At Steve Boyd, PC, we listen to you, fight for you, and we get results.
At Steve Boyd, PC, we listen to you, fight for you, and we get results.
An accident involving a fully loaded, 80,000-pound commercial truck is not just a collision; it is a catastrophic event. The sheer size and weight of these vehicles mean that accidents, particularly on high-speed roads like the US Route 219, often result in life-altering or fatal injuries for the occupants of smaller passenger cars. The aftermath is a chaotic scene of devastating injuries and complex legal questions.
If you or a loved one has been harmed in a truck accident, you need a law firm with the specific, detailed expertise required to take on these uniquely challenging cases. The law firm of Steve Boyd, P.C. has a deep understanding of trucking litigation. Our Orchard Park truck accident lawyer team has the resources and aggressive approach needed to fight powerful trucking companies and their insurance carriers.
Get a Free Truck Accident Claim Review in Orchard Park
Trucking Cases Are Not Just Big Car Accidents
One of the most critical mistakes a person can make is hiring an attorney who treats a truck accident case like a standard car crash. The legal landscape is entirely different and far more complex. A successful claim requires a lawyer who understands:
- Federal Trucking Regulations (FMCSA) The trucking industry is governed by a dense set of federal laws from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These regulations dictate everything from how many hours a driver can be on the road (hours-of-service rules) to mandatory vehicle maintenance schedules and driver qualification standards. A violation of these regulations is often direct evidence of negligence.
- Multiple Liable Parties In a car accident, you are typically dealing with one at-fault driver. In a truck accident, there can be numerous liable parties, including:
- The truck driver.
- The trucking company (for negligent hiring, training, or maintenance).
- The owner of the truck or trailer.
- The company that loaded the cargo (for improper loading).
- The truck or parts manufacturer (for defective equipment). An experienced
semi-truck accident attorney in Orchard Park will investigate every potential defendant to maximize your recovery.
- The Race to Preserve Critical Evidence Trucks contain a wealth of evidence that trucking companies are notorious for destroying. This includes the truck’s “black box” (ECM/EDR), which records data on speed and braking, as well as driver logs, maintenance records, and post-crash drug and alcohol tests.
Our Immediate Investigative Process
Trucking companies and their insurers often dispatch their own rapid-response teams to the crash scene to control the narrative. We act just as quickly to protect you. Our process includes:
- Sending a Spoliation Letter: We immediately send a legal notice to the trucking company demanding that they preserve all critical evidence related to the crash, including the truck’s black box and all driver and maintenance records.
- Deploying Accident Reconstruction Experts: We work with top-tier accident reconstructionists who will go to the crash scene to analyze physical evidence like tire marks, debris fields, and vehicle damage to scientifically determine how the crash occurred.
Interviewing Witnesses and Law Enforcement: We track down and interview everyone who saw the crash to lock in their testimony before memories fade.
Fighting the Trucking Company’s Insurers
Trucking companies are backed by massive commercial insurance policies and teams of highly skilled corporate lawyers. Their goal is to protect their bottom line by paying you as little as possible. They will try to blame you for the accident, downplay your injuries, and delay your claim.
You need an equally powerful legal team in your corner. As your 18-wheeler crash lawyer, we have the experience and resources to level the playing field. We are not intimidated by these powerful opponents. We prepare every case for trial, and our reputation for being aggressive litigators often forces these companies to offer fair settlements to avoid facing us in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a truck's "black box" and why is it important?
The “black box,” or Electronic Control Module (ECM), records critical data about the truck’s operation in the moments before a crash, such as its speed, RPMs, and when the brakes were applied. This data can be irrefutable evidence that proves a driver was speeding or failed to brake in time.
2. Can the trucking company be held liable for a driver's mistake on a road like the US Route 219?
Yes. Under a legal doctrine called “vicarious liability,” employers are generally responsible for the negligent acts of their employees. Furthermore, a trucking company can be held directly liable if they were negligent in their own right, for example, by hiring an unqualified driver, failing to conduct drug tests, or forcing drivers to violate hours-of-service rules.
3. Why are truck accident cases more expensive to value?
Because the injuries are often catastrophic, the damages are much higher. A successful claim must account for a lifetime of medical care, a total loss of earning capacity, and immense pain and suffering, often resulting in multi-million dollar recoveries.