Individuals who are hurt in truck accidents in Little Italy may never be able to return to work. If the injured person is the breadwinner for the family, family members may find themselves in a situation of financial distress that is tantamount to financial turmoil. A Little Italy Truck Accident Lawyer can assist by allowing the accident victim to focus on healing and getting better while we handle the financial settlement or litigation process.
The Reason 18-Wheeler Tractor Trailer Truck Accidents Can Be So Devastating
Trucking accidents are especially traumatic due to the sheer size of these big-rigs and because these tractor-trailers are, more often than not, carrying heavy and sometimes dangerous loads. Truck accidents, unfortunately, can also lead to fatalities in Little Italy, NYC as well.
Little Italy Truck Accidents Are Different
Trucks are many times larger than other vehicles on the roadways, and this gives them the potential to be much more devastating in an accident. These big-rigs travel through Little Italy hauling heavy loads and loaded with cargo and they can weigh up to 80,000 pounds! Given the sheer size of the tractor-trailers, it is easy to understand why they are difficult to safely maneuver through the City streets, putting pedestrians at risk.
Types of Truck Accidents in Little Italy
Many times, the real damage in an accident involving an 18-Wheeler comes from the way the truck moves during an accident. These monstrous tractor-trailers don’t respond very quickly in these types of situations and the length and weight of the trailers significantly limits their maneuverability when the big-rig operator has lost control of the tractor trailer. Some of the more common tractor-trailer accidents we’ve seen over the years include:
- Rollovers;
- Carriage override or “underride” accidents;
- The tractor-trailer jackknifes.
There are many different reasons for these accidents, but the NHTSA estimates that as many as 88 percent are associated with the actions and/or the inactions of the truck drivers.
Causes of Truck Accidents in Little Italy
New York State government, as well as the Federal government, impose extremely strict regulations on the trucking industry as a whole and for good reason. The reasoning is sound: to prevent harm to truck drivers and other motorists on the roadways that they share with each other. For example, there are hours of service limitations, random truck driver alcohol/drug screenings, routine truck inspections required, regular driver medical evaluations, and training regarding proper cargo storage. Even with this governmental oversight, we’ve seen that trucking accidents are frequently caused by the negligence of the driver, including:
- Truck drivers who have medical conditions that may affect their ability to safely operate the rig;
- Fatigued truck drivers who are not in conformance with the hours of service regulations;
- Tractors and/or trailers that are not properly maintained as required;
- Drivers that operate their rigs while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol;
- Tractor-trailer drivers that speed excessively to get their loads to their intended destinations faster putting themselves and others at risk of a crash.
Studies have shown that driver fatigue is a major problem for truckers going over the road. Fatigue can mean anything from a temporary feeling of over tiredness or complete exhaustion. Stress, not sleeping well or just sheer exhaustion can be debilitating for truckers.
When truckers drive for way too long without the appropriate sleep or rest, they can get fatigued, which markedly lowers their reaction time. Driving for too many days straight without enough sleep can leave truckers chronically fatigued if they don’t have the ability to properly sleep between trips as required by the law. That can lead to long-haul truckers making poor decisions and lead to the happening of an accident. Their actions put everyone else on the road at risk as well. While interstate trucking is obviously necessary for commerce and business operation, pushing truckers too far without the required amount of rest can lead to terrible accidents.
Little Italy Truck Accident Related Injuries
Trucking accidents can result in life-changing injuries to other motorists as well pedestrians. In the New York truck accident cases we’ve handled, we often see people with the following injuries from truck collisions:
- Lacerations and abrasions
- Sprains
- Head and neck injuries
- The need for reconstructive surgery
- Internal bleeding, organ damage or soft tissue injuries
- TBI, or traumatic brain injury
- Fractured bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burn injuries
- Fatality
These types of truck accidents injuries usually require costly medical treatment, leading to negative financial impact on the trucking accident victim and their families. We know the stress our clients face from medical bills that are piling up and work hard to ease this burden by and through obtaining the proper compensation for our clients.
Tractor-trailer accident cases can be particularly complex because there are so many different players involved. Over-the-road truck drivers are often times on duty at the time of the accident, working for a commercial trucking company. We know how to handle insurance companies and back your case with our trial experience. When you hire our firm to litigate your Little Italy truck accident case, you can rest assured that your lawyers will not be intimidated, and will aggressively seek any and all compensation that you are entitled to.