A collision with a tractor-trailer, delivery truck, dump truck, or other commercial vehicle can leave you facing serious injuries, missed work, vehicle damage, and calls from multiple insurance companies. You may not yet know why the crash happened—or whether the truck driver was the only person responsible.
Fulginiti Law represents people and families affected by serious commercial-vehicle crashes in Pennsauken NJ and throughout Camden County NJ. Our role is to investigate the driver, the truck, the companies involved, and the decisions that put the vehicle on the road.
Pennsauken’s state-highway network includes Routes 30, 38, 70, 73, 90, and 130. Route 130 is also part of New Jersey’s designated network for large-truck travel. A crash on one of these routes may involve an interstate motor carrier, an out-of-state driver, several corporate entities, and evidence stored far from the accident scene. (nj.gov)
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215-774-5162How a New Jersey Truck Accident Claim Works
A successful injury claim generally requires evidence that a driver, company, or another party failed to use reasonable care and that this failure caused the crash and resulting losses. A trucking regulation, traffic citation, or police conclusion may be important, but no single item automatically proves civil liability.
New Jersey also follows a modified comparative-negligence rule. An injured person may generally recover when their share of fault is not greater than the fault attributed to the defendant or combined defendants. Any award is reduced by the injured person’s percentage of responsibility. This makes it important to examine the complete record rather than accept an insurer’s early version of events. (lis.njleg.state.nj.us)
PIP Benefits and a Claim Against the Responsible Parties
New Jersey’s automobile-insurance system can involve several sources of payment. If Personal Injury Protection applies, your policy or another applicable policy may initially cover medical expenses and certain economic losses without first deciding who caused the crash.
A separate bodily-injury claim may seek losses from the truck driver, motor carrier, or another responsible party. Your insurance policy’s Limitation on Lawsuit or No Limitation on Lawsuit selection can affect a claim for pain and suffering, so the actual policy should be reviewed rather than assumptions made about your coverage. (nj.gov)
Federal Trucking Rules May Matter
Depending on the vehicle and trip, federal regulations may govern driving hours, vehicle maintenance, inspections, and cargo securement. For example, federal rules generally limit a property-carrying driver to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour on-duty window after the required off-duty period. Motor carriers must also systematically inspect, repair, and maintain vehicles under their control, while cargo must be secured to prevent dangerous shifting, leaking, or falling. Exceptions may apply, and a regulatory violation does not by itself decide liability. (ecfr.gov)
What to Do After a Truck Accident
Your health comes first. Once immediate medical needs are addressed, a few practical steps can help protect both your recovery and the information needed to understand the crash.
- Call 911 and obtain appropriate medical care. Report pain, confusion, numbness, dizziness, weakness, or other symptoms to a medical professional. Follow discharge instructions and arrange recommended follow-up care.
- Identify the truck and the companies involved. If it is safe, photograph the truck, trailer, license plate, USDOT number, company markings, and insurance information. The company named on the cab may not own the trailer, employ the driver, or control the shipment.
- Document the scene without putting yourself at risk. Photographs of vehicle positions, debris, cargo, skid marks, traffic signals, construction, and weather conditions may help. Do not enter an unsafe roadway or interfere with emergency responders.
- Save witness and report information. Keep the investigating agency’s name, report number, witness contact details, towing information, and any photographs or video provided by others.
- Notify your own insurer promptly. Give accurate basic information as required by your policy. Before giving a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer or signing a medical authorization or release, consider obtaining legal advice.
- Preserve damaged property and records. Keep photographs, repair estimates, medical paperwork, work notes, receipts, and insurer correspondence. If possible, avoid disposing of the vehicle or other important property before the involved parties have had an appropriate opportunity to inspect it.
Prompt investigation matters because electronic vehicle information, dash-camera recordings, surveillance footage, and company records may not remain available indefinitely.
What May Have Caused the Crash?
