New York City

Published on: January 9, 2012

SUV swerves to avoid vehicle suddenly slowing down, hits rear end of semi

by Stephen Bilkis

But for a chain of errors, this truck accidentmay not have happened, reported an observer. This accident would almost be comical if it were not for the fact that there were children involved in the accident. What happened is that an SUV was barreling down the highway, when the female driver suddenly found herself confronted with a car in front of her that suddenly slowed down.

With no other options open to her, the woman swung the SUV out of the left hand lane and promptly hit the rear end of big rig in the right hand lane. The 18-wheeler didn’t sustain any damage, but the same could not be said for the SUV, commented the reporter. The semi driver pulled onto the shoulder and the SUV parked on the median while waiting for the police to arrive with a tow truck, as the SUV was in no condition to drive.

When medical crews also arrived, the woman refused treatment for herself and her two children, saying she would go to her own doctor to have her kids checked out. They were complaining of pain from being suddenly restrained by their seatbelts when the SUV hit the back of the truck, explained the doctor. Frankly, this family was really lucky to make it out of this accident with seemingly minor injuries. It could have been far worse for everyone, and in particular the children.

Published on: January 4, 2012

Big Rig Bursts Into Flames After Collision

by Stephen Bilkis

In this case, an 18-wheeler and a commuter bus collided, causing the truck to burst into flames. While this sounds like it was a disastrous accident, the outcome was better than any could have possibly hoped for given the circumstances, said the police.

When the two vehicles collided, the truck and trailer caught on fire when the diesel tanks burst open, spilling fuel on the roadway. The load on board at the time of the accident was non-hazardous goods and TVs and the bus involved in the collision was empty, but for the driver. While both drivers did sustain injuries, both were able to go home to New York City and Suffolk County the same day.

Despite the fact that the bus driver seemingly sustained only minor injuries, he may still wish to speak to a rep to find out where he stands in regards to the accident. While some injuries may look minor on the surface, often they have a way of turning into something else more serious later. It is always best to have competent legal advice should what appears to be a minor injury, turns out to be third degree whiplash.

Published on: December 17, 2011

Semi Trailer Rolls Over and Closes Highway

by Stephen Bilkis

This case is an example of what “could” have happened if there had been any other vehicles around the semi that rolled on its side. That kind of a visual will bring a shock of fear to most people. Who wants to be involved in a truck accidentwith a semi?

In this semi wreck, the big rig was heading north when it started to fishtail on slippery roads. As a result of the rear end doing its thing, the truck then rolled over on its side, blocking six lanes of traffic. Can you just imagine what would have happened if all six lanes had traffic in them when the truck went down, asked the press?

The driver walked from this crash without injuries and considered himself to be pretty lucky at that. But for the fact that there was no one else around at the time of the morning when the accident happened, both he and other drivers may have suffered severe injuries, observed the police. As it was, it took emergency response crews at least six hours to repair a damaged guardrail before four lanes were reopened for use.

Published on: December 11, 2011

Woman on Motorized Wheelchair Killed by Truck

by Stephen Bilkis

Sometimes, bad things happen to good people and there seems to be no explanation for it. But then again, if you take a close look at some truck accident cases, there may be something else there just under the surface, waiting to be discovered.

This case was particularly heartbreaking, as it involved a 71-year old woman in a motorized wheelchair crossing at a marked intersection. She was struck and killed by a garbage truck driver who was initially charged with negligent homicide, a misdemeanor carrying up to two years prison time if convicted. When the case got to trial, the judge ruled that he should not stand trial for this charge, explained the observer. There is an appeal under consideration.

There are many things that could have happened in this case, not the least of which is that the woman in the wheelchair, despite seeing the truck, may have proceeded to cross anyway. Stranger things have happened and if she thought the truck had a lot of time to stop, she may have decided she had time to cross and he may not have had time to stop that large truck.

Published on: November 6, 2011

Dangerous Highway Being Studied; Possible Improvements to Come

by Stephen Bilkis

Four years ago, a man lost his son and two grandchildren in a crash on M-40 in front of the Tulip City Truck Stop. Afterward, he wondered if it was possible to do anything to improve the busy road’s safety.

