If you sustained an injury in a truck accident due to someone else’s actions or inaction, contact a truck accident lawyer in Clifton from Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers immediately. You might be entitled to compensation for your lost wages, medical expenses, and other costs.
Commercial trucking is an essential industry nationwide. Truck drivers are responsible for transporting a range of materials every day. Unfortunately, collisions between large trucks and small cars can be deadly. The occupants of smaller vehicles often sustain severe or debilitating injuries. These accidents often result in catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord damage and traumatic brain injuries.
You have a right to pursue legal action against the truck driver or another negligent party for causing your injury. Your New Jersey personal injury attorneys at Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers are ready to represent you in your case and aggressively pursue the maximum compensation on your behalf.
Call the Clifton personal injury attorneys of Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers at (973) 364-8300 today for your free consultation with one of our Clifton truck accident lawyers and learn more about how we can help.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Accidents involving commercial trucks are a type of motor vehicle accident that can occur for various reasons. The most common causes of truck accidents include:
Speeding
A high-speed truck accident can have fatal consequences for the driver and passenger of a small car. Maneuvering an 80,000-pound truck is more challenging for a truck driver when they speed. They could lose control and crash into any nearby vehicle.
Driving Under the Influence
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration imposes a stricter law for truck drivers regarding their blood alcohol concentration (BAC). A trucker is legally under the influence if they have a BAC of 0.04 percent or higher while operating a commercial motor vehicle.
Inadequate Maintenance
Trucking companies must regularly maintain all trucks to run properly. Poor maintenance can cause a part or system to malfunction and create issues for the driver.
Failure to Check Blind Spots
The blind spots on tractor-trailers are large and extend farther than the blind spots on small cars. Truck drivers must thoroughly check their blind spots before maneuvering their trucks in any direction to avoid crashing into a vehicle around them.
Tailgating
Driving too close to the rear of someone’s car prevents the trucker from stopping in time to avoid a collision. When there isn’t enough space between two vehicles, the following motorist can’t react quickly and bring their vehicle to a complete stop.
Loading Cargo Incorrectly
Cargo on any commercial truck must be within specific weight and size limits. It must also be kept in place with the proper securement systems. Using defective straps, loading items beyond the maximum weight limit, or placing loose items on the trailer could throw the vehicle off balance or cause cargo to fall off the back of the truck.
Fatigued Truck Drivers
Federal law prohibits truck drivers from driving more than eleven hours after ten consecutive hours off duty. Operating a tractor-trailer beyond the maximum limit can lead to fatigue and affect the trucker’s physical or mental faculties.
If the truck accident resulted from the truck driver’s carelessness or another party’s actions, leading to a serious injury, do not hesitate to contact Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers. We can begin an investigation and determine who we can hold liable for your injury.
Common Types of Truck Accidents
The significant weight and massive size of commercial trucks present multiple challenges for truck drivers. Maneuvering a tractor-trailer requires skill, focus, and experience. Even the slightest error could lead to a crash.
The most common types of truck accidents include:
- Rollover accidents
- T-bone accidents
- Head-on collisions
- Jackknife accidents
- Rear-end collisions
- Override and underride accidents
Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers understands the trauma of being involved in a commercial truck accident. 
Many people require extensive medical treatment to recover. An injury could result in life-changing alterations to a person’s health or physical condition and prevent them from resuming their everyday routine.
Our truck accident lawyers in Passaic County, are familiar with the complex aspects of truck accident cases and are dedicated to helping truck accident victims navigate these challenges. We know state laws and the legal process we must follow to seek compensation. You can count on us to carefully build a case against the at-fault party and tirelessly work to try to reach your desired outcome.
Compensation for Injuries in a Truck Accident
Every driver in New Jersey must buy personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. This type of coverage pays up to the limit on your policy if you get hurt in an accident, regardless of who is at fault. You must file a claim with your insurance company before pursuing compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurer.
PIP offers two types of coverage options:
- Medical expense coverage – Medical expense coverage pays for treatment from doctors, hospitals, and other medical providers and medical equipment necessary to treat the injury.
- Additional PIP coverage – Additional coverage reimburses the policyholder for expenses related to the accident, such as lost wages and the cost of household assistance.
You might be able to file a claim with the trucking company’s liability insurance carrier or a lawsuit directly against the negligent truck driver. You have the option of choosing only one coverage or both. The minimum required PIP limit is $15,000. Coverage can go up to $250,000, depending on the type of policy you purchase.
What Injuries Can You Claim For?
That means you cannot sue the person at fault for the accident for your pain and suffering unless your injury involves one of these:
- Loss of a fetus
- Loss of a body part
- A displaced fracture
- Permanent injury
- Significant scarring or disfigurement
- Death
You can pick between a standard and a basic policy. The basic policy includes a limited right-to-sue option. With the standard policy, you can choose the unlimited right to sue option, which allows you to file a lawsuit against the person who caused the crash. With a truck accident attorney in Clifton, you could pursue compensation for your pain and suffering after any type of injury.
