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New Bedford Truck Accident Lawyer

A truck accident can leave you with serious injuries that warrant significant compensation, but determining who’s at fault is often particularly complicated in these types of cases. Unlike most car accidents, collisions with commercial trucks frequently involve multiple layers of responsibility. Insurance companies often exploit that complexity to shift blame away from the liable parties and minimize victims’ payouts.

At Rob Levine Law, we don’t play those games, and we’re prepared to push back against the insurer’s attempts to pay you less than you deserve. If you or a loved one was injured in a crash involving a large truck in New Bedford, you can count on us to advocate for maximum compensation on your behalf. Call our team today at (888) 791-9135 to start exploring your rights with a free consultation.

Find out what your case is worth.

How Our New Bedford Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help After an Injury

Trucking companies and their insurers have immense resources to defend against injury claims. With more than 25 years of experience advocating for over 50,000 people in need, our firm has what it takes to stand up to their tactics. We’ve recovered over $2 billion in compensation for our clients, and we’re ready to put that track record to work for you.

When you turn to us for help, we’ll handle every aspect of your truck accident claim while you focus on rebuilding your life. Our attorneys will investigate the collision to determine who’s at fault and gather comprehensive evidence of liability, including the police report, black box data, driver logs, maintenance records, and witness statements. From there, we’ll negotiate aggressively with the insurance company and pursue a settlement that reflects the full value of your damages.

As your case progresses, you’ll have 24/7 access to compassionate legal support from our team. And under our Fee Free Guarantee®, you’ll pay nothing for our services unless we recover compensation for you.

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How Liability Works in Massachusetts Commercial Vehicle Accident Claims

Massachusetts is a no-fault state for motor vehicle accidents, meaning you must first turn to your own Personal Injury Protection coverage, or PIP, which will pay a portion of your medical expenses and lost wages, regardless of who’s at fault. However, if you suffered serious injuries due to someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible to pursue additional compensation in a personal injury claim.

Someone else may be liable for your damages if their failure to act with reasonable care caused you harm. Due to the complex chain of responsibility in commercial trucking, several parties may share liability for a single truck accident.

Common Examples of Liable Parties in Truck Accident Cases

As we investigate your truck accident, our personal injury lawyers in New Bedford may uncover evidence of any of these parties’ negligence:

  • The truck driver: The driver may be liable if they were speeding, driving distracted, driving while fatigued or impaired, or otherwise violating safety standards.
  • The trucking company: The trucking company may be liable under the concept of vicarious liability when its employee causes a crash while acting within the scope of their employment. The company may also be directly negligent through improper driver training, inadequate driver screening, unreasonable schedules, failure to conduct vehicle inspections, and more.
  • A truck manufacturer: A manufacturer may be liable if a defective vehicle component, such as faulty brakes or tires, contributed to the crash.
  • A maintenance provider: A maintenance company may be liable if its failure to identify or repair mechanical problems contributed to the accident.
  • A cargo loading company: A company responsible for loading cargo into the truck may be liable if it overloads the vehicle or fails to properly secure the cargo, leading to balance problems or falling cargo.

How Federal Trucking Laws Could Impact Your Injury Claim in New Bedford

Commercial trucking companies and drivers must comply with regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA. Rules that could come into play in your truck accident claim include the following:

  • Truck driver qualification standards, such as licensing requirements
  • Hours of service regulations, which limit how long drivers can operate a commercial vehicle between rest breaks
  • Truck inspection requirements
  • Vehicle maintenance and repair standards
  • Cargo securement rules
  • Drug and alcohol testing requirements

The FMCSA also requires that all commercial trucks be equipped with Electronic Logging Devices, which automatically record driving time and other operational data. ELD records can help us determine whether a driver exceeded hours-of-service limits or violated other safety regulations before the crash. If we identify violations of FMCSA regulations, that could strengthen our argument for the driver’s or trucking company’s liability.

Massachusetts Laws That Could Affect Your Truck Accident Case

Several state laws can also affect your legal rights after a truck accident. These include local trucking regulations and general personal injury laws.

