Pennsylvania Truck Accident Attorneys
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Pittsburgh Truck Accidents
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Tractor-Trailer Accidents
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Port Authority Bus Accidents
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Coach Bus Accidents
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The Port Authority of Allegheny County
NO FEE UNLESS RECOVERY* | Free Consultation | 412.802.6666
You Need to Act Immediately in Truck & Bus Accidents:
You need to act immediately when you or a loved one has been a victim of a truck or tractor trailer accident. If you do not, you risk losing key evidence about your case.
Most commercial trucks now are equipped with what is known as the qualcomm system. Qualcomm is basically a satellite truck tracking system. The importance of qualcomm is two fold.
First, it can help pinpoint the approximate speed at the time of the accident. Commercial truck drivers are often under deadlines and often exceed the posted speed limit.
Second, it is crucial evidence in understanding whether a driver has violated the Federal Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. The Federal Motor Safety Administration (FMCSA) has enacted the HOS regulations to protect Americans against driver fatigue. You need to act immediately in truck accident cases, because qualcomm records are often expunged after 30 days and key evidence can be lost forever.
FLAHERTY FARDO has obtained large monetary recoveries for our clients involved in trucking accidents because we understand the trucking industry and understand the importance of acting immediately when a client or their family is involved in a trucking accident.
You Need Experienced Truck Accident Attorneys:
Truck accident lawsuits can be quite different than regular auto accident lawsuits. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Pennsylvania tractor trailer or truck accident, be certain to retain experienced truck accident lawyers.
There are specific federal regulations in the trucking industry that set these cases apart. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has implemented the Federal Hours-of Service regulations (49 CFR Part 395).
The Hours of Service (HOS) basically places limits for when and how long commercial motor vehicle drivers may drive. The goal of the HOS regulations is of course to limit driver fatigue of commercial truck drivers.
These laws have changed recently over the years, and having experienced truck accident attorneys is crucial in these types of cases.
For example, you need lawyers who understand how to read log books of the commercial truck drivers. FLAHERTY FARDO, LLC have the experience necessary to litigate these types of complex cases.
Commercial Drivers Fixing Their Log Books:
Commercial truck drivers are notorious for fixing or doctoring their log books. We have had cases, where the Hours of Service regulations and understanding false log books has been crucial in obtaining large settlements for our clients.
Commercial drivers are required by federal law to keep logbooks to ensure that they are not operating trucks and tractor trailers for longer periods than the law allows. At the same, most commercial drivers only get paid when they drive. Hence, their is a monetary incentive for truck drivers to break the law.
The log books are the best evidence of driver fatigue. Driver fatigue for commercial truck drivers is commonly referred to as the number one cause of truck and tractor trailer fatalities.
According to the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration), the percentage of crashes due to fatigue increases substantially the longer commercial drivers remain on the road.
There is nothing more dangerous than a tired commercial truck driver behind an 18 wheeler at 70 mph on a Pennsylvania interstate. A fatigued driver significantly increases the risks to others by losing reaction time when fatigued and even possibly falling asleep.
To prevail against trucking companies you need experienced truck accident attorneys who know and can read driver log books.
Trucks Require Greater Liability Insurance:
Another reason you need experienced truck accident lawyers is understanding how the insurance industry handles these large commercial freight carriers.
Trucks are required and supposed to carry levels of auto insurance higher than regular automobiles. The reason being is that accidents involving trucks, tractor-trailers and buses, are more likely to cause more severe property damage and injury.
However, trucking companies make a lot of money and often play corporate shell games to protect their assets and reduce their premiums..
We had a case recently where we obtained the insurance policy of the defendant trucking company, and just 12 months prior to our specific trucking accident, the defendant trucking company reduced the insurance policy limits from 10 Million Dollars to 2 Million Dollars.
You need to be a detective in these cases, and after reviewing thousands of documents, we were able to establish that the companies net worth was over 100 Million Dollars. This research helped us obtain a favorable settlement for our client.
You Need Lawyers Who Have Worked With Accident Reconstructionists:
These types of cases also often require skilled accident reconstructionists, engineers, and other experts to prevail. We have established a network of these types of experts that makes us proficient in helping victims of truck and tractor trailer accidents.
Trucks often act as though they own the road, and accidents involving trucks can create devastating accident scenes. FLAHERTY FARDO has worked expert accident reconstructionists to establish liability and to gather the evidence necessary to prevail at trial.
Hold the Trucking Company (Employer) Responsible:
Pennsylvania law allows an injured person to hold the employer responsible for negligent hiring, negligent retention, and negligent supervision of an employee truck driver. This is very important, as many of the truck drivers are not wealthy, and you need to often find additional defendants with deeper pockets.
Employers are responsible to ensure that they hire safe drivers. Trucking companies have a legal duty to make certain that the drivers they hire do not have a history of accidents, tickets or other legal violations. Trucking companies also have a responsibility to test drivers for drug use.
We Know How to Sue The Port Authority of Allegheny County:
FLAHERTY FARDO has had great success in litigating and settling cases against Busing Companies, and especially the Port Authority of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Both partners Attorney Shawn T. Flaherty and Attorney Noah Paul Fardo have obtained jury verdicts against The Port Authority of Allegheny County in very hostile and litigated cases.
Bus Companies are a unique defendant and the Port Authority of Allegheny County has recently taken the attitude that it is better defend claims than to settle them.
If you have been injured by a Port Authority bus, you need experienced trial lawyers who know how to beat them. The Port Authority has already lost cases to our law firm involving discrimination of handicapped passengers and accidents involving pedestrians.
When we sued them under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), for violating the civil rights of a handicapped passenger,the Port Authority fought the case for several years and filed several appeals.
In the end, they lost all of their appeals, and were ordered to pay all of our attorney fees. This verdict by partner
Noah Paul Fardo, Esq. was the first time the Port Authority of Allegheny County was ever proven to have intentionally discriminated against a handicapped passenger. The verdict received attention from lawyers nationwide and hopefully changed how the Port Authority treated handicapped passengers.
*No Fee Unless Recovery is Made:
Our representation for Pennsylvania truck accidents cases, tractor trailer accidents, bus accidents and all personal injury cases is based on a contingent fee structure. There is absolutely no fee unless we obtain recovery for you. We advance 100% the costs, including experts, filings, and depositions and are only reimbursed from the client's share if we are successful.
If we represent you or a loved one in a truck accident or bus accident case, you can rest assured that we cannot make money unless we obtain monetary recovery for you or our client.
Our fees are often reduced in catastrophic situations. We will always reduce our fees in tragedies involving minor children. We truly believe it is your money and not ours.
As experienced Pittsburgh truck accident lawyers, we advance all costs of investigation and litigation, and will not be reimbursed unless we are successful in settlement or at trial regardless of how much money we advance. Our Pittsburgh firm advances large sums of money with zero risk to our injured clients.
If you are injured, we will make any necessary accommodations to offer you the most convenient consultation possible. Whether you are at home or in a hospital, we will listen to the situation which caused your injury.
Our goal is to win your trust and business as your attorneys and to maximize all recoveries available under the law. There is absolutely no fee or cost for any of our initial consultations. Consultations can be done in person, on-line or via telephone at 412.802.6666 or toll free at 1.877.744.3476.