Brooklyn Truck Accident Lawyers

If you’ve recently been in a truck accident or collision in Brooklyn, you’re likely going through a lot– pain from the injuries you suffered, confusion about the claims process, uncertainty about the future, and stress about the prospect of medical procedures or missed work.

At Frekhtman & Associates, our truck accident attorneys are passionate about helping victims of serious and catastrophic vehicle accidents in NYC during this trying time. We provide reassurance and legal counsel to accident victims in Brooklyn and throughout the NYC area. We believe in gaining justice for our clients by seeking compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages they have incurred.

Whether you first arrive on foot by taking Brooklyn Bridge’s wooden pedestrian path or visit by car, truck, cab or bus – you’ll quickly discover the large size of this borough. In fact, Brooklyn is America’s third-largest city, after Los Angeles and Chicago. Most residents enjoy its highly diverse neighborhoods including DUMBO (which stands for “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). That area offers trendy restaurants, shopping, and entertainment areas. Of course, most of Brooklyn’s traffic is generated by thousands of small businesses, crowded family neighborhoods, and numerous colleges and universities. Rebuilt areas continue to attract new residents at all socioeconomic levels. Yet as pleasant as it is for basic living and work pursuits, the area generates a high traffic volume that often causes serious truck and car accidents. The Brooklyn personal injury team investigates and evaluates serious accidents in the borough involving tractor-trailers, box trucks, tanker trucks, garbage trucks, and other commercial vehicles.

Here’s a brief look at some recent truck accidents that have occurred here, followed by a review of the most common causes of accidents involving 18-wheeler trucks and smaller vehicles.

Severity of Truck Accidents

• A 13-year-old boy was killed in January 2018 after being hit by an oil truck. Among other charges, the young male truck driver was found to be driving without a license. The accident happened in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn near Lewis Avenue. The boy received severe head injuries and was rushed to Interfaith Hospital where he died. The driver’s vehicle was a Mack truck;
• In July of 2017, a box truck jumped a curb in Brooklyn and plowed into a store. A woman was injured while trying to get out of the way. Both the driver and woman were taken to Kings County Hospital. The accident took place in East Flatbush on Utica Avenue near Church Avenue.

Since Brooklyn pedestrian traffic is often very busy, everyone must avoid talking on their cell phones and listening to music — so they’ll be able to hear any warning sounds that might help them avoid being hit or injured. Far too many accidents remain the fault of careless drivers.

It’s also wise to remember that many trucks and cars will not yield the right of way to others.

How Accidents Occur

Truck drivers must exercise extra caution when moving through high traffic areas. All too often, they forget to drive defensively and take all driving safety courses recommended by their employers.

Cause of Truck Accidents include:

• Distracted or tired drivers
• Driving schedules that violate Federal law and limits
• Drivers taking drugs or medications
• Defective equipment, failure to inspect, maintain, and repair the tractor-trailer
• Cell phone use or texting
• Aggressive driving
• Unsafe lane changes
• Following other vehicles too closely
• and many other causes

Here’s a look at some of the key reasons why it’s so hard to reduce the number of inner-city and suburban truck accidents.

• Careless and distracted driving. Things have gotten so bad on America’s roads and freeways that it’s now more common to see people texting on their cell phones than carefully watching other drivers and the road ahead. Whenever you see a distracted driver near you, carefully switch to another lane and keep an eye on them;
• Drivers failing to pay attention to all traffic signs. Whether distracted, tired or lazy, people who ignore posted traffic signs and signals are often dangerous road companions;
• Tailgating and speeding. Both driving habits kill too many people every year. Speeding is always dangerous because it greatly limits your chances of stopping quickly;
• Poor truck maintenance. When truck drivers fail to have their vehicles serviced regularly, serious accidents occur. Trucks must be carefully examined at least every few months for poor tire treads, worn-out brake pads, faulty side mirrors, damaged headlights, broken windshields, and other problems;
• Rarely yielding the right of way to pedestrians and smaller vehicles. Larger vehicles must always drive friendly around passenger cars and those on foot. After all, most trucks weigh between 10,000 and 80,000 pounds – while the average passenger car weighs only about 4,000 pounds;
• Failing to properly load all cargo. Industry standards must be followed when trying to properly load commercial trucks. Steering can be adversely affected when each load isn’t properly balanced and secured. Overloads are especially dangerous and must be avoided. Some trucking experts suggest rechecking each load every 50 to 100 miles, especially when volatile substances are being moved;
• Drivers not paying attention to sudden changes in traffic conditions or the weather;
• Sleepy drivers at the wheel. Truck drivers must take proper care of their health and always avoid using alcohol or illegal drugs while driving.