Key Massachusetts Trucking Regulations

Massachusetts has imposed trucking regulations beyond the federal measures to further improve safety in the commonwealth. For example, certain oversized vehicles may travel under permit only during daylight hours and are prohibited from operating during peak weekday traffic periods. Massachusetts also prohibits large commercial vehicles from traveling on roadways on several major holidays, including New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

The commonwealth also regulates truck dimensions and weight. While some commercial vehicles can operate without a special permit, they must comply with strict weight distribution requirements.

Statute of Limitations on Trucking Accidents

Under the Massachusetts statute of limitations, you generally have three years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you will likely lose your right to recover compensation.

While three years may seem like plenty of time, we encourage you to reach out to our firm well before the deadline approaches. Evidence can fade over time, so prompt action allows us to preserve key proof while it’s still fresh.

Comparative Fault in Massachusetts

Trucking companies and their insurers often try to shift blame onto injured victims, but this doesn’t have to stop you from pursuing a case. Under Massachusetts’s modified comparative negligence law, you may recover compensation as long as you’re less than 51% at fault for the accident.

If you are partially at fault, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if a jury awards $100,000 in damages but determines that you’re 20% at fault, your recovery would be reduced to $80,000.

Factors That Might Influence the Value of Your Truck Accident Claim in New Bedford

Every truck accident claim is worth a different amount, and your case’s value will depend largely on the severity of your injuries. More catastrophic injuries tend to have more significant consequences on a person’s health, finances, and quality of life. All of those losses can play into determining the value of a settlement or verdict.

You can generally pursue compensation for the following damages from your truck accident:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Reduced earning capacity
  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

Our online settlement calculator can provide a general estimate of your claim’s value. However, it cannot account for every factor that might affect your case. When you choose us to represent you, we’ll help you understand what to expect based on your unique situation and pursue maximum compensation for your losses.

Calculate the Value of Your Case

Use our free personal injury settlement calculator to determine how much your case may be worth. This calculator is designed to give you a value with a range based on thousands of case we have settled.

Our New Bedford Truck Accident Lawyers Are Here to Advocate for You

Our New Bedford law firm is proud to serve our community members during some of the most difficult moments of their lives, and our clients’ reviews are a testament to the level of service we provide. When you choose Rob Levine Law after a truck accident, you can expect us to represent you with an aggressive approach, strong ethical standards, and transparent pricing.

Under our Fee Free Guarantee®, you pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf. Our standard contingency fee is 33% of your recovery, and we offer a reduced rate of 25% for first responders and military personnel.

We’re available 24/7 to listen to your story and guide you on a path forward. You can meet with us in one of our offices, remotely, or at your home. Contact us online or call (888) 791-9135 for a free consultation with a trusted member of our team, and see first-hand why we’ve earned the title of The Heavy Hitters®.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents in New Bedford

Explore our answers to common questions from truck accident victims in New Bedford.

What Should I Do Immediately After a Truck Accident in New Bedford?

Here’s how to protect your health and legal rights after being involved in an accident with a commercial truck:

  1. Call 911 and wait for emergency responders to arrive.
  2. Seek immediate medical attention, even if your injuries appear minor.
  3. Take photos of the accident scene, including the vehicles, road conditions, and visible injuries.
  4. Get contact and insurance information from anyone involved in the crash, including drivers and witnesses.
  5. Notify your insurance company, but avoid discussing fault.
  6. Contact our New Bedford truck accident attorneys for guidance on your next steps.

Our attorneys can help you prove the extent of your injuries by using a combination of medical records and expert testimony. This evidence can connect your injuries to the accident, show what treatment you’ve required, and establish the impacts on your life—now and in the future.

Consult a lawyer before you accept a settlement offer. The insurance company’s initial offer is unlikely to fully account for your losses, and our team can advocate for a more comprehensive personal injury settlement.

Potentially. If a dangerous road condition contributed to the collision, a government entity may be liable for your injuries. We can evaluate the circumstances surrounding your truck accident and help you determine if the City of New Bedford or another government agency is responsible.

Our attorneys may subpoena the trucking company to establish how the accident occurred. Through this process, we may uncover evidence of negligence from driver logs, black box data, maintenance records, inspection reports, cell phone records, and other internal documents.

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Office Location

New Bedford, MA

488 Pleasant St,
New Bedford, MA 02740

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