NYC Truck Accident Lawyer

The Platta Law Firm is a team of nationally acclaimed New York trial attorneys with over 150 years of experience litigating high-stakes, high-value personal injury cases on behalf of the injured.

Our personalized and powerful legal representation yields millions of dollars in financial awards for our clients every year inside and outside of the courtroom – including two recent million-dollar recoveries for New York truck accident victims. Contact our New York City law office at (212) 514-5100 today to discover how we can make a difference in your life in the wake of a devastating truck accident, too. Your first case evaluation is free.

Why Truck Accident Victims in New York City Trust The Platta Law Firm

Getting into a truck accident can be catastrophic and change the course of your life forever. The consequences – physical, emotional, and financial – can be overwhelming. When the truck accident is the result of a truck driver’s negligence, you’ll have the right to bring a legal claim to help offset the costs and stress of the crash.

However, you can’t trust the trucking company or its insurance carrier with your future. In fact, you should expect any defendants in your case to actively work against your best interests and attempt to stand between you and the compensation you deserve. Hiring an experienced New York personal injury lawyer can make all the difference in the world. The law firm you decide to hire can make or break your fight for compensation. Here’s why truck accident victims and families in NYC consistently choose The Platta Law Firm:

• Our team includes award-winning New York trial attorneys who have been honored by Lawyers of Distinction, Super Lawyers, and the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys.
• We have successfully recovered hundreds of millions in settlement agreements and jury verdicts for our clients.
• Our semi-truck accident attorneys have over 150 years of combined experience taking on trucking services, insurance companies, and other powerful opponents.
• We prioritize providing our clients with approachable, transparent, and personalized legal representation.
• We have over 180 five-star reviews from clients on Google that highlight the considerable benefits of working with our truck accident law firm
• Contingency fee representation means it costs nothing to hire our truck accident attorneys in NYC unless we win your case.

Don’t leave well-deserved compensation on the negotiating table. Don’t allow the trucking service or its insurance company to have the upper hand. Force the results you deserve by hiring our experienced truck accident attorneys in New York City to be your most vocal and passionate advocates.

How Can a New York City Truck Accident Attorney Help Me After a Crash?

Hiring a personal injury attorney in NYC is one of the best things you can do after a truck accident. Not only does it give you time to focus on your recovery, but it also gives you the best shot at winning your case and recovering a substantial monetary award. When you choose The Platta Law Firm, our team of top-rated New York trial attorneys will handle all aspects of your legal dispute for you:

• Investigate: We’ll launch a prompt and thorough investigation into your truck accident so that we can fully appreciate how it happened, how it could have been avoided, and who’s liable for resulting damages.
• Evaluate Evidence: Throughout the discovery process, we’ll gather critical pieces of evidence, including truck black box data, driver logs, vehicle inspection and maintenance records, cell phone records, property damage, photographs of the scene of the crash, accident reports, and your medical records.
• Depose Witnesses: Eyewitnesses to the collision can provide valuable information that can be used to build a compelling legal claim for damages. We’ll locate and depose all parties who can shed light on what happened and help us win your case.
• Hire Experts: We’ll make the most of your truck accident lawsuit by hiring experts in the trucking industry, medical professionals, accident reconstructionists, rehabilitation specialists, and other witnesses to consult and testify on your behalf.
• Calculate Your Damages: Our team will carefully evaluate the ways in which the big rig accident has affected your life and, with the help of experts, determine what your personal injury case is worth. When you’re offered a settlement, you’ll be able to make informed decisions about your future.
• Satisfy Procedural Requirements: Our team will make sure that your truck accident lawsuit complies with procedures established by New York state law, including satisfying applicable statutes of limitations.
• Represent You During Negotiations: Putting our experienced and respected litigators in your corner means forcing the insurance company to make more genuine attempts to settle your truck accident case honestly and fairly.
• Bring Your Truck Accident Lawsuit to Trial: If the trucking company or its insurer won’t stand up and accept responsibility for the wreck, our award-winning litigators in NYC will be more than ready to try your case in front of a compassionate jury of your peers.

