Since York is located just south of where Interstate 83 and U.S. Highway 30 intersect, this area has plenty of commercial truck traffic on a daily basis. Unfortunately, this also means collisions between commercial trucks and smaller vehicles in this area are common and often cause serious injuries that can be traced directly back to the negligence of the truck driver or trucking company involved.
As our experienced personal injury attorneys know, there are several differences between injury claims built around truck crashes and claims built around other types of auto accidents. Navigating around those differences effectively is not something anyone should expect to accomplish on their own. Instead, you should strongly consider hiring and working closely with a well-known York truck accident lawyer who has experience winning cases like yours. Our lawyers have won many settlements for clients injured by reckless truckers, including for a wreck that occurred in the midst of a “white-out” blizzard. Jon Ostroff secured a critical witness statement within days of the crash, resulting in settlements totaling over $3 million.
Who’s Legally at Fault for a Truck Wreck?
Most of the time, filing suit over an auto accident means filing suit against the person who caused the crash to happen, through their own reckless or careless actions. In many situations, truck accident cases work the same way, and the primary person to blame for the crash is a truck driver who violated a traffic law, drove while drunk, or just wasn’t paying attention before they collided with another car.
There’s a slight difference between who’s directly to blame for causing a truck wreck in the moment and who holds legal liability for the effects of that wreck, as a skilled attorney in York can further explain. For example, it’s possible to demand money from a trucking company after one of their employees causes a wreck because they hold vicarious liability for their employee’s actions or they did something negligent that made it more likely for their employee to cause a crash.
In other situations, one or more people who seemingly weren’t directly involved in the wreck may hold some of the legal fault for accident-related injuries, such as a mechanic who didn’t make sure a truck was in safe working order or a parts manufacturer who made defective truck components. Finally, it’s not uncommon for truck accidents to not be the fault of the trucker involved but instead of another commuter car driver whose negligent behavior forced an otherwise responsible trucker into an unavoidable wreck.
Recovering Fairly Inside Filing Time Limits
Regardless of who specifically holds the blame for a truck crash, you can demand compensation from anyone found liable for your wreck based on their own negligence for losses like:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional trauma
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Lost work wages and/or future earning ability
- Medical bills and car repair/replacement costs not covered by insurance
- Other out-of-pocket expenses related to the accident, including the cost of things like wheelchairs and home modifications
Even when you suffer a lifelong and life-altering injury in a truck wreck in York, though, you typically only have two years at most under Pennsylvania law to have a knowledgeable lawyer file your suit.
Talk to a York Truck Accident Attorney About Legal Options
Even at low speeds, collisions between tractor-trailers weighing tens of thousands of pounds and any kind of commuter car tend to have devastating consequences for everyone involved. Taking effective legal action over this sort of crash and getting paid what you deserve for your losses can be far from simple.
The help you need to get the positive case result you want is available from an experienced York truck accident lawyer. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers to discuss your case.
