Were you or a loved one injured in a car accident with a commercial vehicle in Buffalo, NY? Accidents involving commercial vehicles can have devastating consequences for occupants in smaller passenger vehicles. If you were injured, a Buffalo commercial vehicle accident lawyer at O’Brien & Ford PC can help.
With over 84 years of experience, you can count on our Buffalo commercial vehicle accident attorneys to handle every aspect of your case. To date, we’ve already recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of accident victims in cases similar to yours.
You may deserve significant compensation for medical bills, lost wages and more. Contact our law firm in Buffalo, New York today at (716) 222-2222 to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your legal options.
How O’Brien & Ford Buffalo Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Commercial Vehicle Accident in Buffalo
Serious injuries change lives in unanticipated ways. If you were hurt because someone else was careless, you deserve to be compensated.
Unfortunately, commercial insurance carriers work hard to minimize their own financial responsibility. In complex commercial vehicle accident cases, you’ll need an experienced Buffalo personal injury attorney in your corner to recover full compensation.
O’Brien & Ford PC has been listed among the Top 50 Super Lawyers in Upstate New York. We’ve also been listed among the WNY Legal Elite.
When you trust us to handle your legal representation, you can expect our Buffalo, NY, team to:
- Make sure you understand all of your legal rights and options
- Identify all sources of insurance compensation and all responsible parties
- Calculate the fair value of your case so you don’t risk taking a lowball deal
- Protect you when the insurance company blames you
- Aggressively negotiate to secure the maximum compensation possible
Our Buffalo personal injury lawyers don’t back down from a fight. All you have to do is call for a free consultation with our Buffalo commercial vehicle accident attorneys to get the legal advice you deserve.
How Common Are Commercial Vehicle Accidents in New York?
According to preliminary data released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 4,726 large trucks and buses were involved in motor vehicle accidents during 2023. 5,504 people were injured, and sadly, 107 victims were killed.
In New York, a commercial vehicle is any vehicle that:
- Weighs 10,001 pounds or more
- Can transport more than eight passengers for compensation
- Can transport more than 15 passengers, but not for compensation
- Transports hazardous materials
At O’Brien & Ford PC, we handle all types of commercial vehicle accident cases, including those involving:
- Semi-trucks, tractor-trailers and 18-wheelers
- UPS and FedEx trucks
- Amazon delivery vans
- Tour buses
- Transit buses
- Garbage trucks
- Construction vehicles
- Dump trucks
- Moving trucks
- Tanker trucks
- Utility vehicles
- Tow trucks
Drivers of commercial vehicles must typically obtain a commercial driver’s license before they can operate the vehicle. They’re also subject to detailed state and federal regulations. Our lawyers in Buffalo understand the complexities that can arise in commercial vehicle accident claims. Don’t hesitate to reach out to learn about your legal options after a crash.
What Is My Buffalo Commercial Vehicle Accident Case Worth?
The answer to this question depends on many unique variables. All personal injury cases are different.
When you hire our lawyers, we’ll put in the work to evaluate all relevant factors, including:
- The overall severity and nature of your injuries
- Your medical treatment costs to date
- Your future prognosis for making a full recovery or suffering a long-term disability
- How any long-term disability will impact your future earnings
- The amount of income you’ve lost during recovery
- The types of future expenses you’re likely to face, including ongoing medical care and rehab
- The types of intangible losses you’ve experienced, including pain, trauma, and embarrassment
Commercial insurance policies typically have higher coverage limits. That doesn’t mean it’ll be easier to recover fair compensation after an accident. Having an experienced lawyer review your case can be critical to getting a fair deal.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Commercial Vehicle Accident Victims in Buffalo?
Victims may be entitled to economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are the financial losses caused by the accident, and may include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Other out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages are much more subjective and often include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life and living with a disability
- Depression
- Humiliation
- PTSD
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium and companionship
Punitive damages are much more rare. New York courts only award punitive damages in cases where the defendant’s acts were intentional, malicious, or demonstrated reckless disregard for human life.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lawyer to Handle My Case?
Like most personal injury law firms, our team works on a contingency fee basis. You’ll agree to pay a set percentage of your settlement or verdict. That way, you don’t have to worry about upfront legal fees, and you won’t have to pay unless we win.
Can I Recover Damages if I’m Being Blamed for a Commercial Vehicle Accident in New York?
Like all other states, New York limits the amount of compensation you can recover if you share the blame for the crash. However, because New York has a pure comparative negligence law, you won’t lose all of your compensation if you share some fault. Instead, your compensation is reduced in direct proportion to the amount of fault allocated to you.
We Will Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Accident Injuries
Car accident injuries tend to be much more severe when a larger commercial vehicle is involved.
Victims might suffer a range of injuries, including:
- Broken bones or crushed bones
- Burns
- Deep cuts and disfigurement
- Facial injuries
- Nerve damage
- Whiplash
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
After a serious injury, you need time to focus on recovering–not insurance and legal issues. Let our lawyers handle that part on your behalf. We know the law and navigate the insurance process on a daily basis. You can count on us to fight for every available dollar.
What Causes Most Commercial Vehicle Accidents in Buffalo?
While commercial drivers must obtain a CDL, that’s no guarantee that accidents won’t occur. Commercial vehicle crashes happen for all different reasons.
Some common causes of commercial vehicle accidents in Buffalo include:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Wide turns
- Aggressive driving
- Passing too closely
- Inexperienced or unqualified truck drivers
- Failure to check blind spots
- Failure to account for longer stopping times
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Drunk driving
- Drug use
- Dangerous road conditions and bad weather
- Improperly maintained vehicles
- Failure to properly secure the vehicle’s cargo
Typically, commercial vehicle accidents occur because someone was negligent. While you’re recovering from your injuries, our Buffalo commercial vehicle accident attorneys will be searching for evidence to prove your case.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Commercial Vehicle Accident in New York?
Under New York personal injury laws, victims must prove four basic elements to recover compensation based on negligence:
- The at-fault driver had a legal duty of care
- They breached that duty through some act or omission
- The breach of duty directly caused your accident
- You suffered damages, including physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial losses
In commercial vehicle accident cases, you’ll also have to identify the party who is legally responsible for paying your damages.
Even assuming the commercial vehicle driver was responsible, someone else may be legally liable, including the following:
- The trucking company or owner of the vehicle
- Maintenance or inspection companies
- Companies responsible for the vehicle’s cargo
- Third-party motorists
- Manufacturers of defective safety features
- Government agencies
Our lawyers will work to pinpoint the exact cause of your accident and injuries. Valuable evidence might include the driver’s hours-of-service log, the trucking company’s inspection records, accident reports, the vehicle’s electronic recording device, and even statements from eyewitnesses.
It’s important to start gathering evidence quickly after an accident. Contact us today to discuss your case in detail and learn more about how we can help.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Commercial Vehicle Accident in New York?
In New York, the personal injury statute of limitations gives you three years to file a lawsuit. The three-year period starts to run on the date the accident occurred. Wait any longer to take legal action, and you lose your right to sue for damages.
Contact a Buffalo Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Commercial vehicle accidents in Buffalo, NY, can cause significant damage. Your claim for compensation can also be complicated by factors that usually aren’t an issue in common car accident cases.
An experienced Buffalo commercial vehicle accident lawyer at O’Brien & Ford PC can handle every aspect of your case. Just call our legal team today at (716) 222-2222 to arrange a free case review.