Tow Truck Accident

When you have a highly experienced tow truck accident attorney on your side, you have a much better chance of obtaining the maximum amount in a tow truck accident settlement. An attorney specializing in truck accidents at RAM Law in New Jersey successfully negotiates with insurance companies and fights for your rights if the case ends up in court. Call your tow truck accident lawyer as soon as possible following a tow truck accident.

What Should I Do if I Get Injured in an Accident with a Tow Truck?

A tow truck accident lawyer is one of the first people you should call after getting medical attention when you get into an accident in New Jersey with a tow truck. An experienced attorney gives you a fighting chance for fair compensation from the tow truck accident settlement process. Tow trucks are an essential way to transport disabled vehicles from one location to another. These trucks may be as big as other large commercial trucks, including:

• 18-wheelers
• Dump trucks
• Flatbed trucks
• Delivery trucks
• Tractor trailers
• Fire trucks
• Cement trucks

All trucks have the potential to cause devastating injuries to other drivers in a collision. Because of that potential, tow truck drivers receive specialized training and are expected to drive safely and responsibly at all times. The injuries caused by tow truck accidents can prove to be fatal. If you or a loved one was injured in a NJ tow truck accident through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation. As soon as possible after your accident, contact the legal team at RAM Law to schedule a consultation with a top-notch tow truck accident lawyer.

What Makes Tow Trucks Dangerous to Other Vehicles?

Commercial trucks like tow trucks are almost always larger and heavier than other vehicles. Cars that are involved in a collision with a tow truck are likely to sustain much more damage than the truck because of the size and weight difference. Other factors that make tow trucks dangerous to other vehicles include:

• Blind spots. Tow trucks and other large vehicles, such as semi-trucks and box trucks, often have blind spots. When a nearby car is in the truck’s blind spot, the driver can’t see it there. Visibility’s limited even more when the tow truck is towing another vehicle.
• Improperly secured vehicles. Tow truck drivers must be extremely careful to properly secure the towed vehicle. If the cable breaks or if a disabled vehicle isn’t secured correctly, the towed vehicle can drop onto the road and hit another vehicle with horrifying consequences.
• Difficulty stopping. Tow trucks are heavy trucks that require more time to stop than smaller vehicles. If there’s a sudden hazard in the road, the driver may be unable to stop quickly enough, particularly if the driver is inexperienced.

When a tow truck is leading another vehicle, the driver may have to make wide turns. On narrow local roads, there may not be enough room for a tow truck to swerve into the other lane to successfully navigate a turn, which endangers all other vehicles in the road.

What Causes Truck Accidents?

There are many possible causes of tow truck accidents. Common causes of accidents with trucks include:

• Speeding
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances
• Drowsy driving
• Reckless driving
• Poor road conditions
• Inclement weather, causing reduced visibility or the roads to become slippery

Drivers of tow trucks are expected to keep their vehicles well-maintained. Failure to do so can lead to problems such as rolling tires, bad brakes or transmission problems. Any of these problems may cause an accident. In some cases, defective parts used to maintain a truck cause the truck to malfunction.

What Are the Common Injuries Sustained after a Tow Truck Accident?

Serious injuries often occur whenever drivers of cars or SUVs are involved in an accident with a larger vehicle like a tow truck. The most common types of injuries sustained after a tow truck accident include:

• Whiplash
• Fractures
• Head trauma or brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries that can lead to paralysis
• Internal organ damage and soft tissue injuries

Injuries from an accident cause mild to severe pain that you can treat with prescription pain medication or muscle relaxers. Some injuries may require extensive rehabilitation, such as physical therapy, orthopedic devices, massage therapy or ice and heat therapy. You may need occupational therapy to adjust to a permanent injury. Rely on a tow truck accident lawyer to represent you while you heal.

What Steps Should I Take after a Tow Truck Accident?

When you’re in a collision with a tow truck, you may feel shocked and overwhelmed. But there are some important steps to take after being involved in this type of accident, including:

• Call the police to the scene. The information in the police report can help your personal injury case.
• Check for injuries with everyone in your vehicle and get medical help right away. Not all injuries are apparent immediately, so even if you think you’re not hurt, see your doctor or go to an urgent care clinic as soon as possible.
• Ask for contact information from witnesses if your injuries aren’t severe.
• Take pictures or videos of the scene that shows road conditions, weather conditions, skid marks and damage to the vehicles.

