Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
If you were hurt in a truck crash, you may be worried about bills, time off work, and what to do next. With the help of Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers, a personal injury lawyer in Clarkstown can help you hold the right parties accountable and seek fair compensation under New York law.
Home to attorneys with over 200 years of combined experience, our law firm was founded in 2013. Since then, we’ve helped more than 26,000 clients recover over $1 billion in compensation.
We help injured drivers, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and families after serious commercial vehicle collisions. Our team handles liability disputes, insurer negotiations, and litigation when needed. To learn more, talk to a truck accident lawyer in Clarkstown today.
Common Causes of Truck Crashes in Clarkstown
Local trucking mixes with neighborhood traffic, school zones, and narrow corridors. Crashes here often involve blind-spot lane changes, wide turns, and rear-end impacts near signals and shopping areas. Fatigue on late-night corridors can also raise risk.
Cargo and maintenance play a major role. Overweight loads, shifting freight, and worn brakes or tires can turn common maneuvers into rollovers or jackknifes. Electronic logs and inspection reports help show what went wrong. Weather and road design matter, too.
Rain, snow, and ice on routes linking to the Palisades Interstate Parkway or New York Thruway can extend stopping distances for loaded rigs. Poor visibility and construction zones add to decision-making pressure.
What Are Your Legal Options After a Semi-Truck Collision?
Many cases begin with New York no-fault benefits for medical costs and lost wages. If you suffered a “serious injury” under state law, you may step outside no-fault and bring a claim against the at-fault parties. This opens the door to pain and suffering and full wage loss.
Multiple insurers may be involved. The driver’s liability policy, the motor carrier’s policy, a maintenance contractor’s coverage, and a shipper’s or broker’s policy may all be in play. Coordinating claims helps avoid gaps and missed recoveries.
If negotiations stall, you can file a lawsuit to preserve your rights before the deadline. Litigation lets us subpoena records, depose witnesses, and secure court orders when companies resist sharing data.
How Liability Works in New York Commercial Vehicle Cases
Liability can extend beyond the driver. The motor carrier may be responsible for hiring, training, scheduling, and supervision. A shop may share fault for bad repairs, and a loading contractor may share fault for unsecured freight. New York follows pure comparative negligence.
If a jury assigns you a percentage of fault, your award is reduced by that percentage. We push back when insurers overstate your share, using reconstruction evidence and industry standards. Corporate ownership can be layered.
We identify every entity in the chain, including parent companies, subsidiaries, and certificate holders, so that we can reach all applicable insurance. This matters when one policy is too small for a life-changing injury.
Damages You Can Pursue After a Truck Wreck
When your injury meets the serious-injury threshold, you may claim both economic and non-economic losses. Economic losses include medical bills, future care, medications, equipment, transportation, and lost income.
Non-economic losses cover pain, limitations, and loss of enjoyment. Catastrophic injuries change the analysis. Spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and severe fractures often require life-care planning and vocational opinions.
We secure professional input to value future costs and long-term wage loss. Families with fatal crash claims can bring a wrongful death action. That claim seeks damages for pecuniary losses and related harms under New York law.
Statutes, Deadlines, and Insurance Rules That Apply to Your New York Legal Case
Personal injury lawsuits in New York are generally subject to a three-year statute of limitations. Wrongful death actions usually have a shorter period, often two years from the date of death. Government-related defendants can trigger notice-of-claim rules within 90 days.
No-fault (PIP) has strict timelines. You must submit applications and medical bills promptly to keep benefits flowing. Missed forms or deadlines can limit wage replacement and treatment approvals. The “serious injury” threshold controls when you can sue for pain and suffering.
Categories include significant limitation, permanent consequential limitation, and fractures, among others. We align medical documentation to the category that fits your condition.
Call Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers for Legal Advice From Our Truck Accident Law Firm in Clarkstown
If a truck crash disrupted your health, work, and family, you don’t have to handle the claim alone. We can investigate fault, manage insurers, and pursue the full value of your losses. Contact Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers to start your free case review.
The sooner we begin, the easier it is to secure key records and protect your rights. We’re ready to help you figure out your next steps with clarity and purpose. We keep communication simple with regular updates, fast responses, and direct conversations.
You can reach us for status checks and case decisions. Plus, we’ll also coordinate with your providers to reduce paperwork stress on your end. Last but not least, we work on a contingency fee, meaning you’ll pay no upfront fees, and our fee is a percentage of the recovery.
