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Truck Accidents
Over 35 years of experience. Over $100 million recovered for clients.
New Jersey Truck Accident Attorneys
Abogado de Accidentes de Camiones de Nueva Jersey
NEW JERSEY TRUCK ACCIDENT: TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Injuries Resulting from New Jersey Truck Accidents
- Most Common Truck Accident Injuries
- Regulations for Truck Drivers in New Jersey
- Common Causes of Truck Accidents
- Liability and Trucking Accidents
- Truck Accident Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact A New Jersey Truck Accident Lawyer
Every day, thousands of tractor-trailers and other large commercial trucks share New Jersey’s roadways with passenger vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians. These big trucks haul a huge range of essential goods for companies all over the world, keeping the world running smoothly. However, the size of tractor trailers makes them extremely dangerous in an accident, especially one that also involves a smaller vehicle.
A fully loaded large truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds and has limited maneuverability. While the majority of truck operators are highly trained and drive with safety in mind, one mistake can cause a serious accident.
If you or a loved one were injured or killed in a New Jersey truck accident, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. You may benefit from contacting an experienced New Jersey truck accident attorney as soon as possible after the accident.
The team at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm have over 35 years of experience handling truck accident cases and helping those seriously injured pursue the compensation they deserve. We will investigate your accident, establish liability, advocate for you with insurance companies and fight for your rights to obtain maximum compensation from those responsible for your accident.
Injuries Resulting from New Jersey Truck Accidents
Some of the most common injuries individuals face after devastating truck accidents include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Head Trauma
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Paraplegia
- Internal Injuries
- Quadriplegia
- Amputations
- Burns
- Broken Bones
- Wrongful Death
Due to the huge size and weight of commercial trucks and their limitations in maneuverability, truck accidents are particularly dangerous for those in passenger vehicles, often resulting in more severe injuries and fatalities.
If you or a loved one were involved in a truck accident, you should contact the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm to protect your rights. Our team of New Jersey truck accident lawyers are ready to fight for the justice you deserve.
Most Common Truck Accident Injuries
According to the 2019 New Jersey Fatal Motor Vehicle Crash report conducted by the State of New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety Office of the Attorney General, a total of 524 fatal crashes with 558 people killed occured within the year. For the State of New Jersey, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention discovered that accidents are the third leading cause of death in the state.
Most Common Injuries for Truck Accidents In New Jersey:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Head Injury
- Broken Bones/ Fractured Bones
- Soft Tissue Damage
- Spine and Back Injury
- Neck Pain/ Neck Injury/ Whiplash
- Cuts and Scrapes
- Bruising and Contusions
Regulations for Truck Drivers in New Jersey
A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed driver fatigue is a factor in 30 to 40 percent of all truck accidents. In an effort to combat the problem, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has reduced the maximum number of hours a driver can work by 12 hours, and they required drivers to take a break of at least 30 minutes after working 8 hours.
When truck accidents happen, it's often easy to determine how fast a truck is going and whether or not a truck driver exceeded his or her allotment of allowable drive-time hours or violated certain state and federal regulations. When it becomes clear that violations occurred, it's difficult for truck drivers to shift fault and blame onto other motorists for causing a truck accident.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Trucking companies are under intense pressure to deliver cargo as quickly and cheaply as possible. To meet customer demand, companies may put tired truck drivers, improperly loaded cargo and poorly trained employees on the road, all of which can cause serious accidents.
At the same time, truckers are not always completely to blame. Motorists in passenger vehicles sometimes drive recklessly around big trucks, or inadvertently create a dangerous situation by not being fully aware of the limitations of big trucks on the road. For example, some drivers will stay in the “no-zone” – dangerous blind spots where your car disappears from the view of the truck driver. In sum, if another driver’s negligence caused the accident and your injuries, you deserve to be compensated.
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:
• Driver fatigue
• A poorly maintained truck
• Inadequate training
• Poor road conditions
• Weather
• Mechanical failure
• Improperly loaded cargo
• Speeding
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Distracted driving
• Aggressive driving
• Reckless driving
Liability and Trucking Accidents
All commercial truck drivers and the companies who employ them are bound to adhere to the law, including Federal and State regulations. These laws dictate things like the number of hours drivers are allowed to drive, how much they should rest, maintenance, record keeping, licensing, weight limits, required equipment and more. Not following these laws leads to dangerous, often avoidable, accidents.
Multiple people could potentially have contributed to an accident — and therefore be found liable for any resulting injuries — when it comes to commercial trucking. The driver of the truck, another driver on the road, the owner of truck or trailer, a shipping or loading company, maintenance company, manufacturer, receiver, or other entity could potentially share liability depending on what caused the accident.
Our New Jersey personal injury attorneys are committed to doing our best to properly evaluate every facet of your case to show what happened and determine fault. We will conduct a full investigation of the accident. When appropriate, we will hire accident reconstructs, trucking experts and interview witnesses to establish liability.
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:
- Abrupt lane changes
- Merging improperly into oncoming traffic
- Driving between large trucks
- Improper judgment of truck's speed
- Making an abrupt left turn in front of a truck
- Failing to adjust speed when a truck is merging or changing lanes
- Unsafely passing another truck or vehicle
- Driving in a "No-Zone", the area of a truck where the driver has limited visibililty
- Driver fatigue
- A poorly maintained truck
- Inadequate training
Why Hire a Truck Accident Attorney?
The severe injuries associated with high impact crashes generate enormous medical and rehabilitation expenses and can lead to loss of income and future earning potential. You may experience long term disability, pain and emotional trauma. The potential devastation has no bounds.
Recovering compensation from an accident is difficult enough, and therefore, you should not handle the overwhelming tasks of handling insurance companies and legal issues alone. Large trucking companies have the means to fight accident lawsuits. Personal injury attorneys are very familiar with the intricacies of state and federal truck laws and how trucking companies and their insurance companies operate.
Hiring an experienced and understanding truck accident attorney allows you to focus on healing. Our team of experienced attorneys have extensive knowledge of the law and the truck accident claim process, which will help you get the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries.
Mr. Leonard’s law firm constantly kept in touch and on top of my problems. They were quick to respond to my legal needs and were very attentive and showed real concern to my issues. I highly recommend them to anyone needing legal representation.
– L.W. November 21, 2017
New Jersey Truck Accident Infographics
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Contact A New Jersey Truck Accident Lawyer
Talk to an Experienced New Jersey Truck Accident Attorney
At the Todd J. Leonard Firm, our New Jersey truck accident lawyers can help you determine who was responsible for your accident and will work hard to fight for compensation on your behalf. We have more than 35 years of experience helping people recover from situations similar to yours and are prepared to put our extensive knowledge to work for you.
Call us at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm today to schedule your free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis – there is never a fee unless you win.
We Handle the Insurance Companies
If you've been hurt in a trucking accident, you may be feeling distressed and unsure of what to do. We understand that medical bills are high and that insurance companies can act in bad faith. When you work with our Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, he will do his best to help you receive the financial compensation you need.