Queens Truck Accident Attorney

Clients benefit from unrivaled legal representation that levels the playing field against powerful trucking companies and yields top results. We’ve secured hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts. Today, we’re here to fight to get you the best results in your truck accident case. Get started by calling our NYC law office to arrange a free consultation.

The Platta Law Firm Can Help You Maximize Your Recovery After a Big Rig Accident in Queens, NY

Truck accidents aren’t like other types of motor vehicle collisions. Complex state and federal laws apply. Drivers and trucking companies are subject to strict safety regulations. Determining causation and liability often requires time-consuming and costly investigations.

When you’re in an accident with a tractor-trailer, the trucking service and its insurance company will have the resources and manpower to handle these issues. You can, too, by turning to our Queens personal injury lawyers for help.

When you trust The Platta Law Firm, you’ll get a team of top-rated litigators fighting for you every step of the way. Our dedication to our clients and top-tier results have earned us some of the most prestigious awards in the legal community, including Super Lawyers, Lawyers of Distinction, and Best of the Best Attorneys. You’ll get the time you need to concentrate on your recovery while our team handles everything else. We will:

• Offer advice and guidance as we navigate the claims process.
• Prepare and submit all legal claims and supporting documentation on your behalf.
• Carefully investigate your truck accident with the help of accident reconstructionists, trucking industry professionals, forensic specialists, and other expert witnesses.
• Gather truck dashcam footage, black box data, inspection and maintenance reports, company hiring and training policies, property damage, and other evidence.
• Locate and interview witnesses and parties with relevant information about your case.
• Fight to secure a settlement that accurately represents what your truck accident case is worth.
• Represent you at trial if the trucking company or its insurer refuses to negotiate fairly.

Your life can change forever when you’re injured in a Queens truck accident. Now is the time to make things right. Our truck accident attorneys in Queens are here to help you every step of the way. Call our New York City law office to learn more and set up a time to sit down with our team to talk about your case. We’re available to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Decades of Experience Handling All Types of Truck Accident Cases in Queens

Every truck accident is different and requires an in-depth understanding of the laws, physics, and regulations that apply to each individual situation. At The Platta Law Firm, our personal injury attorneys in Queens have spent decades advocating for clients in truck accident cases involving:

• Rollovers
• Underride and override truck accidents
• Sideswipes
• T-Bone truck accidents
• Jackknife accidents
• Lost load truck accidents
• Cargo shift truck accidents
• Blind spot truck accidents
• Braking error truck accidents
• Bobtail truck accidents
• Squeeze-play truck accidents
• Head-on collisions
• Fatal truck accidents

Our experience can make a world of difference as you take on a powerful trucking company and fight for the financial accountability you deserve. Call our law office in NYC to set up a time to discuss the specific details of your truck accident case today.

Are Commercial Truck Accidents Common in Queens?

According to crash stats published by the New York Police Department (NYPD), thousands of accidents involving large commercial vehicles are reported citywide every year. In 2021, the Big Apple saw a total of 4,991 car accidents involving large trucks. Queens ranked second among the boroughs for truck accidents that year, with a total of 1,209 collisions – accounting for 24 percent of the city’s total.

Statistically speaking, there are about 3.3 commercial truck accidents in Queens every day.

Who’s Liable For an 18-Wheeler Accident in Queens?

Anyone who contributes to a truck accident in Queens, New York can potentially share responsibility for the resulting damages.

Truck Driver

Truck drivers have a legal obligation to follow posted traffic laws, obey state and federal trucking regulations, and drive carefully to reduce the risk of accidents. When a truck driver ignores the law, engages in dangerous behavior behind the wheel, or gets distracted, they can be considered negligent and responsible for resulting accidents.

Trucking Company

Trucking companies have a responsibility to put safe fleets of vehicles on the road, hire and manage safe drivers, and oversee trucking practices. When a trucking company violates regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), hires unsafe drivers and/or fails to provide appropriate training and oversight, or fails to pull faulty vehicles from service, it can be liable if there’s an accident.

Many trucking companies can also be vicariously liable for a driver’s negligence. This is true in situations where drivers are classified as employees, rather than independent contractors.

Freight Brokers

Freight brokers help to connect trucking services with companies that need goods transported across the state or country. Courts have held that freight brokers can be liable for accidents when their negligence or wrongful actions create safety issues and contribute to a wreck.

Truck Manufacturer

Sometimes truck accidents happen because the vehicles themselves – or components thereof – are defective. In these situations, the company responsible for designing, manufacturing, and/or selling the rig could be liable for resulting accidents.

Third-Party Motorist

Truck drivers (and parties involved in the trucking industries) aren’t the only ones who can share responsibility for a big rig accident. If a third-party motorist – including the driver of a passenger car, a motorcyclist, or a bus driver – is negligent and contributes to an accident, they can be responsible for consequential damages.

What Are the Leading Causes of Queens, NY Commercial Trucking Accidents?

Some of the most commonly reported causes of accidents with tractor-trailers and other large commercial vehicles in Queens include:

• Violating FMCSA Hour of Service regulations
• Fatigued driving
• Distracted driving
• Driving under the influence
• Speeding
• Wide turns
• Unsafe passing
• Merging errors
• Braking errors
• Driver inexperience
• Failing to perform mandated pre-and-post-trip inspections
• Negligent truck maintenance
• Negligent hiring
• Vehicle defects and/or malfunction
• Road defects

Our truck accident lawyers in Queens will dig deep into the details of your case and work to uncover precisely why and how the crash happened. Once we understand the reason(s) for the crash, we can begin to construct a solid legal claim that helps you leverage a meaningful financial recovery from those responsible.

What Types of Compensation Can I Get If I’m Injured in a Queens Truck Accident?

