Trusted Car Carrier Truck Accident Lawyer in New York City

A car carrier tractor trailer is a special type of truck that professional drivers use to transport vehicles from manufacturers and other dealerships to another dealership. You have probably seen several of these large trucks on the road yourself and not given them a second thought until you became the victim of a car carrier trailer accident yourself. Unfortunately, car carrier trucks pose danger to the public whether driven empty or with a full load of vehicles for delivery.

Semi-trailers are often unpredictable and can cause significant injuries or death to other motorists and passengers on the road.

If you have sustained serious injuries or lost a loved one due to a flatbed accident, we invite you to contact Raphaelson & Levine at 212-268-3222 to request a free consultation. This appointment gives us the opportunity to learn more about your accident with a car hauler and whether you’re a good candidate to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Unlike accidents with another private motorist, collisions between drivers of passenger vehicles and car carrier tractor-trailers can present complex legal issues. The reason for this is that multiple parties may be at fault such as the driver, trucking company, mechanics, manufacturers, or even the trucking company’s insurance provider.

Our truck accident attorneys will utilize every resource to determine who bears responsibility for causing your injuries or the death of a family member.

Understanding the Increased Risk of Car Carriers

A tractor trailer is very lightweight when a driver is transporting an empty trailer with no new cars or SUVs on board. An unloaded tractor-trailer can be dangerous as its large shape and size make it unsteady. If the driver makes a sudden movement such as braking or changing lanes, the tractor trailer can begin swerving or fishtailing. This puts drivers in adjacent lanes in danger since the tractor trailer could hit their vehicle or break free from the truck to cause even more damage.

These specialty vehicles are just as much of a hazard when loaded with new cars and SUVs. This is easy to understand when you consider that each vehicle onboard can weigh one ton or more. Some tractor trailers have multiple levels, which really weighs them down and increases the hazard to public safety. The design of some tractor trailers is completely impractical like those with carriers above the driver’s cab. The heavy weight of the trailers makes it difficult to maneuver in normal circumstances and extremely challenging to control in an emergency.

Common Causes of Car Carrier Trailer Accidents

Overloading a tractor trailer with too many new cars or SUVs is one of the leading causes of this type of accident. When a truck and tractor trailer are too heavy to drive, it’s difficult for the driver to control either one of them. Not securing a load properly is another common reason that car carrier trailer accidents occur. This can be especially devastating when a new car or SUV loaded onto the tractor trailer becomes loose and falls onto the road. The faster the driver was traveling, the more devastating the crash with passenger vehicles can be. Other reasons for crashes between car carrier trailer trucks and passenger vehicles include:

• Driver error such as driving while fatigued, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or speeding
• Equipment failure
• Poor road conditions such as large potholes or narrow roads
• Rollovers
• Severe weather

Knowing why an accident happened is the first step in holding the right parties accountable for your injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one. For example, the city government might be responsible in the case of poor road conditions while the people responsible for maintaining and repairing the vehicle might be responsible in the case of equipment failure. The driver alone could be responsible if he or she chose to drive while fatigued or impaired.

In some cases, multiple parties may bear responsibility. You can depend on our truck accident attorneys to get to the bottom of the liability issue and seek justice on your behalf in the form of financial compensation.

Types of Severe Injuries Resulting From Car Carrier Trailer Accidents

Injuries from this type of crash can be debilitating due to the sheer size and weight of the car hauler. Other clients we have helped in the past have reported the following types of severe injuries after a collision with a car carrier trailer:

• Amputation of a limb
• Paraplegia
• Permanent disfigurement
• Quadriplegia
• Severe burns
• Spinal cord injury
• Traumatic brain injury

Of course, the most tragic outcome of all is the loss of a loved one due to the negligent actions of others. This can be particularly traumatic if your family member suffered for a time before succumbing to his or her injuries. Along with loss, some people have significant damages as well to their car/truck when the accident leaves them with an undrivable vehicle and destroys everything they were carrying in their vehicle.

Injured? Discuss Your Legal Rights With a Car Carrier Truck Accident Lawyer Today

Located in Midtown Manhattan, the law firm of Raphaelson & Levine has helped injured New Yorkers receive their rightful compensation since 1992.

We have a reputation as aggressive litigators that have secured more than $500 million dollars in settlements for our clients.

Please contact us today at 212-268-3222 to reserve your time for a free initial consultation. While we can’t change what has happened to you, we are committed to helping you pursue compensation to allow you to live your best life from this point forward.