PERSONAL INJURY

New Jersey Truck Accident Lawyer

Every year, dozens of people are killed, and countless more are injured in truck accidents across New Jersey. The effects of these preventable collisions can be devastating for victims and their families, particularly in cases where the truck driver and their employer are to blame.

If you have been injured in a truck accident in New Jersey and someone else was primarily at fault, you could be owed substantial compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain, suffering, and more. The New Jersey truck accident lawyers at Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman are ready to help you demand it.

Our firm has been helping injured people in New Jersey since 1929, which gives us nearly a century’s worth of experience and knowledge to call on as we pursue justice for our clients. Our attorneys and a team of seasoned and committed support staff have the track record and resources you want in your corner as you take on the trucking companies and their insurers.

Contact us today for a free case review with an experienced New Jersey truck accident lawyer and find out how we can help.

Benefits of Working with Our New Jersey Truck Accident Attorneys

If you have been hurt in a truck accident and you’re considering pursuing compensation, you want a law firm with an established reputation and a history of handling cases similar to yours. Here are a few of the reasons to work with our New Jersey truck accident attorneys:

Our experience – Our firm was founded in 1929, giving us many decades of legal experience we can use to your benefit. We have helped thousands of people in New Jersey pursue the compensation they deserve and look forward to putting this experience to work for you.
Our resources – Our attorneys and team of talented support staff can tackle even the most complex and challenging cases. Trucking companies and their insurers often try to intimidate and overwhelm truck accident victims with their significant legal resources, but our team can go toe-to-toe with any attorneys.
Our track record – We are known as truck accident lawyers who get results. Our personal injury lawyers have tried cases in state and federal courthouses, and we have won at both the trial and appeal levels. Most importantly, we are exceptionally proud to say that four out of five new cases we receive are referrals from prior clients, clients hiring us again after we previously represented them, or other lawyers.
Our approach – Many personal injury law firms treat clients as numbers in a case file. That is not the way our New Jersey truck accident attorneys operate. We pride ourselves on providing individual attention to our clients so we can meet all their specific legal needs. We have the resources of a large law firm, but we combine that with a commitment to treating every client with the care, respect, and dignity they deserve. When you work with us, you will know what is going on throughout the legal process, and we will promptly answer any questions you have.

From our clients

I would recommend Richard Isolde to my family and friends, and he was accommodating in handling our case. He was always available by text, phone calls, and email. Most significantly, he helped us get what we deserved. Richard Isolde is always there for his clients and does whatever he can to get the job done.

Richard Isolde worked very hard on my case, making the impossible possible.
He was able to get the full amount up to the policy limit and then get punitive damages in addition. I understand that is a rare accomplishment. I am grateful for that and I congratulate him. Your firm was recommended to me by a friend and I will pay it forward by recommending him as well as PRA.

I used Mr. (SQ) Lee for a personal injury matter and could not have been any more pleased with his services. He understood my injury and helped me every step of the way. He was courteous and kind and I always felt better after speaking with him. His assistant, Sherrill, was also wonderful and together they made a great team! I would absolutely recommend them, and the firm, to anyone.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

At Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman, we do not charge you any fees upfront to start work on your personal injury case. We will review your case for free, with no obligation to you. If we believe you have a claim for compensation, we will do all the legal legwork with no out-of-pocket cost to you. When we recover compensation for you, our fee then comes as a percentage of that. If we don’t win, you don’t pay us. It’s that simple.

Our Victories

Nursing Home Settlements

Settlements from nursing home neglect cases involving contraction of pressure ulcers, falls with fractures or other injuries and infections have resulted in the following outcomes.

$750K

$750,000 for Defective Product in “Scalding Water Leak” Injury

A delivery driver brought his car in to the dealer for a water leak repair. A week later he returned because the leak continued. He was told to continue driving the car and return a few days later.

$2M

$2 Million Settlement in SUV Accident Case

A passenger in a SUV suffered a broken neck and other injuries when the vehicle rolled over because of the negligence of the driver and the failure of a tire.

$4.47M

$4.47 Million in Paralyzing Injury from Swimming Pool Diving Accident

When a 19-year-old woman dove into an above ground swimming pool, she fractured her neck and became a quadriplegic for life. There were no warning signs at the pool, although the law requires diving warnings.