Truck crashes can result from one mistake or several related failures. An investigation may examine issues such as:
- Speeding, following too closely, distraction, or an unsafe lane change
- Fatigue or inaccurate duty-status records
- Inadequate driver qualification, training, or supervision
- Worn brakes, defective tires, steering problems, or neglected maintenance
- Overloaded, unsecured, or poorly balanced cargo
- Unsafe dispatch instructions or delivery pressures
- A defective vehicle component or negligent repair
- Dangerous roadway conditions or traffic-control problems
Weather alone does not establish fault. The question is often whether each driver operated safely for the conditions and whether the motor carrier took reasonable steps to keep its vehicle and driver fit for the trip.
Who May Be Responsible?
Truck accident cases often require looking beyond the person behind the wheel. Depending on contracts, ownership, employment relationships, and control over the work, potentially responsible parties may include:
The Truck Driver
A driver may bear responsibility for careless operation, including distraction, excessive speed, fatigue, impairment, or failure to maintain a safe distance.
The Motor Carrier or Driver’s Employer
A carrier or employer may be responsible for conduct within the driver’s work or for its own failures involving hiring, qualification, training, supervision, scheduling, inspections, or maintenance. The company may also possess crucial electronic and operational records.
The Truck, Trailer, or Equipment Owner
The tractor, trailer, and cargo equipment can have different owners. A leasing company, intermodal-equipment provider, or other owner may be relevant when it retained maintenance duties or control over unsafe equipment.
Cargo and Logistics Companies
A shipper, loading contractor, warehouse, or other company may be involved if its work left cargo unstable or unsecured. Federal cargo rules require loads to be contained or secured so that they do not fall, spill, or shift enough to impair vehicle stability or maneuverability. (ecfr.gov)
Maintenance Providers and Manufacturers
A repair company may be responsible if careless work contributed to a mechanical failure. A manufacturer or seller may be involved when evidence supports a claim involving a defective truck, tire, brake, coupling system, or other component.
A Public Entity
A state, county, municipality, or transportation authority may be relevant if a dangerous public-property condition contributed to the collision. Claims against public entities are governed by special liability and notice rules, so responsibility should not be assumed merely because a road was damaged or poorly marked.
Important Evidence in a Truck Accident Case
You are not expected to collect corporate records yourself. Preserve what is reasonably available and tell your lawyer what you remember. Useful information may include:
- The police report number, photographs, video, and witness details
- The truck’s plate, USDOT number, company name, and driver information
- Medical records, diagnostic images, bills, and treatment instructions
- Your vehicle, repair estimates, damaged personal property, and towing records
- Employment and income records showing missed work or reduced duties
A lawyer may seek electronic logging-device records, engine-control or telematics data, dash-camera footage, dispatch communications, driver-qualification materials, inspection and maintenance records, cargo documents, and contracts identifying which companies controlled the driver, vehicle, or shipment. Fulginiti Law describes this layered investigation as central to its approach to truck accident cases. (fulginiti-law.com)
Injuries and Losses After a Commercial-Truck Crash
The force of a truck collision can cause fractures, joint and soft-tissue injuries, internal trauma, burns, scarring, and psychological harm. Some people sustain traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries that affect mobility, cognition, employment, or the ability to live independently.
Head-injury symptoms can appear immediately or develop hours or days later. Worsening headaches, repeated vomiting, seizures, slurred speech, increasing confusion, weakness, unequal pupils, or difficulty waking require immediate emergency attention. (cdc.gov)
Depending on the circumstances, a claim may seek compensation for:
- Medical treatment, rehabilitation, and reasonably anticipated future care
- Lost income and reduced future earning capacity
- Pain, emotional distress, disability, and disfigurement
- Vehicle damage and other accident-related property loss
- Necessary assistance, equipment, or home modifications after a catastrophic injury
- Funeral expenses, lost financial support, and other qualifying losses following a wrongful death
Not every category applies to every case. The value of a claim depends on evidence of fault, available insurance, the nature and duration of the injuries, and the crash’s documented financial and personal effects.
