Have you been injured in a truck accident in Albany, NY?
At Buttafuoco & Associates, we identify every party responsible for a truck crash and move quickly to preserve the evidence that proves it.
If you were injured in a truck accident in Albany, our Albany, NY truck accident lawyer can investigate what caused the crash and pursue the compensation you are owed. At Buttafuoco & Associates, we look beyond the driver to the trucking company and the others whose decisions may have contributed, and we document the full extent of your injuries. Much of the evidence in a truck case, including the truck’s electronic data and the driver’s logs, can be lost within weeks, so acting promptly is important.
Truck Accident Lawyer Albany, NY
A truck accident case differs from an ordinary car accident in two respects. First, more than one party may be responsible. Along with the driver, the trucking company, the owner of the trailer, the business that loaded the cargo, and a maintenance provider can each share liability, depending on what caused the crash. Second, commercial trucking is closely regulated at the federal level, and carriers must keep records such as driver logs, inspection reports, and maintenance histories. Those records, along with the data stored in the truck itself, are often central to proving what happened. Identifying every responsible party and securing those records early is the work that shapes the claim.
Large trucks can weigh many times what a passenger vehicle weighs, and the people injured in these crashes are usually in the smaller vehicle. In crashes involving large trucks nationwide, most of those killed are occupants of other vehicles rather than the truck, according to federal truck-crash data. Trucks moving through the Capital Region on the Thruway and the local interstates share the road with everyday traffic. When a commercial truck causes serious injury, our Albany truck accident attorneys work to identify each responsible party and prove the extent of the harm.
Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle in Albany
Truck crashes take many forms and cause many kinds of injury. We handle Albany truck accident claims that include:
- Jackknife and rollover crashes. When a tractor-trailer loses control, it can cross lanes or overturn, striking several vehicles at once.
- Rear-end and underride crashes. A loaded truck needs far more distance to stop, and a smaller vehicle can be pushed beneath the trailer.
- Car accidents. Many truck crashes involve a passenger car, and a single claim may concern the conduct of both drivers.
- Motorcycle accidents. A motorcyclist struck by a truck faces a high risk of serious injury.
- Bus accidents. Crashes involving large passenger vehicles raise many of the same questions as truck crashes.
- Back injuries. The force of a truck collision often damages the discs and vertebrae of the spine.
- Neck injuries. Cervical and disc injuries are common in these crashes.
- Brain injuries. A violent impact can cause a concussion or a more serious traumatic brain injury.
Why Choose Buttafuoco & Associates as Your Truck Accident Lawyer in Albany, NY?
Trial Experience in Serious Truck Cases
Dan Buttafuoco founded the firm in 1981 and has tried more than 100 cases to verdict. He is a board-certified trial lawyer, a distinction that few attorneys hold. James McCarthy has handled the firm’s serious injury and multi-defendant cases, and the two together obtained the firm’s largest recovery in a truck accident case. Both are members of New York trial advocates. The injuries from a truck crash are often severe and lasting, and our personal injury lawyer in Albany, NY accounts for their full future cost when valuing the claim.
Results in Truck and Motor Vehicle Cases
The firm’s attorneys have recovered millions of dollars in motor vehicle cases, including crashes involving large trucks. Past results include:
- A $1,900,000 settlement in a case where a delivery truck struck our client and the driver’s employer was held responsible along with the driver.
- A $375,000 settlement for two people injured when a tractor-trailer that could not stop struck a line of vehicles, causing a spinal fracture and knee injuries.
- A $225,000 settlement for a driver whose car was struck when a truck swerved into an adjoining lane, causing a shoulder injury that required surgery.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What Is Important to Understand About a Truck Accident Case?
Damages, Liability, and Compensation in a Truck Accident Case
Liability in a truck accident follows the same negligence principles as any crash, but responsibility is often shared. Depending on what caused the collision, a claim may be brought against more than one party, including:
- The truck driver, for negligent or unsafe driving.
- The trucking company, for its hiring, training, scheduling, or supervision.
- A maintenance provider, for brakes or other systems that were not properly serviced.
- The business that loaded the cargo, if an unsecured or overweight load contributed to the crash.
Compensation can cover medical care, both past and future, lost earnings and lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering. If you are found partly at fault, your recovery is reduced by your share rather than barred. A truck accident claim must generally be filed within the three-year statute for personal injury actions, and suits arising from Albany crashes are usually brought in the county’s Supreme Court.
What Are Important Aspects of a Truck Accident Case?
The most important early step in a truck accident case is preserving evidence that the trucking company controls and that can disappear. Modern trucks record data through electronic logging devices and onboard systems, which can show hours driven, speed, and braking. Driver logs, inspection and maintenance records, and dispatch records tell the rest of the story. Some of this information is overwritten or discarded in the normal course of business within weeks, so we send a formal preservation notice early, directing the company to keep it. The physical evidence matters as well, and the truck itself should be inspected before it is repaired or returned to service. Building the case against each responsible party depends on securing this record while it still exists.
What Is the Timeline of a Truck Accident Case?
A truck accident case tends to move through predictable stages. At the outset, we investigate the crash, send preservation notices, and gather the police report and witness accounts. As your treatment continues, we document the injuries and their effect on your work and daily life. We then identify each responsible party and present the claim. Cases involving a single clear defendant can resolve at this stage, while those involving several parties, or a company that disputes responsibility, often require filing suit and moving through discovery and depositions. Most claims settle before trial, though a case prepared for trial tends to settle on better terms.
What Should You Bring to a Consultation?
A first meeting is most useful when you bring what you have: the police report or its number, the names of the companies and drivers involved, any photographs from the scene, and your medical records or bills. Note the name on the side of the truck and the trailer if you have it, along with any insurance information that was exchanged. You do not need to have gathered everything before you call, and in a truck case it is often better to call early, because the evidence that matters most is in someone else’s hands. The first consultation is free, and we will tell you plainly what the evidence in your case supports.
Reach Out to Buttafuoco & Associates to Schedule a Consultation
In a truck accident case, the records that prove fault can be lost within weeks, and preserving them early often makes the difference. At Buttafuoco & Associates, we move quickly to secure that evidence and pursue every responsible party. Contact us to speak with our Albany truck accident lawyer about the crash and what can be recovered. The first consultation is free.