We offer a complimentary case evaluation to all prospective clients, so don’t hesitate to contact our law office in New York City to discover how we can help you after your truck accident. Members of our team are standing by to answer your questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How Common Are Commercial Truck Accidents in NY?

While New York’s truck accidents happen in every borough, they’re most common in Brooklyn. In 2023, Brooklyn accounted for 34.71 percent of NYC’s truck accidents. Queens and Manhattan also see quite a few truck accidents annually, with 23.39 and 20.56 percent of the city’s total, respectively. The Bronx accounts for 18.34 percent of all NYC trucking accidents, while Staten Island accounts for about 3 percent of all commercial vehicle collisions.

Experience Representing Clients Who’ve Been Hurt in All Types of Truck Accidents in New York City

Truck accident cases are much more complicated than personal injury claims arising from other types of motor vehicle accidents. Truck accident cases tend to involve more severely injured clients, more complicated matters of liability, and applications of state and federal laws and regulations. Investigations are more complicated and more technical. The stakes are higher and the parties you’ll go up against will be more powerful.

It’s critical to gain every advantage you can as you pursue damages for your truck accident injuries. That starts by turning to The Platta Law Firm for help. Our Manhattan truck accident attorneys in New York City, NY, have extensive experience litigating all types of truck accident cases, including:

• Jackknife accidents
• Underride accidents
• Override accidents
• Wide turn truck accidents
• Bobtail truck accidents
• Box truck accidents
• Garbage truck accidents
• Dump truck accidents
• Tanker truck accidents
• Fuel truck accidents
• Truck rollovers
• Amazon delivery van and truck accidents
• UPS and FedEx truck accidents
• T-Bone truck accidents
• Tire blowouts
• Cargo spill accidents
• Rear-end collisions
• Construction truck accidents
• Frontal crashes

We have the resources needed to conduct exhaustive investigations into your truck accident, know how to find and leverage evidence to move the needle in your favor, and have a comprehensive knowledge of FMDCA trucking regulations and know how they’ll likely affect your case. Benefit from our 150+ years of combined experience and multi-million-dollar track record of success by trusting us with your truck accident case. We’re ready to exhaust every resource at our disposal to help you make the most of it.

Representing clients in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island, Rockland County, Westchester County, and throughout the greater New York City metro area, we’re ready to take your call today.

We’ll Help You Seek Compensation for All of Your Truck Accident Injuries

Considering that fully-loaded commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and span up to 53 feet, they can do quite a lot of damage when they’re involved in car accidents in New York City. It’s often the occupants of smaller vehicles – as well as bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians – who suffer the most serious consequences in these truck accidents. Our personal injury attorneys in NYC represent truck accident victims who suffer wide-ranging injuries, including:

• Broken bones and fractures
• Burn injuries
• Crushing injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Back injuries
• Paralysis injuries
• Nerve damage
• Soft tissue damage
• Brain injuries
• Amputation injuries
• Leg injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Whiplash injuries
• Neck injuries
• Catastrophic injuries
• Wrongful death of a spouse, parent, or child

While truck accident cases involving catastrophic injuries will tend to be worth the most, never underestimate your injuries or the potential value of your truck accident case. Even a moderate truck accident injury can require costly medical treatment and rehabilitation (for weeks, months, or years), limit your ability to work and bring in money to support your family, and alter the quality of your day-to-day life. You deserve ot be compensated for all of this (and more) – especially when someone else is to blame.

The Platta Law Firm will carefully analyze the ways in which your injuries have affected your life and work closely with experts to determine what your truck accident case is worth. Then, we’ll use every tool and resource at our law firm’s disposal to help you leverage a full and fair settlement. If the trucking company won’t settle, our skilled New York litigators won’t hesitate to take your lawsuit to trial to hold them accountable for the full extent of your truck crash injuries.

