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New York Truck Accident Lawyer
Working with the best truck accident lawyers in New York City will save you time, headaches, and help you get maximum compensation for your truck accident injuries and future earnings.
Hiring a NYC truck accident lawyer with experience handling crashes involving semis, big rigs, 18-wheelers, tow trucks, commercial vehicles, and other large vehicles is the best way to get the compensation you deserve.
With over 30 years of experience, Raphaelson & Levine Law Firm is one of the most trusted truck accident law firms in New York City.
Our truck accident lawyers are known as the voice of the injured for a reason; we fight for our clients, and we get results.
If you’ve been injured in a truck wreck, don't wait — contact us today.
NEXT STEP: Contact us now for a no-risk, free consultation with a skilled New York truck accident lawyer at our firm. Call 212-268-3222 or complete our online case evaluation form below.
Millions Won for truck accident injury victims
You deserve fair compensation. You deserve a voice.
Our firm handles all types of wrecks involving big rigs and other commercial vehicles
Whether you were the driver, a passenger, or a pedestrian impacted by the wreck, we represent people who have been injured in an accident involving any type of large truck or similar big rigs in New York, including:
- Box trucks
- Buses (Private & MTA)
- Cargo trucks
- Commercial semi-trucks
- Concrete trucks
- Dump trucks
- 18-Wheelers
- Fuel trucks
- Garbage trucks
- School buses
- Sweeper trucks
- Tractor-trailers
- Tow trucks
Common causes of large trucking accidents in New York
In New York, large truck accidents occur most frequently in Manhattan and Brooklyn, while the Bronx and Queens also have a considerable share of commercial truck accidents. Large truck accidents take place least often in Staten Island.
Wherever the accident occurs, the actions triggering the truck accident are often similar.
Common causes of truck accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Driver fatigue
- Driving under the influence
- Improperly loaded or secured cargo
- Overloading
- Poor vehicle maintenance
- Reckless driving
- Speeding
By conducting a thorough investigation, New York City truck accident lawyers can determine which entities are liable for the crash. One party is not always the sole culprit in any accident. Liability often extends beyond the driver and the trucking company.
For example, the truck crash may have occurred due to defective parts, such as a tire blowout. In such cases, the manufacturer or a repair facility may bear responsibility for the accident.
If a poorly maintained road or dangerous road conditions contributed to the collision, the jurisdiction overseeing the road may prove liable. Passenger vehicles, motorcycles, or even pedestrians may have caused the crash.
If the truck accident was due to overloading or poorly secured cargo, the freight company is usually at fault. Overloaded trucks are more likely to jackknife or rollover. Some truck accident victims do not come into contact with the truck per se but are hit by items falling out of the vehicle onto the road or other cars.
The investigation includes obtaining any surveillance video, interviewing eyewitnesses, reviewing police reports, hiring an accident reconstruction specialist, and examining all relevant documents.
Federal regulations regarding truckers and the amount of time they may drive are very strict. These issues are overseen by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
A trucker may drive up to 11 hours per day out of a 14 hour period, but after eight hours, a 30 minute rest period is mandated. The remaining time of the 14-hour period may include stopping for refueling or freight unloading.
Once the 14 hours are up, the truck driver cannot drive again for 10 hours. There are exceptions under certain circumstances, and all of this information is logged by the trucker.
Personal injury lawyers review these records to ascertain whether the truck driver and the trucking company were adhering to the regulations.
Fatigued drivers contribute to a considerable share of motor vehicle accidents.
When hiring a truck accident attorney, experience makes a difference
How does one find a good truck accident lawyer in NYC? Many personal injury attorneys are listed in local directories like the Yellow Pages.
If you do an Internet search, you’ll find many attorneys who have helpful web pages. But before hiring any of these attorneys, make sure you ask how many truck accident cases they have actually handled and what the outcome of those cases was.
At Raphaelson & Levine Law Firm, our lawyers have decades of experience representing clients in truck accident cases and have secured truck accident settlements and verdicts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for our clients.
We understand New York’s trucking regulations and laws and will ensure your voice is heard, respected, and justly awarded.
