Our New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help

Our compassionate attorneys are committed to serving truck accident victims. According to the NHTSA, 12 percent of all traffic accident fatalities in 2005 involved large trucks. If you have been injured or a family member has been killed in a truck accident, it may be possible to bring a civil action against the responsible trucker and his company. In accidents involving large commercial trucks and passenger vehicles, the occupants of the passenger vehicle are far more likely to be injured than the truck driver is. The size and weight of large trucks can easily result in catastrophic injury or wrongful death to the occupants of a passenger vehicle in an accident.  Truckers also suffer serious injuries in highway accidents, particularly in rollovers which may result from the negligence of shippers in loading the vehicle and failing to secure the load to avoid load shift on curves during the trip. Our attorneys can help if you or a family member has suffered as a result of a truck driver's or shipper's negligence. Contact Locks Law today to schedule a free consultation with one of our New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania truck accident lawyers.

• Common Causes of Truck Accidents
• Potential Trucking Accident Defendants
• Special Considerations

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Though there are a variety of factors that can contribute to a truck accident, many truck accidents are caused by the reckless and negligent actions of the truck driver. Below are some of these common causes.

• The truck driver is lacking necessary qualifications and the required training to operate the vehicle safely.
• The truck driver is exceeding the speed limit in order to meet deadlines or reach his or her destination quickly.
• The truck driver is drinking alcohol or taking other drugs that impair his or her physical and mental abilities.
• The driver is fatigued as a result of driving continuously over extended hours and multiple days to meet deadlines.
• The truck driver or shipper fails to properly secure a heavy load or loads the truck beyond the maximum capacity.
• The operator is driving a tanker truck that has a liquid load less than three quarters the maximum capacity. This can cause the liquid cargo to shift, drastically reducing a driver's ability to control the vehicle.
• The truck driver fails to properly inspect the vehicle before beginning a trip. Of particular importance is making sure the tires are safe, the brakes are properly maintained, and that the load is properly secured in the trailer.
• Limited visibility as a result of the trucking company or driver failing to install blind-spot mirrors.

Other possible causes of truck accidents include:

• Road defects
• Improper loading of the cargo
• Defective equipment

The outcome of a commercial vehicle accident is usually devastating, regardless of who is at fault. With offices in New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, our truck accident lawyers can help resolve your case.

Back to top

Potential Trucking Accident Defendants

Depending on the circumstances of a large truck accident, it may be possible to hold third parties liable for any damages that occurred. If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, the lawyers from Locks Law have the experience and knowledge to help determine liability. Our caring lawyers can help maximize your recovery by seeking restitution from all of the parties responsible for the accident. The more common third party defendants in truck accidents include the following:

• Truck driver
• Trucking company
• Manufacturers, designers, and distributors of defective equipment
• Contractors
• Shippers
• Highway departments

By holding all liable parties accountable for their actions, the truck accident lawyers at Locks Law can help ensure you receive the financial compensation you deserve.

Back to top

Special Considerations

Truck accident lawsuits are unique because truck accidents often involve factors that don't exist in other types of traffic accidents. The truck accident lawyers at Locks Law understand the idiosyncrasies of these types of claims and can apply this knowledge to your case if you or a loved one has been injured.

• Jackknifing - If a truck driver is involved in a traffic accident that involves a jackknifing incident, it may be possible to file a claim as such accidents are often caused by driver error. Jackknifing can pose a significant risk to the safety of other road users and for this reason, truck drivers are trained on how to avoid such an accident. If a truck driver has jackknifed or rolled his or her vehicle, he could be liable for damages.

• Turning Accidents - Large trucks such as 18-wheelers must make very wide right-hand turns. In some instances, this requires them to travel into multiple lanes of traffic, which can jeopardize other drivers. If a truck is lacking proper warning signs alerting drivers of the dangers of wide right turns, or a driver strikes a vehicle in another lane while making a right turn, that negligence may give rise to liability if a crash occurs and injuries result.

• Rollovers - Rollovers create potentially fatal accident scenarios with potential harm to both the driver and other motorists.  These serious crashes may involve excessive speed going into a turn, or the shifting of a load, causing the center of gravity in the trailer to move away from the direction of travel in a curve causing the rear wheel to lift off the ground and then a cascading reaction moving forward until the truck turns completely over.  Early investigation is important in these cases.

• Trucking Regulations - Truck drivers are regulated by state and federal government. If a truck driver is involved in a motor vehicle accident, and it can be shown that he or she was in violation of regulations, the truck driver can be found negligent. The Locks lawyers know to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident to determine if the driver is excessively fatigued, or has been driving in excess of the permitted hours. Finding violations of federal law can significantly increase a victim's ability to obtain financial compensation.

At Locks Law - serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; New York; and New Jersey – our truck accident lawyers have the experience and knowledge needed to tackle the complicated and unique aspects of your truck accident lawsuit. We are committed to helping your family and you obtain the compensation that you are entitled to.

Back to top

Contact Locks Law to Learn More about Truck Accident Claims

To schedule a free consultation and case review with one of our Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; New Jersey; and New York truck accident lawyers, contact one of our law offices today. We can help maximize the compensation you receive and we will accept no payment for our services unless we obtain a successful resolution for you.

Back to top