Denis Davydov
New York Truck Accident Lawyer
Without the trucking industry, we would have no commerce. Our country runs on the back of the trucking industry with over 70 percent of our resources being moved across the country by truck. But accidents involving bigger vehicles mean more dangerous wrecks, more severe injuries, and more fatalities. Each year in the United States, truck accidents account for 5,000 deaths and over 130,000 injuries on our roadways, 35 percent of these considered catastrophic in nature.
Truckers and the companies that employ them often push hauling schedules beyond reasonable limits. This means that truckers are more likely to drive drowsy, drive while impaired, haul heavier loads, and often don’t take the downtime to maintain their rigs properly. This puts everyone’s lives in peril.
Top Truck Accident Lawyers At The Law Offices of Denis Davydov Are Here to Help
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a truck, it’s essential to get the legal advice of an experienced New York City truck accident law firm to represent your legal rights. The experienced truck accident injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Denis Davydov have dedicated their careers to the representation of the victim and their families. For a free consultation with a highly rated truck accident lawyer, call us today: (718) 332-5919.
My car was hit by a truck and I spend almost a month in a hospital. Dennis was very kind and patient, and told me exactly how the case would proceed. He was very honest, and gave me all the information I asked for. He told me that big cases often take a while but I always knew what was happening and I could always reach out to him. They even called me sometimes to ask how I was feeling! Anyway, I'm better now but still have some headaches and backpain. They are great lawyers, and I'm happy with the result.
Who Is to Blame in a Truck Accident in New York?
Truck accidents can be extremely complicated, with many points of possible blame. Whether you go up against a large commercial enterprise, a smaller trucking company, an owner/operator, or a municipality, establishing negligence is key to your tractor-trailer injury claim. But that is where it becomes complex. Who is at fault? Is it
- The driver of the truck?
- The company that owns the truck?
- The company that leased the truck?
- The company that contracted the haul?
- The truck manufacturer?
- The truck mechanic?
In some cases, there are multiple parties at fault, for example, a driver who caused the crash because the company that hired him or her and failed to train them properly.
Trucking companies carry large insurance policies as required by trucking regulations. But these insurance companies are very adept at not paying fair settlements to injured victims after an accident. At The Law Offices of Denis Davydov, our talented semi-truck accident lawyers have the experience you will need when going up against a commercial venture and their insurance company to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve after an accident. Call to speak with a truck accident attorney today: (718) 332-5919.
What Kind of Truck Accident Cases Does Our Law Firm Represent?
Commercial trucks come in many sizes, with many uses, each posing their unique dangers in an accident. Our New York personal injury law firm represents victims of truck accidents, including:
- Dump truck, sweeper trucks, and garbage truck accidents -- These types of heavy work vehicles can pose extreme hazards to local drivers and pedestrians because they navigate residential areas. Their loads can be top-heavy and unpredictable, sometimes causing spills and falling or flying debris.
- 18-wheeler, tractor-trailer, or semi-truck accidents -- These trucks that haul cargo have a high center of gravity which can make them prone to rollover accidents. They also have a multitude of blind spots. Coupled with the fact that drivers of these big rigs are actively behind the wheel for very long periods of time, any accident involving one of these large trucks can result in disaster.
- Fuel and tanker truck accidents -- Due to their size and shape, these trucks are particularly prone to rollover accidents. Because they haul hazardous and flammable liquids and gases, they can be extremely dangerous in an accident.
- Flatbed truck accidents -- Because of their long open trailers, cargo can become dislodged due to improper securing and distributing with the potential of hitting other vehicles or causing an accident from falling cargo.
- Tow truck accidents -- These are usually run by small private companies that often employ drivers who are inadequately trained. Tow trucks account for the majority of today’s truck accidents.
Garbage Truck Accident Lawyers In New York
Garbage trucks are particularly dangerous in New York City because they maneuver crowded streets in confined areas, sharing the road with many other vehicles as well as pedestrians. Residential waste removal is managed by the city but commercial waste removal is managed by a hodgepodge of private waste enterprises.
As a result, many pedestrians and other drivers and passengers are injured each year in New York City as a result of our garbage trucks and waste management system, with private haulers particularly at fault for the majority of these accidents. In November of 2018, the city comptroller’s office published a startling analysis of the city’s waste management system, focusing on these private companies. Their findings were that:
- Commercial garbage trucks are older, with nearly 50 percent of trucks 10 years old and another 9 percent at least 20 years old.
- Among the private waste haulers, two-thirds of them were cited with inspection violations.
- Many private haulers have been fined for traffic violations, with 27 percent receiving red-light violations and 14 percent receiving school speed zone violations since 2007.
- Over the previous two years, the top 20 licensed private waste haulers reported 73 serious crashes, including five fatalities.
How Is a Truck Accident Different From a Car Accident?
Big rigs and tractor-trailers account for only 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States and yet they account for approximately 25 percent of all fatalities on the road.
When you consider the size and weight of these vehicles, it’s no wonder that accidents involving these large trucks are far more destructive. When one of these vehicles weighing in excess of 80,000 hits the average passenger vehicle at approximately 5,000 points, accidents and injuries are often catastrophic.
- The impact from a semi-truck can result in substantial injuries that can affect a victim for months, years, or even for the rest of his or her life.
- The larger the accident and the more catastrophic the injuries, the greater the medical costs and other losses.
- Accidents involving these large vehicles will result in far more property damages.
- Accidents involving large commercial trucks result in more fatalities. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that 3,000 to 5,000 fatalities occur each year as a result of a commercial tractor trailer accident.
- Accidents involving large semis and big rigs are often complicated to determine liability and negligence.
