Among the most dangerous situations on New York’s roads are those involving negligent truck drivers. Being behind the wheel of these massive vehicles places a great deal of responsibility on those who operate them. Any action they take that puts others at risk of harm can have disastrous consequences.
A Cheektowaga truck accident lawyer is dedicated to helping people like you protect their legal rights after collisions with commercial vehicles. This includes building powerful cases against truckers, determining how the event has impacted your life, and pursuing appropriate compensation from every available source. Call our firm to speak with a skilled personal injury attorney to learn more.
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Establishing Liability for a Semi-Truck Wreck
All drivers have an obligation to follow the basic rules of the road. These include speed limits, yielding to the right of way of traffic and pedestrians, proper lane usage, refraining from drinking and driving, etc. Because of the hazards involved with operating semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles, the trucking industry is highly regulated and subject to detailed federal regulations. This means that in addition to standard traffic laws, special rules apply to truckers that do not affect drivers of passenger vehicles or motorcycles, such as those governing proper maintenance, securing cargo, and maximum load restrictions.
One of the most commonly violated of these regulations is the limit on the amount of time that truck drivers may be on the road during any specific day or week. According to guidelines from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), truckers must take breaks after certain lengths of time on the road. They must also carry an up-to-date and accurate log of their driving times to ensure compliance with these rules.
A trucker who violates these laws and causes a wreck can be held liable for the injuries and losses of the other motorists involved. A Cheektowaga truck accident attorney is prepared to thoroughly investigate the cause of a collision and determine if a trucker’s non-compliance was the source of the incident.
What Compensation May Be Available After a Truck Crash?
The goal of any personal injury claim is to place a person in the same position they would have been in if the incident had never occurred. As a result, a vital part of any case is accurately measuring the crash’s impact on an individual’s life.
The core of all these cases is the resulting physical injuries. Because commercial vehicles are usually much larger than personal cars and trucks, a collision has the potential to inflict life-altering catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, and spinal cord damage. These events can also affect a person’s life in other ways. This can include nightmares, flashbacks, and other forms of PTSD connected to the collision. Settlement demands can also include pain and suffering, lost quality of life, and lost wages from being out of work temporarily or permanently. A commercial vehicle accident attorney can help pursue a case for its full value.
Additionally, our dedicated attorneys understand that state law gives people a limited time to act. Under New York Civil Practice Law & Rules § 214, most people will have no more than three years from the crash date to seek compensation. We are ready to provide immediate support to limit the impact of this law on injured parties.
Contact a Cheektowaga Truck Accident Attorney Immediately
Truck collisions are serious events that have the potential to change every part of your life. Even if you manage to walk away from the crash, you may still endure significant physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial harm. Whenever these damages result from a trucker’s negligence, you have the right to seek payments to cover your losses.
A Cheektowaga truck accident lawyer is here to help. At Richmond Vona, LLC, our team will be ready from day one to listen to your story, evaluate the actions of all involved people, and demand proper compensation on your behalf. Call us today for a free consultation.
With over 25 years of combined personal injury experience, our co-founding attorneys, John E. Richmond and Keith R. Vona, have helped injury victims and their family members recover more than $150 million in financial relief.
John E. Richmond
Co-Founding Member
As one of New York’s top personal injury attorneys, John E. Richmond understands that clients come first. With over a decade of experience representing plaintiffs, he knows how to hold negligent corporations and big insurance companies liable.
In his nearly 15 years in practice, Keith has been consistently recognized for his client service and record of results. He has been selected for inclusion in the New York Super Lawyers® Rising Stars list four times (2013 to 2016), an honor reserved for the top up-and-coming attorneys.
