Truck Accidents Attorneys in White Plains, New York

Accidents involving semi-trucks and tractor trailers often cause far more personal injury and property damage than collisions solely involving passenger vehicles. The reason for this is simple physics. The typical commercial semi-truck loaded with cargo can weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds, while a small passenger car can weigh as little as 3,000 pounds. This difference in weight means the passenger car is almost certain to take the brunt of any impact with a semi-truck.

A qualified White Plains truck accident lawyer can help you sort through the physical and legal wreckage of these collisions. If you were the innocent victim of a truck driver’s negligence, you may be facing the prospect of thousands of dollars in unpaid medical bills, not to mention any loss of income while you recover. Not only can you seek compensation for such quantifiable economic damages. You are also entitled to non-economic damages as compensation for your pain and suffering and overall loss of enjoyment of life due to a truck accident.

Common Factors That Lead to Truck Accident

Like any motor vehicle accident, a truck accident is often the result of simple driver negligence. For example, the truck driver failed to obey local traffic laws and in doing so caused an accident. Or perhaps the driver was distracted and not paying close enough attention to the road.

In other cases, the driver’s negligence may be due to fatigue. Commercial truck drivers are often under enormous pressure to meet tight delivery schedules. Federal and state laws try to relieve some of this pressure by limiting the total number of hours that a truck driver can stay on the road without rest. Nevertheless, some drivers ignore these regulations or simply do not take enough of a rest period to maintain their alertness. As a result, we often see truck accidents that are caused by a truck driver falling asleep behind the wheel.

The Driver May Not Be The Only Negligent Party

In car accident lawsuits, the negligent driver is often the only defendant. But when it comes to truck accidents, there may be multiple defendants involved. If the truck driver was working for someone else, the vehicle’s owner can be held legally responsible for an accident. The company that loaded a truck’s cargo may also be liable if they allowed an overweight or unbalanced vehicle onto the road. And in some cases, there may actually be a defect with the truck itself, such as a faulty part or even a known manufacturing issue with the model and make of truck.

You Need an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer

As you can see, truck accidents often involve far more complex questions of fact and law than a regular “fender bender.” That is why if you have been injured in a collision involving a semi-trick or big rig, you need to work with a White Plains truck accident lawyer who understands how to handle these cases. Contact Kent Hazzard & Freeman today if you would like to know more.