He now has hope that just that will happen. And that hope comes in the form of the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council who has hired a consultant to conduct a study of a specific stretch of M-40. The study could lead to much needed safety improvements.

“We always felt all along that there were a lot of close calls (after that crash). We felt another (accident) was going to happen,” the father and grandfather said.

Published on: October 26, 2011

School Bus Meets Tractor Trailer in Deadly Wreck

by Stephen Bilkis

It was a deadly wreck and one which those who lost children will remember for the rest of their lives.

It was a horrendous wreck involving a school bus and an 18-wheeler. Thankfully, the trucking company came right out and owned up to the fact that they were fully accepting complete responsibility for the fatal collision indicated a New York Trucking Accident Lawyer.

In a move that many parents considered to be honest and upfront, the company indicated they understood the ramifications of the accident and were facing the consequences by doing everything they possibly could to deal with the situation. They understood the anguish of the parents who lost children in the crash.

Published on: October 16, 2011

Hit-And-Run Freightliner Accident and Others

by Stephen Bilkis

There is always a risk when driving. Resident from around Columbia, Missouri, can definitely testify to that. In the last two weeks, four vehicle accidents have occurred.

Four residents of Boonville, a town near Columbia, were injured Friday in an accident near the Cooper County Fairgrounds.

An 18-year-old girl was making a left hand turn when she crossed the center line and was hit by a 45-year-old driving a truck.

Published on: September 29, 2011

Trucker Reaching for Cell Phone Kills Three

by Stephen Bilkis

It was a moment of inattention that cost three people their lives. Reaching for his cell phone on the dash board, a trucker lost track of where he was and rolled into a whole line of traffic, knocking cars out of the way like bowling balls.

The 51-year old trucker who was involved in an awful accident that killed three and left many others injured two years ago, was released from jail after serving 371 days of his sentence for involuntary manslaughter. The man had served a one year sentence; a sentence in part determined in consultation with the victims of the crash, explained a New York Trucking Accident Lawyer

The facts of the case are that the trucker was momentarily distracted by reaching for his cell phone and while doing that, took his eyes off the road. The truck kept going and plowed into a line of vehicles sitting on the highway. The resulting chain reaction crash killed three and injured at least 14 others. The charges in this case were not filed until nine months after the crash, as it took that long to sort out the relevant details. In New York and Long Island authorities warn against this kind of behavior and the consequences.

Published on: July 29, 2011

Drunk and Inattentive Trucker Kills Four Resulting in $15 million Judgment

by Stephen Bilkis

The accident that sparked this wrongful death lawsuit happened in 2005 when a husband and wife spent a weekend with friends in another city. They were on their way home, when they were stopped in a construction zone on the highway.

Minutes later, a tractor-trailer rammed into the whole line of traffic stopped for the construction zone, killing the husband and three others in the carnage. The wife sustained catastrophic injuries. Four years later, the court rendered its verdict; a $15 million settlement for the wife who lost her husband due to the negligence of the trucker. Cases like this in New York City and Nassau County are handled by local attorneys most of the time.

Sadly, although the judgment could have helped the family continue with their lives and made some reparation for the horrific ordeal, the trucking company won’t be paying it within the foreseeable future. They moved all of their assets, including their trucks, into four other business entities to avoid paying. No one even knows if the original company is in business any longer, stated the NY City Trucking Accident Lawyer.

Published on: July 26, 2011

Fatal Collision Involving Semi and Van

by Stephen Bilkis

A 77-year-old man died last week in a motor vehicle accident involving his van and a cattle-hauling semi. Family members are still shocked.

The deceased’s sister says, “He was always very cautious. That’s what we can’t understand. He was always very cautious when he was driving or whatever he was doing.”

The 77-year-old grew up in the Wingham-area near Elm Creek. Later, in 2005, he moved to Portage la Prairie where he lived with his brother. He lived there with him until just last year when the brother died.