Content Reviewed By:
John Richmond, Co-Founding Member
- October 29, 2024
When you or your loved one is injured in a truck accident, you need an experienced legal team that understands trucking liability in New York and the impact of catastrophic injuries. Our top-rated New York truck accident lawyers are serious trial attorneys with the skills, experience, and tenacity to go up against large trucking companies and win significant compensation for our clients. Call (716) 500-5678 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.
- Why Choose Richmond Vona for Your Truck Accident Claim in New York?
- Potential Compensation for a New York Truck Accident
- Navigating Liability in Your New York Truck Accident Claim
- Filing a Claim as a Surviving Family Member
- Should You Settle Out of Court for Your Truck Accident Case?
- How Does Richmond Vona Investigate New York Truck Accidents?
- Meet Our New York Truck Accident Lawyers
- Consult Our Experienced Truck Accident Attorneys Today
- Related Reading
Why Choose Richmond Vona for Your Truck Accident Claim in New York?
Our award-winning New York personal injury lawyers are compassionate, aggressive advocates for truck accident victims. We have decades of combined experience representing injury victims and understand how devastating truck accidents can be. Our team is dedicated to providing personalized legal services and skilled representation with unwavering integrity.
We have recovered over $175 million in high-value case results for auto accident victims throughout the country, including the following settlements:
- $4.25 million for a truck accident
- $1.2 million for a motor vehicle accident
- $825,000 for a motor vehicle accident
- $430,000 for a motor vehicle accident
- $300,000 for a motor vehicle accident
We aren’t your typical truck accident law firm. Founding partners John E. Richmond and Keith R. Vona are leading personal injury trial lawyers in New York and have been recognized by Super Lawyers as Rising Stars, an honor reserved for the top up-and-coming attorneys in each state.
Their compassion, enthusiasm, and outside-the-box thinking are instrumental to the success of our firm. Learn more by exploring our Firm News.
What Our Clients Say
We go out of our way to give our clients the most positive experience possible and to ease their difficult circumstances. Our efforts shine through in their glowing testimonials:
- “Calling Richmond Vona was the best choice I made. They took the time to go over everything and make me feel safe and secure. They check in with you (hopefully you’ll get Rachel, She is awesome) and keep up with your progress. I am so thankful for the wonderful care I have been receiving, and I really appreciate everyone being so caring! I hope I don’t have to go through this again, but if I do, Richmond Vona will be the first call I make. Thank you for taking a scary situation and making it manageable, you folks rock!!!” – Andrew K.
- “John and his team were fantastic. They did a great job on our case. They were true professionals and got an excellent result. If you are looking for great lawyers to handle your personal injury case, I highly recommend Richmond Vona.” – Marc S.
- “My team was amazing and effective. Everything went exactly the way we wanted it to go and my case was settled with the utmost urgency. The team kept in contact with me more than I could have ever asked for from the start of my case to the very end. Couldn’t be more pleased to have had them all by my side while I recovered from my trauma.” – Hannah S.
What You Can Expect from Our Semi Truck Accident Lawyers in New York
When you choose our dedicated truck accident lawyers in New York, you will get a results-oriented team of three to four caring legal professionals who prioritize open, honest communication. We take on a small number of cases at a time so we can give you the personalized legal services you deserve. We encourage you to call anytime without hesitation. We are here to answer your questions and keep you informed.
We are committed to making the legal process as painless and convenient for you as possible. While you rest and recover, you can count on us to:
- Gather evidence to support your claim
- Deal with the trucking company and their insurers
- File your New York no-fault insurance claim
- File auto liability claims with the trucking company’s insurer and other liable parties
- Calculate your damages
- Negotiate a settlement and refuse to accept lowball offers
- File a New York truck accident lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires
- Take your case to trial if necessary to secure the compensation you deserve
When Should You Contact Richmond Vona?
