Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf is a New York Plaintiff's personal injury law firm specializing in automobile accidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, police misconduct and all types of New York personal injury litigation.

Articles Posted in Truck Accidents

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Staten Island Expressway where the truck accident occurredTragedy struck on Monday morning on the Staten Island Expressway as a truck accident left seven people injured, with one person in critical condition. The accident occurred near Manor Road and Bradley Avenue.

Truck accidents like this one can be particularly complex, involving multiple parties, potential liability issues, and intricate insurance matters. Therefore, it is crucial for those involved in such accidents to seek legal assistance from experienced truck accident attorneys. Here are a few reasons why legal representation is vital:

  1. Determining Liability: Establishing who is at fault in a truck accident requires a thorough investigation. An experienced attorney will work to identify all responsible parties, which may include the truck driver, trucking company, maintenance crews, or even vehicle parts manufacturers. Identifying liability is essential for pursuing compensation.
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Traffic accidents near JFK airportLast week 15 people were injured in a bus accident and a teenager was killed when the car she was in collided with a truck. Both accidents took place near JFK Airport, which is currently undergoing a major makeover. The aim of this $19 billion project is to rejuvenate the airport by providing modern facilities and improved terminals. However, this extensive renovation comes at a cost: roadways are being torn up and closed, resulting in significant traffic disruptions that are projected to last for several years. Consequently, various modes of transportation, including driving, public transit, taxis, and ride-hailing services, will be affected, potentially causing substantial congestion, delays, and safety concerns.

Last Friday a collision occurred between a Delta Airlines bus and a commuter van on the Van Wyck Expressway, resulting in 15 injuries. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by commuters in and around JFK Airport and southeast Queens. Local leaders, such as Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, have been advocating for clearer signs, speed warnings, and overall safer street designs as part of the JFK Airport overhaul. Additionally, Richards highlighted the peril of driving on North and South Conduit Avenue, where a 14-year-old girl was killed in a car accident just two days prior. The accident took place on North Conduit Avenue near 160th Street. The 14-year-old was a passenger in a BMW driven by a 16-year-old driver. The young driver, who was not supposed to be driving alone, lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a UPS truck, resulting in the death of his passenger and friend.

As predicted by Frommers, commuting to JFK airport, is currently and will continue to be a nightmare for years to come.

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trucks can be dangerousAs truck accident attorneys in NYC, we understand the dangers that big rigs can pose to communities, particularly those of color and low-income neighborhoods. The current truck route map across New York City, comprising around 1,300 miles across the five boroughs, has remained largely unchanged since the 1970s, leading to increased asthma, cardiovascular disease, and increased number of deadly crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists in such areas. The Department of Transportation must take steps to redesign these truck routes for safety and environmental justice to reduce the number of big rigs that roll through such communities.

Council Member Alexa Aviles (D-Sunset Park) has introduced a bill, Intro. 708, which would force the agency to undertake a complete overhaul of the current truck route map, and the DOT has indicated its support for the bill. The DOT acknowledges the need for change. The pandemic saw a rise in truck deliveries, as e-commerce became more prevalent.

The rise in distribution warehouses in low income residential areas not only worsen pollution but also increase the risk of pedestrians and cyclists getting fatally struck by trucks in streets that have not been conceived for large vehicles

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US PS truck contractors are danegrousLast June, 5 people including a baby were killed in a truck accident involving a truck carrying mail for the U.S. postal service. Investigation found that the truck driver who didn’t have a valid commercial license, got distracted and slammed into a car as traffic was slowing down. An entire family was killed. The truck was carrying U.S. postal mail and belonged to Caminantes Trucking from Long Beach, California. Caminantes is one of the many truck contractors that USPS hire to carry its mail across the country.  Investigation of the accident by the DOT indicates that Caminantes has a history of similar violations over the last 10 years.

Five months after the crash, as USPS  continued to work  with Caminantes, a 9News tv investigation looked back at the accident and at the truck company’s troubled past. The investigation found that the truck driver was travelling at 75 mph when it crashed into the back of the car that had slowed down because of traffic and was moving at only 5mph. 9News also checked the federal records of Caminantes and found out that the company was involved in two other deadly crashes over the past two years. 3 drivers were caught without valid commercial licenses. The company also had several violations for drug and alcohol testing. After the deadly accident that killed the family, the company was fined $21,460 by the Federal Motor Carriers Association but continued to carry the mail for the U.S. Postal service. The driver responsible for the accident was not charged and Caminantes continued to operate as well.

Finally after the tv investigation, USPS announced it was reviewing its contract and relationship with Caminantes and said in February that it would stop to work with the truck contractor.

