Truck Accident Attorneys Mercer and Middlesex County NJ

Serving affected and injured clients in Trenton office, Princeton, Lawrence, Hamilton, New Brunswick and across Mercer County

Truck Accident Attorneys Mercer and Middlesex County NJAn average passenger car is no match for a commercial truck in the event of a crash. Accidents involving commercial trucks can result in serious injuries or death.  In New Jersey, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses if you or a loved one suffered due to an accident involving a commercial truck.  

Truck accidents are among the most serious motor vehicle accidents in New Jersey. It is not uncommon for NJ and PA roads to be filled with commercial trucks carrying large loads or cargo. When careless truck drivers and poorly maintained trucks enter our streets and highways, they can cause catastrophic injuries and property damage. In the worst cases, commercial truck accidents can result in wrongful death.

Cohen & Riechelson is a New Jersey law firm that assists clients with personal injury claims throughout both states. Our litigation team has achieved successful verdicts and settlements for clients injured in truck accidents throughout Mercer County, NJ, including Princeton, Hopewell, and West Windsor. We are here to offer you experienced advice and strong advocacy because we are sensitive to clients’ needs and we believe that every client deserves personalized attention. Call CR now to speak with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys and explore your legal options.

Commercial Tractor Trailers

New Jersey is a major hub for transporting goods by way of commercial tractor-trailers. Trucks are considered class 8 vehicles having an average base weight of 33,000 pounds. All commercial tractor-trailers transporting goods or passengers must be registered as a commercial company, employ drivers with a Commercial Drivers License (CDL), comply with safety regulations, and maintain liability insurance. 

Additionally, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires all drivers of commercial vehicles with a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or more to obtain a Medical Examiners Certificate that establishes their health. FMCSA also sets forth safety regulations that must be strictly adhered to.  For example, the Administration requires consecutive driving hours to be limited, no use of alcohol or substances, and adherence to speed limits as well as strict compliance with gross weight limitations.  

Unfortunately, trucking companies and drivers do not always abide by the safety regulations, and their failure to do so causes serious injuries to innocent people.  

Causes of Truck Accidents in Mercer County NJ

The primary causes of truck accidents in New Jersey include:

  • Causes of Truck Accidents in Mercer County NJDriver fatigue
  • Drug and alcohol abuse
  • Distracted driving
  • Speeding
  • Failure to yield
  • Moving in reverse
  • Overloaded vehicles causing truck rollovers
  • Poor truck maintenance
  • Inadequate lights and reflectors
  • Improper training of drivers

In order to determine the cause of your truck accident and identify all potentially liable parties, it is important for your attorney to work with investigators and speak with expert witnesses. It is also critical for your attorney to understand the nuances of commercial vehicle regulations in New Jersey.

Accidents involving Tractor Trailers

An average sedan, such as a Honda Civic, weighs approximately 3000 pounds.  It is not hard to imagine what could happen if a tractor-trailer, weighing ten times more slams into the tiny passenger Civic.  The impact would be devastating to the passengers in the car, as well as any family members associated with the injured parties.  For this reason, trucks must strictly adhere to safety standards and abide by traffic laws, but this does not always happen.  

Accidents involving Tractor TrailersFor example, truck drivers are under pressure to deliver loads on a specified schedule.  Their employers may have unrealistic goals about the time needed for transporting goods. As a result, drivers take short cuts such as not getting enough rest.  Lack of rest can cause inattentive driving and reactionary time that is less than required (such as braking too late). 

Aside from the lack of rest, there are many other causes of accidents involving tractor-trailers.  Other causes include drunk driving or impaired driving, reckless driving, distracted driving, tailgating, speeding, fatigue, or lack of required training and experience.  

The injuries caused by truck collisions have lasting impacts that destroy the lives of the injured, as well as those who love and care for them. 

Commercial Vehicle Laws in New Jersey

A large number of truck accidents in New Jersey involve commercial vehicles – trucks that are part of a business, traveling into the state as part of interstate commerce, and weighing at least 10,000 pounds.

Commercial vehicles are governed by a complex network of federal and state regulations that call for truck drivers and truck companies to meet certain requirements in order to operate a commercial vehicle on a New Jersey roadway. For example, the operators of large commercial trucks need to have greater insurance coverage than the operators of standard motor vehicles. Additionally, truck companies must ensure that their drivers are properly trained and have secured the necessary licenses and registration to operate large vehicles such as 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, or tractor-trailers.

Securing Compensation in a Trenton NJ Truck Accident Claim

Securing Compensation in a Trenton NJ Truck Accident ClaimIf you were seriously injured in a truck accident, it might be possible to file personal injury claims against both the truck driver and the truck company. Other potentially liable parties include a trucking contractor and a trucking insurance company. Once liable parties have been identified, your attorney will need to do everything possible to prove that they acted negligently and are therefore responsible for your truck accident injuries.

Additionally, some truck accident cases involve workers’ compensation claims. That’s why you should make sure that your attorney has a background in personal injury law and workers’ compensation law.

The compensation in truck accident cases may include the cost of your medical bills, future medical care, and lost wages. Depending upon the circumstances of your accident and the nature of your personal injury claim, you might also be entitled to damages for your physical pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and a lower quality of life caused by the accident.

Common Injuries involving trucking accidents

If you are lucky enough to escape a tractor-trailer accident without a fatality, you will still likely suffer from injuries.  There are countless life-altering injuries sustained by innocent people. Common devastating injuries include head injuries, back injuries, lacerations, broken bones, loss of limbs, traumatic brain injuries, organ damage, and paralysis.  

The lasting result of some injuries cannot be immediately known and take time to develop.  Because of this, you must seek the assistance of qualified medical professionals and continue to follow the recommendations and specified medical plan.  Undoubtedly, as a result, you will accumulate medical bills, miss work, and suffer significant financial losses. 

While things may seem bleak, you do have legal recourse.

How we can help in securing financial compensation?

Attorneys can help the injured person by filing lawsuits and seeking recovery from the negligent party.  An injured person should not settle with the trucking company without seeking the advice of an attorney. Settling without knowing your rights and without uncovering all of the facts may result in receiving less compensation than needed and deserved.  

Free Consultation with Hamilton NJ Truck Accident Lawyers

Contact CR today if you or a loved one has suffered an accident involving a tractor-trailer in Princeton, Lawrence, Hamilton, New Brunswick, and across Mercer County. We will leave no stone unturned when uncovering the facts that may lead to proof of negligence by the trucking company. In doing so, we will be in a better position to seek compensation for medical bills, loss of past and future wages, other financial losses, continued medical care, and pain and suffering.

To speak with our team of attorneys today in a free and confidential consultation regarding your potential claim and how we can help you, please contact us online, or through our Hamilton, NJ office at (609) 528-2596.