Bad weather conditions can significantly increase the risks of an accident involving trucks passing through Bloomfield and other parts of New Jersey. While difficult weather events are outside of our control, a truck driver’s response to these conditions can make them liable for a resulting accident that causes you injury. Our skilled truck accident attorneys at Fredson Statmore Bitterman, LLC can help you and your family pursue compensation from liable parties after a bad weather truck accident in Bloomfield.
Potential Causes of Truck Accidents During Bad Weather Events
Bad weather alone does not cause a truck accident. Rather, it is a driver’s handling of rain, snow, ice, wind, and other conditions that often contribute to an accident’s cause. For example, the following factors could contribute to a bad weather truck accident in Bloomfield:
- Speeding
- Fatigued driving
- Distracted driving
- Taking sharp turns
- Truck malfunctions
- Overloaded or overweight truck
- Obstructed views on the windshield and mirrors
- Not having proper equipment such as chains or snow tires
Our skilled team can review the details of a wreck to determine its cause and who should be held liable for damages. In some instances, there may be more than one responsible party.
Truck Driver Liability After an Accident
A truck driver can be liable for the injuries they cause in a bad weather truck accident in Bloomfield when they fail to exercise reasonable care for the safety of others in their actions. Our personal injury attorneys can help to establish this liability in court by submitting available evidence of a truck driver’s failure to follow applicable traffic laws in New Jersey at the time of the accident or through other misconduct that contributes to its cause. For example, a record showing a truck driver violated the federal hours of service regulations could be useful in claiming truck driver fatigue was a proximate cause of the accident.
Liability could extend beyond a negligent truck driver in some cases and include other third parties. For example, an employer could be liable for negligently hiring a truck driver with a history of accidents or other serious infractions such as intoxicated driving. Injured motorists can also be held partially liable for their own injuries for their negligence in maintaining the vehicle’s safe driving condition or adjusting their speeds to be appropriate for the weather.
Damages Available for Truck Accident Cases in New Jersey
Victims of bad weather truck accidents in Bloomfield could have a right to claim compensation in the amount of their damages. These damages typically include items such as pain and suffering, medical expenses for their recovery, and compensation for lost earnings when an injury prevents them from working. The available damages will depend on the severity of the person’s injury and its impact on their life. Additionally, factors such as New Jersey’s contributory negligence law under Section 2A:15-5.1 could limit or bar a person’s compensation by their percentage of fault for a truck accident.
An injured motorist generally has two years to file a claim for damages under New Jersey’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases. This filing deadline will likely begin on the date of the truck accident and the person must file within this period to preserve their right to seek compensation in New Jersey’s court system.
Meet With Our Bloomfield Bad Weather Truck Accident Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one were recently injured in a bad weather truck accident in Bloomfield, our attorneys are here to advocate for your right to compensation. At Fredson Statmore Bitterman, LLC, the value of our legal services is the small-firm attention paired with the resources of a big firm. These attributes aid us in advocating for our injured clients in every phase of litigation whether that be a jury trial or settlement offer. Schedule a free consultation with one of our truck accident attorneys today.
