Manhattan experiences over 450 accidents every year involving “non-large trucks,” many of which are making deliveries. These incidents spur hundreds of claims annually for personal injury and property damage.
If a delivery truck has caused you or a loved one to have an accident, you deserve justice. Find out how a delivery truck accident lawyer from our team at Cellino Law can help.
How Our Delivery Truck Accident Lawyers Provide Assistance
You and your family likely don’t have the same resources as the business that owns or operates the delivery truck that hit you. After the accident, that company might have a team behind the scenes that is already figuring out how to pay you as little as possible.
A Cellino Law delivery truck accident lawyer supports you with the legal knowledge and experience you need to fight for what you deserve. This is even more important in truck accident cases where the injuries and property damage tend to be more extensive.
One primary way we assist is by communicating with the other side for you. They will likely try to reach out quickly and even attempt to get a recorded statement that they can use to reduce your settlement. Another tactic is to offer a quick settlement that seems large but is really only a fraction of what you could claim.
Let us worry about these issues so you can focus on recovery. With a free consultation, you will understand your options better.
The Danger of Delivery Truck Accidents in Manhattan
Delivery trucks have long been a common sight around Manhattan and all of New York City. However, people rely on delivery services more than ever, which is leading to higher congestion and more opportunities for accidents.
In fact, recent information shows that residents and businesses in the five boroughs receive over 2.4 million packages a day. Manhattan gets the highest concentration of these deliveries per square mile. This has become a “delivery crisis,” according to the Manhattan Borough President.
Truck drivers have to maneuver in and out of spots that are even tighter for these larger vehicles. At the same time, these drivers are under strict deadlines. All this might lead to unsafe behavior, such as drowsy, distracted or aggressive driving.
Furthermore, if the company has not properly inspected and maintained the vehicle, the odds of an accident occurring only increase. Likewise, an employer is responsible for ensuring that its employees have appropriate licensing and are following driver regulations.
Negligence in any of these areas could lead to a collision. If that’s been your experience, a Cellino Law delivery truck accident lawyer can assist with your case.
The Liable Parties for Delivery Truck Accidents
Motor vehicle collisions usually occur because of driver error. However, multiple parties might bear liability for the incident. This can be challenging to establish but is necessary to recover all avenues of compensation.
Truck Owner or Lessee
In most cases, the driver’s employer owns or leases the truck and is responsible for all mishaps that occur with the vehicle. One positive aspect of this is that businesses must maintain insurance policies with higher coverage than personal passenger vehicles, which can make it easier to recover damages.
Loading Company
If the accident occurred because a driver lost control of an unbalanced truck, the loading company could be responsible. These organizations can be distinct from the owner or employer.
Maintenance Company
A specific company might be responsible for inspecting, maintaining and repairing the truck. If faulty care or repairs instigated your accident, this entity could be liable.
Vehicle or Parts Manufacturer
A defect in the vehicle or one of its parts could have led to a malfunction that caused the accident. In that case, your claim could be against the engineers who designed a faulty part or the factory that did not follow proper production standards.
Other Motorists or Travelers
Another driver’s actions might have started a chain of events that led to the delivery truck accident. This individual would share some of the blame and owe you a percentage of the damages.
Injuries You Might Face After a Delivery Truck Accident
It’s not a good idea to minimize any pain you experience after a crash. The adrenaline of an accident can cause the delay of severe symptoms.
For that reason, it’s beneficial to seek a medical examination soon after a delivery truck accident to determine the full extent of injuries. These might include:
- Broken bones and burns
- Spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries
- Paralysis and amputations
- Infections or organ damage
If a loved one dies because of a delivery truck accident, your family can file a wrongful death suit for the loss. No matter the injury, we can take a case as your delivery truck accident attorney so you can focus on recovery.
Types of Compensation You Can Claim After a Delivery Truck Accident
For a valid claim, you must have compensatory damages from bodily injury or property loss. Financial losses that you can recover include medical treatments, lost wages, diminished future earning capacity and damaged items. To recover this compensation, you have to clearly show that the accident was the reason for the loss.
You can also claim noneconomic damages for your mental and emotional anguish. Insurance companies aren’t always forthcoming about your ability to claim these types of damages, which is why the help of a delivery truck accident lawyer from our team is valuable.
How Long You Have To File Your Delivery Truck Accident Claim
You generally have three years to file a delivery truck accident claim in New York. However, if the liable party is a government agency, you only have 90 days to bring an initial claim.
Regardless of the specific statute of limitations, you preserve a strong case by taking action as soon as possible. Remember that evidence degrades and memories start to fade quickly.
Also, truck companies don’t have to keep records about their vehicles indefinitely. For example, companies can delete records from electronic logging devices after six months. Therefore, a company might stall so that you can’t recover helpful data. When you work with us, we’ll help you fight to discover all evidence and make sure you file your claim on time.
Steps To Take After a Delivery Truck Accident
The first things you do after a delivery truck accident can impact your case. Helpful steps include:
- Moving to a safe spot out of the way of other traffic if possible
- Calling 911 to report the incident
- Saving the contact and insurance information of other involved parties
- Gathering any evidence from the scene if you can safely, including photos, videos, witness statements and personal notes
- Requesting medical attention, even if you don’t notice any injuries
You generally have 30 days to report the incident to your insurer. While it’s important to do so promptly, you don’t have to rush. Taking your time can help you avoid saying something that might unintentionally harm your case. If you reach out to our team first, we can handle any contact with insurers for you.
Talk to a Delivery Truck Accident Lawyer From Cellino Law
You don’t have to face a big company or insurer on your own. Cellino Law can provide you with the support of a qualified delivery truck accident lawyer. Contact us for a free consultation to find out how we can help.