Although every accident is dangerous and potentially life-threatening, those involving big rigs like trucks, 18-wheelers, semi-trailers, and tractor-trailers are even more likely to cause catastrophic injuries and fatalities.
This is even more likely if the victim was in a smaller vehicle compared to the truck. Unfortunately, these injuries result in thousands of dollars in unplanned medical expenses, and the possibility of being unable to work while you or your loved one is hospitalized.
You do not deserve to be dealing with this. This is why you need an experienced New Rochelle big rig accident lawyer to go to bat for you. At Morelli Law Firm, our skilled truck collision attorneys will help pursue compensation on your behalf. Let us help you get the settlement you need to take care of your bills and loved ones today.
How We Help Truck Crash Victims in Westchester County Recover Compensation
Here’s the thing about accidents involving large vehicles: they take time. This is even more so when the truck involved is a commercial vehicle. This is because of the potential number of liabilities, the length of time it takes to complete an investigation, and the other parties’ willingness –or lack of– to comply with your compensation claim.
There’s also the issue of fault –the company and/or the driver may or may not accept liability. If this happens, the case may have to go to court. And even though all these may seem overwhelming, the reality is it’s nothing that our big rig accident lawyers in New Rochelle, NY, haven’t dealt with in the past.
Our experience and knowledge of these matters means that we’re in a unique position to help you get the compensation you need. We have fought for many injured victims of truck crashes and have won. We’ve been able to win these cases because of our processes:
Look for Details that Will Help Prove Fault
One of the first steps we take is to identify the cause of the crash and what led to it. Some of the details that we often look into include:
- Past driver and trucking company records
- Past reports of accidents that the same driver or other drivers who worked for the company were involved in
- The company’s and driver’s truck maintenance history
- All associated evidence including eyewitness statements
- Video or picture evidence of the crash
- Interview experts in the field and get their perspective
Once we have all these details, we’ll then move on to the next phase of our process.
Establish your losses
Your compensation amount is largely tied to the extent of your losses and damages. It doesn’t matter if you were in a car accident with a big rig in New Rochelle, NY. If the losses were minimal, you will only get commensurate compensation.
For example, let’s say a semi-trailer crashed into your vehicle from the rear, causing a slight dent in the rear and no physical injuries to you or anyone else. The extent of receivable damages will only be for the repairs and/or a small inconvenience of lost time.
It is important to note this because most people naturally assume they’re entitled to a large compensation because they were involved in a truck accident. To help maximize your compensation, we’ll evaluate all your losses. These include:
- Cost of medical treatment
- Repair or replacement cost for damaged property
- Loss of income
- Reduced income earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Loss of companionship and society
- Loss of consortium
Once these are determined, we’ll then be able to come up with an acceptable sum that we’ll then present to the liable party’s insurance company and start the negotiating process. This is why it is important to never accept an insurance company’s compensation offer without first speaking to our big rig accident attorneys in New Rochelle, NY.
Insurance companies are not known to play fair. They’re only in the business of minimizing their losses. Therefore, whatever offer they make you, chances are you can receive multiple times that with the help of Morelli Law Firm’s experienced truck accident lawyers.
We will provide adequate legal representation and support, and work hard to ensure that you get nothing less than the settlement you deserve.
Identifying the Cause of the Big Rig Crash For Liability Purposes
This is a vital part of the compensation recovery process. If we can show and prove that the driver and/or their employer were negligent in some way, we can get you a lot more compensation than what you’d have ordinarily received. To prove this, therefore, we’ll pay specific attention to the cause of the wreck:
- Driving under the influence of illicit substances
- Drowsy or fatigued driving – usually implies that the trucker has been driving for longer than the mandated hours of service
- Reckless driving like overspeeding or tailgating
- Failed vehicle parts
- Distracted driving
- Inadequate truck driving experience
- Traffic violation
- Overloaded or improperly loaded cargo
- Poor safety and maintenance practices
Once the cause of the big rig crash is established, it’ll help us determine who is directly or indirectly responsible for the collision. We’ll then build the case from there so that you can receive the right settlement amount.
New Rochelle Big Rig Accident Lawyer Near Me 877-751-9800
What if You Lost a Loved One?
Then, you can file a wrongful death claim that will help recover damages. At Morelli Law Firm, our wrongful death lawyers can help obtain the following damages:
- Hospital costs up to the point of the injured victim’s demise
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of guidance if the victim was a parent to a child
In general, surviving relatives will be able to claim monetary damages in a wrongful death suit. However, they may be able to claim more than monetary damages in the near future. This is possible courtesy of the Grieving Families Act (SB S74A). This act seeks to amend various aspects of the current wrongful death laws in New York.
Contact Experienced New Rochelle Big Rig Accident Lawyer
You deserve to be compensated for any injuries you or a loved one may have sustained in a large truck crash.
At Morelli Law Firm, our skilled and compassionate big rig collision attorneys in New Rochelle, NY, can make the at-fault parties pay for the trouble they’ve caused you and help you recover the right settlement amount.
Contact us today to request a free case evaluation.