There’s been a 52% increase in truck accidents on US roads over the past decade. Those that suffer the most are occupants of the passenger cars involved. Over 130,000 people are injured each year in truck accidents and in most cases those are quite severe injuries. As for fatalities, more than two thirds of those killed in truck accidents are passengers in family cars. New Jersey is no exception to the rule. Each year, thousands of New Jersey residents are left with terrible injuries following a collision with a semi or a tractor trailer. And they all need help. Medical help and legal help to recover the money they need to pay their mounting medical bills. If you need help, too, you should look up the best New Jersey truck accident lawyers. You’re going to need sound legal advice and a very tough lawyer to get the compensation you deserve. Settling a claim with the insurance company can be very difficult. If you’re in a fender-bender and you only need a few hundred dollars to fix your car, you can deal with that even if your insurer gives you trouble. However, when you sustain serious injuries requiring expensive medical care you’ll need a lot of money, the kind of money an insurance company is not going to give to you without a fight. If you file a claim against the truck driver, the damages you can get are limited. Commercial drivers must carry liability insurance, but that only covers a minimum of $25-30,000. That’s not going to help much if you have broken bones or neck damage and you require multiple surgeries, not to mention you won’t be able to work for a prolonged period of time. A skilled truck accident lawyer in Newark will try to determine if there’s someone else you can sue for damages. For instance, you might file a claim against the truck owners, the leasing company, the manufacturer or the maintenance company servicing the vehicle. Before you can do that, your lawyers will have to conduct their own investigation into the crash.

Trucks in mechanics bays for service; image by Carlos Daniel, via Unsplash.com.

If the accident was caused by driver fatigue, your lawyers will have a look at the driver’s schedule for the past week to see whether they had enough rest between shifts, in compliance with federal road safety regulations. On the other hand, an independent expert might be called in to see if there was any type of malfunction involved. Almost one third of all truck accidents in the country are caused by tire defects. Your accident lawyers will send letters to all the parties involved demanding the preservation of all documents concerning the truck so they can examine the maintenance schedule. If the trucking company or the company they hired for maintenance had not checked and replaced the tires properly, they can be held accountable for the crash. The last step is evaluating the amount of damages you deserve. You can claim economic damages for your medical expenses and your lost wages, including lost future wages if you are left with a disability that limits your capacity to earn. Also, you can ask for non-economic damages to compensate you for your pain and suffering.