Trucking Lawyers
It is important to hire an experienced attorney if you are involved in a trucking crash. They can help you find all the responsible parties and ensure that you are compensated for your injuries.
A trucking lawyer will be knowledgeable about the many laws and regulations governing the industry. They will keep abreast of the most recent developments in law at both the state and federal levels.
Commercial vehicle damage claims
Lawyers from the trucking industry handle personal injuries and wrongful deaths with commercial vehicles like tractor trailers, delivery vans and big rig trucks. These types of crashes are extremely complex and require an attorney who knows the laws and regulations governing commercial trucks.
Commercial trucks pose more danger than smaller passenger vehicles like pickup trucks due to their large size, weight, or heavy loads. They also have different requirements for insurance. In addition commercial truck drivers are governed by federal regulations that govern their driving hours and ability to carry hazardous substances.
These rules can be challenging to adhere to. An experienced lawyer can help victims of truck accidents that were caused by negligence or by willful actions of a truck driver or trucking company.
Commercial vehicle crashes can cause injuries that include future and past medical costs, lost income and property damage. The amount of money victims should receive in settlements will be contingent upon how serious the injuries are and how severe the incident was.
Sometimes, the actions that led the truck accident might be so outrageous or malicious that the lawyer of the victim might be able pursue punitive damages to penalize the company or driver. Accident victims of trucks often consider this to be beneficial, because it will increase their settlements.
In most cases, commercial trucking companies and their insurance companies do everything they can to prevent paying the full amount to crash victims. This means that you will typically receive a lower settlement than you are entitled.
FMCSA and DOT compliance
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) creates regulations, enforces and implements them designed to prevent truck accidents as well as deaths and injuries. These regulations restrict hours of inspections and service, maintenance, driver log books, and other details.
The FMCSA also has a system, called the Safety Measurement System, which collects data from roadside inspections and state crash reports to determine carriers that may have an incident history of unsafe driving, or other issues that could cause collisions. The data can be used to prove a case against a particular company, such as an employee or a company that did not comply with safety regulations.
Another critical DOT compliance issue is drug and alcohol testing for commercial drivers. Congress approved the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act which requires DOT agencies to test safety-sensitive transportation workers for alcohol and drugs.
In addition to the DOT-wide rules the individual agencies have their own rules regarding when and how testing must be conducted. These rules are vital to ensure that truck drivers and other transport employees aren't influenced by alcohol or drugs on the job.
While truck accident attorneys are a good beginning, they often fall short of what is needed to establish the industry standard for the event of a claim for negligence. This is due to the fact that the FMCSA may not be able to set the industry standard.
This is why it is important to work with an attorney who knows both state and federal laws, as well as the many industry standards created by trucking businesses and individual operators to ensure safety on the road. An experienced lawyer can weave these regulations together to make a convincing case against the negligent trucking company or driver.
Public transportation defense
Trucking lawyers are often experts in defense of public transportation. These lawyers can help businesses get the most out of the law of transportation while also protecting their clients' rights during legal cases.
If a trucking company or its driver is involved in an accident, it can be hard to know whom to seek legal help. The legal issues that arise from an accident involving transportation are typically complex, and may involve multiple parties. This is why it's important to hire a skilled lawyer who has handled commercial transportation matters.
In addition to transporting people trucks and other vehicles transport goods for a fee as well. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the industry and sets standards for safety for commercial drivers, freight drivers and other professionals in the field.
If you've been injured in a bus crash or are a participant in one, it's essential to seek the help of a New York City public transportation lawyer as quickly as you can. This will ensure that your rights are protected, and you aren't able to accept any settlement offer from the bus company or their insurers.
The bus system in New York City is a vast network that includes trains, buses and stations. It connects all five boroughs. The bus routes are managed by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA).
Accidents can still happen, even although the MTA does everything possible to prevent injuries on its buses and trains. Fortunately, if ever injured in a bus or train accident, you can reach an experienced NYC public transportation lawyer to help you secure your rights and seek compensation for your losses.
Labor law
Truckers should be knowledgeable about labor law issues because they could be a victim of victimization by their employer, receive less than the legal minimum wage, or operate unsafe trucks. Truckers who are familiar with both federal and state laws can help them file an action against their employer, and negotiate a settlement.
One of the most common trucking labor issues is the payment of hours spent. Truck drivers are typically paid per mile. However, this doesn't include the time spent loading, unloading, or waiting for delays. PAM Transport was recently convicted of violating its contract , and was ordered to pay its truckers minimum wage for all hours of work, including sleep.
This is a significant shift for the industry, as truckers have for a long time been considered independent contractors instead of employees. This could impact their rights to pay and benefits as well as whistleblower protections.
Additionally, trucking companies often incorrectly classify their employees as independent contractors, in order to avoid having to abide with the additional legal requirements that are required of an employee. This is a common practice among employers that have to recruit new drivers, but can be problematic for truckers themselves.
The lawsuit against PAM Transport isn't the first time a trucking company has been sued on this issue. In fact, numerous other truckers have filed class action lawsuits against their employers for not paying them correctly.
These kinds of cases are difficult to handle, but they can be handled effectively by lawyers for trucking who are aware of the intricacies of federal and state labor laws. In addition to helping employees with their legal issues, a labor law attorney will help transportation companies protect themselves from wrongful actions by their truckers as well as handle legal issues that arise in the day-today operation of a trucking company.
Contract matters
Lawyers for trucking can help companies with contract issues such as broker/carrier agreements, transportation services agreements, and dedicated fleet contracts. They can also handle company formation, winding-up, and restructuring issues.
In addition, they can assist in FMCSA and DOT compliance, as well as enforcement actions. They also can defend accidents and workers' compensation claims.
They are familiar with labor law matters and can ensure that their clients follow all legal requirements to avoid legal action and keep their businesses running smoothly. They also assist and represent truck drivers in union representation campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, and National Labor Relations Board proceedings.
Another area of expertise is resolution of no-fault insurance cases. The attorneys at FN&H are experts in this field and can advise and defend trucking insurance companies on priority of payments issues. They are particularly knowledgeable about the resolution of no-fault claims in states that have unique no-fault requirements and issues.
They can also defend clients against claims that trucker exclusions are not valid. This can include issues related to workers' compensation, social security, and business expenses that self employed truckers are required to pay. In a sector which is often impacted by legal issues, they are able to provide ongoing guidance to their clients.
It is important to remember that your trucking lawyer will represent you in court. Therefore, make sure to choose someone who will make you feel comfortable and relaxed. You should also make sure that you are able to talk about your concerns with the lawyer and that can guide you through the process without hassles. This is an ongoing relationship and it is important to choose an attorney you feel comfortable with and trust.