Know Your Rights After A Collision With Big Rig On New Jersey Roadways

At Elias & Gonzalez, LLC, we have a dedicated focus on car, truck and motor vehicle accidents. The first thing you need to understand is that an accident with a truck is different than an accident with another car. This is because the drivers, owners and trucking companies are held to a higher level of safety. After an accident, it’s important for you to have all of the information about your rights to compensation. The trucking company insurer is unlikely to provide you with this. We will. Call and speak with our New Jersey team at 732-832-3226.

Work With An Attorney Who Understands Insurance

Trucking accidents are complex cases. Often multiple vehicles are involved and injuries can be serious. This can also mean that many different drivers have different levels of liability and insurance coverage. To best protect your rights, work with an attorney whose focus includes truck accidents.

Semis, “big rigs” and tractor-trailers often transport goods across state lines. This means that they are regulated at both the state and the federal level. These trucks must adhere to the safety rules and regulations of both the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These governing bodies set limits as to how much a truck can carry, how cargo is to be secured and how long a trucker can be on the road without a break.

What Causes Semi Accidents?

The number one cause of these types of accidents is driver error. Drivers who use drugs or alcohol or who are looking at their phones also cause many serious and fatal accidents. Trucking companies that do not adequately train their drivers, that do not allow their drivers adequate breaks and time to rest, or that set unrealistic deadlines can also be liable.

Drivers and owners are not the only ones at fault. Other parties may also have liability. Sometimes an accident is caused by an unsecured or overloaded truck or by equipment failure (such as tires, wheels, electrical systems, engines, couplings and brakes).

How We Can Help

Evidence of the cause of the accident is the most important factor in these cases, so you need to work with an attorney who knows what to look for and do so immediately after an accident.

• We will carefully investigate the accident and the site.
• We will review the police reports.
• We will gather the evidence and review the driver logs, company policies and equipment status.
• We will interview witnesses and recreate the accident scene.
• Whenever prudent, we will involve crash and medical experts.
• We will check to see if the truck was properly maintained.
• We will confirm whether the driver was indeed sober and was given sufficient training and breaks.

In every case, we will work to determine the cause of the crash and ascertain who should be held liable. As attorneys with a strong focus on New Jersey personal injury matters, our work is not complete until we do what is needed to ensure that you, the victim of the crash, receives complete medical care and full compensation for your injury.

Know Your Rights After A Semi Truck Accident

Always see a medical doctor after a collision with a car or truck. injuries can be masked by adrenaline or shock after an accident, so you may think you feel fine. The truth is you may have a serious internal injury or injury to your neck or brain that is not registering. Truck drivers, owners and businesses are held to higher levels of safety, so it’s important to know your rights. Call us for a free case consultation at 732-832-3226, or use our online form to get in touch. We help people injured in truck accidents throughout both Middlesex County and Central New Jersey. Hablamos español.