The streets of New York City are hectic. They are packed with delivery trucks, cyclists, taxis, bike couriers, big-rigs, and cars, all rushing from point A to B. Our highways connecting the state can be just as busy and dangerous.
All of the above can lead to devastating, and often fatal, truck accidents. The sheer size of these mammoth trucks, compared to a car or, worse, an unprotected cyclist, can lead to horrific collisions. Additionally, unlike a crash between only cars and/or cyclists, the liability from a truck accident is complex because multiple third parties could be responsible – not just the driver.
This is just one of the reasons why truck accident litigation is a field unto itself. Since big, corporate truck companies have solid legal teams, it is essential to find a top-ranked personal injury attorney that specializes in truck accidents to advocate for you.
Multiple parties are responsible for ensuring the truck driver, and all the contents in the vehicle are safely delivered. Below are a few common parties that are sometimes responsible for negligence in a New York truck collision.
The trucking company that hires the trucker and/or owns the truck is often a responsible party in an accident. For example, they could have pushed the driver to work overtime, causing their employee to drive fatigued or under the influence of substances. The company could have failed to properly maintain the truck and do a full inspection before the trip. These are just a few of the reasons that could contribute to an accident and should be examined by an experienced attorney as potential negligence.
Companies that manufacture truck equipment may also be liable if broken parts are found. Common examples here are faulty breaks and mechanical failures. If any mechanical issues played a part in the accident, the company could be responsible for paying for the victim’s damages.
Cargo loaders are known as the personnel that actually load the truck. Their job is to ensure all the cargo is properly secured and balanced. An improperly packed truck could affect the handling of the truck. It could also lead to the contents spilling onto the road, potentially causing great danger to both the truck driver and others on the road.
The truck driver will often be one of the parties held responsible for the accident. The driver could have been driving over the speed limit and/or under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
The team at KDLM has extensive experience helping victims secure payment for expenses such as medical bills, ongoing care, property damage, loss of income, loss of work capacity, and more. To do this, we work with expert investigators to gather all evidence needed to determine fault. This includes analyzing accident reports, weather and road conditions, medical records, eyewitness statements, and so forth.
At KDLM we’ve settled many landmark cases including $10.2 million from the company that operated the truck that killed a 44-year-old man, and $9.9 million for injuries and wrongful death of a 38-year-old mother and 20-year-old daughter in a truck/auto crash that forced their vehicle off the highway in Upstate New York.
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If you or a loved one have suffered debilitating injuries or death due to a truck accident, contact our NY truck accident lawyers today and set up a free consultation to learn about your legal rights. Call us (212) 618-6800 or submit your request online.