Truck Accident Attorney in New Jersey

truck accident in NJ

Are you suffering the consequences of a truck accident that wasn’t your fault? Then turn to New Jersey truck accident lawyer Steven Ellman for the experienced legal representation you need to pursue the compensation you’re owed. You should not have to pay for injuries, vehicle repairs, medical bills, lost wages, and ongoing expenses because of someone else’s negligence.

For over 35 years, Steven Ellman, a truck accident lawyer in New Jersey, has tirelessly advocated for the rights of injured accident victims throughout New Jersey. He has a proven record of success inside and outside the courtroom, securing considerable verdicts and settlements. He believes that each of his clients deserves the best possible results in their case and will do everything in his power to deliver them.

Reach out to Steven Ellman today. His practice, the Law Office of Steven Ellman, offers free consultations, so getting the answers to your pressing legal questions won’t cost you anything. And because he provides his services on contingency, he won’t charge you a fee unless he secures you compensation.

What Is Considered a Truck in New Jersey?

A commercial truck is defined as any vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating or a gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more or is used to transport materials designated as hazardous under 49 U.S.C. §5103 or 49 C.F.R., Subtitle B, Chapter I, Subchapter C. Examples of vehicles that qualify as trucks include:

  • Box truck
  • 18-wheeler
  • Semi-truck
  • Big rig
  • Tractor-trailer
  • Semi-trailer
  • Car transporter
  • Tow truck
  • Dump truck
  • Cement truck
  • Waste collection truck
  • Crane trucks/mobile crane
  • Livestock truck
  • Logging truck
  • Furniture truck
  • Flatbed truck
  • Snowplow
  • Tanker truck

What Injuries Can Someone Sustain in a New Jersey Truck Accident?

The weight and speed of a commercial truck can impart devastating forces in a collision. Victims of New Jersey truck accidents often suffer serious and potentially life-threatening injuries as a result, such as:

  • Lacerations, abrasions, and deg loving injuries
  • Burns and smoke inhalation injuries from post-accident fires
  • Toxic exposure and resulting disease from hazardous cargo spills
  • Broken bones
  • Dislocated joints
  • Ligament, tendon, and muscle injuries or tears
  • Whiplash
  • Nerve damage
  • Herniated spinal disc injuries
  • Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
  • Perforation injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
  • Facial injuries
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Crush injuries
  • Traumatic amputation/limb loss

For a fatal truck accident, the families of the victim may file a wrongful death lawsuit.

What Are Common Commercial Truck Accidents in New Jersey?

Examples of commercial truck accidents that New Jersey attorney Steven Ellman handles include the following.

Head-On Collisions

Head-on collisions happen when the front of a commercial truck and the front of another vehicle impact. These collisions may be caused by a truck crossing the center line or median of the road or by a truck driver traveling the wrong way down a one-way street or highway access ramp. Head-on collisions may also occur when a truck swings wide into the opposing lane when making a right turn on surface streets.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions involve a truck’s front striking another vehicle’s rear. Rear-end crashes often happen when a truck driver is speeding or follows the vehicle in front of the truck too closely.

Sideswipe Collisions

A sideswipe collision occurs when a truck’s side impacts another vehicle’s side on the road. This can happen when a truck driver attempts to change lanes without checking mirrors or signaling.

Underride Accidents

An underride accident happens when a smaller passenger vehicle becomes wedged underneath a truck trailer, either along its side or under the rear overhang. This can occur when a truck driver changes lanes without checking mirrors or signaling.

Side-Impact/T-Bone Accidents

A side-impact or T-bone accident occurs when the front of a truck crashes into the side of another vehicle. T-bone collisions most frequently happen at intersections when a driver runs a red light or stop sign or fails to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic when turning left.

Rollover Accidents

A rollover truck accident involves a truck or tractor-trailer overturning onto its side or roof. Rollovers can occur when a truck driver takes a steeply banked curve at an excessive speed or when the driver loses control on an incline. The risk of a rollover accident increases if a truck has an imbalanced cargo load that raises the truck’s center of gravity and makes it less stable.

