New Jersey Truck Accident Lawyers

Do I Need a Truck Accident Lawyer?

No matter what kind of accident you’re in, collisions can be overwhelming, both physically and emotionally. When your accident was caused by a commercial truck it can be much more devastating than a crash with a smaller vehicle. The sheer size and weight of an 18-wheeler or semi-truck cause serious injuries or even death.

Truck accident cases are much more complex than car accident cases. You’re best served by having a trucking accident lawyer with extensive experience in standing up to large trucking companies. You can be sure that insurance companies do everything in their power to avoid paying claims or to reduce the amount rewarded, including obtaining representation from high-powered corporate lawyers.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in New Jersey, don’t settle for anything less than trucking accident lawyers with a proven record of success in truck injury cases. If you’re looking for the best truck accident attorney in New Jersey, you’ll find them in areas that RAM Law serves in NJ, where compassion and passion for victims of truck accidents is their calling.

How Can Experienced Trucking Accident Lawyers Help Me?

Commercial vehicles are often covered by insurance policies that are much larger than car insurance policies, sometimes worth a million dollars or more in liability. To be sure you obtain the compensation you deserve, a truck accident case should always be handled by an experienced commercial truck accident attorney.

Some of the important things your NJ truck crash lawyer can do to help you include:

• Ensuring you understand your rights
• Investigating your case thoroughly
• Gathering and protecting strong evidence to support your case
• Identifying all legally responsible parties
• Discovering who’s liable for the damages
• Handling communications and negotiations with other parties, such as the insurance companies and the truck driver’s lawyers
• Pursuing compensation from multiple sources
• Issuing a demand letter to the insurance company
• Recognizing when a settlement offer is insufficient and negotiating fair settlements with insurance companies
• Engaging expert witnesses to support your case

The attorney you choose must be prepared to present a convincing case. This includes fighting on your behalf for fair compensation and representing you aggressively at a trial if necessary. If it becomes necessary for you to sue a trucking company after you were in an accident with a tractor trailer or another truck in New Jersey, retain the best tractor trailer accident lawyer to provide the experience you need.

What Can I Recover with a Commercial Truck Accident Attorney’s Assistance?

After an accident caused by a truck, focus on your immediate problems, such as getting appropriate medical care, going through physical rehabilitation and replacing your vehicle. Don’t dwell on the results of the truck accident, which may cause problems for many years to come. Experienced semi-truck accident lawyers know that you need a much larger financial compensation than you may realize.

What you’re able to recover with the best truck accident attorney’s assistance may include:

• Immediate medical expenses
• Future medical expenses, which may include surgery, extensive rehabilitation or long-term care costs
• Lost wages
• Decreased earning capacity
• Loss of consortium, which means you can’t provide the same level of companionship or sexual relations as before the accident

A truck accident can impact your emotional and mental health, particularly if you’ve suffered extensive scarring or disfigurement. You aren’t likely to get the compensation you deserve for pain and suffering or emotional distress without the help of a highly qualified truck accident attorney.

Unfortunately, accidents with 18-wheelers often cause loss of life. If a loved one didn’t survive a truck crash, no amount of money can compensate you for what you’ve lost, but a truck crash attorney has the knowledge needed to hold the responsible parties accountable for a wrongful death.

How Are Truck Accidents Different from Car Accidents?

A truck accident is rarely as simple as a fender bender. Big rigs, flatbed trucks and fire trucks weigh up to 20 times as cars. Truck drivers know that failure to operate the vehicle in a responsible manner at all times can cause great harm.

Truck accidents are more dangerous than car accidents in ways that include:

• Truck size and weight. The size and weight of a truck means it hits another vehicle with much more force than a car would. An accident that may be minor with a car has worse consequences when a truck’s involved.
• Hazardous cargo. Trucks are also more dangerous than cars because they often carry hazardous cargo that may be spilled on the road or ignite.
• Severity of injuries. Passengers and drivers of smaller vehicles who get in an accident with a large truck are significantly more likely to be killed or catastrophically injured. The larger the vehicle, the more likely that injuries will be horrific and permanent, which leads to high medical costs and a diminished quality of life.

