Contact our New York City truck accident lawyers to schedule a free consultation with Kelner & Kelner, Attorneys at Law.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 5,212 people were killed and an additional 114,000 injured in truck accidents during 2005. One out of eight traffic fatalities resulted from a collision involving a large truck.
Inherently dangerous due to the immense size and weight of the vehicles involved, truck accidents commonly result in serious personal injury or wrongful death. If you or a family member has been involved in a truck accident, the lawyers at Kelner & Kelner, Attorneys at Law can help. When truck collisions occur, trucking companies and their insurance firms act quickly to limit their liability. Victims are confronted when they are most vulnerable, immediately after the accident. Serving Brooklyn, the Bronx, New York's other boroughs, and victims throughout the state, our truck accident lawyers ensure that our clients' legal rights and interests are protected. We have been standing up to big businesses and insurance companies for more than 60 years. Contact our personal injury lawyers to schedule a case consultation and review.
In addition to the inherent dangers stemming from the size and weight of trucks, a number of driving characteristics can contribute to traffic accidents. Our personal injury legal team encounters a number of common causes of truck accidents, including:
At Kelner & Kelner, Attorneys at Law, our attorneys — proving representation to Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and clients across the state — have helped many truck accident victims obtain the compensation they deserve. Contact our New York City truck accident lawyers if you would like us to evaluate your claim.
In many truck accident cases, the truck driver may not be the only party legally responsible for the accident. To ensure that our clients obtain fair compensation for their injuries, our truck accident lawyers identify as many potential defendants as possible for their claims. Possible liable parties include:
In some cases products, materials, or vehicles may have malfunctioned, giving rise to a product liability claim against a manufacturer.
If a truck driver is employed by a trucking or shipping company, then that company may be responsible for the driver's negligence. Establishing the liability of third parties in a truck accident can be difficult if, as is often the case, the driver is an independent contractor associated with a larger company. For this reason it is important to have an experienced trucking accident attorney working on your behalf. If you are a Long Island, Brooklyn, or Bronx-area truck accident victim, contact our New York City truck accident lawyers. We represent clients throughout New York and can help you obtain compensation for your injuries.
Truck accident lawsuits present challenges not found in most other types of motor vehicle accidents. Because the trucking industry is heavily regulated, a truck accident claim is significantly more complex than one stemming from an automobile accident and may involve complicated issues of federal law. Additionally, there are certain unique dangers that are associated with trucking accidents.
Jackknifing is a common truck accident term that refers to the dangerous situation that arises when a semi-tractor trailer skids, causing it to swing out to one side and form an angle that makes the truck resemble a jackknife. If a truck jackknifes with any speed, there is a high likelihood of a rollover accident occurring. Generally, jackknifing occurs when the truck's drive wheels lock up in wet or slippery conditions. While jackknifing can be caused by slippery road conditions, often jackknife truck accidents result from negligence by the truck driver.
While any vehicle can roll over under the right circumstances, those with higher centers of gravity — such as trucks, vans, and SUVs — are much more susceptible. According to the NHTSA, vehicle rollovers accounted for just 3 percent of the 11 million traffic accidents reported in 2002. However, rollover accidents accounted for 33 percent of traffic fatalities that year. In most cases, driver error is involved — often the vehicle is traveling too fast to turn safely.
Trucks have certain speed, turning, visibility, and braking characteristics that, when a truck driver is negligent, can contribute to the occurrence of an accident. Often, truck drivers use two lanes to make right turns. In some instances, the fact that a truck was turned in this manner is sufficient to establish the driver's fault in an accident.
If you are involved in a truck accident, Kelner & Kelner, Attorneys at Law can help you maximize the return on your claim. Serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and New York's other boroughs, our truck accident lawyers will help you obtain justice and hold negligent, reckless, or careless truck drivers liable for your injuries.
The trucking accident attorneys of Kelner & Kelner, Attorneys at Law represent victims throughout New York on a contingency basis. If we do not obtain a favorable verdict or settlement on behalf of a client, we do not accept any legal fees in that case. Consultations with prospective clients are always free. Contact our New York City office, convenient to Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, if you would like to schedule a case evaluation and review with one of our experienced truck accident lawyers. Our firm has been representing truck accident victims for more than 60 years. Boasting an impressive track record of major personal injury verdicts and settlements, we will stand up to the insurance companies and fight on your behalf for just compensation.