As a truck accident victim in Queens, you can file a legal claim or lawsuit to recover compensatory damages from a liable party and/or insurance carrier. In New York, compensatory damages include money for financial losses (economic awards) and harder-to-value trauma (non-economic awards), including:

• Pain and suffering
• Chronic physical pain
• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Rehabilitation
• Property damage
• Reduced quality of life
• Nursing assistance
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Disfigurement
• Loss of consortium
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

In some situations, punitive damages can also be awarded. However, there must be compelling evidence to demonstrate the defendant engaged in behavior that was intentionally harmful or grossly negligent.

Can I Still Get a Settlement If I’m Blamed For a New York Truck Accident?

Yes, however, your financial recovery will be limited by your contribution to the truck accident. New York follows a system of pure comparative negligence. Damages are reduced proportionately to fault, up to 99 percent. The more you contribute to a truck accident, the less money you’ll ultimately be entitled to receive when your insurance claim or lawsuit is resolved.

For instance, let’s say you’re assigned 15 percent responsibility for a recent truck accident in Queens. Your financial recovery will be reduced by 15 percent, as a result. Don’t be surprised if the defendant in your case (or their insurance company) tries to blame you for the truck accident. The less liability they’re assigned, the less they’ll have to pay for your resulting injuries and trauma.

Our Queens car accident attorneys will be your biggest champions and fight to prevent these tactics from working. We’ll fight tirelessly to limit the liability that’s assigned to you so that you can walk away with the monetary settlement or jury award you deserve.

Truck Accident Injuries Can Be Catastrophic

Trucks are considerably larger than other vehicles on the road. They’re heavier, longer, and much more difficult to navigate (and stop on a dime). When a large tractor-trailer is involved in a traffic accident, it can be catastrophic. All too often, it’s the occupants of smaller vehicles that tend to suffer the worst of the consequences. Some of the most commonly reported truck accident injuries in Queens include:

• Concussion
• Brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Back injury
• Spinal fracture
• Paralysis
• Broken bones
• Nerve damage
• Amputation
• Burn injury
• Vision or hearing loss
• Catastrophic injury
• Soft tissue damage
• Joint injury
• Wrongful death

Report your truck accident to the local police department in Queens immediately, then seek emergency medical treatment at the closest hospital. These simple steps can help to reduce the risk of complications and set you up for a successful legal claim in the future.

What’s the Deadline For Filing a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Queens, New York?

It depends on the outcome of the crash. Pursuant to New York law, the statute of limitations for truck accident cases is:

• Three years for cases resulting in personal injury, and
• Two years for cases resulting in wrongful death.

There may be limited exceptions to the statute of limitations, but they’re rare. If you don’t take action before the applicable time limit runs out, you will lose the opportunity to bring a lawsuit and demand the compensation you deserve.

Locations in Queens to Remember After
A Truck Accident

As one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the entire country, Queens is host to thousands of trucks passing through its streets each day. If you don’t see trucks moving, they are probably at one of the few NYC parking spots that Queens has to offer, such as:

• Truck Stop, 1833 43rd St, Queens, NY 11105
• JFK Travel Plaza, 150th Avenue &, 147th St, Jamaica, NY 11430
• John’s 5326 Service, 5326 Van Dam St, Long Island City, NY 11101

If you file a truck accident personal injury lawsuit in Queens after retaining us, our attorneys will be working on your behalf at Queens County Court. Furthermore, depending on your injuries and the location of your accident, you may have already been to or might be visiting one of Queens major health centers, including:

• Mount Sinai Queens
• Flushing Hospital Medical Center
• New York – Presbyterian Queens

Call Our Experienced Queens Truck Accident Lawyers For Help Today

Did you recently suffer injuries or experience the tragic death of a family member in a truck accident in Queens, New York? Don’t hesitate to reach out to the award-winning legal team at The Platta Law Firm.

Our Queens truck accident lawyers have over 150 years of collective experience navigating complex legal claims like yours. Our passion and results speak volumes, with hundreds of millions recovered. We offer a free consultation, so contact our New York City, NY law office to schedule a time for yours today.

Queens Neighborhoods We Serve

Northwestern Queens

Astoria, Astoria Heights, Ditmars Steinway, Little Egypt, Jackson Heights, Long Island City, Blissville, Hunters Point, Dutch Kills, Queensbridge, Ravenswood, Sunnyside, and Sunnyside Gardens.

Southwestern Queens

The Hole, Howard Beach, Hamilton Beach, Lindenwood, Old Howard Beach, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, and Woodhaven.

Central Queens

Briarwood, Corona, LeFrak City, North Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Forest Hills Gardens, Fresh Pond, Glendale, Jackson Heights, Kew Gardens, Maspeth, Middle Village, Rego Park, Ridgewood, and Woodside.

Northeastern Queens

Bayside, Bayside Hills, Fort Totten, Oakland Gardens, Bellerose, College Point, Douglaston, Little Neck, Flushing, Auburndale, Broadway-Flushing, Chinatown, Downtown Flushing, Kew Gardens Hills, Koreatown, Linden Hill, Murray Hill, Willets Point, Pomonok, Floral Park, Fresh Meadows, Hillcrest, Utopia, Glen Oaks, Whitestone, Beechhurst, Clearview, and Malba.

Southeastern Queens

Bellaire, Brookville, Cambria Heights, Hollis, Hollis Hills, Holliswood, Jamaica, Jamaica Estates, Jamaica Hills, South Jamaica, Rochdale Village, St. Albans, Laurelton, Meadowmere, Queens Village, Rosedale, and Springfield Gardens.

The Rockaways

Arverne, Bayswater, Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Hammels, Neponsit, Rockaway Beach, Rockaway Park, and Roxbury.