Understanding How NY State and Federal Trucking Regulations Could Affect Your Personal Injury Case

New York state and federal agencies have passed regulations in an effort to increase the overall safety of trucking operations. Trucking companies are legally required to adhere to these regulations, which affect just about every aspect of trucking operations. When a trucking company – or any of its agents – violates a state or federal trucking law, it can be liable for resulting property damage, injuries, and deaths.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Trucking Regulations

Since trucking is often an interstate operation, it is regulated by the federal government. Specifically, federal trucking regulations are enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an agency within the Department of Transportation (DOT). FMCSA regulations affect everything from driving hiring requirements to vehicle maintenance and inspections to load management. When it comes to truck accidents in Brooklyn and other NYC boroughs, some of the most important federal trucking regulations affect:

• Driver Qualifications: Drivers must have a standard-issue driver’s license and obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) with necessary endorsements before operating a commercial vehicle. CDL requirements are established by the state, and include minimum age, health, and testing requirements.
• Hours of Service: Truck drivers may only spend 14 hours behind the wheel at one time. After 14 hours of service, a driver is legally required to take a 10-hour break before they can resume their trip. Drivers must also take a 30-minute break after spending 8 hours on the road.
• Load and Weight: Overloaded or improperly loaded trucks are a safety hazard, so trucking companies must ensure that their vehicles adhere to applicable load and weight limitations, especially when transporting hazardous materials.
• Vehicle Inspections: In addition to mandatory bi-annual inspections, vehicles must be inspected by a driver before and after each trip. Regular inspections help to limit the potential for unsafe vehicles on the road.

Federal safety regulations apply to all trucking operations in New York. Commercial trucks operating within New York are also bound by regulations established by the state.

Trucking companies are well-versed in these laws and regulations. You’ll need to have someone who’s also well-versed in FMCSA trucking regulations and applicable New York law if you want to win your personal injury case. It’s why truck accident victims in New York turn to The Platta Law Firm for help every day. We bring the knowledge and analytical skills that are needed to take away any advantage these powerful corporations might have otherwise had when defending a truck accident case.

What Are the Leading Causes of Truck Accidents in New York City?

Despite the fact that New York trucking operations are heavily regulated by the state and the FMCSA, accidents involving tractor-trailers, big rigs, semi-trucks, box trucks, and other large commercial trucks are still a common problem. Why? Safety regulations are only effective when they’re followed. It turns out that many of New York’s truck accidents happen because safety and compliance aren’t a priority for powerful trucking companies or their drivers. Costly errors and mistakes cause most of the city’s truck accidents, including:

• Speeding
• Texting and driving
• Other forms of distracted driving
• Drunk driving
• Driving under the influence of a controlled substance
• Driver fatigue
• Unsafe passing
• Illegal turns
• Blind spot errors
• Failing to yield the right of way
• Ignoring traffic signals
• Overloaded trucks
• Cargo load violations
• Improperly secured and/or loaded cargo
• Wide trucks
• Braking errors
• Following too closely
• Vehicle defects and malfunctions
• Road defects and poor infrastructure

Many of these causes can be traced back to negligent hiring (hiring unqualified and/or inexperienced truck drivers), neglecting vehicle inspections and maintenance, unsafe trucking company policies and procedures, and general noncompliance with important traffic rules and safety regulations.

When you’ve been hurt in a New York City truck accident because someone else is careless or negligent, you deserve to be compensated in full. The Platta Law Firm will dig deep to uncover the cause(s) of your truck accident and fight to hold at-fault parties accountable for the full scope of your losses.

Who’s Liable for a New York City Truck Accident?

When someone contributes to a truck accident in New York, they can be liable – or financially responsible – for resulting damages. Depending on the specific circumstances of your crash, several parties could potentially be on the hook for the costs of your medical care, lost wages, distress, and other accident-related damages.