The New York personal injury statute of limitations generally requires you to file your claim within three years from the date of the accident. However, it is important to reach out to us as soon as possible after your truck accident so we can gather important evidence before it disappears.
There is no financial risk when you hire our New York truck accident law firm. We operate on a contingency fee basis, which means we charge nothing upfront, and you only pay if we win.
Potential Compensation for a New York Truck Accident
Compensation for a truck accident can be substantial. Although catastrophic injuries can occur in any car accident, they are more common in truck accidents because of the disproportionate size and weight of commercial trucks compared to cars.
A fully loaded semi can legally weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. By contrast, the average car weighs around 4,000 pounds and is generally unable to protect passengers against the full force of a commercial truck collision, even with advanced crash protection features.
Severe truck accident injuries can affect you for a lifetime and cost hundreds of thousands or more in medical bills, lost wages, and lowered earning capacity. The available damages in your truck accident claim may include economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages compensate for verifiable monetary losses, such as:
- Current medical expenses
- Projected future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Property damage
- Personal care costs
- Transportation costs
When calculating your economic damages, our semi truck accident lawyers in New York will consider the lifetime costs of your injuries and aggressively pursue full and fair compensation.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages compensate for intangible losses that cannot be easily measured in dollars. They include things like:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent scarring, disfigurement, and disability
- Inconvenience
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are awarded to punish defendants and deter others from similar conduct. Punitive damages are only available when the defendant’s conduct was intentional or demonstrated a blatant disregard for the safety of others.
Damages in Fatal Truck Accidents
If your loved one died in a truck accident, your family may be able to pursue damages through a wrongful death lawsuit. Unlike most other states, New York currently doesn’t allow families to recover damages for their own emotional losses in wrongful death claims.
However, you may be able to pursue compensation for your loved one’s emotional distress, pain, and suffering. The law also allows families to pursue compensation for their financial losses related to the death, including:
- Loss of your loved one’s projected lifetime earnings
- Funeral expenses
- Your loved one’s medical expenses
- Loss of inheritance
You can count on our dedicated truck accident attorneys at Richmond Vona to fight for the maximum award available.
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This law firm goes above and beyond to fight for you. Their entire team treats you with respect and truly cares about your well-being. Look no further if you need a personal injury lawyer.
John Richmond and the team at Richmond Vona did an incredible job with my complicated personal injury case. They made sure no stone was unturned and got me the settlement I deserved for my situation. They treat you well, explain everything you need to know and more so you are always in the loop about the status of your case. John was easy to get in touch with anytime during the process and made signing paperwork easy and understandable. Their entire staff is professional and helpful throughout the process These guys are fair, trustworthy, and will stand up for you!
This firm’s attention to detail is second to none. It’s evident that they are true professionals and really care about their injured clients. This is the firm to call if you have been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence.
Navigating Liability in Your New York Truck Accident Claim
New York is a no-fault insurance state, which means you must file your initial claim through your own no-fault insurance regardless of who is at fault. No-fault insurance covers some of your medical expenses, lost wages, and incidental expenses. However, it does not cover non-economic damages. If your injuries are severe, no-fault insurance may not be enough to cover all of your lost wages and medical expenses either.
Fortunately, if your injuries are serious or you suffer more than $50,000 in basic economic losses, you can pursue damages from the at-fault driver and their trucking company. Serious injuries include death, significant disfigurement, miscarriage, loss of bodily functions or systems, broken bones, dismemberment, and injuries that prevent you from carrying out your daily activities for at least 90 of the 180 days following an accident.
Who Is Liable for My Truck Accident in New York?
A trucking company may be held “vicariously liable” for the negligence and misconduct of its drivers. Trucking companies may also be liable based on their own negligence, such as requiring drivers to stay on duty for an excessive number of hours, failing to perform periodic maintenance, and negligent hiring. Other parties who may be liable for your truck accident include:
- Other drivers
- Government entities responsible for road maintenance
- Manufacturers and suppliers of car or truck parts
- Cargo loaders
- Truck mechanics
Often, there are multiple liable parties in truck accident cases. Having multiple defendants can increase available insurance coverage and, therefore, the likelihood that you will recover the full value of your damages.
