NEW JERSEY TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS

• Speeding
• Distracted driving
• Aggressive driving
• Hours of service violations
• Severe weather
• Road construction
• Overloaded cargo
• Brake failure

If you or a loved one was injured in a collision with a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or another type of large commercial vehicle, The Donnelly Law Firm can help protect your right to financial compensation.

Who Is Liable for Truck Accidents?

In order to effectively pursue compensation in trucking accident cases, it is crucial to determine exactly what happened and how the accident occurred. This means looking at the obvious causes, as well as the underlying causes of the accident.

At The Donnelly Law Firm, we thoroughly investigate truck accident claims in order to determine who is responsible for the accident by looking at the following factors:

• Whether the driver was fatigued or asleep at the wheel when the crash occurred.
• If the driver violated hours-of-service regulations by not taking appropriate rests.
• The truck driver’s driving history—was he/she involved in any other collisions/incidents?
• Whether or not the trucking company conducted a full background check before hiring the driver.
• Whether or not the trucking company conducted regular drug/alcohol screenings.
• The truck driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the time of the crash.
• Signs that the truck driver was using a cell phone, eating, or was otherwise distracted.
• Whether or not the truck driver was speeding at the time of the incident.
• If the trucking company encouraged unrealistic quotas or driving schedules.
• Whether the truck was properly maintained by the responsible parties.
• If a defective part, such as the truck’s brakes or tires, may have contributed to the accident.
• The road the accident occurred on and whether it was defective in some way.

The Complexity of Commercial Accident Claims

Truck accident claims tend to be more complex than other types of auto accident claims for a number of reasons.

Firstly, semi-trucks are huge vehicles. They are often carrying heavy and/or hazardous materials. Because of this, they tend to cause extensive damage—including catastrophic injuries and death—when they collide with other, smaller vehicles.

Secondly, truck accident claims are complex due to the multiple parties involved. A truck driver may actually cause an accident, but his or her employer, the trucking company, may also share blame. Additionally, a truck manufacturer may be liable for an accident if it is determined that a faulty or defective part led to the crash.