Have you been involved in a Truck Accident in NYC?

If you or someone you love has been in a truck accident, you know how devastating and scary these accidents can be. Commercial trucks, tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers and box trucks can be incredibly destructive, especially given their immense weight and size.

Large trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds account for only 3% of all registered motor vehicles, but unfortunately account for 25% of all reported fatal motor vehicle accidents.

Did you know that a full-size commercial truck can legally weigh up to 80,000 pounds when loaded with cargo? The average four door sedan vehicle weighs around 4,000 pounds. Just these massive differences in weight will make even a seemingly small fender-bender collision into something much worse. There is also a significant amount of physical evidence and debris after a large truck crashes, meaning the forensic process may be lengthy and complicated.

In addition to the 80,000 pound large truck weight limit, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) also has regulations in place to limit the number of consecutive hours a truck driver can drive each day and week, mandates regular maintenance checks of the truck, rest periods between driving, limits on cargo weight loads, rules about driving in dangerous weather conditions. Some trucking companies attempt to break these rules to save time and money.

Truck drivers and trucking companies are regulated by both state and federal laws. Thoroughly knowledgeable about these regulations, Attorney Tzaneteas is able to fight on your behalf and hold the insurance company, the driver, and the commercial trucking company responsible to get you compensation for things such as medical bills and expenses, the costs of physical therapy, occupational therapy and rehabilitation, pain and suffering, lost wages, and even loss of career or earning capacity over your lifetime.

Commercial and large truck drivers are required to hold specific records and make reports throughout their drive, and our truck accident lawyers will be able to request access to these, along with evidence, debris, wreckage, dash cameras, and the Event Data Recorder (EDR) many trucks have installed.

It is not just a truck driver who could be liable for the accident. There could be several parties involved, such as:

• The owner of the truck
• Any truck and cargo loaders who transferred the cargo from a different truck to the one involved in the accident
• The owner of the trucking company
• The truck manufacturer
• The owner of the cargo in the truck
• The end location or store waiting for the cargo to be delivered
• Construction companies, if the accident was caused by debris or roadway obstruction as a result of construction.

Human error is the number one cause of motor vehicle collisions. Human error includes driving while tired, unsafe lane changes, distracted driving, or ignoring posted signs and signals. Mechanical or manufacturer issues such as bad brakes, broken axles, or defective parts can also cause a collision. Professional truck accident attorneys will be able to sift through paperwork and evidence to find out what specifically went wrong in your accident and how it could have been avoided. We are also able to use expert witnesses and accident reconstruction experts to get a complete understanding of the incident.

If you have been involved in a collision with one of these trucks, you must contact a New York City truck accident attorney right away. Trucking companies and drivers know the laws and will quickly move to protect themselves, as should you. The Law Office of Nicholas E. Tzaneteas is extremely experienced in NYC and Brooklyn truck accident cases and will work to protect you and your rights, navigate the legal claims involved, and help you get the compensation you deserve.

Recent Cases We Won For Our Clients:

• Our client, a 58-year-old bus driver was hit head-on by the defendant. As a result of the accident, the client sustained injuries to the neck, lower back, shoulder, and knee. She went through four painful surgeries and was unable to return to work. She received $4,300,000 in compensation.
• Our client was riding in the passenger seat of a small car when the vehicle she was in was involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer. A jury awarded her $1,973,153 for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
• Our client was a 50-year-old Brooklyn man who was rear-ended, and as a direct result of the accident, sustained injuries to his lower back, hip, and knee. After treatment failed to improve his condition, he underwent a lower back fusion and hip surgery to repair ligaments and was able to resume his job later. The case settled for $1,953,102 after four days of testimony during the trial.
• Our client was rear-ended and awarded summary judgment as to liability. The accident caused our client to re-injure their low back from to a prior accident and then required a spinal decompression surgery to relieve disc pressure. Our client was awarded $1,750,000.
• Our client, a 65-year-old school teacher, was involved in an accident. As a result of the accident, she received treatment to her spine, which led to a surgery.  She was disabled and could not return to work. She was awarded $1,700,000 for her injuries.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident in New York City and especially Brooklyn, you need a qualified and experienced truck accident lawyer to help you navigate the legal procedures for these types of cases. It can be a complex situation between federal and state trucking laws, insurance companies, truck driver employers, and even unions. Call the Law Firm of Nicholas Tzaneteas for a free consultation.