While an accident with a big rig is sometimes one of the most destructive, collisions with smaller trucks — such as delivery trucks or commercial buses — can also cause extensive damage or at least more than from an accident with a small car. Because of the amount of devastation you experience in this type of collision, you need the knowledge and experience of skilled delivery truck accident lawyers.

Contact an experienced commercial truck accident attorney.

What Should I Do after a Commercial Truck Accident?

When you’re involved in a collision with a large truck, you may be so shaken up that it’s hard to think clearly, but try to take certain steps immediately after a commercial truck accident to protect yourself, including:

1. Determining whether you’re injured and checking others for injuries
2. Staying calm and dialing 911 or asking someone nearby to call for emergency assistance
3. Getting medical help if you’re seriously injured or if a passenger is injured
4. Waiting at the scene of the accident for the police, even if the truck driver leaves the scene
5. Taking photos or videos of the crash site, including the road conditions, traffic signs, skid marks, damage to your vehicle and the condition of the truck
6. Getting contact information from the other driver and from witnesses
7. Writing down information about the other vehicle, including make, model, color and license plate number
8. Keeping your comments to police brief and concise
9. Calling the RAM Law trucking accident lawyers for additional instructions

As soon as you can, write down details about the accident while it’s fresh in your mind. Make note of the time of day and whether road conditions were poor. Gather whatever evidence you can as soon as you can. If you wait too long, crucial information and details may be lost.

Even if you or others in your car don’t have visible injuries, go to the hospital or to your own doctor to get a thorough evaluation. Some injuries aren’t apparent right away, and the adrenaline that kicks in when you have an accident may mask pain for the first day or two.

What Shouldn’t I Do after an Accident with a Truck?

Besides those steps you need to take after an accident, there are some things you shouldn’t do. These mistakes can hurt your case.

Your trucking accident attorney advises you not to:

• Admit fault at the scene of the accident or in discussions with the insurance company or the other driver
• Accept any offers of compensation; while it might be tempting to get quick cash, don’t rush into accepting an initial low-ball offer from an insurance company
• Discuss what happened with insurance companies or with trucking companies without first talking to your NJ truck crash lawyer
• Sign medical release forms
• Agree to provide a recorded statement to anyone
• Post anything about your accident on social media, as insurance companies look for evidence that your injuries aren’t as severe as you claimed

Give updates to friends and family privately. Don’t postpone reaching out to an experienced truck accident attorney and don’t make assumptions about what a lawyer can or can’t do for you. Each truck accident has different factors and considerations than others. Let your New Jersey commercial truck accident attorney clarify your rights and provide loyal representation.

When Should I Call a Lawyer after a Truck Accident?

Don’t delay calling an experienced truck accident attorney after an accident with a commercial vehicle.

Reasons to call a truck attorney right away include:

• The details of the accident are still fresh in your mind.
• There’s a statute of limitations for filing a claim, which is two years in New Jersey.
• The sooner your case is filed, the sooner you get the compensation you deserve.

If you miss the deadline for filing a claim, the defendant — the truck driver or trucking company — can file a motion to dismiss your case. To make sure this doesn’t happen, get in touch with an experienced NJ trucking accident attorney right away.

Call RAM Law as soon as you’re able.

Who’s Responsible for a Truck Accident?

Truck drivers are entrusted to handle a vehicle that’s capable of irreparable damage. The driver of the truck is usually at least partly responsible for a truck accident, but there are others that may also be considered partly responsible.

Truck accident liability may include:

• The trucking company. Some truck drivers are independent, self-employed contractors, while others are employees of a trucking company. If the driver works for a trucking company, the company who owns the truck is responsible for keeping their vehicles well-maintained. They’re also responsible for hiring qualified drivers, providing safe working conditions and training, and following federal regulations, such as providing drivers with reasonable working hours.
• The manufacturer of the vehicle. If equipment failure or a product defect causes a wreck, a truck manufacturer or a manufacturer of specific components may be held liable.
• Maintenance providers. A company that’s trusted to provide maintenance to a commercial truck may be partly responsible for a crash if maintenance isn’t done correctly or if vehicles aren’t thoroughly inspected before going out on the road. Brake failure or steering issues make it impossible for even a very skilled driver to avoid a wreck.
• The company that loaded the vehicle. If an outside company handled the loading of the cargo and it wasn’t secured properly or loaded according to regulations, it could cause cargo to come loose from the vehicle or cause the truck to roll over.

