If it seems that the roadways in the Garden State are crowded with tractor trailers, it is not your imagination. There were more than 2.7 million tractor trailers registered in the United States in 2016, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Unlike motor vehicle accidents, tractor trailer accidents can be particularly damaging and personal injury claims stemming from these accidents can be far more complex.
Commercial vehicles must follow federal and state regulations
Drivers of commercial vehicles are required to adhere to both federal and state regulations and must follow federal regulations for the coupling and decoupling of tractor trailers. Failure to properly decouple a trailer poses a serious safety risk: when a trailer is dropped on a public highway it presents a hazard for everyone in the immediate area. Causes of unsafe coupling and decoupling include operator error, poor maintenance, and mechanical failure.
Tractor trailer accidents
Accidents involving tractor trailers are most commonly the result of inadequate driver training, driver fatigue, and driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs, alcohol, or other medications.
Personal injury claims for tractor trailer accidents
When there is a tractor trailer accident that results in injury or fatality, personal injury law provides protection. Injured victims can file a personal injury claim to recover compensation for their injuries, providing the accident meets the legal standard for negligence. In order to meet the requirements of a personal injury claim, the injuries must be the result of an accident that was caused by another person or entity’s negligent behavior.
Filing a personal injury claim for injuries stemming from a tractor trailer accident can be complex. In tractor trailer accidents, there is usually more than one party that shares financial responsibility for the accident, including the truck owner, the trailer leasing company, the trailer manufacturer, and the company that manufactured the tractor trailer parts. For this reason, tractor trailer accidents require a skilled injury attorney with experience handling these types of claims.
New Jersey statute of limitations for personal injury claims
Every state has statutes of limitations – legal limits on the length of time an individual has to file a lawsuit in the civil courts. Deadlines vary from one state to another and depend upon the type of civil claim being filed. In New Jersey, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is typically two years from the date the injury took place. This is a significant legal deadline; the person who suffered injury must file a lawsuit against the individual or entity that is responsible for the accident within two years, otherwise the New Jersey courts may refuse to hear the case at any time. Furthermore, the injured party’s right to recover compensation for their injuries will have been lost.
Experienced legal team skillfully handles tractor trailer accident claims
Tractor trailer accidents often result in serious injury. And filing a personal injury claim for this type of accident can be complicated and challenging due to several underlying factors. At the Leonard Legal Group, LLC, our experienced New Jersey tractor trailer accident lawyers skillfully handle commercial truck and tractor trailer accident claims, successfully recovering maximum compensation for tractor trailer accident victims. We are available to discuss your accident, answer your questions, explain the personal injury claims process, and address your concerns. Meet with one of our personal injury attorneys by contacting our office at 973-984-1414 or contact us online.