Truck Driver

Truck drivers have a legal obligation to adhere to state and federal trucking regulations, follow New York state traffic laws, and generally drive in a way that doesn’t pose a threat to others on the road. When a truck driver is negligent and breaches the duty of care owed to others, they can be liable for a resulting collision. Truck drivers might be liable if they speed, drive more than is permitted by FMCSA trucking regulations, fail to conduct a pre-or-post trip inspection, or operate a rig while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Trucking Company

Truck companies are ultimately responsible for safe trucking operations. When a trucking company is negligent, they can be held accountable when there’s a crash. For instance, a truck service might be liable for failing to conduct regular truck inspections and maintenance, for hiring unqualified drivers, or for allowing overloaded trucks out on the road. A trucking service may also be vicariously liable for a truck driver’s negligence. Since the truck driver is employed by the company, the company assumes responsibility for the driver’s actions. When the driver makes a mistake, their employer can be on the hook for the consequences, too.

Vehicle and Parts Manufacturer

Companies that manufacture vehicles or vehicle components – like brakes and airbags – can be strictly liable if a defect causes a truck accident. Strict liability means a truck accident victim won’t have to prove that the company was negligent. Rather, the simple fact that the defect existed and caused the truck accident is enough to help the victim recover damages from the manufacturer. Defects that are commonly seen in tractor-trailers affect the brakes, fuel systems, electrical systems, transmissions, and steering wheel mechanisms.

Freight Broker

Freight brokers are companies that coordinate the transportation of goods across the country. The broker connects a trucking service with a company that needs its goods hauled from one location to another. Freight brokers – who are sometimes called truck brokers or third-party logistics companies – assume a duty to support safe trucking operations. Essentially, brokers should hire trucking services that score highly on the FMCSA’s SAFER system, which rates services based on a history of safety violations, inspections, hours of service compliance, and other factors relevant to trucking safety. If a broker coordinates a shipment with a company with a low SAFER score, it can be sued for negligence if there’s an accident.

Third-Party Motorist

Truck drivers aren’t the only ones on the road capable of causing motor vehicle accidents. Other motorists on the road – including drivers of passenger vehicles, bus drivers, and motorcyclists – can also cause wrecks. So, too, can bicyclists and pedestrians under the right circumstances. For instance, let’s say the driver of an SUV cut off a truck in traffic. As a result, the truck had to slam on its brakes, which caused it to jackknife. The jackknife accident is at least partly the SUV driver’s fault. When a third party is at fault, they can be held accountable to the extent that their negligence caused the truck accident.

Government Agency

Government agencies in New York are responsible for designing state roads and conducting regular maintenance. If there’s a problem with the way a road is designed, constructed, or maintained, the government agency that neglected the problem can be liable for related accidents. Defects might include potholes, obstructed or obscured signage, and malfunctioning lights.

What Types of Damages Can I Recover if I Win a Truck Accident Lawsuit?

Economic damages should offset the financial burdens of a truck accident. Economic damages can include money for:

• Hospitalization, medication, surgery, medical devices, and other current medical bills
• Future medical expenses related to rehabilitation, follow-up care, and medical equipment
• Lost wages, earnings, and income
• Temporary and/or permanent disability
• Costs of replacing or repairing damaged property
• The costs of a rental car, traveling for medical care, and other things paid out-of-pocket
• Funeral expenses if a New York truck accident is fatal

Non-economic damages should help to compensate for the consequences of a truck accident that are much more personal and, therefore, harder to value. Types of non-economic damages include:

• Pain and suffering
• Chronic physical pain
• Loss of consortium
• Inconvenience
• PTSD
• Reduced quality of life
• Emotional distress
• Disfigurement
• Physical scarring

The trucking company will challenge your claim for damages at every turn, working hard to downplay your physical injuries and the suffering you’ve experienced since the wreck. Our New York City truck accident attorneys in Queens will not let their tactics jeopardize your fight for compensation. Instead, we’ll concentrate on building a compelling legal claim that proves your losses, clearly establishes liability, and forces the trucking service to negotiate fairly. If you’re offered anything less than what your truck accident lawsuit is worth, our law firm won’t hesitate to bring your dispute to trial.

