Allentown Truck Accident Attorney

Call Us 24/7 To Get the Legal Help You Need

If you were sharing the road with a big rig, semi-truck, tanker truck, or other large commercial vehicle and were involved in an accident, now is the time to call Knafo Law Offices. In 2016, tractor-trailer accidents increased to more than 119,000 injury crashes and more than 4,000 fatalities as a result of truck accidents.

Our truck accident attorneys can review the circumstances surrounding your accident and the injuries you experienced to assess the value of your claim and determine the best way to move forward to recover maximum compensation. No doubt, rebuilding your life after a truck accident can be a difficult undertaking. It is not impossible, however, and we want to help.

Since 1982, our firm has represented the injured in personal injury and wrongful death claims involving all types of motor vehicle accidents, including those caused by large trucks. We recognize the catastrophic nature of these collisions and use our considerable experience and resources to protect truck accident victims’ rights during every stage of their insurance claims or lawsuits.

What Causes Truck Accidents?

Truck accidents have various causes. Identifying the cause of your collision is an important part of handling your claim, as this will dictate who is responsible for paying for your medical bills and other losses you’ve experienced. When an Allentown truck accident lawyer at our firm handles such a case, you will see that our entire team works together to review evidence, reconstruct the accident, and put together a case that establishes fault and shows the true value of your claim.

Our team investigates truck accidents caused by:

• Truck driver negligence
• Violations of hours of service regulations
• Truck driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Trucker cell phone use while driving
• Unsafe lane changes
• Over-correcting, overturning, or other errors
• Truck brake failure
• Improper maintenance or inspections of commercial trucks
• Overloaded trucks
• Unbalanced or improperly secured truck loads
• Dangerous roadways
• Defective truck or auto parts

Hours of Service Regulations

In an effort to prevent accidents and keep motorists safe, Truckers are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA has many regulations drivers and their trucking companies must follow, one of these important regulations is called the hours of service regulations. The hours of service regulations determine how many hours a trucker can drive and when they must rest or take meal breaks.

According to the hours of service regulations, truck drivers are allowed to work up to 14-hour in a day, but only 11 of these hours can be spent driving. The remaining time must be spent on meal breaks or rest breaks. Of these break periods, the FMCSA requires that truckers take a 30-minute break by their eighth hour of starting their workday. When the workday ends, truckers are required to rest for at least 10 consecutive hours.

Additionally, truck drivers are also required to take days off work at regular intervals. These days off are determined by the hours of the company a trucker works for. If a trucking company is open seven days a week a driver is only allowed to work 70 hours in an eight-day period before taking at least 34 consecutive hours off. If a trucking company is open less than seven days a week than a driver is only allowed to work 60 hours in a seven-day period before taking 34 hours off. This rule is also called the 60/70 rule.

Liability in Truck Accidents

Truck accidents differ from car accidents in that there are usually several parties that could be held liable for the accident, depending on the circumstances of the case. While there can be many other, the top three parties usually liable for a truck accident are:

• The truck driver
• The truck manufacturer
• The trucking company

A truck driver is usually held responsible if they engaging in illegal activities at the time of the accident, such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If the accident was caused by a manufacturing defect then the truck manufacturer can be held liable.

However, the party most often held accountable for a truck accident is the trucking company. While there are many reasons for this, the main one is the fact that trucking companies are often caught encouraging their drivers to break FMCSA regulations in order to help save their company money. Because of this, their drivers are often overworked and fatigued, and more prone to accidents. If you have been injured, don’t wait to get help. Our attorneys have the skill and experience to investigate your truck accident case in order to hold the liable parties accountable to recover the compensation you deserve.

What Should I Do After a Trucking Accident?

When you are involved in an accident with a truck, the damages that you are facing may be more severe than an accident with a car. These experiences can be traumatic and overwhelming. It's important to understand the best ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from serious injury after a trucking accident in Allentown.

Follow these important steps after you are involved in a trucking accident:

• Call the police and an ambulance, if needed
• Don't refuse medical care. Some injuries that you have sustained may be life-threatening.
• Get the information of the trucker who was involved in the accident, include their name, address, driver's license, and contact information.
• Document the scene. Take pictures of any damage to vehicles or property.
• Contact a trucking accident lawyer in Allentown if you believe you have been injured due to the negligence of a truck driver.

Our attorneys at Knafo Law Offices understand how to get the evidence that you need to receive compensation for your pain and suffering.