Staten Island is a funnel for truck traffic. Tractor-trailers cross the Goethals Bridge and Outerbridge Crossing, run the West Shore Expressway to and from the port and industrial areas, and head across the Verrazzano on the Staten Island Expressway. When a truck crashes into a car, the results are often devastating. A Staten Island truck accident lawyer can help you stand up to the trucking company and its insurer.
Common truck crashes on Staten Island
- Rear-end collisions in stop-and-go expressway traffic
- Blind-spot lane changes near bridge approaches and merges
- Wide turns on local roads like Richmond Avenue and Hylan Boulevard
- Jackknifes and rollovers from speed or shifting cargo
- Brake and tire failures from poor maintenance
Who can be held responsible?
Truck cases often involve several defendants: the driver, the trucking company, the owner of the tractor or trailer, the company that loaded the cargo and maintenance contractors. Employers are generally responsible for their drivers’ negligence, and vehicle owners can be liable for permissive drivers under VTL § 388. Identifying every party matters because it can mean more insurance coverage for your losses.
Federal trucking rules
Interstate trucks must follow federal safety regulations, including FMCSA hours-of-service rules that limit how long drivers can drive without rest. Driver logs, electronic logging device (ELD) data, drug and alcohol testing records, and inspection reports can show a violation.
Your no-fault and injury claims
If you were in a car, your own no-fault coverage usually pays medical bills and part of lost wages first; file within 30 days. To recover pain and suffering and your full losses from the truck’s owner and driver, you generally need a “serious injury” under Insurance Law § 5102(d). Most truck cases are filed in Richmond County Supreme Court and generally must be started within three years, sooner if a city vehicle was involved.
Evidence disappears fast
Trucking companies often send investigators to the scene within hours. We send immediate preservation demands for ELD and black box data, dashcam footage, logs and maintenance records, and we arrange to inspect the truck.
Talk to a Staten Island truck accident lawyer
We represent truck crash victims across Staten Island and all five boroughs. Learn more on our truck accident page, our Staten Island truck accident overview and our guide to trucking company liability.
Visit Yakov Mushiyev & Associates
Our office is at 1 Cross Island Plaza, Suite 325, Rosedale, NY 11422, just off the Cross Island Parkway on the Queens–Nassau border. If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you: at home, in the hospital or by video.
Talk to a Staten Island truck accident lawyer today
Yakov Mushiyev & Associates has recovered over $80 million for injured New Yorkers across the five boroughs and Nassau County. Consultations are free, available in English, Russian and Spanish, and there is no fee unless we win.
Call 718.775.3110 or contact us online for a free case review.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different. Attorney Advertising.