New York Garbage Truck Accident Attorneys

With the large concentration of people in New York City, it is no surprise that the city’s sanitation fleet is massive, with more than 5,000 sanitation vehicles out on the streets on an average day. Some garbage trucks are operated by the City of New York and some garbage trucks are operated by private companies.

These garbage trucks make frequent stops, often rushed to clear out the tons of trash and recycling that city residents and businesses leave in their wake. Garbage trucks also help plow snow in New York City. Unfortunately, not every route goes as smoothly as planned. Careless or negligent garbage truck drivers can cause serious devastation when they ram their massive vehicles into smaller passenger vehicles, bicyclists and innocent pedestrians.

At Belluck & Fox, our lawyers deal with accidents involving trucks and have extensive experience handling these complex personal injury cases. Our highly respected law firm has secured almost $1 billion in compensation for those who have suffered harm due to negligence on the part of individuals, companies, and government entities. Now, we stand ready to help you. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

Whether your accident was caused by a city sanitation truck or a private garbage truck, contact a lawyer immediately.

How Can a Truck Accident Attorney Help Me?

When you contact the experienced New York trucking accident attorneys at Belluck & Fox, we will immediately evaluate your case and launch an extensive investigation. You can count on our dedicated legal team to:

• Collect all evidence from the scene, including documenting evidence from the wrecked vehicles, taking photos of relevant road signs and conditions, footages of aggressiveness in driving etc.
• Interview witnesses to the crash
• Obtain copies of the police accident report, which may contain valuable evidence to support your claim   
• Review any camera footage that may be available, from traffic cameras to local business surveillance footage near the site of the crash
• Collect information from the garbage truck’s “black box,” also known as the electronic data recorder
• Examine the driver’s cellphone records to determine if he or she may have been talking and distracted at the time of the crash
• Obtain safety records and maintenance records for the vehicle
• Enlist the help of an accident reconstruction expert to re-create what happened at the scene
• Gather and analyze your medical records to show the extent of your injury
• Consult with medical specialists who can explain how your injuries will affect you in the long run
• Identify every potential source of compensation for you
• Manage all communication with the insurance companies and others involved, so you and your family can focus on your health
• Communicate with you frequently to keep you updated on the status of your case and let you know what to expect

If you’ve been hurt in a garbage truck accident, you should not try to handle a personal injury claim on your own. The insurance company will have a team of aggressive attorneys working to protect their interests, so it’s important that you are protected, as well.

Contact the respected personal injury attorneys at Belluck & Fox today to talk about your rights after a garbage truck crash.

What to Do After A Garbage Truck Accident

The feeling of shock that comes after being involved in a motor vehicle accident can make it hard to think clearly about what your next steps should be. Still, it is important that you try to keep your cool and take some precautions to protect both your health and your legal rights.

• Seek medical attention for your injuries immediately.
• Call the police as soon as possible and file an accident report.
• Get the name, employer, employee identification information and contact information for the driver of the large truck.
• Write down the names and contact information for any witnesses to the crash.
• If you feel up to it, take photos or videos of the crash scene and your injuries.
• Save all bills, letters, paperwork, and other documentation you receive that is related to the crash.
• Start a journal to document how you are feeling and how your injuries have affected your everyday life.
• Refrain from talking in detail about the accident with anyone other than your attorney.

You should seek professional legal advice as soon as possible after a garbage truck crash. New York limits the amount of time you have to file for compensation after these types of crashes, so it is crucial that you have an attorney working on your case from the very start. This is especially true if the garbage truck is owned by the City of New York.

Compensation After a Garbage Truck Accident

Accidents involving large sanitation trucks typically result in serious injuries that require extensive medical treatment. In some cases, these crashes prove fatal, leaving the victim’s family to pursue justice through a wrongful death claim. Some of the common types of compensation our attorneys may seek in your case include:

• Payment for medical expenses, including the cost of surgeries, hospitalizations, rehabilitative treatment, medications, assistive mobility devices, etc.
• Compensation for future medical expenses, which may be calculated with the help of health care specialists, life care planners, and economists
• Payment for lost wages, as well as compensation to account for loss of earning capacity if you are not able to go back to work or are forced to take a job that pays less
• Compensation for the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle
• Pain and suffering damages ─ physical, emotional, and psychological
• Payment for funeral and burial expenses if you lost a loved one in a crash
• Punitive damages, which can be awarded in extreme cases as a means to punish the at-fault party

You should never accept payment or sign anything from an insurance company without speaking to your lawyer about what full and fair compensation should be in your claim. Insurance companies are notorious for offering low settlements as a means to pressure cash-strapped victims into signing their rights away.

If you have been offered a settlement after a garbage truck accident, let our attorneys review it today ─ at no charge to you.

Our New York Garbage Truck Accident Lawyers Are Here to Fight for You

Drivers of sanitation trucks have a duty to everyone on the road to take proper safety precautions and drive with respect for smaller vehicles and pedestrians. When dump truck drivers are careless, reckless, aggressive or otherwise negligent, their actions can lead to serious injuries and even death.

If you or a family member has been hurt in a commercial vehicle accident, let our recommended personal injury attorneys in NYC help you file a claim for the full and fair compensation you deserve. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.