Jackknife Accidents

A jackknife is a type of accident particular to articulated trucks. It is caused when the rear of a truck trailer swings toward the truck cab, causing the two elements to fold in on each other like a pocketknife. Jackknifing can occur when a truck driver turns the steering wheel too sharply or brakes too aggressively, especially on slippery roads or inclines.

Road Departure Accidents

A road departure involves a truck running off the road in an uncontrolled manner, usually due to a brake failure.

Cargo Accidents

A cargo accident occurs when a truck spills its cargo onto the roadway, where it either collides with nearby vehicles or is left on the road to pose a hazard for oncoming traffic.

What If I Am Partly at Fault in a New Jersey Truck Accident?

You may still have the right to pursue compensation for a truck accident you contributed to. New Jersey follows a comparative negligence rule codified in N.J.S.A. §2A:15-5.1, which states that being partially at fault for an accident does not prevent an injured party from pursuing compensation. You may pursue a compensation claim after a truck accident if your share of fault is not greater than the combined fault of the parties you are seeking compensation from.

However, under New Jersey’s comparative negligence rule, any share of fault you bear for the truck accident can reduce the financial recovery you may be entitled to. For example, if you incurred $100,000 in losses from a truck accident and you were 30 percent at fault, you would be eligible for no more than $70,000 in compensation.

What Compensation Can I Expect to Recover in a New Jersey Truck Accident Claim?

You may be entitled to recover compensation for what you suffered in a truck wreck that wasn’t your fault. Let New Jersey truck accident lawyer Steven Ellman fight to hold the trucking companies accountable for compensating you for losses, including:

  • Costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation of your accident-related injuries
  • Costs of long-term medical and personal care you may need for permanent physical disability or impairment that resulted from the accident
  • Loss of earnings if you miss work or need to go on part-time duty or do light-duty work while you recover from your injuries
  • Loss of earning capacity and loss of job benefits if you become permanently disabled from working
  • Physical pain and anguish
  • Emotional trauma and distress
  • Loss of enjoyment and quality of life
  • Permanent scarring and disfigurement
  • Repair or replacement costs of your vehicle
NJ truck accident attorney

Request a Free Consultation

How Can a New Jersey Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me?

A truck accident can leave you with catastrophic, life-altering injuries that you deserve to be compensated for. However, it can be hard to pursue a compensation claim while you are already focused on your medical treatment and your physical and emotional recovery. New Jersey truck accident lawyer Steven Ellman can handle the details of preparing and pursuing your legal case on your half, including:

  • Thoroughly investigating the circumstances that led to the accident to recover all the available evidence.
  • Identifying the parties who may be held responsible for compensating you for your injuries.
  • Explaining your legal options for financial recovery, including filing claims with your insurance company.
  • Document the expenses and losses you have incurred from the accident to calculate what fair and full compensation looks like for you.
  • Bringing in experts in accident reconstruction, engineering, trucking industry standards, medicine, or finance to provide persuasive testimony to strengthen your case.
  • Preparing and filing your insurance and legal claims to pursue maximum financial recovery for you as soon as possible.
  • Vigorously negotiating for full compensation in a settlement or taking your case to court and trial to get the compensation you deserve.

Truck accident cases can be complicated, with many potentially liable parties, each of whom might have their own insurance coverage and legal team. Don’t try to sort out these complexities yourself. Get in touch with New Jersey truck accident attorney Steven Ellman today.

Contact New Jersey Truck Accident Law Firm

Have you been hurt in a truck accident in New Jersey? If you weren’t to blame, you shouldn’t be left to pay the consequences. Instead, contact the Law Office of Steven Ellman — a New Jersey Truck Accident Law Firm — today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

In your consultation, you’ll learn more about your legal options, the compensation you could be owed, and how Steven Ellman can go about pursuing it. Don’t put off demanding the financial recovery and support you need for the harm and loss you suffered due to someone else’s negligence. Call or contact Steven Ellman online today.