Commercial Truck Accidents

Many companies employ commercial trucks to transport their goods in and through New Jersey, as it is an efficient and cost-effective method of transportation. While tractor-trailers provide many benefits to the businesses that use them, they are also substantially larger and heavier than automobiles, and driving them requires extensive training and skills. Although they are more difficult to maneuver than other vehicles, trucks must nonetheless be driven safely, and truck drivers who recklessly cause collisions by operating in a careless manner should be held accountable. If you were hurt in a commercial truck accident, you might be able to recover compensation in a civil lawsuit. Howard Leopold of Leopold Law, L.L.C. is a trusted Bergen County personal injury attorney who is adept at helping parties injured due to the negligent acts of truck drivers seek damages for their losses, and if you engage his services, he will work tirelessly on your behalf.

Commercial truck accidents, like most collisions, usually occur due to reckless driving. For example, if the truck driver is driving too fast for the present conditions, it may reduce his/her ability to slow down, stop, or control the truck, which can lead to a crash. Similarly, if a driver fails to check the truck’s numerous blind spots before changing lanes, they might collide with a car that is not visible in the truck’s mirrors.

While many truck crashes are caused by the failure to abide by New Jersey’s laws regarding the use of motor vehicles, they can also arise out of a driver’s failure to abide by federal safety regulations that apply to truck drivers and trucking companies. Specifically, if a driver operates a truck longer than the maximum amount of time permitted per day or week, it can lead to fatigue, and the driver may fall asleep at the wheel, causing an accident. Additionally, if a truck’s cargo load exceeds the allowable weight, it may reduce the driver’s ability to control the truck or cause the truck to tip over, causing a catastrophic crash.

Parties injured in truck accidents have the right to pursue damages from anyone who may have caused the accident in a civil lawsuit. Typically, in cases arising out of truck collisions, the plaintiff will pursue a negligence claim against the truck driver. Essentially, negligence is the violation of a duty imposed by law. As such, to prove negligence under New Jersey law, the plaintiff must show that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty, such as the duty to comply with laws or regulations regarding the operation of commercial trucks, but that the defendant breached the duty.

The plaintiff must also show that the defendant’s breach of the duty owed led to or caused the accident. In other words, while the breach does not have to be the only cause of the accident, it must be a significant factor in bringing it about. Finally, the plaintiff must show that he/she suffered quantifiable losses due to the accident. If the truck driver involved in the accident was employed by a trucking company, the plaintiff might also be able to seek damages from the company as well. Specifically, the employer may be deemed vicariously liable for the driver’s behavior if it occurred while the driver was acting within the course and scope of his/her employment at the time of the crash.

Accidents involving commercial trucks typically cause widespread property damage and life-altering injuries, and in most instances, they are avoidable. If you were injured in a truck collision that was caused by another party’s reckless acts, it is prudent to speak with an attorney regarding your rights. Howard Leopold of Leopold Law, L.L.C. is an experienced Bergen County personal injury attorney who possesses the skills and resources needed to obtain favorable results, and if he represents you, he will develop compelling arguments in favor of your recovery of compensation. Mr. Leopold’s offices are located in Hackensack and New York City, and he frequently represents parties in lawsuits arising out of commercial truck accidents in Bergen County and cities throughout Hudson, Passaic, and Essex Counties in New Jersey, and Bronx, Richmond, Kings, New York, Queens, and Rockland Counties in New York. You can contact him via the form online or at his New Jersey office at (201) 345-5907 or his New York office at (646) 650-2106 to set up a confidential and free meeting.