$425K

$425,000 for Neck & Spinal Injuries in Missile Silo Clean-up “Missing Floor Fall”

While cleaning up an abandoned US Air Force missile silo, our client fell through an unmarked missing floor in a dark room. He suffered serious neck and spinal injuries, requiring two surgeries.

$1.1M

$1.1 Million Pre-Trial Settlement for Bus Accident Victim

A construction foreman, driving his pick-up truck south on the NJ Turnpike, was struck from behind by a commercial bus and forced across two lanes of traffic.

$700K

$700,000 to Diabetic Plumber Injured at Construction Site

Climbing down a ladder, a union plumber stepped on a nail protruding from wood left at a construction site in Jersey City by the general contractor or sub-contractors that had performed framing on the construction site.

$95K

$95,000 for Man Injured in Auto Accident

A 47-year-old man received $95,000 in a settlement to compensate him for a serious fracture to his right wrist suffered in an auto accident. Although the fracture required surgery, the man made a good recovery from his injury.

$250K

Car accident victim suffering severe injuries awarded $250,000

A New Jersey driver swerved into an improperly installed guardrail/partition which, upon impact, impaled the vehicle and severed our client’s left leg. Despite a series of complex circumstances impacting liability, and our client passing away due to an unrelated medical condition, we settled the case for $250,000.

$1.4M

$1.4 Million Dollar Settlement in Truck Accident

We obtained a $1.4 million dollar settlement on behalf of a driver whose vehicle was struck by a tractor trailer’s blown-out tire. Our client was driving his company vehicle when the Defendant’s tractor trailer had a tire blowout.

$200+ Million

Recovered for Clients

Personal Injury Practice Areas

Attorney Average Years in Practice

Our personal injury attorneys know that behind each accident victim is a personal tragedy, a story to be told, responsibility to be taken, wrongs to be righted, and closure needed.

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Why Truck Accident Cases Can Be More Complicated

One of the most important reasons to hire an experienced truck accident lawyer after an accident is because truck crashes are often much more complex than car crashes. Here are a few factors that make truck accident cases different and more challenging than car accident cases:

More severe injuries

Even with an empty trailer, a semi-truck can weigh more than 30,000 pounds, nearly 10 times more than a typical passenger sedan. A fully loaded 18-wheeler tips the scales at 80,000 pounds. When a truck that heavy hits a passenger vehicle, it can do severe damage that results in catastrophic injuries.

Greater financial losses for victims

The worse your injuries are, the more it will cost to treat them, and the more work you are likely to miss while you recover. The more losses you have suffered from a truck accident, the more compensation you are entitled to. Most trucks carry a minimum of $1 million in commercial liability insurance. That means a lot of money can be at stake in a truck accident claim. You can count on insurers to put up a fight.

More potentially liable parties

In most car accidents, one or more of the drivers involved is to blame. Truck accidents, though, have more potentially liable parties. The truck driver may have acted negligently, but they could also have been under pressure from the trucking company to put in more hours of driving, or a mechanical defect or an issue with the cargo could have contributed to the crash. If the driver was an employee acting in the scope of her/his employment, the trucking company would be held financially responsible. When multiple parties share blame for a truck accident, you likely will want to file a claim against every potentially liable party. That adds to the complexity of the case.

Specialized evidence

Because trucking companies generally have legal resources that a typical motorist does not, truck accident victims must work harder to recover compensation after an accident. You may need special evidence to win your case, such as information from the truck’s electronic data recorder, the trucker’s logs, or the truck driver’s employment records. If you do not know what evidence to look for and how to find it, you could have trouble winning a truck accident case. Our seasoned attorneys know how to use the legal system to obtain critical evidence.

Parties Potentially Liable for a Truck Crash in New Jersey

Many different parties could potentially be liable for a given truck accident, including:

