Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
A collision with a commercial truck is not the same as a standard car accident. The vehicles are larger, the injuries are often more severe, and the legal process involves multiple parties with deep pockets and experienced insurance teams.
A truck accident lawyer in Yonkers can help you identify who is responsible and pursue what you’re owed. At Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers, we’ve recovered $1 billion-plus for injured New Yorkers and are ready to take on the trucking companies and their insurers. Connect with our personal injury lawyer in Yonkers today for a free consultation.
How Trucking Companies Respond After a Crash
Within hours of a serious truck accident, the trucking company’s insurer and legal team are already responding. They send investigators to the scene, begin pulling records, and start building a defense. Their goal is to control the narrative before you have a chance to do the same.
One of the first things they look for is any way to shift blame onto the injured driver. They review dashcam footage, driver logs, and black box data, but only share what helps their case. If you don’t have someone preserving that evidence on your behalf, it may be gone before your case gets started.
Our Yonkers truck accident lawyers move quickly after these accidents for exactly this reason. Our in-house investigation team steps in immediately to preserve the evidence that matters before it can disappear.
Who May Be Liable in a Yonkers Truck Accident
Truck accident cases often involve more than one responsible party. The driver may have made an error behind the wheel, but other parties can share liability depending on the circumstances. Potentially responsible parties include:
- The trucking company, if it pressured the driver to violate hours-of-service rules or failed to maintain the vehicle
- The cargo loading company, if the cargo was improperly secured and caused the truck to become unstable
- A maintenance contractor, if faulty repairs contributed to a brake failure or a tire blowout
- The manufacturer, if a defective truck component played a role in the crash
Identifying every liable party matters because it affects the total amount of compensation you may be able to recover. Our Yonkers truck accident lawyers strive to get our clients the most money possible.
Federal Regulations That Apply to Truck Accident Claims
Commercial trucking is regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These rules cover hours of service, vehicle inspections, driver qualifications, and cargo securement. When a trucking company or driver violates these regulations, that violation can be central evidence in your claim.
Hours-of-service violations are among the most common. Fatigued driving is a leading cause of serious truck crashes, and the logs that track driver hours can reveal whether the driver was operating beyond legal limits. Trucking companies are required to retain these records, but not indefinitely.
Electronic logging devices, also called ELDs, now record driving time automatically. Pulling that data quickly is one of the first steps in any serious truck accident case. We can use this data to prove if the driver broke regulations.
Injuries Common in Truck Accident Cases
The size and weight of commercial trucks mean the injuries in these crashes are often catastrophic. A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and that force translates directly into the severity of injuries sustained by people in smaller vehicles.
Injuries we commonly see in truck accident cases include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, multiple fractures, internal organ injuries, and severe burns. Many clients face long recoveries, permanent limitations, or the need for ongoing medical care.
The compensation you may be able to recover should reflect not just your current medical bills, but the full long-term impact of your injuries.
What Compensation May Be Available
Victims of serious truck accidents in Yonkers may be able to recover compensation for a range of losses. Economic damages cover what can be calculated directly: medical expenses, future treatment costs, lost income, and reduced earning capacity. Non-economic damages cover the harder-to-quantify losses: pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress.
In cases where the trucking company’s conduct was particularly reckless, punitive damages may also be available. These are designed to penalize egregious behavior, not just compensate the victim. We evaluate every available category of compensation when we take on a truck accident case.
The Evidence We Preserve in Truck Accident Cases
Strong truck accident cases depend on evidence that must be secured quickly. Our team works to obtain and preserve the records that insurers and trucking companies would prefer to control. Key evidence in these cases includes:
- Black box data showing the truck’s speed, braking, and other actions before the crash
- Electronic logging device records showing hours driven
- Driver qualification and training records
- Vehicle inspection and maintenance logs
- Cargo manifests and loading documentation
- Surveillance and traffic camera footage from the area
Why Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers
Shulman & Hill was founded in 2013 and has recovered $1 billion-plus for clients across New York. Our attorneys bring 200-plus years of combined legal experience to every case, and our in-house investigation team is one of our strongest assets in high-stakes cases like truck accidents.
We go up against large insurers and corporate legal teams every day. There are no fees unless we win, and we travel for consultations, so you don’t have to come to us when you’re recovering.
Talk to a Truck Accident Lawyer in Yonkers Today
If you or someone you love was hurt in a truck accident in Yonkers, don’t wait. A truck accident attorney in Yonkers at Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers is ready to review your case. Contact us today for a free consultation and find out what your claim may be worth.