If you have suffered harm in a truck accident, you deserve to have a competent personal injury lawyer in Jericho on your side who can represent your rights. At Friedman & Simon L.L.P., we are here to help you. We understand that trucking accidents differ from other types of accidents and know how to approach them for our clients.
We have successfully helped victims of truck accidents understand what needs to be done to make a strong case for compensation. Moreover, our team will take these steps on your behalf when we represent you, and you won’t owe us anything unless we win. Our firm also offers complimentary case assessments and other client-centric benefits, which you can explore below.
- Why Work with a Truck Accident Attorney from Our Firm
- Damages You could Collect After a Truck Accident in Jericho
- Common Causes of Truck Accidents
- Who may be held Liable for the Truck Accident?
- Get help Fighting for the Compensation You Need and Deserve
Why Work with a Truck Accident Attorney from Our Firm
When significant damages happen in incidents like this, it’s vital to take action against those responsible when possible. Our firm offers legal services to truck accident victims to help them recuperate the expenses and losses they faced and hold the negligent parties accountable. When handling your case, one of our passionate attorneys will:
- Keep you updated as we take each step toward your financial recovery
- Identify the party or parties the evidence points to as liable
- Communicate about your case with all parties involved
- Collect evidence to build your claim or lawsuit
- Estimate the value of your case and seek the appropriate level of damages
We don’t just handle cases at Friedman & Simon L.L.P., however. Our firm strives to offer the most accessible legal services possible by taking our clients’ needs into account. To do so, we operate on a no-win, no-fee basis, so you do not have to worry about adding to your financial burden.
We also offer assistance in various languages, including English, Greek, Spanish, Kannada, Bengali, and Tamil. Finally, we understand that injuries and other circumstances may prevent you from meeting at our office. In this case, we can travel anywhere on Long Island or in the metro New York area to meet with you about your case.
For a free legal consultation with a Truck Accident lawyer serving Jericho, call 516-932-0400
Damages You could Collect After a Truck Accident in Jericho
If you suffered severe injuries in a truck accident, medical expenses are likely your most significant source of damages. You may have outstanding bills for emergency transport to the hospital, hospitalization, and surgeries. In the long term, you may have to pay for ongoing treatment, pain medication, and assistive devices. All this may be recoverable in a personal injury case, along with:
- Missed wages from time you had to take away from your job
- Diminished future earnings if you are temporarily or permanently unable to return to work
- Disability and disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
If you are taking legal action after the death of your loved one in a truck accident, other damages may be available to you and your family. We offer our condolences and our compassionate legal services to you in this difficult time.
Jericho Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me 516-932-0400
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), found that the following are major causes or contributors to accidents involving large trucks:
- Distraction
- Poor driving practices, such as speeding
- Prescription, illegal, or over-the-counter drug use
- Drowsiness
- Inadequate maintenance or faulty parts, leading to tire or brake problems
- Traffic flow interruption
- Unfamiliarity with roadways
- Roadway problems
When investigating your case, our team will look for evidence of factors like these to help us identify the cause of the accident and the responsible party. We explore some of the top contributing factors in detail below.
Driver Fatigue
According to a recent study by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), there is a consistent increase in crash probability as driving time increases, with the highest odds being in the 11th consecutive hour of driving. The study found that breaks from driving time reduced crash odds by 32 to 51%.
As such, the FMCSA regulates the hours of service for interstate truck drivers. Present regulations allow drivers to be on duty for up to 11 hours in a 14-hour period. The minimum time off between periods is 10 hours. Drivers are required to record and maintain logs of their hours of duty.
Despite these regulations, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) estimates that truck driver fatigue contributes to 40 percent of truck accidents, according to the most recent government statistics. When our firm represents you, it is important for your lawyer to review the following to determine if driver fatigue may have been a contributing factor to the accident:
- Driver logs
- Meal, gas, and toll receipts
- Any history of hours of service violations
- Any available truck tracking data
Improper Maintenance and Repair
The FMCSA provides regulations governing periodic inspections, maintenance, and repairs of commercial trucks. These regulations require motor carriers to have their parts and accessories in proper operating condition at all times. With over 500,000 interstate carriers, compliance with federal regulations is vital for reducing the frequency of accidents resulting in death and devastating injury. They monitor factors such as:
- Tire tread depth
- Brake tubing
- Hoses and control valves
- Steering and suspension systems
- Protection against shifting
- Falling cargo
To appreciate the importance of these regulations, consider that a fully loaded 80,000-pound truck traveling 65 miles per hour requires at least 525 feet to stop, which is 66 percent more distance than most automobiles. Automobiles typically require about 316 feet, when traveling at 65 miles per hour, to stop safely.
Unfortunately, motor carriers fail to comply with these federal regulations far too often. Consider the following FMCSA data from 2018:
- Large trucks drove almost 304.9 billion miles on U.S. roadways.
- There were over 2,410,620 roadside inspections of those trucks.
- Of those inspections, 20.8% resulted in a truck being ordered out of service for violations.
Your Jericho truck accident lawyer at Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. will obtain and review maintenance records, repair records, and inspection reports to determine whether improper maintenance or repair contributed to the occurrence of your truck accident.
Distracted Driving
In an analysis of 120,000 accidents involving large trucks in which a person was injured or killed, the FMCSA and NHTSA found that 28 percent of those accidents involved inattentive or distracted truck drivers as a critical reason for the occurrence of the accident.
The FMCSA has enacted a rule that prohibits commercial truck drivers from any of the following while driving:
- Texting
- Emailing
- Instant messaging
- Reading a text, email, or instant message
It found that those truck drivers who violate this rule are 23.2 times more likely to be involved in a critical safety event (e.g., crash, near crash, or unintentional lane deviation). Texting drivers take their eyes off the road for an average of fewer than five seconds. At 55 mph, a texting truck driver would travel more than the length of an entire football field without looking at the road.
On January 3, 2012, the FMCSA banned commercial truck drivers from reaching for or holding a mobile phone while driving. This ban includes dialing by pressing more than a single button.
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Who may be held Liable for the Truck Accident?
Trucks, truck drivers, and trucking companies are vital parts of the U.S. economy. Among other things, they play a significant role in transporting materials and products purchased and enjoyed by consumers on a daily basis. They are also responsible for a substantial amount of destruction.
According to recent U.S. government data, one person will die and nine will be injured on U.S. roadways in an accident involving a large truck (over 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight) every 2.4 hours.
After completing an investigation, your truck accident lawyer at Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. will determine who may be held liable for the accident. Some possible defendants include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The owner of the tractor
- The owner of the trailer
- The freight broker
- The freight shipper
- The manufacturer of the tractor or trailer
You may even qualify to hold multiple parties responsible, depending on the circumstances of the collision and your level of damages. We will help you develop the best course of action.
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Get help Fighting for the Compensation You Need and Deserve
If you have been involved in a truck accident, you may want a competent truck accident lawyer in Jericho to represent you. Our team offers legal representation from attorneys who are capable of conducting the proper investigation, familiar with trucking laws, and well-versed in the possible theories of liability in truck accident cases.
Call, email, or chat with Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. today to discuss your truck accident case. You can reach us or contact us online to take advantage of your free consultation today.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form