The truck driver – Truck drivers are supposed to be specially trained and experienced in safely handling large vehicles, but they can still cause an accident through carelessness, recklessness, or negligence. That might involve driving while impaired, distracted, or fatigued, as well as speeding, driving aggressively, failing to check blind spots, and failing to yield the right-of-way.
The trucking company – Trucking companies are responsible for hiring safe and experienced drivers. Still, they have been known to overlook a driver’s poor safety record or use drivers without much experience. Some trucking companies pressure their drivers to bend safety regulations and keep driving even when safety regulations require them to stop. That makes truck drivers more tired and increases the risk of accidents.
Truck or parts manufacturers – Trucks are made up of many individual components, and a sudden mechanical failure with something like a truck’s brakes, tires, engine, steering, or suspension could lead to an accident. In such cases, the company that manufactured the truck or the defective part could be liable.
Maintenance workers – Trucks have specific maintenance schedules that must be followed so the vehicle is kept in good and safe working order. If a maintenance crew does inadequate work, a truck’s worn parts may not get repaired or replaced, making an accident more likely. Negligent maintenance crews and their employers can be held liable when their shoddy work contributes to an accident.
Cargo companies – The height, length, and relatively narrow width of a truck mean that its cargo must be carefully placed and balanced to minimize the chance of a rollover accident. A truck’s cargo should also be adequately secured to prevent it from shifting in transit, which could throw it off balance. If a truck’s cargo is not loaded correctly or comes loose in transit, the cargo company could be liable for a resulting accident.

Common Types and Causes of Truck Accidents in New Jersey

Our New Jersey truck accident lawyers have experience with many different types of crashes, including:

Head-on crashes
Rear-end collisions
Sideswipe collisions
T-bone accidents
Rollovers
Drunk driving accidents
Distracted driving accidents
Fatigued driving accidents
Speeding and aggressive driving crashes
Failure-to-yield accidents
Blind-spot collisions
Accidents caused by mechanical defects

Injuries from Large Commercial Vehicle Collisions

Truck crashes can lead to serious injuries, particularly when they collide with smaller passenger vehicles. These injuries may include:

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis
Neck and back injuries, including whiplash
Crushed, severed, or amputated limbs
Severe burns
Scarring and disfigurement
Damage to internal organs
Fractures and broken bones
Soft-tissue injuries (muscle sprains and strains, damaged ligaments and tendons, etc.)
Internal bleeding
Psychological trauma

Types of Evidence in Truck Accident Lawsuits

To recover the total compensation you deserve in a truck accident lawsuit, you will need evidence that the truck driver or another party was negligent and responsible for your injuries. Examples of evidence include:

Information from police accident reports
The truck driver’s logs
The truck’s electronic data recorder or “black box”
Toll receipts
Eyewitness accounts
Photos from the scene of the accident
Forensic accident reconstructions
The truck driver’s employment records
Surveillance or traffic camera footage

One key reason to talk to our lawyers soon after a truck accident is so that we can get to this evidence before it deteriorates or disappears. Our truck accident attorneys can demand timely access to the truck’s electronic data recorder, the truck driver’s logs, and other evidence.

State and Federal Trucking Safety Regulations

Commercial trucks are subject to many more regulations than private passenger vehicles. Here are a few key trucking regulations that may factor into a truck accident case:

Commercial driver’s license – Anyone driving a vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds in New Jersey must have a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL).
Hours of Service rules – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which is the national agency that regulates the trucking industry, has found that fatigued truck drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents. To address this concern, the FMCSA has regulations regarding how much time truck drivers can spend behind the wheel each day or week. These are known as Hours of Service rules. A truck driver who is found to have broken these rules – or a trucking company found to have pressured a driver to break them – could be held liable for a resulting accident.
Talking on the phone while driving – FMCSA rules strictly prohibit truck drivers from holding a phone while driving or from having to press more than one button on the phone to make a call. If a truck driver wants to use a cellphone while driving, they must use a hands-free system.
Drug and alcohol testing – The FMCSA requires all truck drivers to take a pre-employment drug test. Truck drivers are also generally required to take a drug test after any accident in which someone has been injured or killed.
Inspections – Per FMCSA regulations, a qualified inspector must inspect all trucks once a year. Truck drivers must also make at least three daily inspections of their vehicles, including inspections at the beginning and the end of each trip

Potential Compensation in a Successful New Jersey Truck Crash Claim

Depending on the particular circumstances of your case, you may be able to demand compensation for:

Hospital bills and other medical expenses
Lost wages and reduced future earnings
Pain and suffering from your injuries
Emotional distress and reduced quality of life
Damaged personal property

How Long Do You Have to File a Truck Accident Case in NJ?

Typically, you have two years from the date of a truck accident to file a lawsuit against any potentially liable parties. You do not want to miss this deadline, as you will likely lose your ability to recover any compensation for your injuries if you file your lawsuit late.

Our New Jersey Truck Accident Attorneys Are Ready to Help

The team at Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman is ready to fight for your rights and help you seek full and fair compensation after a truck accident that wasn’t your fault. Contact our office today for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey truck accident attorney.