On the busy stretches of the I-190 as it winds along the Niagara River, or on the Scajaquada Expressway (NY-198) cutting through the heart of the city, commercial trucks are a constant presence. When one of these trucks causes an accident, the consequences can be devastating for those in smaller passenger cars. The physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial chaos that follow can feel completely overwhelming. You may be in pain, unable to work, and facing a mountain of medical bills, all while wondering what to do next.
If you have been injured in a collision with a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or other large commercial vehicle, a dedicated Buffalo truck accident lawyer can be your most powerful advocate. The team at William Mattar, P.C. is here to listen to your story, answer your questions, and help you seek justice and compensation. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.
Why Choose William Mattar, P.C. for Your Buffalo, NY Truck Accident Claim?
Choosing the right legal team after a catastrophic truck accident is one of the most important decisions you will make. You need more than just a lawyer; you need a dedicated ally who understands the unique complexities of truck accident law and has the resources to stand up to powerful trucking and insurance companies, showing how a truck accident lawyer help can make a critical difference. At William Mattar, P.C. our firm is built to do exactly that.
We believe our focus and experience set us apart and provide a distinct advantage for our clients. Here’s why so many injured victims across New York State have trusted our firm for over 30 years:
- Exclusive Focus on Motor Vehicle Accidents: Personal injury law is a broad field, but our practice is not. We only handle cases involving motor vehicle accidents. This laser focus means we have developed an uncommonly deep knowledge of traffic laws, accident reconstruction, and the specific regulations that govern the trucking industry.
- A Large, Established Team: We are not a small practice. We are a large, established law firm with the resources, staff, and cutting-edge legal training necessary to take on even the most complex cases against well-funded opponents. From our intake specialists to our seasoned attorneys, every member of our team is committed to your recovery.
- A Proven Track Record of Success: With more than three decades of experience, we have helped thousands of clients and their families navigate the aftermath of serious accidents. We have collected significant settlements and verdicts for injured victims, a testament to our dedication and skill in fighting for the maximum compensation our clients deserve.
When you choose William Mattar, P.C. you are retaining a team that has dedicated its entire practice to helping people just like you. Let our experience work for you.
Who May Be Held Liable in a Truck Accident?
One of the key factors that makes truck accident cases so much more complex than typical car-on-car collisions is the number of potentially responsible parties. While a car accident often involves just two drivers, a commercial truck accident can involve a long list of individuals and corporations whose negligence may have contributed to the crash, all of whom may be liable in a truck accident. Identifying all liable parties is critical to ensuring you can pursue the maximum compensation you deserve.
At William Mattar, P.C. our legal team will launch an in-depth investigation to determine every party that shares fault. These can include:
- The Truck Driver: The driver is the most obvious potential defendant. Negligent actions such as speeding, distracted driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or violating federal hours-of-service regulations to drive while fatigued can make the driver directly liable for the harm they cause.
- The Trucking Company (Motor Carrier): Trucking companies have a significant responsibility to ensure the safety of their operations. They can be held liable for their own negligence, a concept known as direct liability. This includes negligent hiring practices (e.g., hiring a driver with a poor safety record), inadequate training, or encouraging drivers to violate safety rules to meet unrealistic deadlines. They are also typically vicariously liable for the on-duty actions of their employee drivers.
- The Cargo Shipper or Loader: The way cargo is loaded and secured inside a trailer is critical to the truck’s stability. If a third-party company improperly loaded the cargo, causing it to shift during transit and leading the driver to lose control, that loading company could be held partially or fully liable for the resulting accident.
- The Truck or Parts Manufacturer: Sometimes, an accident isn’t caused by human error but by mechanical failure. If a critical component of the truck—such as the brakes, steering system, or tires—was defectively designed or manufactured, the company that made the part could be held responsible under product liability laws.
- A Maintenance or Repair Company: Many trucking companies outsource their vehicle maintenance to third-party repair shops. If these mechanics performed shoddy repairs, used incorrect parts, or failed to identify a dangerous mechanical issue during an inspection, their negligence could be a direct cause of a subsequent crash, making them a liable party.
Because multiple parties could be at fault, it is essential to have a law firm with the resources to investigate every angle of your case. We work with industry experts to analyze maintenance logs, driver records, black box data, and the wreckage itself to build a comprehensive picture of how the accident happened and who is truly to blame.
Should I Accept the Insurance Company’s First Offer?
In the days or weeks following a serious truck accident, you may be contacted by an insurance adjuster representing the trucking company. They might sound friendly and concerned, and they may even offer you a quick settlement check. While the thought of receiving money quickly can be incredibly tempting, especially when bills are piling up, it is almost always a mistake to accept the insurance company’s first offer after a truck accident.
You must remember the insurance adjuster’s primary goal. They are not on your side. Their job is to protect their company’s profits by minimizing payouts on claims. The first offer they extend is typically a lowball amount calculated to be just enough to make you go away before you understand the true, full value of your claim.
Here’s what that first offer likely does not account for:
- Future Medical Expenses: Many serious injuries require ongoing care, such as future surgeries, physical therapy, rehabilitation, or prescription medications. Some of these damages will not be covered by no-fault insurance. A quick settlement won’t cover these long-term costs.