Avoid talking to the other driver’s insurance company and don’t sign anything giving them access to your medical records. Truck accident settlement claims involving commercial vehicles such as tow trucks are more complex than an accident with another car, so get in touch with a tow truck accident attorney at RAM Law as soon as you can.

What Are the Different Types of Tow Trucks?

There are several different types of tow trucks, each of which are designed for a particular purpose. An incident involving any one of these types of trucks causes lots of damage. The types of tow trucks you commonly see on New Jersey roads include:

• Hook and chain. These trucks pull a vehicle behind the truck using a hook-and-chain mechanism.
• Wheel-lift truck. This type of tow truck uses a metal yoke to pull a vehicle behind the truck rather than a hook and chain.
• Flatbed truck. These large trucks carry a vehicle on top of a flatbed.
• Integrated tow trucks. These heavy duty trucks are designed to tow large vehicles such as big rigs and commercial buses.

Each of these types of tow trucks presents its own unique hazards. While some tow trucks are smaller than others, all tow trucks have the potential of causing severe injuries and damage to smaller vehicles.

Why Do I Need a Tow Truck Accident Attorney?

Many people think there’s no need to hire a personal injury attorney. That may be true if you were merely involved in a fender bender. An accident with a tow truck or any commercial vehicle usually is much more complicated, however, especially since liability for the accident may not be limited to the driver. Several different parties may be responsible for an accident, including:

• The trucking company. Some drivers of tow trucks are self-employed, but if a tow truck driver works for one of the trucking companies, the trucking company could be partially responsible for the accident. Some factors that indicate trucking company negligence and liability include employing untrained or unqualified drivers or disregarding laws limiting the number of hours drivers work without rest.
• Maintenance company. If the maintenance of a tow truck is outsourced to another company, that maintenance company may be liable if they failed to perform preventative maintenance, thoroughly inspect a vehicle for worn-down or malfunctioning components, or repair the vehicle correctly.
• Manufacturer. The manufacturer of the tow truck or individual parts could be considered partly liable if a wreck is caused by a defective component of the truck. Your attorney can file a product liability claim if a faulty part caused the accident.

Your RAM Law tow truck accident attorney has the skills and experience needed to do a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident. The attorney identifies all the parties that may be partially responsible for injuries caused by the tow truck and understands what evidence is needed to prove liability. Your lawyer reviews evidence from the accident scene, the police report and witness statements. Your NJ personal injury lawyer reviews all state and federal laws that are applicable to your accident, which is difficult for you to try to do on your own.

What Are the Insurance Limits for Tow Truck Companies?

Tow truck companies and individual owners of tow trucks are responsible for having an insurance policy with sufficient coverage. A tow truck’s insurance policy needs to cover:

• The tow truck itself
• The driver
• Injuries to others
• Property damage

A tow truck company that’s engaged in interstate commerce is subject to a minimum policy of $750,000. Small tow truck companies may have as little as $250,000 in coverage. If an insurance policy seems to be too small, your truck accident attorney aggressively pursues other avenues of compensation, such as the trucking company itself or individual truck drivers.

Insurance companies go out of their way to avoid paying claims or to reduce the amount of money that they pay on a claim. Navigating insurance negotiations can be challenging for anyone who doesn’t have the knowledge or experience needed to recognize compensation that’s inadequate. That’s why you need a RAM Law tow truck accident lawyer.

How Much Money Can I Get in a Tow Truck Accident Settlement?

The amount of money you can get in your tow truck accident settlement is calculated based on a combination of several factors, including:

• How severe your injuries are and whether they’re permanent
• The extent of the medical treatment you need and whether it’s ongoing
• How much evidence is available to prove liability

An experienced tow truck accident lawyer works on obtaining both economic and non-economic truck accident damages, such as:

• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Past and future medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Reduced quality of life

When You Are Injured, Our Truck Accident Lawyers at Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, L.L.P. Will Help

An accident can be life-changing and saddle you with mounting medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. Our seasoned truck accident lawyers at Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, L.L.P. can help. Call 732-247-3600 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We are located in New Brunswick, Somerville, and Freehold, New Jersey, and we serve clients in Middlesex County, Monmouth County, and Somerset County.