Tractor Trailer Accident

Tractor trailers are common sights on New Jersey roads. That presence brings more accidents for which you need the services of an experienced NJ tractor trailer accident attorney. When you’re involved in an accident with a tractor trailer, call the tractor trailer wreck lawyers at RAM Law. They know the New Jersey system covering transportation rules and regulations, as well as how to gather information so that you get compensated appropriately.

What Makes Accidents with Tractor Trailers So Dangerous?

Tractor trailers are enormous in size and weight, which requires a longer stopping time. A tractor trailer traveling at 55 miles per hour takes at least 370 feet to bring it to a stop, about the length of a football field. That’s three times longer than it takes an average passenger car to stop.

These vehicles weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. Trying to stop quickly runs the risk of jackknifing or overturning the truck, one of the main causes of T-boning or rear-ending other vehicles. An accident with a tractor trailer can result in severe bodily injury and property damage. Consulting a tractor trailer accident lawyer enables you to get your due compensation.

When you need a tractor trailer lawyer in New Jersey, call the best in the state at RAM Law. Cases can get complicated with truckers on NJ highways, so you need guidance. Contact RAM Law for advice and representation.

What Types of Damages Can I Claim after a Tractor Trailer Accident?

As a victim of an accident, you’re allowed to claim any accident-related expenses. Common damages include the immediate medical care that you need, but your claim doesn’t have to end there.

You may also claim:

• Loss of income due to your inability to work
• Need to repair or replace your damaged automobile
• Reimbursement of personal services that you’re unable to perform, such as cooking, cleaning and basic household chores
• Medical costs, such as emergency room visits, rehabilitation and follow-up visits with your primary care doctors and specialists
• Compensation for pain and suffering

If the accident resulted in death, you or the surviving family are entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Laws governing this process vary from state to state. Your tractor trailer wreck lawyer knows the details of the rules and regulations governing local New Jersey roads and ensures you receive compensation for all applicable damages.

What’s the Difference Between a Car Accident and a Truck Accident Claim?

A collision with a tractor trailer is almost always more disastrous than a wreck between two or more automobiles. The result is often catastrophic, with long-lasting physical and emotional trauma. While all automobile accidents are disruptive, injuries are common in trucking accidents.

The loss can be considerable and may include:

• Severe injury to your neck and spine, resulting in full or partial paralysis and a spinal cord injury
• Lacerations to your face, hands, neck and legs
• Broken, crushed or fractured bones
• Amputation of a limb
• Burns that lead to scarring and disfigurement
• A brain injury, resulting in mental and emotional trauma
• Extreme damage or total loss of personal property

Severe physical and psychological injuries require immediate and long-term medical treatment. Many accidents between passenger vehicles can be settled between the various insurance companies. But an accident of this magnitude in NJ requires legal representation from tractor trailer lawyers at RAM Law.

What Steps Should I Take after a Tractor Trailer Accident?

First take care of your immediate medical emergency needs. Then protect yourself and your rights by calling the police. What you do immediately after a wreck involving a tractor trailer may have a direct impact on establishing legal culpability.

Gather all the necessary information that you’re able, including:

• Police report, which should include names and contact info of all parties
• Names and contact information of all witnesses
• Name and contact information of the driver of the tractor trailer and passengers in that vehicle
• Photos and video of the accident and the surrounding scene
• Report regarding the weather that day
• Insurance and name of the company the driver works for

The laws governing tractor trailers are complicated and vary from state to state. Proper legal representation from a RAM Law tractor trailer accident attorney protects your rights. A firm that specializes in accidents with tractor trailers has access to experienced investigators who can track down any evidence you missed at the time of the crash.

What Are Some Tractor Trailer Accident Statistics?

The number of trucks on the road keeps increasing. Using tractor trailers to move products across the country is on the rise.

Accidents involving big rigs are also on the rise:

• 74 percent of fatalities from motor vehicle accidents involved large commercial trucks.
• By 2030, death by accident involving a tractor trailer will be the fifth largest cause of death in the country.
• Approximately 130,000 people are in collisions with trucks every year.
• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates that 4,000 people are killed in these accidents.
• Most crashes that include fatalities take place at night.

In most accidents, the person causing the wreck is liable. Determining who is responsible for an accident involving a tractor trailer is complicated, because state and federal laws are complex and confusing. But identifying the responsible person or business clears the way legally for accountability.

It may involve:

• The big rig driver, especially if self-employed
• The driver’s employer
• The owner of the vehicle
• A leasing agent
• Third parties, such as the company who loaded or inspected the truck

What’s Considered Evidence of Neglect in Tractor Trailer Accident Cases?

The legal definition of negligence means that the wreck was a result of carelessness or disobeying laws and regulations. The negligent parties can include more than one person or entity. Obtaining evidence is labor intensive, and it takes knowledge of what to look for. But collecting and preserving evidence is how your tractor trailer accident lawyer determines proper compensation.

The three main categories for evidence include the driver, the vehicle and the product or cargo being hauled.

To prevent driver negligence, trucking companies must ensure drivers are:

• Qualified and properly trained to drive a tractor trailer
• Knowledgeable of and adherent to federal and state regulations
• Accurate recordkeepers to record miles and hours driven the day of the accident
• Tested regularly for drugs and alcohol

Truck accident damages often are caused by improperly loaded cargo, product defects and poorly maintained tractor trailer equipment.

Evidence that can help your case when you sue a trucking company includes:

• Cargo not stowed securely
• Weight of cargo above legal limits
• The bill of lading
• Delivery instructions and documentation
• Insufficient records of adequate maintenance
• Data from the vehicle’s communications, such as the GPS system
• Engine and other onboard module systems
• Condition of the tires

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.