Even so, establishing liability in a truck accident case is a complicated matter. Trucking companies and their insurers will likely use underhanded tactics to minimize your compensation, such as blaming you for the accident, downplaying your injuries, and ignoring your calls.
It takes hard evidence and persistence to overcome these tactics. Our experienced 18 wheeler accident lawyers in New York know how to beat large corporations at their own game. You can count on us to fight back hard.
Filing a Claim as a Surviving Family Member
If your loved one died in a truck accident, a personal representative designated by your loved one or appointed by a court can file a wrongful death lawsuit. The proceeds of wrongful claims are awarded to the surviving family.
Personal representatives normally must file wrongful death lawsuits within two years from the date of death. Our New York wrongful death lawyers can make sure you do not miss the deadline.
Should You Settle Out of Court for Your Truck Accident Case?
Ideally, the truck accident defendants will acknowledge their responsibility and offer a fair and reasonable settlement. Settling your claim outside of court is a faster route to compensation and allows you to avoid the uncertainty of a trial. However, if the trucking company refuses to compensate you fairly, you may be better off taking your case to court.
The most effective method of negotiating a truck accident settlement is to present compelling evidence that the defendants know they would be unable to overcome in court. When they see that going to court could hurt their bottom line, they are more likely to offer a fair settlement.
Though we settle most of the cases we handle, we will not hesitate to confront trucking companies and their insurers before a judge and jury if necessary to secure the full and fair compensation you deserve. Our New York truck accident attorneys are experienced trial lawyers and prepare every case as though we were taking it to court, ensuring we are never caught off guard.
Watch Out for Early Lowball Settlement Offers
You may receive a lowball settlement offer shortly after your accident. These offers are usually premature because there hasn’t been enough time to understand the long-term costs of your injuries. Still, truck accident defendants hope you will accept because, once you do, you forfeit your right to pursue more damages later.
You should only accept a settlement offer after your attorney has evaluated your full damages. Of course, the choice of accepting a settlement is always yours, but our New York truck accident lawyers can advise you of the best course of action to make sure you leave no money on the table.
“There are some things that should be considered when you’re evaluating a settlement offer. Things like the defenses available to the other side, the nature of your injuries, and how it’s affected you and your family. It could even involve the historical values of those types of cases involving these types of injuries that your attorney has experience in. This is why it’s so important to work with a personal injury law firm.”
How Does Richmond Vona Investigate New York Truck Accidents?
Strong evidence is a hallmark of any successful truck accident lawsuit. At Richmond Vona, we leave nothing to chance. We work with accident reconstructionists, forensic specialists, medical providers, accountants, and other experts to ensure nothing is overlooked. During our accident investigation, we will:
- Visit the site to analyze the accident’s aftermath, including skid marks and road conditions.
- Gather footage of the accident from surveillance, traffic, and dash cameras.
- Obtain a copy of the police report.
- Interview eyewitnesses.
- Review driver logs, toxicology reports, and black box records.
- Determine whether the truck driver violated safety laws and regulations.
- Review truck maintenance records.
- Investigate truck part recalls.
- Review reports prepared by expert witnesses.
- Consult with medical experts, life care planners, vocational specialists, and financial experts to prove the lifetime costs of your injuries.
Meet Our New York Truck Accident Lawyers
Consult Our Experienced Truck Accident Attorneys Today
If you or your loved one were injured in a truck accident, you can count on our skilled New York truck accident lawyers to defend your right to compensation. We will take the time to get to know you and make sure you understand your options.
We charge no upfront fees to evaluate and build your case, and you pay nothing unless we secure compensation on your behalf. Call (716) 500-5678 or contact us online to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.
