properly inspected and maintained
- Getting information about the truck’s cargo and how it was loaded
- Obtaining any “black box” recording device embedded into the truck
- Analyzing police and accident reports
- Finding out whether the truck driver was properly trained and licensed
Both the black box recording device and trucking company records can provide important clues about what caused the accident. Unfortunately, this evidence has a way of being damaged or disappearing with time. That’s why it’s important to act quickly.
If you were hurt in a truck accident, you have enough on your plate. At Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C., our dedicated Queens personal injury lawyers have over 40 years of experience helping truck accident victims get full compensation for their injuries. We’re ready to put our skills to work for you, so give us a call today if you or a loved one were hurt in a truck accident.
How Common Are Commercial Truck Accidents?
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, 4,761 people were killed in accidents involving large trucks in 2017. 72% of those fatalities were occupants in passenger cars involved in a truck accident. Only 18% of victims were occupants of the truck involved in the crash. 121 of those fatal truck accident victims were in New York.
The numbers decreased slightly in 2018–4,415 fatal truck crashes were reported. However, over 107,000 people were hurt in truck accidents that year.
In August 2020, the last month where data is available, 158 accidents involving large commercial vehicles were reported to NYPD in Queens alone.
Who Can Be Held Responsible if I Was Hurt in a Truck Accident?
Identifying the cause of a truck accident is key to determining who is actually financially responsible for damages. It’s easy to put the blame on a truck driver who ignores state and federal safety rules. In reality, a much more detailed analysis is usually required to get to the bottom of things.
Depending upon the cause, any of the following parties might be required to pay your damages:
- The company that owns the truck
- A truck leasing company
- The company responsible for inspecting and maintaining the vehicle
- The company responsible for loading the truck cargo
- The truck driver
- The manufacturer of a defective truck component
- The truck driver’s employer
Under New York contributory negligence law, more than one party can be held responsible if multiple parties share the blame. Of course, it is almost always an insurance company that pays your settlement or verdict. These insurance companies often try to point fingers at other parties to avoid liability.
They might even try to blame you. Our Queens truck accident attorneys know how to fight back. We’ll do everything we can to minimize your role in the crash to get the money you need to move on with your life.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Queens
Truck drivers are on the road for hours and days at a time. Despite strict safety regulations that limit their time on the roads, driver error is a common cause of truck accidents in Queens.
Drivers are under enormous pressure to deliver their cargo in a timely manner, which often leads to errors.
Driver errors that can cause or contribute to truck accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Texting while driving
- Fatigued driving
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving
- Traffic violations
- Drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs
A single error can lead to catastrophic damage when a large commercial truck is involved. When a truck driver’s error causes your accident, the trucking company that owns the truck can usually be held liable.
Truck Accidents Caused by Vehicle Defects
Defects or problems with the truck components can also cause a truck accident. Manufacturers of defective vehicle parts can be held liable under product liability laws.
Trucking companies also have a duty to conduct regular inspections and maintain trucks properly to prevent accidents. Unfortunately, companies might cut corners and fail to make repairs when needed.
Common defects or equipment malfunctions that can cause truck accidents include:
- Worn tires
- Faulty brake systems
- Faulty steering components
- Tire blowouts
- Problems with the equipment that attaches the “trailer” and “tractor”
In other cases, truck accidents can be caused by the way cargo is loaded onto the truck bed. Trucks are only designed to carry so much weight, so an overloaded truck could cause problems with the way the vehicle functions.
Hazardous truck cargo also must be loaded according to specific safety standards. Failing to adhere to those standards could cause a dangerous accident.
Let our experienced truck accident lawyers at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. investigate to find out what caused the crash. To learn more about how we can help, call for a free case evaluation today.
We Fight to Get Full Compensation For All Truck Accident Injuries
Anyone can tell you that a motor vehicle accident involving a large semi-truck, tractor-trailer or 18-wheeler is likely to cause substantial damage. The actual cause of the truck accident can be less clear–and equally important to getting fair compensation for your injuries.
We’ll fight to get compensation for all of your injuries. We have experience helping clients who have suffered:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Chest injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries
- Burn injuries
- Organ damage
- Broken bones
- Joint injuries
- Paralysis
- Loss of limbs
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Truck accident injuries can be much more extensive than if you were in a traditional car accident. You might require ongoing care for months or even years after you leave the hospital. Our lawyers will fight to get every dollar you deserve.
New York Law Limits the Amount of Time You Have to File an Injury Claim
The New York statute of limitations sets a time limit on your right to recover compensation. Once three years have passed, you lose your right to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover damages. If the accident was fatal, you only have two years to file an action for wrongful death.
The clock starts running on the day the accident happens. The court will apply the time limits strictly, so make sure to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as you can.
What Types of Compensation Can I Recover if I Was Hurt in a Queens Truck Accident?
Personal injury victims in New York have the right to hold the negligent party accountable for all costs associated with the injury. Your compensation award may include money for:
- Medical bills
- Future medical costs
- Long-term care needs
- Rehabilitative care
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- PTSD
- And more
We know you may be struggling if you or a loved one were hurt in an accident. Give us a call to discuss your case whenever you’re ready. We’ll do everything we can to get full compensation for all of your injuries.
Contact an Experienced Queens Truck Accident Lawyer for Help Today
An experienced Queens truck accident lawyer can conduct the type of large-scale inquiry needed to identify the cause of your truck accident. Without knowing the cause, it can be difficult to hold anyone responsible for your crash.
Our personal injury lawyers at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. represent clients in Queens and across NYC. To schedule your free case review, you can call our office or fill out this online contact form today. We serve clients across New York City, including in Queens and Staten Island.
