New York City Truck Accident Attorney

Why We Are the Right New York City Lawyers for Your Truck Accident Case

Serious injury cases are not just business for us – they're personal. When we take on a new client, we adopt them as part of our family and fight for them in every way possible.

That has been our motivating force in capturing hundreds of millions of dollars for clients we have represented during the past 50-plus years. It is also the reason we aspire to be one of the best personal injury firms in the country.

The Rothenberg Law Firm, LLP, Protects Truck Accident Victims From Insurance Companies

During our 50-plus years working on catastrophic accident cases involving passenger vehicles and large trucks, we've successfully helped clients with all types of truck accident cases. If you were in an accident with a semi-truck, commercial vehicle, tractor-trailer, or any other class of large truck, reach out for help.

By applying our experience and leveraging all necessary resources, our truck accident lawyers in New York City have collected millions of dollars in damages for our New York clients.

We Are Experienced Trial Attorneys, Not a Settlement Mill

To successfully mount a case against the truck companies and their legal team, you need a law firm with experienced trial attorneys who have the ability and financial resources to take the truck companies to court.

Gathering witness testimony, conducting an accident reconstruction, and filing legal motions can be incredibly time-consuming and costly. If we take on your case, your initial evaluation, consultation, and all steps leading to the successful conclusion of your case are costs that we handle on your behalf. In other words, you are not required to pay us anything until we recover money for you!

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We Have the Resources to Pursue Your Case to the Full

As we work on your case, our firm will utilize experts and specialists to gather evidence essential to litigate your personal injury claim against the defendants. Smaller law firms cannot and would not take on some of the costs involved.

The result of going to the wrong law firm for a truck accident case is that they could try to settle too early and may not get you as much money as you could have received.

At The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP, we can guarantee that if we take on your case, we believe it is a winner. We will spare no expense to make sure your case gets the best shot of reaching a successful settlement or trial verdict.

Our Team Makes Us What We Are

Everyone at our firm, from our New York attorneys to our paralegal and support staff, has worked with clients in similar situations to yours and understands that you may be facing significant emotional and financial burdens following an accident of this nature. We work hard to relieve as much of that burden as possible. We are here for you during your most difficult times.

What Causes Truck Accidents in New York City?

Any vehicle that weighs more than 10,000 pounds qualifies as a large truck. Such vehicles are typically referred to as semis or tractor-trailers.

Accidents involving these types of vehicles are particularly dangerous due to their large size. In fact, approximately 10 percent of people involved in large truck accidents lose their lives. Additionally, large truck accidents are more likely to involve multiple vehicles than passenger car collisions.

Federal and state agencies regulate truck driver hours and trucking equipment. Trucking companies must keep records of this information. However, thousands of New York truck accidents occur every year due to driver negligence.

Truck Driver Fatigue

Long hours on the road and the pressure to meet delivery deadlines can often lead to truck driver fatigue. Exhaustion significantly impairs a driver's ability to concentrate, react quickly to road conditions, and make smart driving decisions. It is a leading cause of truck accidents and can be prevented with strict adherence to rest periods and sleep regulations.

Faulty Equipment and Improper Maintenance

Regular maintenance and thorough checks are crucial to keep a large vehicle like a truck road-safe. Failure to maintain brakes, lights, tires, and other essential truck components or using faulty equipment can lead to critical system failures while driving, culminating in severe accidents.

Speeding

The heavier a vehicle, the longer it takes to stop, especially at high speeds. Trucks are no exception to this rule. Speeding reduces a driver's control over the truck and the ability to stop in time to avoid an accident. Therefore, it is a prominent cause of serious truck accidents.

Improper Lane Changes

Trucks have large blind spots, making lane changes particularly risky. Truck drivers who do not take proper precautions when changing lanes — such as using signals, checking mirrors, and assessing the speed of other vehicles — can easily cause catastrophic collisions.

