Pennsylvania’s extensive Interstate highway system and East Coast location makes it a hub for tractor-trailer traffic heading to cities like Philadelphia, New York and Boston.
The highways are covered with trucks, which must share the roads with smaller vehicles like cars and motorcycles.
Each fully-loaded semi truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. So when an accident occurs, small passenger vehicles like cars and motorcycles don’t stand a chance. Truck accidents often result in serious injuries, such as brain injuries, spinal cord injuries or lost limbs, as well as wrongful death.
Truckers and trucking companies are subject to extensive federal regulations. These regulations limit the amount of time a trucker can stay on the road. They affect the amount of cargo he can carry and even which markings can be on his truck. When truck accidents occur, we often find that violations of these federal regulations are involved.
Our clients are people who have been injured in truck wrecks on highways throughout Pennsylvania, including Interstate 80, Interstate 81, Interstate 84, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Routes 940, 380 and 115. When we handle a truck accident case, we take immediate action to spot violations. We look for a range of factors:
- Aggressive Driving: Aggressive driving has been defined in different ways in different states and by different courts. It is often described as the operation of a motor vehicle in a way that endangers people or their property. Learn More
- Disobeying Traffic Signals/Running Red Lights: Sometimes a truck driver finds himself unable to stop quickly enough when encountering a red light or stop sign, and “has to” run on through the intersection; perhaps because the road is heading uphill and the truck, weighing many tons, cannot easily stop, or because of traffic congestion or visibility problems. Learn More
- Drunk or Impaired Driving: Truck drivers must exercise extreme caution while operating them and driving drunk or under the influence of drugs is simply unacceptable. Learn More
- Fatigued Drivers: Many drivers face pressure from the companies they work for. They are urged to work more, drive faster and skip breaks. While they should be well rested and alert on the roads, many drivers are too tired to drive safely. Learn More
- Highway Accidents: Many car and truck accidents occur on the highways throughout the state of Pennsylvania. The accidents that occur on these highways often occur at high rates of speed or involve a number of vehicles (such as in a pileup). Learn More
- Load Issues: Trucks are often overloaded and the drivers often speed to their destinations or drive while distracted. The result? Serious accidents that change the lives of the people injured. Learn More
- Speeding Trucks: Time and again, investigations into the causes of car and truck accidents of our clients uncover the same truth: excessive speed was most likely the key factor. Learn More
- Unsafe Lane Changes: Sometimes drivers of cars are forced into trucks’ blind spots because of traffic congestion or narrowing of lanes in construction zones. Sometimes cars are caught in blind spots of trucks when the tractor-trailer swings out wide when turning. Learn More
- Vehicle Maintenance Problems: While it is critical that they are operated by competent drivers, it is even more critical that semi-trucks are maintained properly. Failure to properly maintain brakes, tires or other parts can lead to serious personal injury and even wrongful death. Learn More
- Weather-Related Accidents: Truckers are well connected to the trucking companies they work for. They receive regular updates about the weather conditions in the places they are traveling and have more than enough notice when entering areas that are covered in snow, fog or ice. Learn More
Many people who have been injured in truck accidents are unsure what to do. Talking to a lawyer can help you understand what your options are and what actions to take. At Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald LLP, we take the time to talk to our clients and to provide clear answers to their truck accident questions.
We hold truckers and trucking companies accountable for the harm they cause. Representing truck accident victims and their families, our northeastern Pennsylvania law firm seeks full and fair compensation that helps families move forward after accidents change their lives. Contact us today or call our office at 570-826-5600 to schedule a free consultation.
No Win. No Fee.
We understand that you may be worried about the cost of legal action. At Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald LLP, we know that truck accident victims have enough to worry about without trying to juggle the high costs of litigation. That’s why we have a strict policy for personal injury cases: Our clients pay no fees or costs until we recover favorably for them. When matters have been resolved favorably, we take a percentage of a settlement or jury verdict.