Life-changing truck accident settlements & verdicts we've won our clients
- $1,150,000 for a Bronx motorist seriously injured when they were rear-ended by a sanitation truck that was attempting a u-turn (learn more)
- $1,000,000 for a client who injured his back when their vehicle was hit by a construction van. After years of litigation, on the eve of trial, the insurance company conceded a maximum policy settlement
- $900,000 for a client with pre-existing conditions who was rear-ended by a truck at a stoplight. We argued the accident exacerbated their existing back injuries, and won maximum compensation.
- $750,000 for a 30-year-old woman who was injured when the car she was riding in was hit by a truck. The impact caused a herniated disk that required epidural injections and a laminectomy. Even though our client had previous back injuries, our lawyers secured her maximum compensation.
- $500,000 for a client who suffered severe injuries after being rear-ended by a tractor-trailer on the expressway. The case was difficult to prove because the accident did not leave even a scratch on his vehicle. Our truck wreck lawyers successfully proved that the accident did infact cause serious physical injury and secured a half-million-dollar award for our client.
Learn More: Recent New York Car Accident Settlements
Why hire a New York City truck accident lawyer at Raphaelson & Levine?
According to the NY State Department of Motor Vehicles, over 5,000 people are injured or killed by large trucks each year in the State of New York.
Due to the size and weight of semis and other commercial vehicles, accidents involving trucks often cause greater damage and more serious injuries than those caused by smaller vehicles.
If you’ve been injured in a commercial vehicle accident, the truck accident lawyers at Raphaelson & Levine can help you recover compensation for all your current and future damages, including:
- Current and future medical bills (related to the truck accident)
- Pain and suffering (including mental anguish and emotional duress)
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Home and vehicle modifications (such as wheelchair ramps and lifts)
- Permanent injury, disability, and property damage or loss
- Loss of career or earning capacity (including lost wages from time off of work)
If truck accident victims succumb to their injuries, compensation in a wrongful death case may include:
- The victim’s final medical care expenses
- Funeral and burial costs
- Lost wages and future lost wages
- Inheritance reduction due to the victim’s demise
- Services the deceased provided, such as child care
- Loss of parental guidance for children
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in NYC?
The statute of limitations in New York State for filing a personal injury claim after a truck accident is three years from the date of the accident. Failure to file a claim within that timeframe means the court will not permit the case to go forward.
The estate’s personal representative may file a wrongful death lawsuit within three years of the death date.
However, if the truck accident involves a vehicle operated by a government entity, whether city, county, or state, an initial claim requires filing within six months of the accident. This would apply to garbage trucks, school and city buses, and the like.
The faster an investigation begins, the more evidence is available. Waiting too long can mean critical evidence, such as surveillance video, can disappear. Eyewitnesses are more difficult to find and may not remember what they witnessed as clearly, making it crucial to contact a New York truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.
How much is my New York truck accident case worth?
A truck accident case can be worth thousand to millions of dollars. It takes a meticulous evaluation of numerous factors, including the severity of your injuries, to cost of your medical bills, lost wages, future earning capacity, pain and suffering, insurance policy and other related losses.
Enlisting an experienced truck collision attorney is critical to secure fair compensation for all that you have gone through. A New York truck accident attorney at our firm can help evaluate the value of your case and determine the best course of action for pursuing compensation.
How long do truck accident claims take to settle?
It can take six months to several years to resolve a truck accident lawsuit, depending on the complexity of the case and whether a settlement is reached or your claim goes to trial. Your semi truck accident lawyer can provide a more specific timeline based on the specifics of your case.
How much does it cost to hire the best truck accident lawyer in New York City?
In New York, all truck accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that they only get paid if you win your case. After a crash, you only get one shot to recover compensation which makes choosing the best lawyer a critical decision.
The big rig accident attorneys at Raphaelson & Levine receive peer-recognition and industry awards as a leading personal injury law firm in new York City, including "Best Car Accident Lawyers in New York City" , "Top 10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys In New York", "The Best Lawyers In America©", "Leaders In The Law", "Super Lawyers" and more.
Hurt in a truck accident? Speak with an experienced accident lawyer today
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a truck accident in New York, you need the services of the experienced truck accident lawyers at Raphaelson & Levine Law Firm.
Our knowledgeable attorneys fight hard for you so that you may receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Because we work on a contingency basis, you pay no fee unless you receive compensation.
NEXT STEP: Call Raphaelson & Levine today for a no-risk, free consultation at 212-268-3222 or complete our online case evaluation form and an attorney will contact you within 60 minutes to discuss your truck accident claim.