- Future Lost Wages: If your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job or limit your ability to earn a living in the future, you are entitled to compensation for this loss of earning capacity. Some of these damages will not be covered by no-fault insurance. This is a complex calculation that a first offer will ignore.
- Non-Economic Damages: The offer will not adequately compensate you for your physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and the overall trauma of the experience. These non-economic damages are often the largest component of a personal injury award.
Once you accept a settlement and sign a release, your case is closed forever. You cannot go back and ask for more money later, even if your medical condition worsens or you discover your injuries are more severe than you initially thought.
Before you speak to an insurance adjuster or sign any paperwork, please contact our office. Our truck accident attorneys will handle all communications with the insurance company on your behalf and work to calculate the full and fair value of your claim, ensuring you don’t leave money on the table.
Compensation Available in a Buffalo Truck Accident Lawsuit
No amount of money can truly undo the harm caused by a serious truck accident. However, securing a fair financial recovery is essential to providing you and your family with the resources you need to heal, pay your bills, and achieve a sense of justice. As your dedicated legal team, our goal is to identify all of your losses and fight for the maximum compensation available under New York law, especially when you need a truck accident lawyer to protect your rights.
The compensation you may be entitled to, known as damages, is typically categorized into two main types:
Economic Damages
These are the tangible, verifiable financial losses you have incurred as a direct result of the accident. We will meticulously gather bills, receipts, and expert opinions to calculate the full extent of these damages, which include:
- All past, current, and future medical expenses (hospital stays, surgeries, medication, physical therapy, etc.)
- Lost wages and income from time missed at work
- Loss of future earning capacity if you are permanently disabled
- The cost to repair or replace your vehicle and other damaged property
- Out-of-pocket expenses, such as travel costs for medical appointments
Non-Economic Damages
These damages are meant to compensate you for the intangible, personal losses you have suffered. While they do not have a specific price tag, they represent the very real human cost of the accident. These include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish (including anxiety, depression, and PTSD)
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of consortium (for the impact on your relationship with your spouse)
In some rare cases where the defendant’s conduct was particularly reckless or malicious, it may also be possible to pursue punitive damages, which are intended to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior in the future.
How Our Lawyers Can Help with Your Truck Accident Case
The last thing you should have to worry about after a trucking accident is a legal battle against a powerful corporation. When you entrust your case to William Mattar, P.C. you can focus on your physical and emotional recovery while we handle every aspect of your legal claim, no matter the types of truck accidents involved. We take the burden off your shoulders.
Here is how our personal injury lawyers will get to work for you:
- Conduct an Immediate and Thorough Investigation: Time is critical. We will immediately act to preserve crucial evidence before it is lost or destroyed. This includes securing the truck’s “black box” data recorder, driver logs, maintenance records, and dispatch communications.
- Identify All Liable Parties: We will investigate every potential cause of the accident to identify every person or company that may share responsibility for your injuries, maximizing your potential sources of recovery.
- Calculate the Full Value of Your Damages: We will work with you, your doctors, and financial experts to document the full extent of your economic and non-economic losses to ensure we are fighting for a settlement that covers all of your past, present, and future needs.
- Handle Communications: We will take over communication with insurance adjusters, investigators, and attorneys for the other side relating to the tort claim. This protects you from saying something that could be used against you and allows you to focus on getting better.
- Negotiate Aggressively on Your Behalf: Armed with strong evidence and a comprehensive valuation of your claim, we will negotiate forcefully with the insurance companies to demand a fair settlement that fully compensates you for your suffering.
- Represent You in Court: While most cases settle out of court, we prepare every case as if it is going to trial. If the insurance company refuses to make a fair offer, our experienced trial attorneys are fully prepared to take your case before a judge and jury to fight for the justice you deserve.
Buffalo Truck Accident FAQs
Below are answers to some of the frequently asked questions we receive from our clients.
How much does it cost to hire a truck accident lawyer?
You can afford our help. At William Mattar, P.C. we use the No Fee Until We Win guarantee. This means we work on a contingency fee basis. You pay us no upfront attorneys’ legal fees. We only get paid a percentage of the total recovery if we collect damages for you. If we don’t collect any money for you, you don’t owe us a fee.
How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in New York?
In New York State, the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is generally three years from the date of the accident. However, there are exceptions that can shorten this deadline significantly. It is crucial to contact an attorney as soon as possible to ensure your right to file a lawsuit is protected.
What if I were partially at fault for the accident?
Even if you believe you may have been partially at fault, you may still be able to recover compensation. New York follows a “pure comparative negligence” rule. This means your potential recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found to be 20% at fault, your final award would be reduced by 20%. Our job is to minimize any allocation of fault against you.
Contact Our Trusted Buffalo Truck Accident Lawyers Today
After a truck accident, it’s important to remember that you have rights and you have a voice. Letting our team at William Mattar, P.C. be that voice can make all the difference. For over 30 years, our firm has been dedicated to one thing: making a difference for injured people. We have the experience, the resources, and the compassion to guide you through this difficult time.
Put our large, established legal team to work for you today. Call William Mattar, P.C. at (716) 444-4444 or fill out our simple online form for a free, no-obligation consultation. Let us help you take the first step towards the justice and compensation you deserve.