We Handle All Types of Truck Accident Cases
Semi-trucks and 18-wheelers can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, take much longer to stop than standard cars, and are slow to maneuver – all factors that increase risks for accidents and catastrophic damage. Trucking companies and operators know the risks their rigs pose to public safety, as well as the need to uphold their duty of care to keep motorists free from preventable harm.
If they fail to meet their obligations and cause harm, then they need to be held accountable for damages victims suffer. Our New Jersey truck accident lawyers take a team approach and have the resources to help victims harmed in a variety of truck and commercial vehicle accidents.
This includes cases that involve:
- Catastrophic injuries or wrongful death
- Negligent truck drivers / negligent hiring or training
- Distracted or impaired driving
- Violations of federal trucking regulations
- Truck tire blowouts and auto defects
- Cargo loading and securement violations
- Truck driver fatigue (Hours-of-Service violations)
- Inadequately maintained vehicles
- Construction site / worksite truck accidents
- Delivery truck, garbage truck, and service vehicle accidents
- Multi-vehicle accidents
If you or someone you love was hurt in a big rig, 18-wheeler, or semi-truck accident, call our truck accident attorneys in New Jersey at (732) 440-3089 for a free consultation.
Trucking Regulation
Because large trucks can cause such catastrophic damage to other motorists in the event of an accident, truck drivers are required to follow more laws both on and off the road than other motor vehicles are required to follow. One of the most notable laws for truckers is called the hours of service regulations.
The main purpose of this rule is to prevent fatigued driving, a major cause of truck accidents on the road today. Thus, the laws are aimed at ensuring that truck drivers are not overworked and are rested enough to be on the road. According to this law:
- Truck drivers can work a maximum of 14 hours in a single workday. Of these 14 hours, however, truckers can only drive for 11 hours, with the remaining time spent on meal or rest breaks
- Truck drivers must rest for at least 10 consecutive hours before beginning a new workday
- Truck drivers are required to take days off work at regular intervals
Unfortunately, whether due to negligence or pressure from trucking companies these rules are not always followed which can lead to accidents on the road. If you have been injured, contact our firm for help today and discuss the details of your case during a free consultation.
What to Do If You’re Involved in a Tractor Trailer Accident
Truck Accident FAQ: Answers to Common Questions
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How Can an Attorney Help My Truck Accident Case?
Trucking companies and commercial insurance carriers are in a business of risk. They know accidents pose threats to their bottom line, and will deny, dispute, and underpay claims any way they can. Without an attorney, you not only risk being taken advantage of by insurance carriers, you also lack leverage to compel them into paying what you deserve.
Levinson Axelrod, P.A. has been serving New Jersey since 1939. We have cultivated a network of experts, investigators, and medical specialists who help us build the strongest possible claims. With our experience negotiating settlements and litigating trucking cases at trial, our opponents know they’re in for a fight, and are much more willing to treat our clients fairly than if they did not have representation.
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How Much is a Truck Accident Lawsuit Worth?
The value of a truck accident lawsuit depends on a variety of factors specific to your case. In general, victims of personal injury are entitled to compensation for damages such as:
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Lost quality of life arising from disability or disfigurement
- Other financial and emotional losses arising from the accident
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Should I Accept the Insurance Company’s Settlement?
Trucking operators responsible for accidents are represented by their insurance companies. These insurers owe their policyholders a duty of good faith, but they owe no such duty to you.
Because they are corporations that put profits over people, insurance companies will go to great lengths to pay victims as little as possible. If you are contacted by an insurance company, remember:
- You are not required to speak with a defendant’s insurer.
- Your attorney can handle communications with insurers on your behalf.
- You do not have to accept a settlement offer, especially before you know the full extent of your damages.
Insurance companies want to settle truck accident claims as quickly and as cheaply as they can. This is because they know truck accident victims can suffer serious if not catastrophic injuries, and that trucking lawsuits pose the threat of big payouts. If you have been made an offer, our attorneys can help you determine if it is fair, or discuss how you may be entitled to more.
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Who is Responsible for My Trucking Accident?
Determining what caused a truck accident and who is liable for your damages can be a challenging task. Determining fault requires attorneys to review police reports, witness testimony, and other available evidence. It may require independent investigation and accident reconstruction, or the insight of experts.
It also demands legal insight to identify appropriate defendants, available insurance, and cause for action. Examples of parties that may be held at fault in truck accident lawsuits:
- Negligent truckers and the companies that employs them.
- Trucking operators that violate federal regulations.
- Negligent third-party services contracted by trucking companies to perform vehicle maintenance or handle distribution and cargo-loading.
- Automakers or vehicle part manufactures responsible for product defects.
- Negligent subcontractors who cause trucking accidents on multi-employer worksites.
- Premises owners responsible for hazards that cause truck accidents on private property.
Reviews & Testimonials
*Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
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Celine took what I thought would be a stressful situation and turned it into a wonderfully positive experience for me and for my family. Her passion for her job, and her compassion towards her clients, is without limit. She is a fighter.
- P.G. -
I recently had the pleasure of working with the remarkable attorneys, Celine and Richard, at Levinson Axelrod, and I cannot recommend them highly enough! Thank you for your exceptional work and for going above and beyond to secure justice for your clien
- P.T. -
"Thank you and your team for fighting so hard for me."
Thank you for your quick response and for the information. Most importantly, thank you and your team for fighting so hard for me. I am grateful to have had such a caring and diligent team representing me throughout this ordeal.
- M.F. -
"It was a pleasure to have you as my attorney."
Adam I would like to thank you for everything it was a pleasure to have you as my attorney and I would recommend your services to anyone that I know that would need legal services.- D.L.
Level the Playing Field: Call for a Free Consultation
Levinson Axelrod, P.A. proudly serves all 21 New Jersey counties, including Monmouth, Middlesex, and Somerset counties. Our truck accident lawyers are experienced, driven, and backed by the resources to help victims level the playing field with powerful insurance companies.
*Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
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$850,000.00 Auto Accident Settlement
Kathleen recovered an $850,000 award through binding arbitration for a construction company owner who was struck from the rear in a motor vehicle collision in Lakewood, NJ.
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$350,000.00 Auto Accident Settlement
Kathleen secured a $350,000 settlement for a motor vehicle accident victim who was struck from behind by a school bus in Waretown, NJ.
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$250,000 Auto Accident Settlement
Attorney Kelley Lavery secured $250K in compensation through two policy limits settlements for a victim who was injured in a multi-vehicle car accident on Interstate 78.
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$500,000.00 Auto Accident Settlement
Kathleen recovered half a million dollars for a client who was injured in a pedestrian accident.
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$250,000 Auto Accident Settlement
Kathleen’s six-figure settlement arose from a motor vehicle accident involving a client who suffered serious knee injuries.
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Click here to learn more about these awards.