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215-774-5162Time Limits for New Jersey Truck Accident Claims
New Jersey law generally provides two years to begin a personal-injury lawsuit, often measured from the accident date. Different rules or exceptions can apply. If a state or local public entity may be responsible, the New Jersey Tort Claims Act generally requires a notice of claim within 90 days after the claim accrues. Early review is especially important when a roadway agency or public vehicle may be involved. (lis.njleg.state.nj.us)
How a Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
A lawyer can take over communications with insurers while investigating how the crash occurred and which companies may be legally responsible. This work may include:
- Sending preservation demands for electronic and company-held evidence
- Identifying the motor carrier, vehicle owners, cargo companies, and insurers
- Reviewing police materials, medical records, trucking documents, and applicable regulations
- Consulting qualified reconstruction, trucking, medical, or financial professionals when needed
- Calculating current and future losses
- Negotiating with insurers and filing suit when litigation is appropriate
The goal is not to assume that every company connected to the truck is responsible. It is to determine who controlled the driver, vehicle, cargo, maintenance, or relevant safety decision—and what the evidence shows about that party’s conduct.
Fulginiti Law’s website reports more than $48 million in trucking accident verdicts and settlements. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in another case. (fulginiti-law.com)
Helpful Government and Medical Resources
- Pennsauken Police Central Records Division: The division maintains motor-vehicle accident reports prepared by the Pennsauken Township Police Department. If another agency investigated the crash, request the report from that agency instead. (pennsauken.gov)
- New Jersey Standard Auto Insurance Policy Guide: The Department of Banking and Insurance explains PIP, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and the Limited and Unlimited Right to Sue options. Reviewing this guidance can help you identify questions to ask about your own policy. (nj.gov)
- CDC Guidance on Mild TBI and Concussion Symptoms: The CDC identifies common symptoms and danger signs that call for emergency medical attention. This information does not replace an examination or individualized advice from a healthcare professional. (cdc.gov)
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Spinal Cord Injury Guide: This NIH resource explains spinal cord injury symptoms, diagnostic testing, treatment, rehabilitation, and potential long-term effects. (ninds.nih.gov)
Frequently Asked Questions About Pennsauken NJ Truck Accidents
Can I bring a claim if the truck driver or insurer says I was partly at fault?
Possibly. Under New Jersey comparative-negligence law, being partly responsible does not necessarily prevent recovery. Compensation may be reduced by your share of fault, and recovery is generally barred if your negligence was greater than that of the defendant or combined defendants. Photographs, witness accounts, vehicle data, and company records may provide a more complete picture than an early insurance assessment. (lis.njleg.state.nj.us)
Who pays my medical bills while the liability claim is pending?
If PIP coverage applies, it may pay covered medical expenses and certain economic losses up to the applicable policy limits. Health insurance, disability benefits, or other coverage may also be involved. A liability claim against responsible parties is separate and may address losses not paid by those benefits. The correct payment order depends on your policies and circumstances. (nj.gov)
What should I do if the trucking company’s insurer contacts me?
You can obtain the representative’s name, company, telephone number, email address, and claim number. Avoid guessing about speed, distance, injuries, or fault. Consider speaking with a lawyer before giving a recorded statement, signing a broad medical authorization, or accepting a settlement that releases future claims.
Is the trucking company automatically responsible for its driver?
No. Responsibility depends on facts such as the employment or contracting relationship, whether the driver was performing work for the company, and the company’s control over the driver or trip. A carrier may also face a separate claim based on its own hiring, supervision, scheduling, or maintenance decisions when supported by evidence.
Other areas where we handle Truck Accident:
- Abington
- Bensalem
- Camden
- Cherry Hill
- Chester
- Coatesville
- Deptford
- Doylestown
- East Norriton
- Glassboro
- Gloucester
- Haverford
- King of Prussia
- Lansdale
- Levittown
- Lower Merion
- Media
- Middletown
- Mount Laurel
- Norristown
- Pottstown
- Upper Darby
- Voorhees
- West Chester
- Willingboro
Speak With a Pennsauken NJ Truck Accident Lawyer
If you or a family member was injured in a commercial-truck crash in Pennsauken NJ, Fulginiti Law can review what happened, identify evidence that should be preserved, and explain your options under New Jersey law.
Call 215-602-4204 or contact Fulginiti Law to request a free consultation. The firm handles truck accident cases on a contingency-fee basis, with no upfront attorney fee. (fulginiti-law.com)
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