In some cases, government entities can be held partially responsible for a truck accident if the roads were poorly designed or not adequately maintained. It takes a truck crash lawyer with extensive knowledge and experience to make such a case.

When Are Drivers Liable for Trucking Accidents?

Truck accidents may be caused by drivers who aren’t paying attention or don’t follow the rules of the road and traffic laws.

Common truck accident causes that lead to New Jersey accidents for which the drivers are responsible include:

• Speeding
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances
• Driving while drowsy
• Aggressive or reckless driving
• Problems with the vehicles, such as lost brakes or a tire blowout
• Unsafe lane changes
• Failure to yield the right of way
• Tailgating

These mistakes are even more serious when made by truck drivers. In fact, the majority of crashes involving commercial trucks are caused by driver error. Driving a big truck requires extensive training and experience, and mistakes often happen because of driver inexperience.

Truck drivers have to deal with challenges that include:

• Handling and maneuvering excessive weight
• Allowing for more stopping distance
• Handling a large vehicle in bad weather, such as snow, rain or ice, common on New Jersey roads

Limits to visibility cause difficulty when driving a truck because of blind spots that prevent a truck driver from seeing a smaller vehicle. Trucks that aren’t well maintained have the potential to cause horrific damage to other vehicles if brakes, transmission or steering fail.

Federal and state regulations try to keep everyone on the road safe, as some require commercial truck drivers to limit the number of hours they’re permitted to be on duty. This is an effort to make sure drivers remain awake and alert. An overworked driver may easily fall asleep at the wheel or become impatient and drive aggressively.

How Do Top Attorneys Investigate Truck Accidents?

To be sure you’re fairly compensated for any accident caused by a truck driver’s negligence, an investigation must be carried out. When you’ve been injured in a truck crash, you have enough to worry about without taking on the legwork needed to gather evidence.

Top truck accident attorneys investigate an accident with a truck by:

• • Gathering medical information. Your NJ head-on truck accident lawyer needs your authorization to access your medical records. These records document your injuries and prove they were caused by the collision. They show how your injuries are impacting your daily life.
  • Reviewing evidence from the accident scene. Your attorney reviews any photos or videos obtained at the scene of the accident. Photos and videos provide important details that may demonstrate the cause of the accident. Additional information about how the accident happened can be gathered by assessing damage patterns to vehicles. Videos may be available from the truck’s dashcam or from surveillance cameras belonging to nearby businesses.
  • Reviewing the police report. The information in a police report strengthens your case. When police officers arrive at the scene of a truck accident, they assess the scene and all the damages. In this report, they include information about witness statements and their contact information.
  • Contacting witnesses. Truck accident attorneys contact witnesses to gain clarity on eyewitness accounts. The more quickly witnesses are contacted, the clearer their memory of what happened.

• Reviewing the truck driver’s records. If the truck driver has a history of previous accidents, it may serve as evidence that the trucking company was negligent by employing unqualified or unsafe drivers.
• Reviewing all applicable laws. Your truck crash attorney reviews all federal and state laws that apply to your case. RAM Law trucking accident lawyers have extensive experience with laws governing New Jersey roads and highways.

Commercial trucks are required to keep records using an on-board black box, which can be one of several devices such as electronic logging devices, event data recorders or electronic control modules. A skilled commercial truck accident attorney knows how to recover and examine this information.

The truck’s black box captures important information, such as:

• Precise GPS location
• Tire pressure
• The speed the driver was traveling and how frequently the driver operated above the speed limit
• Whether the airbag deployed
• Whether or when the brakes were applied
• Whether the driver was wearing a seatbelt
• Whether the driver was communicating with the trucking company

The black box also contains daily and monthly trucking activity. The information provided may help prove that the driver was overworked or negligent. To use this information for your case, you need a NJ truck accident attorney who’s familiar with state and federal regulations on the trucking industry and how to interpret and use the black box information.

