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Manhattan NY Truck Accident Attorneys
Manhattan NY Truck Accident Information
This essay will explore the factors that contribute to Manhattan truck accidents and offer up a basic primer about your rights under the law, so you can get compensated fairly for damages, medical bills, and pain and suffering.
Why So Many Truck Accidents?
In 1980, the Motor Carrier Vehicle Act deregulated the trucking industry, unleashing an uncontrolled expansion. Prior to the Act, around 20,000 different motor carriers operated in the U.S. Two decades later, more than 500,000 carriers were in business. With profit margins shrinking, trucking companies began to encourage their drivers to work longer hours, and they cut back on maintenance costs and hired less qualified candidates. Further changes to the law in 2004 and 2005 allowed semi-truck workers to operate their vehicles for up to 14 hours a day - including an astounding 11 hours behind the wheel. Curiously enough, accident statistics from 2003 to 2005 show that deaths resulting from large truck crashes went up - coincidental to these relaxed driver regulations. Furthermore, study after study has shown that fatigued drivers make more mistakes than do well-rested drivers. On top of that, many truck drivers unfortunately spend a lot of time talking on their cell phones and even texting behind the wheel. Studies from independent sources show that drivers who text or chat on the cell are more accident-prone.
Trucks Vs. Cars/Motorcycles: An Unfair Advantage
An 18-ton tractor trailer travelling at 40 miles per hour will have three times the momentum of a 3-ton sedan travelling at 80 miles per hour. If you remember your basic physics, the force imparted by an object equals its change in momentum. So if an 18-ton truck goes from 40 miles per hour to 0 miles an hour, this will impart a force three times as great as the force generated by a 3-ton vehicle going from 80 miles per hour to 0 miles per hour.
In other words, truck collisions tend to be far more brutal than other kinds of auto crashes, and accident statistics bear this out. The vast majority of fatalities in car-truck collisions occur to drivers and passengers in autos -- truck drivers tend to be spared.
Fighting Back, Legally, to Get Compensation for Your Manhattan, NY Truck Accident
A competent Manhattan truck accident attorney can do a thorough investigation to determine the cause of your crash. It may be possible to hold any number of parties accountable for the damages and losses you've suffered. These liable parties could include: the truck driver who caused the accident, the owner of the trucking company, the manufacturer of the truck, your insurance company, the trucker's insurance company, and the truck owner's insurance company.
The Manhattan, NY truck accident lawyers at Wingate Russotti & Shapiro LLP have tremendous experience litigating these kinds of cases. Their trained investigators can gather evidence, interview key witnesses, and even reconstruct the accident to develop a winning strategy. To connect with a Manhattan truck collision lawyer right now to discuss your case for free and in confidence, call 1-212-222-4336.