According to the New York Police Department, there were 7,710 reported motor vehicle collisions in NYC during 2022 involving large commercial vehicles. The majority of the people injured or killed in these accidents were pedestrians, cyclists, or occupants of other vehicles.
Truck accidents typically cause severe injuries and property damage, costing victims health-related expenses, time away from work, and property repair or replacement expenditures. Injured victims deserve compensation for their damages, but insurance companies are usually reluctant to pay. A truck injury attorney from Cellino Law can hold all liable parties accountable.
Do You Always Need To Call a Truck Injury Attorney?
Injured accident victims don’t have to hire a lawyer. However, truck accident claims are significantly more complex than car accidents. Multiple parties may be liable for the truck, the financial losses might be astronomical, and the long-term effects of these collisions on injured victims can be overwhelming.
If you try to handle a truck accident claim alone, you probably won’t receive fair compensation for your damages. Cellino Law offers free case evaluations, so calling our truck injury law firm for free information about your legal options makes sense.
Why Are Truck Accidents So Devastating?
A fully loaded tractor-trailer can legally weigh 80,000 pounds. These beasts’ average dimensions are 72 feet long, 13.5 feet tall, and 8.5 feet wide. In comparison, passenger automobiles weigh an average of 4,000 pounds, with average dimensions of 15 feet long and 6 feet wide.
When a semi-truck and a car collide, the truck’s enormous size and weight usually produce devastating results for the passenger vehicle and its occupants. Cyclists and pedestrians fare even worse because they don’t have the minimal protection cars offer.
What Complications Do Injured Truck Accident Victims Face?
Every accident is different. The severity of injuries and other repercussions varies. However, most truck accidents have the same potential complications. Cellino Law has over 60 years of experience successfully handling truck accident claims, and we know how to overcome these challenges.
PIP Policies
Drivers in New York must maintain at least $50,000 of personal injury protection insurance coverage. These PIP policies cover certain economic damages incurred in auto accidents, regardless of who is at fault. PIP doesn’t offer compensation for non-economic damages.
Truck accident damages usually exceed the $50,000 limit, and specific serious injuries cross a threshold that allows victims to seek compensation from guilty parties. Understanding how PIP insurance works is sometimes confusing, but your truck injury law firm can explain and assist you with your claims.
Fault
You must prove fault to hold anyone accountable for damages in a collision. Your truck injury attorney will thoroughly investigate the accident to determine how it happened and why. We will gather the proof necessary to protect your right to compensation.
New York’s pure comparative negligence statute comes into play when many parties share responsibility for causing a collision. Even if you are partially to blame, you can seek compensation for your damages.
However, your assigned percentage of fault reduces the available damages. Your lawyer will ensure that others don’t blame you unfairly.
Multiple-Party Liability
In car accidents, the drivers are usually the only ones at fault. A single tractor-trailer might have multiple liable parties, including:
- The driver
- The trucking company or broker
- Cargo loaders or shippers
- Parts or truck manufacturers
- Truck maintenance companies
Even if a truck driver is guilty of distracted driving, faulty brakes or shifting cargo may contribute to causing an accident. An investigation can gather evidence to hold all liable parties accountable.
Catastrophic Damages
Injured truck accident victims may require multiple surgeries, medical treatments, extended hospital stays, long work absences, extensive rehabilitation, and therapy. These and other accident-related costs add up quickly, often leaving victims with seemingly insurmountable bills.
Even so, you may underestimate the total costs of your truck accident injuries. You might be unaware that you can negotiate with insurance companies and seek non-economic damages. During your free case review, your Cellino Law truck injury accident attorney will assess your case and tell you how much it’s worth.
Insurance Company Tactics
Most of the potentially liable parties in truck collisions have extremely high insurance policy limits, but that doesn’t mean the insurance companies want to pay claims. They often:
- Deny valid claims
- Try to place additional blame on you
- Offer minimal settlement amounts
- Attempt to discredit victims
- Refuse to negotiate
Insurance company representatives may also trick you into admitting fault. Carriers might employ these strategies to avoid paying more than they must. Although insurance company tactics often intimidate the average person, your Cellino Law legal team won’t let these companies take advantage of you.
What Damages Can You Receive?
In New York, injured truck accident victims may qualify to seek many types of compensation. The total amount varies.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are tangible expenses that directly result from your truck accident. You can seek compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages due to time away from work
- Replacement services
- Property damage
You may be eligible to obtain current and future medical costs and lost wages, depending on the nature and severity of your injuries. Keep the bills and receipts for all accident-related expenses; your attorney will use them as evidence.
Non-Economic Damages
Wounds from truck accidents aren’t always visible, but they can cause life-long consequences for victims. Non-economic damages compensate for conditions such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Permanent disfigurement or disability
- Losing the ability to enjoy life
- Diminished quality of life
Because these conditions are subjective, they are sometimes difficult to prove. Insurance companies often challenge these claims.
Cellino Law has the resources and knowledge to prove that these conditions exist. We will seek the maximum available compensation for your damages. Generally speaking, the more adversely these injuries impact your life, the more compensation you may receive.
Punitive Damages
If a guilty party exhibited wanton or willful negligence in causing your truck accident, you may qualify to receive punitive damages. Few victims are eligible.
How Can a Truck Injury Attorney Help?
You need to focus on recovering if you sustained injuries in a truck accident. When you hire a competent attorney from Cellino Law, we will take care of your claim so you don’t have to. We will:
- Offer information and legal advice
- Perform case-related administrative tasks, meeting all deadlines
- Investigate your accident to gather evidence supporting your claim
- Serve as your spokesperson with involved insurance companies
- Negotiate a maximum settlement offer
- Take your case to trial if necessary
It’s best to contact us as soon as possible after your accident because we will provide vital information and start searching for evidence immediately. If you can’t travel to one of our offices, we can visit you.
Why Choose a Cellino Law Truck Injury Attorney?
Any attorney can technically handle truck accident claims, but Cellino Law has a long history of focusing on these cases. We are intimately familiar with applicable laws, procedures, and insurance company tactics. We have obtained more than $2 billion in settlements for our satisfied clients and would like to assist you too.
If you’re looking for a truck injury attorney who will fiercely advocate for your rights, contact Cellino Law 24/7 to request your free case evaluation. Call (888) 888-8888, use live chat, or submit our online contact form.