While you may want to have your medical bills and other financial losses covered automatically after any accident, that’s not how it works. The compensation you deserve isn’t immediately awarded to you. An experienced NJ truck accident legal team on your side works to expedite your settlement. They’re thoroughly familiar with the truck accident settlement process, including what evidence needs to be gathered and how to present it for you to obtain maximum compensation.

Contact the attorneys at RAM Law.

What Does the Insurance Carrier for the Truck Do?

Insurance claims for accidents caused by a tractor trailer can be complex. Commercial trucking companies have insurance representatives on standby to get to work on an accident as soon as it occurs.

Their insurance carrier:

• Sends an adjuster to analyze the details of the accident
• Reviews the police report
• Determines a settlement amount to offer victims

The adjuster’s role is to make an attempt to get you to agree to settle so that you won’t file a lawsuit. You can be sure that the settlement offered is much lower than you deserve and that they’ll work to persuade you to settle for an amount that isn’t fair compensation. They know that people who’ve been injured in an accident may be facing financial challenges and often are anxious to settle.

When you or a loved one has been injured in an accident through no fault of your own, the last thing you should do is allow yourself to be rushed into accepting a low offer. Don’t accept a settlement while you’re still receiving medical care, since the extent of your medical expenses and the long-term effects the accident has on your life may not yet be clear.

Why Can’t I Just Rely on My Insurance Company?

Since you have faithfully paid your insurance company month after month, it’s natural to think you should be able to rely on them to work with you when it’s time to file a claim. You may have heard their advertising repeating that they’ll be there for you whenever you need them, and you want to believe that.

Your insurance company knows they may end up having to cover your losses in certain situations, such as when:

• The truck driver didn’t have enough insurance to cover your losses
• The driver was uninsured
• The truck driver was self-employed with few assets and didn’t work for a trucking company

Insurance representatives try to avoid paying claims, and they won’t automatically come through to make sure you’re well taken care of. They may deny your initial claim or question the extent of your injuries. It’s wise to be cautious when dealing with insurance companies, including your own. Hire a trusted trucking accident attorney to work just for you.

Can’t I Just Represent Myself?

Some people are distrustful of lawyers. They’re determined to represent themselves in a truck accident case.

But there are aspects to truck accident claims that need the know-how of a skilled NJ attorney, such as:

• How to uncover supporting evidence to strengthen your case and what evidence is the most important
• How to calculate fair compensation
• How to negotiate with insurance companies
• How to present your case if it goes to court

Many laws apply to accidents involving commercial trucks. Without the help of a New Jersey trucking accident lawyer, you would have to be prepared to thoroughly research both federal and state laws to understand which are applicable to your case and how they relate to specific types of truck accidents.

What Are Some Different Types of Truck Accidents?

Driving a big truck requires extensive training and skill because of the potential for the different types of wrecks that may result in catastrophic injury or considerable property damage.

Examples of different types of truck accidents include:

• Head on collisions. A driver who is sleepy or distracted may drift into your lane and hit your vehicle head on. This is a very serious type of collision that requires the experience of a head-on truck accident lawyer.
• Rear-end collisions. Failure of the brakes or the driver to apply the brakes in time can cause a truck to rear end another vehicle.
• Side swipe. If a driver cuts it too close to the lane border, the truck may sideswipe your vehicle.
• Rollovers. A truck may roll over onto its side or its roof if the driver loses control because of speeding or because the cargo wasn’t loaded properly.
• Tire blowout. If a truck tire has a blowout, the driver may lose control of the vehicle, causing a crash. The tire itself may roll away into traffic. Regular preventive maintenance, including tire inspections, may prevent these types of accidents.
• Underride accident. In this type of accident, all or part of a car slides underneath a truck because the underride was defective. These are devastating accidents.
• Runaway truck. A runaway truck is one that speeds down an incline while the driver is unable to stop it or get it under control.
• Jackknife. When a truck jackknifes, the cabin forms a 90-degree angle with the trailer. It’s usually caused by slamming on the brakes. The truck may end up perpendicular in the road or off the road.

