You might think that if you or someone you love gets hit by a commercial truck in New York you should seek out a New York car accident lawyer. You would be wrong. Suing a commercial trucking company for personal injuries is NOT the same as suing for a run-of-the-mill car accident. You need a lawyer who is experienced and knowledgeable in the hyper-specialized field of truck accident litigation.
Don’t get me wrong. There are many important similarities between truck accident and car accident litigation. For starters, both trucks and cars are subject to the New York Vehicle & Traffic law, a set of “rules of the road” that applies to all vehicles on New York State roads (even bicycles!). Thus, for example, all vehicles must stop at stop signs and red lights, yield at yield signs, and signal turns, etc.
But in addition to being subject to the New York Vehicle & Traffic Law, commercial trucks are subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR)(adopted and codified in New York under Title 17, Section 820). This is an additional set of safety rules that applies only to commercial trucks. A lawyer with a working knowledge of these rules is better armed to take on the trucking insurance company. He or she can find additional ways to lock in liability against the negligent truck operator, his employer, and the owner of the tractor and trailer.