Hauppauge Truck Accident Lawyer

Skilled Truck Accident Attorneys in Hauppauge, NY

Every day in Hauppauge, we share our roads with a variety of trucks. These vehicles represent an unequaled hazard to the health and safety of other road users – they are extremely heavy which increases braking distances, they are so large that blind spots are bigger and more numerous, and they are considerably less agile than other vehicles. These factors alone are enough to make trucks dangerous. When you add in the fact that many trucking companies compel their drivers to work long hours in what can be a tedious job, making them tired and less able to focus, you have a true recipe for disaster. If you have been involved in an accident with a truck in Hauppauge, then you need to get in contact with a Hauppauge Truck Accident Lawyer. We have over twenty years of experience in dealing with these cases, and we can help you. Our managing partner, Mr. Steven Palermo, has won millions of dollars in compensation for his clients – including a $3.2 million settlement for a pedestrian hit by a delivery truck, and a $1.7 million settlement for a road worker who was struck by a minibus.

Do not miss out on the compensation that you deserve – get in touch with Palermo Law today. You can call us anytime to discuss your case, or feel free to drop into one of our offices. We have locations across Suffolk County, as well as a base in Nassau County, and we can also come to see you if you would rather.

When to consult a Hauppage truck accident lawyer

Accidents involving trucks are some of the most dangerous. The sheer weight of these larger vehicles is enough to cause serious injury, even in the most seemingly minor of accidents. You also have to contend with the fact that trucks are owned by businesses – businesses that need to protect their income and stand to lose significant amounts of money if they are found to be at fault in an accident.

This means that the truck company will use a variety of different methods to try to minimize their liability. Often, the company will deploy an ‘emergency response team’ – personnel that attends the site of the accident as soon as possible to start collating evidence in defense of the company. That evidence will then be used against you if you decide to make a compensation claim forward to negotiations or to court which puts you at a big disadvantage.

To combat this, you should make contact with a truck accident attorney as soon as you are able to – that way you have your own team who are working to defend your interests. We will collect witness statements, videos, photos, and accident reports to ensure that you are in a strong position moving forward as possible. If necessary, we will also work alongside engineers and accident experts who can reconstruct the accident and strengthen your case even further.

It won’t cost you anything to get in touch either – we take all cases on a no-win, no-fee basis, so if we do not win you any compensation then you will not have to pay us a single dollar.

Important deadlines

There are some key deadlines that you need to be aware of if you have been involved in an accident with a truck. If you have sustained injuries, then you have thirty days to file a no-fault application with your own insurance company. No matter who is to blame for the accident, it is the insurance company of the vehicle that you were traveling in that is responsible for this, and if you exceed the timeframe of thirty days then they can deny you any payment – leaving you liable for your own medical bills.

You should also know about and consider the statute of limitations. In most cases, you will have three years to file a lawsuit for injuries incurred in a truck accident, however, if there was a wrongful death resulting from the accident then this is reduced to two years. If your accident involved a truck that is municipally owned, then you only have 90 days to bring your case. This can be particularly tricky, as it is not always immediately obvious that a truck is a municipal vehicle – so while you may think you have three years to bring a claim, you may be missing out on your opportunity.

Injured in a Truck Accident?

A truck accident lawyer can help you here – the first step we take is to ascertain the ownership of the vehicles involved in the accident, and we can then advise you accordingly. Make sure you contact Palermo Law as soon as you can, and we will ensure that you meet any statute of limitations requirements.

How much is my case worth?

There is no fixed figure for the value of a truck accident, as the financial impacts of every accident are different. The calculations used take both the economic damages (repairs to your vehicle, your property, or your personal belongings) and the non-economic losses (physical and mental pain and suffering) into account to work out how much you are owed in accident compensation.

At Palermo Law, we have decades of experience in these types of cases, so we can give you a reasonable expectation of how much you should be expecting through settlement or jury verdict. In cases that result in long-term injuries or disabilities, we employ outside economics and medical experts to ensure that the figure we are working towards is correctly adjusted for future expected inflation – meaning that you can be assured that you will be compensated for many years to come.

Common Causes of Hauppauge Truck Accidents

Distracted Driving

Any activity that distracts a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. These types of distractions include the use of a handheld navigation device, cell phone use, and texting.

Speeding

Driving above the legal limit is a leading cause of truck accidents. Further, high-impact accidents often result in significant injuries.

Following too Closely

Tailgating, especially at high speeds reduces reaction times and often leads to rear-end accidents.

Aggressive Driving

Operating a truck in a hostile or aggressive manner may include following too closely, failing to signal, and repetitive lane changes.

Other factors to consider exclusive to truck accidents:

• Was the truck not properly loaded?
• Was the truck driver overly tired from driving long hours?
• Was the truck driver properly licensed to operate a big rig?
• Was the truck driver taking medications or drugs to help them stay awake?

Five Essential Tips for Truck Accident Victims Immediately following an accident

1. Seek medical attention for any injuries, even minor injuries. Often injuries that result from a motor vehicle accident intensify in the hours and days following an accident. It’s good to be cautious.
2. Obtain a Police Accident Report. It is always a good idea to call the police to the scene of the accident. However, it is also possible to file a police report following the accident.
3. Contact your automobile insurance carrier to report the accident. Any medical bills will need to be paid by your no-fault insurance.
4. Do not give any statements to the other vehicle’s insurance company without first consulting with an attorney.
5. Contact an experienced truck accident lawyer for a free consultation.

Reach Out to Our Hauppauge Truck Accident Lawyers Today

If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident that involved a truck, and as a consequence has incurred serious injuries, then you should schedule a free consultation today. You can contact us and we can arrange for you to visit one of our offices or for one of our truck accident injury lawyers to come and visit you at home or in the hospital. We work on a contingency basis, so if we do not win you a compensation package, then you will not have to pay us anything.