There are many ways that trucks can cause an accident with other vehicles. If the driver can’t see adjacent vehicles because of a blind spot, it may cause the truck to force those vehicles off the road. Making a wide turn may trap pedestrians or smaller vehicles. If cargo isn’t secured properly, it can become loose and create a hazard for other drivers, which sometimes leads to multi-car accidents.

Truck accidents happen anytime and anywhere. While many truck-related accidents happen on highways and interstates, many also occur on local roads and even off-road. Each claim for compensation for an accident with a larger vehicle is somewhat different. It makes sense to hire a highly experienced truck attorney who knows what factors can help you with your claim and how to protect your interests against adjusters, investigators and lawyers who try to minimize the injuries and damages you’ve experienced.

Get fair compensation with RAM Law truck accident attorneys.

What Are Some Statistics on Crashes Involving Trucks?

Crashes involving large trucks happen all over the country.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, some statistics involving large truck accidents in 2022 include:

• There were over 151,000 crashes involving large trucks.
• There were 4,744 fatalities caused by these crashes.
• There were 68,887 people injured in accidents with large trucks.

In New Jersey alone, there were over 3,100 crashes involving large trucks in 2022. Close to 2,000 people were injured in these crashes with 31 fatalities.

What Type of Injuries Are Caused by Truck Accidents?

The injuries caused by truck accidents have the potential to be catastrophic. You and any passengers must have a medical evaluation as soon as possible after an accident, since it’s possible you don’t realize at first that you’re hurt.
Common injuries caused by truck accidents include:

• Brain injury and head trauma
• Burns
• Back and neck injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Fractures or broken bones
• Organ damage

Limbs that are crushed in truck accidents may have to be amputated. Traumatic head injuries can lead to lifelong behavior or memory issues. Spinal cord injuries can cause permanent paralysis. Your injuries may require surgery or physical therapy. They may lead to lifelong pain and other symptoms.

You may not recognize the full financial impact of your injuries. A serious injury may cause you to lose the ability to provide for your family, or you may need long-term medical care. Your truck crash attorney who has extensive experience works with medical experts to gain clarity about your injuries and their potential long-term effects.

Why Do I Need a Lawyer That Specializes in Truck Accidents?

When you’re the victim in a minor fender-bender, you may be able to file your own claim to cover your losses or hire an attorney who doesn’t have a great deal of experience. An accident with a commercial truck can be much more complicated. It definitely requires the knowledge of a professional specializing in this type of accident.
Reasons to hire an experienced truck accident lawyer include:

• Trucking companies have teams of lawyers working for them to protect them from paying large settlements even when they were clearly at fault, which means you need knowledgeable support on your side to stand up for your rights.
• There may be multiple parties who are partially responsible for the accident.
• Negotiations with insurance companies can be complex and may require extensive knowledge of federal and state regulations.

You may need an experienced truck attorney even if your accident wasn’t with a semi-truck. Other types of large vehicles that cause trucking accidents include:

• Dump trucks and garbage trucks
• Tow trucks
• Tanker trucks
• Cement trucks
• Commercial buses

No matter what type of truck or bus caused your accident, an attorney that specializes in truck accident claims is the best choice to make sure you obtain reasonable compensation. A truck accident attorney has a thorough knowledge of the process needed for successful personal injury claims involving commercial trucks. Their knowledge and experience mean they know the applicable laws, do the needed research, review the evidence and negotiate with the insurance companies.

Since truck accident claims can be so complex, your case may go to trial. If that happens, a truck accident lawyer knows how to respond to the arguments made by the legal team hired by the trucking company or insurance firm. When you have a New Jersey personal injury attorney who specializes in truck accidents on your side, it gives you peace of mind and allows you to put your energy and focus into recovering from the accident, both physically and mentally.

Contact the best truck accident attorney in NJ at RAM Law.

How Is My Compensation Determined?

Every personal injury case is slightly different. Determining full and fair compensation after a truck accident is complicated. The financial impact of a truck accident goes beyond those you face right away; potential future expenses need to be considered as well.

The total amount of your settlement depends on a combination of factors, including:

• The extent of your injuries
• The impact your injuries have had on your life
• Whether your injuries are permanent

There are different types of truck accident damages that you may be awarded.