Failure to Observe Other Vehicles When Making Turns

Due to their size, trucks need more space and time to turn than smaller vehicles. Driver negligence in observing the position and speed of others on the road when making turns can lead to deadly "squeeze play" accidents or rollovers.

Drunk and Drug-Impaired Driving

While it's illegal for any driver to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the implications for truck drivers are especially severe, given the potential devastation a truck can cause. Impaired driving significantly decreases reaction time, impairs judgment, and increases the likelihood of an accident. Despite strict laws and penalties, drunk and drug-impaired driving continues to be a cause of numerous truck accidents.

When you're hurt in a serious truck accident, you need the help of an experienced attorney who can determine the cause of your accident and hold those responsible accountable for your injuries and their costs.

The legal professionals at our personal injury law firm will give you valuable legal advice. They will take care of your truck accident case by negotiating with the trucking company and insurance carrier.

In addition, you can learn whether filing a lawsuit against the trucking company is necessary to ensure that you receive the compensation for your auto accident injury that you deserve.

Our legal professionals who handle these cases understand how to negotiate with trucking companies to maximize the likelihood of a positive outcome. Additionally, a qualified lawyer can explain whether filing a truck accident lawsuit is necessary to get proper compensation.

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New York City Truck Accident Statistics

Whether you are driving on the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway or the Bronx River Parkway — if you are in a passenger vehicle and encounter a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or 18-wheeler, your first instinct should be to drive more cautiously.

In New York City, congested traffic along with compact roads and highways make road conditions more difficult to navigate relative to elsewhere in the United States. On average, over 600 car accidents happen in New York City every day. Many of these traffic accidents involve large trucks.

Such accidents can cause severe injury or death. Statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration indicated that, in one year alone, more than 53,000 truck drivers were involved in accidents, resulting in upwards of 4,000 fatal injuries.

This is not an exception to the trend. Unfortunately, the available evidence supports the argument that truck accidents are a growing problem. Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicates that in 2009, only 3,200 people lost their lives in accidents involving large trucks.

Industry insiders report that more large trucks are continuing to enter United States roadways. Thus, it's likely that more accidents will occur.

How to Get Compensation for Your Truck Accident

Most truck drivers work for trucking companies. To protect their profits, most of these companies will have a law firm on retainer to defend them whenever their driver is involved in a trucking accident. While the victim and their family are still in shock and dealing with the medical emergency after the truck crash, the truck company's lawyers could visit the crash site, obtain  copies of the police report, and get the important head start to building a legal defense for the trucking company.

What they are offering you could be drastically less than what you can get with the proper legal representation. Therefore, before you accept any money from an insurance company, call our experienced truck accident attorneys.

Pursuing a truck accident lawsuit in New York comes with various challenges due to the resources of these large companies.

To successfully fight back against the insurance company, you must empower yourself with a truck accident lawyer who can do the heavy lifting for you.

• The trucking company's number 1 priority is its profits.
• Our #1 priority is you and protecting your legal rights.
• We'll fight the trucking company so you can focus on getting better.

How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Claim?

In New York, the Statute of Limitations establishes deadlines for filing lawsuits. You may waive your right to compensation if you fail to act quickly by contacting an attorney as soon as possible. We know that it can be difficult to think about anything besides the prospect of getting well when you're injured.

That's why we're here to help you take care of the difficult legal aspects of your recovery.

By reaching out to The Rothenberg Law Firm as soon as possible after a commercial truck accident, we'll ensure that you can dedicate all of your energy to healing while we ensure that all paperwork and other processes are filed on time.

Physical and Financial Recovery After Truck Accident Injuries

Truck accidents are notably more severe than other types of motor vehicle accidents, given the sheer size and weight of the truck, and the injuries sustained can be devastating, often impacting victims both physically and emotionally. Common truck accident injuries include:

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)

Traumatic brain injuries can vary from concussions to severe brain damage. TBIs might not present immediate symptoms, making it crucial to seek medical help after an accident even if you feel fine, as prompt diagnosis and treatment can improve the prognosis.

Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis

Truck accidents can cause severe damage to the spinal cord, potentially leading to partial or complete paralysis. These injuries often require long-term medical, physical, and psychological care.

Broken Bones and Fractures

The force of a truck accident can lead to broken bones and fractures. While these injuries can heal, they frequently require therapy for restoration of full function and could lead to long-term impairment.

Internal Injuries

These can include injuries to organs, internal bleeding, and other unseen trauma. These injuries are very serious, sometimes fatal, and necessitate immediate medical care.

Cuts, Lacerations, and Burns

These injuries can lead to significant blood loss, interfere with physical functions, and cause disfigurement or scarring. They can cause severe pain and infections and require extensive treatment.

Psychological Trauma

The emotional impact of a truck accident should not be minimized. It's common for victims to experience psychological trauma, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions, necessitating professional psychological support.

It's critical to consult healthcare professionals immediately following a truck accident, preserve your health, and enable accurate documentation of the injuries, which can significantly impact your claim for compensation. Every case is unique, but knowing the potential severity and range of truck accident injuries can prepare you for the physical and emotional road to recovery.

Can I Take Legal Action for a Loved One Who Lost Their Life in a Truck Accident?

Due to commercial trucks' sheer size and weight, many truck accidents are fatal. When a motor vehicle accident results in a fatality or fatalities, it is in the best interest and the right of the next of kin of the deceased to file a wrongful death claim to recover money from the truck driver, trucking company, or another negligent third party.

How Much Money Can You Get For Your Truck Accident Claim?

When a passenger vehicle collides with a commercial truck, the passenger vehicle driver faces a greater risk of suffering devastating injuries compared to collisions with other passenger vehicles. Broken bones and traumatic brain injuries are among some of the serious injuries truck accident victims commonly sustain, which can drastically alter a person's way of life.

Healing from these injuries costs money and time. Your personal injury claim should not only factor in medical bill costs but also lost wages and compensation for pain and suffering.

As with all personal injury claims, each case has its own unique outcome and value. No one can predict or even estimate the monetary compensation for your claim without knowing the circumstances leading up to the accident and any other important details. However, what we can predict is that our team will do everything possible to recover maximum compensation for you and your unique case.

What Our New York Truck Accident Attorneys Can Do For You

Unfortunately, getting just compensation from trucking accidents in New York is more difficult than it should be. You will face resistance from the truck driver, the trucking company's attorneys, and the auto insurance companies.  To make matters even worse, the truck company can even try to blame you for the trucking accident.

Our attorneys investigate truck accidents thoroughly to give you the best chance of a full recovery. The information and evidence we gather to fight for your personal injury claim can also serve to protect you from any claims made by the trucking company. It is in your best interest to have an experienced attorney backed by a law firm with ample resources on your side.

After a catastrophic accident, let us handle all dealings with the trucking company so you can focus on healing.

Serious injury cases are not just business for us – they're personal. When we take on a new client, we adopt them as part of our family and fight for them in every way possible. That has been our motivating force in capturing hundreds of millions of dollars for clients we have represented during the past 50-plus years. It is also the reason we aspire to be the best personal injury firm in the country.

Allen L. Rothenberg, Esq., New York City Truck Accident Lawyer

Get Legal Help From a New York Truck Accident Lawyer

Again, if you or a loved one in the New York area has been hurt in a large truck accident, our experienced attorneys at The Rothenberg Law Firm are here to help. Call us at (800) 624-8888 or submit a free online case evaluation.

Your initial consultation with a New York semi-truck accident attorney is free. If we take on your case, we work on a contingency fee basis. This means we won't charge any fees for our services unless our truck accident lawyers succeed in getting compensation for you first.

That said, you need a lawyer who knows which Statute of Limitations deadline applies to your case. You may waive your right to compensation if you fail to act quickly. Get in touch with a New York personal injury lawyer at our firm today to avoid this outcome.