Truck Accident Attorneys in Fort Lee, NJ

Semi-trucks are a common sight on the highways and streets in the Fort Lee area. Large, heavily loaded commercial trucks travel through the region delivering goods or while traveling to another area. If you are sharing the road with a commercial truck that goes out of control, the risk of sustaining serious, catastrophic, or fatal injuries is extremely high.

A smaller passenger vehicle is no contest for a commercial truck which can weigh up to 80,000 lbs. when fully loaded. Those who suffer serious injuries, or families who have lost a loved one in a truck accident, have the right to seek justice and full compensation.

Truck Accident Statistics – An Epidemic.

The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) issues reports each year regarding traffic accidents. The most recent year reported reveals almost 5,000 people died in crashes with large trucks, in which 71 percent fatally injured were occupants of other vehicles. The agency estimates 146,930 people were injured in truck accidents. 779 of these accidents occurred in the state of New Jersey, some in the Fort Lee area, whether on I-80 or one of the other truck routes through the area.

Common Types of Truck Accidents

Truck drivers have a tough job; they are typically under pressure to deliver the cargo on time and must follow the strict regulations imposed at the federal and state level. Truck drivers make errors, and when they do, it can be a disaster. Some of the most common factors leading to truck accidents include:

• Impaired truck driver: A truck driver may be operating a vehicle, impaired by alcohol or drugs. Even a legally prescribed medication could have side effects that affect driving.
• Tired driver: Truck operators have “Hours of Service” regulations to ensure they can get enough sleep. However, they may not spend the hours off resting, or may violate the regulations, driving while fatigued.
• Speeding: A truck driver may violate the legal speed limits in an attempt to deliver on time or make up lost time.
• Distracted driving: A driver may be texting, talking on the phone, eating, or other activity that takes their focus off the road ahead.
• Unevenly loaded truck: When the cargo is not evenly loaded, it can shift side to side, causing the truck to go out of control.
• Mechanical failure: A truck part can fail, such as brakes or tires, leading to a serious injury accident.
• Reckless driving: Poor driving conduct such as unsafe merging, swerving from lane to lane, or other type of risky behavior.

Types of Injuries in Truck Accident Cases in Fort Lee

The injuries sustained in a collision with a commercial truck are frequently extremely serious or prove to be fatal. Some of the most common types of injuries include:

• Brain injuries: The impact with a large truck can lead to serious head and brain injuries, which can bring long-term consequences, including permanent impairment.
• Spinal cord injuries: A truck accident that leads to an injured spinal cord brings a lifetime of health and personal challenges for a person who now lives with paraplegia or quadriplegia.
• Broken bones: The crushing impact with a commercial truck can lead to multiple fractures, some of which are so severe that several surgeries may be required.
• Internal injuries: The internal organs may be severely injured in the impact, causing internal bleeding and the need for surgical intervention as a life-saving measure.
• Amputations: Lost arms, legs, hands, feet or other amputations are life-altering.
• Disfiguring injuries: Several lacerations can be permanently disfiguring, forever changing the victim’s life experience.

Truck Accident in Fort Lee? You Need an Attorney.

Truck accident cases are typically far more complex than a car accident. These cases require an extensive investigation into the facts and filing a claim or lawsuit against all liable parties, which may include the truck driver, trucking firm, truck manufacturer, truck parts manufacturer, or other parties. The goal of filing a claim is to recover every form of compensation possible, and to seek justice for the injured.

Why Choose Us?

At Horn Wright, LLP, our legal team has garnered a reputation for excellence, and has achieved many high-value settlements and verdicts in challenging personal injury cases, including truck accidents. We are client-focused, dedicated, and devote our resources to every case we take on.

Contact Horn Wright, LLP at (201) 654-0023 if you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident in Fort Lee.