The two main types of damages seen in truck accident cases include:

• Economic damages. These are also referred to as special damages. They include financial losses that can be clearly documented, such as medical expenses, physical therapy, lost wages and lost long-term earning capacity.
• Non-economic damages. Truck accidents can lead to damages that are more difficult to calculate. Truck accidents often cause a great deal of emotional distress, pain and suffering. Some victims live with physical pain for the rest of their lives and have a greatly reduced quality of life.

In rare cases, crashes are caused by reckless or willful conduct on the part of the truck driver. An experienced NJ truck accident lawyer may be able to pursue punitive damages in this type of case, which may be awarded if the truck driver’s actions were found to be particularly harmful. There’s no way to predict how long it will take to settle your case. Some cases are settled in a few months while others drag on for years.

What if a Delivery Truck Caused My Accident?

Delivery trucks may not be as large as tractor trailers, but they’re usually bigger than cars and are also capable of causing tremendous harm. Having online purchases delivered has become a way of life for many people, which means delivery trucks spend more time on the road than ever before.
Accidents are caused every day by delivery trucks representing a number of companies such as:

• FedEx
• UPS
• Amazon
• ABF Freight System
• New England Motor Freight

At the same time that online shopping is rising dramatically, the trucking industry has experienced a loss of over 1.5 million workers. Too many deliveries made by too few delivery trucks leads drivers to work long hours with insufficient rest. Fatigue caused by overwork can cause road rage, carelessness or falling asleep at the wheel. Delivery truck accident lawyers have a thorough understanding of New Jersey laws that apply to delivery trucks and other commercial trucks.

Contact the best delivery truck accident lawyers at RAM Law.

What Should I Look for in a New Jersey Truck Accident Lawyer?

There are certainly plenty of choices of attorneys willing to represent victims of vehicle collisions.
Some things you should look for in a New Jersey truck accident lawyer include:

• Trustworthiness and honesty
• Highest recommendations
• Years of experience in the field of truck accidents
• Positive testimonials and online reviews
• A record of past successes in cases similar to yours

The lawyer you choose should be genuinely interested in what happened and empathetic to the difficulties you’ve experienced because of the truck accident. When you go for an initial consultation, look for a legal team that makes you feel comfortable. They should be willing to answer your questions and explain your rights, including how they’ll fight for maximum compensation. Expect all these qualities and more from your team at RAM Law, who’s ready to tackle your case today.

Why Choose RAM Law after a NJ Wreck Involving a Truck?

After an accident with a large truck or bus, your life may be changed forever. Obtain representation from attorneys who are knowledgeable about these complex cases in the state of New Jersey.

The many reasons people recognize RAM Law as the best accident attorneys in the state include:

• A firm that consistently obtains positive results for accident victims
• A legal team that includes attorneys with more than 20 years of experience
• Founding partners who’re all certified as civil trial attorneys, which is a designation held by less than two percent of the attorneys in the State of New Jersey
• Relationships with clients that are based on trust
• Communication that keeps clients well informed throughout the process
• Truck accident lawyers at RAM Law who are thoroughly familiar with complicated regulations at the state and federal level
• A team that can build your case as strongly and as quickly as possible
• Attorneys who have extensive courtroom and negotiation skills

Having an accident with a truck can lead to major devastation. Before settling for less than you deserve, find out whether you have a valid truck accident claim. Many types of lawsuits can be expensive, which sometimes makes people concerned with how much trucking accident lawyers cost and whether anything has to be paid upfront. At RAM Law, knowledgeable truck accident lawyers provide a free case review.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a New Jersey truck accident, contact the team at RAM Law. When you’re looking for effective, results-driven representation provided by skilled and compassionate professionals, there’s no better choice in the area.

Sources / More Information

• Crash Statistics, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Truck Accident Lawyers at Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, L.L.P. Help Injured Clients Recover Compensation

The effects of an accident can linger long after the crash, especially if you suffer serious injuries. If a negligent driver has injured you, work with Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, L.L.P. Our skilled truck accident lawyers will help you put your life back on course. To schedule a free consultation, call us today at 732-247-3600 or complete our online form. Located in New Brunswick, Somerville, and Freehold, New Jersey, we serve clients in Middlesex County, Monmouth County, and Somerset County.