With their massive weight, commercial trucks pose a major danger to smaller passenger vehicles on our roadways. When a large cargo truck collides with a passenger car, the result is often catastrophic injuries and death. A knowledgeable New York truck accident attorney can help occupants of passenger cars fight for fair compensation from at-fault parties.
The Defining Factors of Your Truck Accident Case
As in other types of injury cases, the value of your claim will depend on the extent of your losses. The damages you may be able to recover for your economic and non-economic injuries include the costs of medical treatment, lost income, property damage, household help, vehicle modification, permanent impairment, and other expenses related to your crash. You may also be able to receive punitive damages, which are awarded when the defendant’s conduct was especially egregious.
Those who cause these accidents must be held accountable, but identifying all potentially liable parties can be difficult. A truck driver, for example, could be liable for a crash because he or she violated federal regulations on driving time, but the company that hired him might also be liable. The manufacturer of faulty parts on the truck could also be responsible, as could the shipping and freight companies who might have authorized the trucker to deliver cargo on a deadline.
The Size and Speed Difference Between Trucks and Passenger Vehicles Can Lead to Deadly Crashes
A large truck weighs as much as 80,000 pounds—a significant weight advantage over the average passenger car. As a result, the immense momentum of a commercial truck can easily overwhelm smaller cars and SUVs on the road, leading to devastating collisions. In addition, the height of cargo trailers can create a substantial ground clearance that allows smaller vehicles to slide under the truck, known as an underride crash. The side-impact crashes that frequently occur when trucks slam into the sides of other vehicles are another common and deadly type of truck accident.
The size of these vehicles can also create problems because they have much wider turning radiuses than passenger cars, which makes them more likely to veer off the road and become involved in rollover accidents. In addition, the long stopping distances required by these vehicles can also make them more prone to rear-end collisions.
Sometimes, even when a truck driver is not at fault for an accident, other circumstances can contribute to the collision, such as bad weather or road construction. A skilled New York truck accident lawyer will thoroughly investigate to identify all possible at-fault parties.
Because of the high-value nature of truck accident claims, you need an experienced and dedicated Big rig accident attorney for truck collision cases on your side. Contact our firm today to get started. We have the experience, resources, and commitment to win record-setting verdicts and settlements for our clients. We will fight for you every step of the way. Call our New York office now for a free consultation with our top-rated team of lawyers.