NYC Truck Accident FAQ

It’s common to have questions after you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident in New York City. The Platta Law Firm has the answers you need to make informed decisions about your related personal injury claim for damages.

How Do I Win a Truck Accident Lawsuit?

While some truck accident lawsuits might be based on strict liability, most involve the tort of negligence. The plaintiff (injury victims) has the burden of proving that they were injured or experienced the wrongful death of a loved one because the defendant (the truck driver, trucking company, or another liable party) was careless. More specifically, a successful negligence action will involve proving the following elements:

• Duty: The defendant had a duty to act reasonably to protect you from foreseeable harm (e.g., adhere to FMCSA safety regulations).
• Breach: The defendant breached this duty by engaging in behavior that was unsafe (e.g., the truck driver spent 16 hours behind the wheel, a clear violation of FMCSA hours of service limitations, and they fell asleep).
• Causation: The defendant’s unsafe behavior caused a truck accident in which you were injured (e.g., the driver struck your car after running a red light because they were asleep).
• Damages: You’ve experienced damages, such as medical bills or a loss of income, because of the truck accident.

New York law requires you to prove your negligence claim by a preponderance of the evidence. Your claims against the truck driver or trucking company must be more likely true than not. You’ll need compelling evidence to carry the burden of proof. In most truck accident cases, helpful evidence can include data from the truck’s electronic onboard recording device (black box), photographs of the wreckage and scene of the collision, driver cell phone records, accident reports, witness statements, trucking service hiring and training requirements, and vehicle inspection logs.

Don’t stress out about how to prove that a truck company was negligent. Our NYC truck accident lawyers have over 150 years of combined experience navigating complex negligence actions. Count on us to invest our considerable resources and experience into your pursuit of compensation.

What Evidence Is Most Helpful in a Truck Accident Lawsuit?

You’ll need strong evidence to win a truck accident case and force the trucking company to pay for your crash-related injuries. At The Platta Law Firm, we work hard to preserve and collect multiple types of evidence that can be used to determine causation, establish liability, and support our valuation for a truck accident case. While it varies from case to case, some of the most important evidence in truck accident lawsuits includes:

• Truck driver logs and reports
• Freight manifests
• Truck black box data (EDR recordings)
• Dash cam footage
• Surveillance video from red light cameras, local New York City businesses, and residential homes
• Drug and alcohol test results
• The truck driver’s traffic record and employment history
• Truck inspection and maintenance reports
• Trucking company hiring, training, and communication policies
• Proof of potential violations of New York state law and/or FMCSA truck regulations
• Photographs of the scene of the truck accident, damage to vehicles and other property, and victims’ injuries
• Accident reconstruction reports
• Forensic reports
• Testimony from expert witnesses
• Eyewitness testimony
• Police and accident reports
• Driver cell phone records

We’ll obtain key evidence during our thorough investigation at the scene, through depositions of interested parties, with subpoenas, and throughout the discovery process. We’ll use the evidence to help craft a powerful legal claim that forces the trucking service (and other parties involved in the case) to take responsibility for the semi-truck accident and make you whole.

Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Blamed for a Truck Accident?

Yes, as long as you’re not entirely to blame. New York operates under a system of pure comparative negligence. As a result, shared fault limits a victim’s ability to recover compensation from other parties. If you’re assigned any blame for your truck accident in NYC, any financial awards obtained through a settlement or jury verdict will be reduced proportionately to fault.

For instance, let’s say you were injured when a truck made an unsafe wide right turn at a New York City intersection. The estimated value of your related personal injury case is $500,000. However, an investigation reveals that you were distracted at the time of the collision and could have avoided the crash if you had been paying better attention. As a result, you’re assigned 50 percent of the blame for the collision. Now, your maximum financial recovery is limited to $250,000, or half of the value of your damages.