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More pedestrians and more passengers died in auto accidents in 2022 than in 2021 while cyclists and motor vehicle operators fatalities declined. Bus accidents increased while truck accidents remained stable. Motorcycle accidents remain at record levels.

After reaching a record high in 2021, NYC traffic deaths reached their second highest number since Vision Zero started in 2014

According to traffic collision data provided by the NYPD, 251 people died in crashes in the city in 2022 compared to respectively 254, 239, 214, 199, 209, 223, 235, 250 and 286 in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013. As a reminder, NYPD traffic collision data might differ slightly from the real data, especially for fatalities as sometimes people died from their injuries several days or weeks after the accident occurred.

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location of the deadly crash on the Cross Bronx expresswayA car driver died in a fiery NYC crash that occurred in the Mount Even section of the Cross Bronx Expressway, underneath University Avenue, around 12:30 am on Monday night.

According to media, 49 year old Shelly Vilsaint from Bayonne, New Jersey, was driving her 2019 Range Rover west bound of the Cross Bronx Expressway in the middle lane when she rear-ended a tractor trailer contracted by the U.S. Postal Service.  Both drivers got out of their vehicles to talk.

The accident was a minor fender-bender for which usually the NYPD does not respond anymore but the woman insisted on waiting for the police. The driver of the truck suggested they pull over but she refused. Both got back in their vehicles and shortly after another tractor trailer rear-ended the Range Rover. The car was crushed between the two trucks and Shelly Vilsaint died at the scene of the accident.

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location of the tractor trailer truck accidentA cyclist was killed in a hit-and-run tractor trailer accident in New York City on Thanksgiving day. The victim was riding her  bike East on Liberty Avenue near the intersection of the Van Wick Expressway Service Road in Queens, NYC when she was struck by a tractor trailer truck making a left turn onto the Van Wick Expressway Service Road.

The victim, a 43 year old woman, was knocked down from her bicycle, and fell under the truck where she got trapped.  She was then dragged several feet by the truck. The truck driver never stopped. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The truck driver who was behind the wheel of a 2014 Kenworth T8 Series tractor trailer truck is a 48 -year old man who was later on identified by the police. The accident is still being investigated by the police. The intersection of Liberty Avenue and Van Wick Expressway is extremely dangerous, especially for people on micro mobility devices.

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Another cyclist was fatally struck by a tractor trailer in NYC on Wednesday. The tractor trailer was on a non truck route. The victim was identified as 25 year old Kala Santiago, a mother of 2 children, 2months and 1 and half year old. She was on her way to work and was riding her bicycle on Parkside Avenue near Parade Place in the vicinity of Prospect Park when the fatal accident occurred.

Truck driver blames the victim even though he failed to yield to her

So far the police did not charge  the truck driver who was identified as Saeed Ahmed. He told the police that the cyclist fell under his truck after she hit a vehicle parked on the side of the road. He also said he saw the cyclist in front of him and she seemed nervous. The driver also told Liam Quigley from the NY Daily News (see twitter post below) that he saw the cyclist and overtook her but stopped as soon as he saw she fell under the wheels of the truck.  Pictures of the accident seemed to indicate that Kala Santiago might have been crushed between a parked truck on the right side and the tractor trailer on her left side. Another surveillance video shows that the tractor trailer failed to yield to her and overpassed her with oncoming traffic in the other direction. As a result there was not enough space and the cyclist might have been crushed between the two trucks.

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A beloved and popular truck driver died and his customer suffered serious personal injury in a multiple vehicle crash caused by a drunk driver on the Long Island Expressway in Queens.

The accident occurred last Saturday night around 3:30 am. 47 year old Carlos Santiago (Campy), a tow truck driver working for Knights Towing and the father of 3 children, was sent on a call to help a stranded driver in a Nissan on the Long Island Expressway near exit 19 in Elmhurst, Queens.

Drunk driver responsible for chain collision that ended killing Campy and seriously injuring his customer

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A reckless truck driver fatally struck a NYC pedestrian as he was in the crosswalk with the light in his favor. The truck accident occurred early morning  around 6:30 am on October 4th.

63 year old Benjamin  Berger was crossing the street at the intersection of Flushing Avenue and Bedford Avenue. He was in the crosswalk with the greenlight in his favor when a box truck turning left from Flushing Avenue onto Bedford Avenue literally rolled over him. A surveillance video posted by Williamsburg News shows the truck turning recklessly without slowing down and driving over the victim.  When  paramedics arrived at the scene of the accident they found the victim dead with severe body and head injuries. The man was living just a block away.

The driver was identified as 44 year old Torriez Bailey from Maryland. He was arrested by the police and charged with failure to use due care and failure to yield to a pedestrian.