Truck Accident Lawyer in Floral Park, NY
It’s not unusual to pass dozens of commercial vehicles as you’re driving along Little Neck Parkway or Hillside Avenue, from tractor-trailers to online shopping delivery trucks. A fully loaded commercial semi-truck may weigh up to 80,000 pounds, 20 to 30 times more than a passenger car. In a collision involving a large truck, the occupants of the smaller vehicle often sustain the brunt of the injuries.
If you’ve been seriously injured in a commercial truck accident caused by someone else, you may have grounds to seek compensation for your medical treatment and other losses associated with the wreck. Contact an experienced truck accident attorney at The Tadchiev Law Firm, P.C., today for a free case review. Our attorneys will review the details of your injury and explain the options available to you.
Why Choose The Tadchiev Law Firm, P.C. for Your Truck Accident Claim?
Commercial truck accidents are more complex than car collisions involving two automobiles. Separate insurance policies may cover the truck driver, the truck cab, and the trailer, and liability may be shared. Trucking accident victims may suffer life-threatening injuries and permanent disabilities.
Pursuing compensation in a complicated truck accident case requires an experienced legal team. The Floral Park attorneys at The Tadchiev Law Firm have extensive legal experience and deep knowledge of New York personal injury law. We have the resources to investigate the truck accident and the tenacity to pursue our client’s claims and demand the full compensation available.
What To Do After a Truck Accident
You may be in too much pain right after a truck accident to think clearly, but what you do in the days following a serious wreck can significantly affect the outcome of your case. You may not immediately say to yourself, “I need a semi-truck accident lawyer.” But you should consult a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
You should seek medical attention if you weren’t taken to the hospital in an ambulance. A medical evaluation will allow doctors to diagnose the extent of your injuries. Your medical records also document that the accident caused your injuries. The records become important evidence in your case.
You may also claim compensation for your pain and suffering and the effects the accident had on your life. Keep a journal of your medical treatment, daily pain levels, and how your injuries have limited your ability to work or live independently. Your lawyer can use this information to help value the non-economic losses you have suffered.
Don’t be surprised to hear from the other party’s insurance company after the crash. The insurer may offer a fast settlement, but it’s likely less than your case is worth. You don’t have to accept an initial offer. You should speak with a truck accident attorney before accepting any offer from an insurance company.
How Our Truck Accident Attorneys Can Help with Your Case
An experienced Floral Park truck accident lawyer can protect your rights while negotiating with the other party’s insurance company. If you have serious injuries that exceed the limits of your own no-fault insurance, a knowledgeable Floral Park injury lawyer can develop a case against the at-fault party, demonstrating that someone else caused your injuries and is financially responsible for your losses.
A truck accident claim may involve subpoenaing the truck’s event data recorder. The so-called “black box” data recorder is a device that logs a variety of information about the truck, including its speed, how long the driver has been driving, whether the brakes were applied just prior to the accident, and other valuable information. If the truck driver violated Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Hours of Service regulations or was speeding, the black box data may provide evidence of negligent driving.
Your lawyer may also use expert witnesses to show how the crash occurred and who was responsible or to testify to your long-term prognosis.
Causes of Truck Accidents
Commercial vehicle drivers are limited to operating a set number of hours per day and per seven-day period. Many drivers operate their rigs for up to 14 hours daily, which could cause drowsy driving or highway hypnosis. Other common causes of truck accidents include:
- Driving under the influence
- Speeding or aggressive driving
- Poor road or weather conditions
- A malfunctioning truck or trailer
- An improperly balanced load
- An inadequately trained truck driver
Liable Parties After a Truck Accident
Often, the truck driver bears the primary responsibility for a collision. Commercial truck drivers are required to conduct regular safety inspections of their trucks and to follow federal hours of service regulations restricting the number of hours they are behind the wheel.
Multiple parties may have financial liability for a crash, including:
- The transport company that employs the driver
- The owner of the truck
- The cargo loaders, who improperly loaded the trailer
- A maintenance company that performed inadequate repairs
- Other drivers on the road
Compensation You Can Claim After a Truck Accident
New York is a no-fault insurance state. That means if you are injured in a truck collision, you will need to file a claim first with your own auto insurance provider, regardless of who was at fault. Your no-fault insurance will cover your initial medical expenses and loss of income from missed work.
If your injuries are serious and someone else’s negligence caused the accident, you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party and seek money for both economic or actual losses and non-economic or intangible losses.
New York personal injury laws permit accident victims to seek compensation for the following:
- Current and anticipated treatment of your truck accident injuries
- Lost wages and loss of earning potential
- Modifications to your home or vehicle to accommodate a new disability
- Pain and suffering from your injuries
- Emotional trauma and mental anguish
- Loss of companionship and consortium
- Diminished quality of life
A Floral Park injury attorney can assess the value of your injury claim and seek full and fair compensation for you.
Call Our Floral Park Truck Accident Lawyers Today
Have you been injured in a collision with a commercial truck? Are you worried about how you’ll pay for medical care or whether you can work again due to your injuries? We can help you understand your legal options and assist you in pursuing compensation for your losses. Contact The Tadchiev Law Firm today for a free consultation with a skilled Floral Park truck accident lawyer.