Brooklyn truck accidents often occur when quick deliveries are favored over safe driving.

Damages Often Sought for Truck Accident Victims

Many of our clients need an extensive hospital and medical treatments after being injured. Some even require years of rehabilitative therapy. To make sure you receive all the care you need, our Brooklyn truck accident lawyers will carefully review all your medical records and seek the highest accident settlement (or verdict) possible.

We normally request compensation for all the following economic damages.

• Lost earnings
• Past medical expenses
• Loss of household services
• Future costs for all medical care

When you first meet with one of our lawyers, be sure to describe which of the following medical injuries are still causing you the most pain and suffering.

Common Injuries Reported by Clients Harmed in Truck Accidents

• Painful burns. Many trucks carry explosive materials and their gas tanks can suddenly rupture in high-speed accidents;
• Traumatic brain injuries. These often cause permanent damage and require lengthy rehabilitative treatments;
• Major back and spinal column injuries. Lower back pain often lasts many months and years after pedestrians and passenger car occupants are hurt;
• Internal bleeding and organ damage. Many accident victims discover they’ve suffered broken bones, a bruised kidney or a punctured lung;
• Head and neck injuries, including whiplash. It’s always important for all accident survivors to be carefully examined and monitored since many injuries can take days to fully appear or develop;
• Emotional and psychological damage. This type of suffering is often made worse when other family members are severely hurt or killed in the same accident.

Frekhtman & Associates are Brooklyn truck accident attorneys specializing in the preparation and trial of serious tractor-trailer and trucking accidents. Brooklyn has a number of highways including the Brooklyn Queens Expressway BQE (I-278). Brooklyn is the most populous borough in New York City and various trucks frequent streets to make deliveries. Accidents occur with all sorts of trucks, semis, tractor-trailers, box trucks, flatbeds, dump trucks, garbage trucks, and other large commercial vehicles. The chances of injury are very high when a pedestrian, private motor vehicle, bicyclist, or any smaller vehicle gets into an accident with a large truck.

F&A injury lawyers work with top experts in prosecuting truck accident matters including truck engineering safety experts, medical specialists, and economists to help prove the amount of a client’s lost earnings recovery.

Tractor-trailer drivers are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act (FMCSA) in many respects including the number of consecutive hours they are allowed to drive. Do not contact the truck’s insurance company on your own as they have their own agents, investigators, lawyers, and doctors – they have a team is working to prove the truck was not liable and or that your injuries are not significant. Basically, the insurance company is a business looking out for their own self-interest which is to pay you as little as possible!

An experienced Brooklyn truck accident lawyer is therefore needed to fully investigate the accident, to engage in accident reconstruction if needed, to hire top experts to solidify issues of liability and damages, and to present the strongest possible case to a jury at trial. This is the only way to make certain the insurance company will pay maximum compensation for your pain & suffering and economic losses.

Contacting A Brooklyn Truck Accident Lawyer Today

In an ideal world, insurance companies would simply pay for an accident claim, and for any related incidental cost such as medical care or car rentals once legal responsibility has been established by the police.

Unfortunately, this is not an ideal world, and insurance companies are more interested in denying claims and protecting their bottom line than in taking care of your needs. For this reason, it is very important that you contact a Brooklyn truck accident attorney as soon as possible after a vehicle accident.