What Compensation Can You Claim?
The compensation you receive could compensate you for your:
- Hospitalization, physical therapy, medical devices, ambulance ride, and other medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Property damage
You might also recover punitive damages if you file a truck accident claim. You must show clear and convincing evidence that the defendant’s act or omission was malicious or was performed with a willful or wanton disregard for others.
Statute of Limitations for Truck Accidents
In New Jersey, the statute of limitations allows a two-year timeframe to file a lawsuit. That means you must file suit against the truck driver, trucking company, or another at-fault party within two years of the accident date, making timely legal representation crucial.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are common causes of truck accidents in Clifton and throughout New Jersey?
Truck accidents can happen for many reasons, often involving driver error, vehicle issues, or safety violations. Common causes include:
- Speeding or driving too fast for road conditions.
- Driver fatigue and violations of federal hours-of-service rules.
- Distracted or impaired driving.
- Improper truck maintenance or brake failures.
- Unsafe lane changes and blind-spot collisions.
- Overloaded or improperly secured cargo.
- Inadequate driver training or supervision.
Because commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, crashes often result in severe injuries or fatalities. Federal safety regulations for commercial trucking are enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Who can be held liable for a truck accident?
Liability in a truck accident may extend beyond the driver alone. Depending on the circumstances, potentially responsible parties may include:
- The truck driver.
- The trucking company or motor carrier.
- A cargo loading or shipping company.
- A maintenance or repair provider.
- The manufacturer of a defective truck part or tire.
- Another negligent driver involved in the crash.
Truck accident investigations often involve reviewing driver logs, maintenance records, black box data, inspection reports, and federal compliance records.
Does New Jersey no-fault insurance apply to truck accidents?
In many cases, yes. New Jersey drivers generally use their own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage first for medical expenses after a motor vehicle accident, including many collisions involving commercial trucks.
However, if the injuries meet New Jersey’s legal threshold for serious injury — or if the injured person has an unlimited right-to-sue policy — they may also pursue a claim against the at-fault party for additional damages such as pain and suffering.
Insurance coverage issues in truck accidents can be complicated because commercial vehicles may carry multiple insurance policies with high coverage limits.
What compensation can be recovered after a truck accident?
Depending on the facts of the case, truck accident victims may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical expenses and future treatment.
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering.
- Emotional distress.
- Rehabilitation and long-term care costs.
- Property damage.
In rare cases involving especially reckless conduct — such as knowingly violating safety regulations or impaired driving — punitive damages may also be available under New Jersey law.
How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in New Jersey?
In most cases, New Jersey’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident. Missing the filing deadline can result in losing the right to seek compensation.
Acting quickly is especially important in truck accident cases because critical evidence — including electronic logging data, maintenance records, and onboard “black box” information — may be lost or overwritten over time.
What are common types of truck accidents?
Commercial truck crashes often involve serious collision types that are less common in ordinary passenger vehicle accidents, including:
- Jackknife accidents.
- Rollover crashes.
- Rear-end collisions.
- Underride or override accidents.
- Blind-spot (“no-zone”) collisions.
- Wide-turn accidents.
- Head-on and T-bone collisions.
The size and weight of large trucks can significantly increase the severity of these accidents.
Why are truck accident cases more complex than regular car accident claims?
Truck accident cases are often more complicated because they may involve:
- Federal trucking regulations.
- Multiple liable parties and insurers.
- Commercial insurance policies with large coverage limits.
- Extensive electronic and maintenance records.
- Corporate legal teams and insurance adjusters.
Investigating a truck accident may require reviewing driver qualification files, hours-of-service logs, inspection records, and crash reconstruction evidence.
Why do truck accident victims hire an attorney?
Many people hire a truck accident attorney because these cases can involve serious injuries, complex regulations, and aggressive insurance defense strategies. An attorney may help by:
- Investigating the crash and preserving evidence.
- Identifying all responsible parties.
- Handling communications with insurers.
- Calculating long-term damages and medical needs.
- Negotiating settlements or pursuing litigation if necessary.
Most truck accident attorneys offer free consultations, and many work on a contingency fee basis, meaning legal fees are only paid if compensation is recovered.
Contact a Clifton Truck Accident Attorney from Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers
The award-winning attorneys from Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers have decades of experience representing injured clients in New Jersey. We have a proven track record of success in recovering compensation on behalf of accident victims. When you hire us, our law firm will advocate for your rights and fight by your side until the end.
If you sustained injuries in a truck accident someone else caused, call us at (973) 364-8300 today. One of our trusted and knowledgeable Clifton truck accident lawyers can discuss your case with you during a free consultation and advise you about your available legal options.
Written by: Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers Last Updated : August 28, 2026We are the trial attorneys with the experience and knowledge to get you the results you deserve. At Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers, we take time to get to know you, as well as your case. We are committed to excellence. It is important for our team to understand your fears, concerns and expectations. We are always available to answer any questions, and are willing to come to you if you are unable to come to us.
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