It’s important to be ready to defend yourself against claims of shared fault. The more fault you share, the less you’ll be able to recover from a liable third party. If you don’t fight back, you could watch valuable compensation slip away. Our 18-wheeler accident lawyers in New York anticipate attempts to shift liability and devise strategies to stop them in their tracks. You can count on us to do everything in our power to not only help you win your case but also recover every cent you deserve.

How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit?

The statute of limitations for New York truck accident cases is generally three years from the date of injury. A two-year statute of limitations applies in matters of wrongful death after a fatal big rig crash. You must file your legal claim within the applicable timeframe. If the filing deadline passes before you’ve taken action, you will lose the right to demand financial justice from a negligent trucker, a trucking company, or another responsible party.

When Should I Hire a Commercial Truck Accident Lawyer?

As soon as you can after an accident with a big rig. Not only do you risk losing the right to seek damages if you wait too long to take action, but the strength of your claim will wane over time. If you hesitate to bring a claim, you’ll be giving the trucking company control over the situation. They’ll conduct an investigation, have the opportunity to manipulate or get rid of evidence, and have the time to devise a strategy to fight you at every turn.

When you hire a New York truck accident attorney right away, you put yourself in the driver’s seat. When you hire The Platta Law Firm, we’ll jumpstart your case by conducting a prompt and thorough investigation. We won’t let the defense call the shots or dictate your future.

How Much Does a New York Truck Accident Attorney Cost?

Between medical bills, lost wages during your recovery, and vehicle repairs, truck accidents can be costly. Asking for help shouldn’t add to the unbelievable financial stress you’re under. At The Platta Law Firm, we are so confident in our ability to make a difference in your life that we’re willing to stake our fees on the results of your case. Our contingency fee representation means it costs nothing to hire our truck accident attorneys in NYC unless we win your case.

There are no out-of-pocket costs. Instead, our law firm recovers a percentage of your financial settlement or jury award.

What Happens if a Big Rig Accident in New York Is Fatal?

Not everyone who is involved in a New York City truck accident survives. Every year, hundreds of families grieve the tragic and unexpected deaths of family members after fatal big rig crashes. In these situations, the right to file a lawsuit sometimes shifts to the victims’ personal estate. The personal representative can file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover compensation from a negligent or otherwise liable party. Compensation can include money for:

• Lost financial support
• Medical expenses paid prior to the victim’s death
• Reduced inheritance
• Lost household services
• Funeral expenses

If the truck accident victim survived for any period of time after the wreck, the lawsuit could also seek compensation for the victim’s conscious pain and suffering prior to their death. Any damages awarded in a wrongful death lawsuit are awarded to the victim’s surviving family members, including the spouse, child(ren), and/or parent(s).

What if I’m Injured in a Truck Accident at Work?

If you’re injured while driving a truck in New York City, either while hauling freight or navigating a construction site, you may have the right to seek workers’ compensation insurance benefits from your employer. This is true as long as you’re classified as an employee, your employer has coverage, and your truck accident is work-related.

Workers’ compensation can be a lifeline as you get your life on track, but it won’t cover the full extent of your crash-related damages. It can be important to explore other avenues for recovering compensation, including a civil truck accident lawsuit against a negligent or otherwise liable party.

Experienced New York Truck Accident Lawyers Here to Fight for Your Best Interests

Truck accidents can be avoided. If you’ve been in an accident with an 18-wheeler in NYC because the driver or another party was careless, you deserve to be compensated. The Platta Law Firm can help you fight for justice. Our New York truck accident lawyers are award-winning litigators with over 150 years of combined experience. The unwavering support of our client’s rights has helped us win hundreds of millions on their behalf.

Now, we’re ready to do everything in our personal injury law firm’s power to make things right for you, too. Call our New York City, NY, law office at (212) 514-5100 to discuss the details of your truck accident case with our team. Your initial case evaluation is absolutely free.