I was in a car accident about two years ago, and I was hurt bad. I went to another lawyer but they didn't really seem to care much so a friend told me about Denis Davydov law office and said to go here instead. They were so nice, I'm really glad I made the switch. After I switched my car accident lawyer, the whole process went much smoother and I was able to get a good settlement, and get it quickly too. Definitely happy with my experience and would tell anybody to go here.
The Trucking Industry is Highly Regulated
Because of the dangers of large trucks on the highway and because they can be held liable for any accidents, injuries, and deaths they cause, the trucking industry is one of the most highly regulated and scrutinized industries.
Truck drivers and trucking companies must follow strict safety protocols imposed by the FMCSA and adhere to stringent hours of service regulations. Because one of the most common causes of trucking accidents is driver fatigue, FMCSA regulates the maximum amount of time a driver can be behind the wheel of a tractor trailer and how much time they must rest between driving sessions. Hours must be logged in. Speeding limits and cargo limits are also strictly regulated for these large vehicles.
Unfortunately, some drivers resort to falsification of records because they are often under strict schedules that don’t allow them much downtime. Consequently, fatigue and speeding are the most common causes of trucking accidents today.
Other Common Causes of Truck Accidents in New York
Truck accidents can be caused by many differing factors, including
- A truck driver’s error -- considering scheduling constraints and often unreasonable mileage goals, a driver may put undue pressure on himself or herself to meet those goals. This can lead to fatigued driving, speeding, driver impairment, and driver distraction.
- Inadequate training -- before truck drivers are allowed to drive these large vehicles, they must meet a certain amount of training hours and minimum requirements. Many accidents are caused by inexperienced truck drivers with little training.
- Poor maintenance -- given the amount of mileage these vehicles put on, they must be maintained properly at all times. But many companies or owner/operators fail to do this because of financial or time constraints.
- Improperly loaded or secured cargo -- shifting and spilling of cargo can create imbalances causing rollover accidents and hazards to other drivers.
How Will A New York Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me After An Accident?
Most injuries and fatalities in a tractor trailer accident occur to the drivers and passengers of the smaller passenger vehicles that they collide with. Many of these injuries are catastrophic and life-altering.
Because of the complexity of truck accidents and determining liability and negligence, it is important to have a skilled tractor trailer accident lawyer on your side to ensure that your legal rights are being represented. Large companies are insured by large insurance companies, often with equally large policies. These insurance companies and their lawyers make it very difficult for an individual truck injury victim to collect a fair and adequate settlement for their injuries.
At The Law Offices of Denis Davydov, our experienced New York City truck accident attorneys diligently pursue the compensation that you are due under the law.
- We thoroughly investigate the accident to determine negligence and liability.
- We consult with all industry experts and accident recreation engineers.
- We look to all liable parties for your compensation including the truck driver, the company, or any other at-fault entity.
- We represent your interests when an insurance company attempts to shift blame or downgrade your claim.
- We negotiate on your behalf with the insurance companies to ensure that you get fairly compensated.
- If a fair settlement is impossible, we take your case before a court of law.
Denis and his team are great lawyers. They really care about your cases, and you are constantly kept updated. I like everyone in the office, and my calls were always returned on time, everyone was super nice. I was very happy to get a good settlement when all was said and done. God forbid I ever need to find a personal injury attorney again, I'll definitely go back to Denis. Thank you again!
How Do Truck Accident Lawyers Investigate Truck Accidents?
Because of the complicated nature of truck accidents, an experienced tractor trailer accident lawyer must have expertise in traffic laws, trucking laws, and the proper investigation of trucking accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mandates that semi trucking companies must cooperate fully with these investigations.
We begin an investigation immediately to ensure that crucial evidence is preserved. Like any other car accident, our skilled personal injury lawyers are always looking for any indication of drugs, alcohol, or distractions coming into play. We go through specific steps when it comes to any trucking accidents which may include the following:
- We collect evidence in the way of police reports, images of the vehicle damages, videos, photos of the crash site, debris, and how the accident may have impacted the nearby structures.
- We examine the truck driver’s driving records and the trucking company records, analyze logbooks, route schedules, time cards, manifests, or any other documents pertaining to the driver for 30 days prior to the accident.
- We analyze trucking company infractions, personnel files, and other means to look for a history of FMCSA violations.
- We request inspection reports prepared for the truck including the one for the date of the accident.
- We examine the tractor-trailer for equipment failure and to assess it’s mechanical condition.
- We analyze the truck’s data recorder (black box) that records event data and speed at the time of impact.
- We interview all witnesses, other drivers, emergency personnel, or anyone else who saw the accident.
- We consult with expert accident reconstruction engineers, medical providers, trucking specialists, and forensic toxicologists, as needed.
- We look for signs of negligent supervision, training, or hiring procedures of the trucking company.
Working with our team of experienced semi-truck accident attorneys, you can have peace of mind that we are using every possible resource to build your case.
How Much Will I Be Able To Recover For A Truck Accident Injury?
Insurance policies covering large commercial vehicles are required by the FMCSA. But these are very different from the insurance policies that cover our passenger vehicles.
To evaluate your truck accident claim, our personal injury lawyers must take many things into consideration. This will include:
- The total amount of any of your medical costs, both past and future
- The severity of the injuries
- Any lost wages due to your inability to work
- Any future lost earning capacity if you are unable to return to your career or if you have become disabled
- Property damages
- Pain and suffering you have endured
- as well as other damages.
It will often take time to ascertain the full extent of your injuries, expenses, and the value of your claim so it is very difficult to give you an estimate of your compensation at the very beginning of our process.
Free Consultation
Working With Top Truck Accident Lawyers In New York
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in New York, contact our experienced truck accident attorneys at The Law Offices of Denis Davydov to discuss your claim and understand your legal rights to compensation. You pay no legal fees until we recover compensation on your behalf. Contact us today (718) 332-5919.
