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Knowledge, experience, and dedication have brought the lawyers of The Epstein Law Firm to the forefront of their profession. From personal injury to civil litigation, they have built a strong record of success in achieving justice for their clients.
Our practice is diverse and well-established. Recognizing that every case is unique, we always begin by listening to you.
The Epstein Law Firm, P.A. has been successfully representing clients throughout New Jersey since 1973
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Written by
Michael J. Epstein
Edited by
Aron Solomon
At Epstein Law Firm, we are committed to delivering exceptional legal representation that creates meaningful results for our clients. Guided by an unwavering pursuit of justice and a genuine dedication to serving those in need, our seasoned attorneys are prepared to stand by your side and advocate for your rights.
After a collision with a commercial truck, the most important evidence may be somewhere other than the crash scene. Driver logs, maintenance records, dispatch communications, and company documents can help explain why the collision happened. Identifying those records can be just as important as identifying the driver.
The Epstein Law Firm represents people injured in New Jersey truck accidents. We examine the crash, the commercial operation behind the truck, and the injuries that may affect your work and daily life. A useful claim connects all three instead of treating a trucking collision as simply a larger car accident.
You do not need to know who owned the trailer or which company provided insurance before contacting us. Bring the information you have, and explain what you are still trying to find out.
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The police report and scene photographs provide a starting point. They may identify vehicles, witnesses, road conditions, and the driver’s initial account. They do not necessarily explain the truck’s maintenance history, the driver’s schedule, or decisions made before the trip began.
A trucking investigation may examine the driver’s conduct alongside the carrier’s responsibilities and the involvement of maintenance or loading businesses. Each proposed defendant needs a supported connection to the crash. A company logo, shipment document, or contractor label does not resolve that question on its own.
It also matters which rules govern the operation. Federal trucking requirements have defined coverage and exceptions; they should not be applied automatically to every vehicle used for work. Our review considers the truck, its use, and the actual evidence before drawing conclusions about responsibility.
Electronic driving records and vehicle data are not interchangeable. A log may help establish driving time without recording the complete sequence of braking and impact. Repair records might explain a recurring equipment problem that a photograph cannot show.
For covered operations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours-of-service rules govern driving and rest periods. Its vehicle maintenance guidance describes separate safety responsibilities. Evidence of a rule violation must still be connected to the injury claim; a violation is not an automatic damages award.
The Epstein Law Firm can evaluate which records may answer the disputed questions and seek their preservation through appropriate procedures. Tell us about dash cameras, nearby businesses, witnesses, or communications from the carrier, even if you cannot obtain the material yourself.
Our truck accident practice includes cases involving large freight vehicles and trucks working on local roads. The vehicle’s job can affect the evidence available and the conduct that needs examination.
The complete related-practice list below provides additional information. These categories help identify questions; they do not replace a review of your specific accident.
The coverage paying current medical bills may not be the coverage that ultimately compensates you for the crash. New Jersey personal injury protection, or PIP, may pay covered medical expenses under an applicable auto policy regardless of fault. Whether it applies depends on the policy and your circumstances.
A claim against a responsible driver or business involves different issues, including liability, damages, and available coverage. Uninsured or underinsured motorist protection may also require review. The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance’s auto guide explains these coverage categories.
Bring auto policy declarations, health insurance information, benefit notices, and any proposed release. An offer that addresses vehicle damage or a particular payment should be understood before you assume it resolves—or leaves open—other claims. Receiving medical benefits does not by itself answer what other compensation may be available.
Emergency treatment is only part of the story when injuries affect mobility, concentration, sleep, employment, or independence. Keep medical records and bills, but also describe the ordinary tasks that have changed. Concrete examples help explain a loss more clearly than a general statement that you are in pain.
Future treatment and assistance should be supported by appropriate medical evidence. The law recognizes different categories of damages, including medical expenses and disability and pain, when proved in a qualifying claim. Neither the truck’s size nor another person’s settlement determines the value of your case.
Be candid about earlier injuries and treatment. An accurate medical history helps distinguish the effects of the collision from conditions that already existed. Missing information can make that explanation harder later.
Keep original photographs, witness details, the crash report number, and insurance correspondence. Note when and where the crash happened and what you personally remember. Do not repair or discard potentially important evidence without discussing how it can be documented safely.
If an insurer assigns fault to you, that does not settle the legal issue. New Jersey’s comparative negligence rule can reduce damages or bar recovery when the applicable threshold is exceeded. A review should consider everyone’s conduct and the available evidence.
The general New Jersey personal injury filing period is two years after accrual. A claim involving a public entity or employee may require formal notice within 90 days. Review the statutory filing rule and public-entity notice requirements with counsel; insurance discussions should not be assumed to extend them.
A commercial truck case needs a coherent explanation of the evidence and the harm it caused. Michael J. Epstein practices personal injury litigation and is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney. His professional background informs the firm’s civil litigation practice.
When you contact The Epstein Law Firm, you can discuss the collision, immediate insurance concerns, ongoing treatment, and records that may need attention. The consultation is also an opportunity to understand the proposed representation and how fees and litigation expenses would be handled. Arrange a free initial consultation to discuss your New Jersey truck accident.
Selected results reported by The Epstein Law Firm.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case depends on its own facts, evidence, and applicable law.
These excerpts describe experiences with the firm. They are not identified as cases in this practice area and do not predict another outcome.
“They took the time to explain everything clearly, making sure I understood my options and felt comfortable with each step of the process.”
— R. S. · Read the full Google review
“Michael and his team were incredibly responsive, always keeping us informed and addressing any questions or concerns promptly.”
— s. v. · Read the full Google review
After a truck crash, medical care, the collision investigation, and a carrier-safety complaint serve different purposes. Keep a separate folder for each so an agency response is not mistaken for resolution of your compensation claim.
New Jersey State Police crash reports — Use the State Police records page to reach its crash-report request system when NJSP investigated the collision. Have the crash date, location, and report details available. If a municipal police department investigated, ask that department how to request its report instead; the State Police system is not a universal local-report database.
Federal truck-safety complaints — FMCSA’s National Consumer Complaint Database accepts concerns about commercial-vehicle safety. Describe the event and provide the carrier name or USDOT number if known. Its hotline is 1-888-368-7238. Complaints help inform enforcement investigations; they are not a claim for your medical bills or damages. Use 911 for an immediate safety emergency.
Insurance claim assistance — For an insurance-processing concern, New Jersey DOBI can explain its complaint process and whether it regulates the issue. Keep policy information, denials, claim numbers, and the insurer’s written explanation. Ask which appeal route applies rather than assume a complaint replaces an appeal.
Request records promptly, but do not wait for an agency investigation before reviewing a legal deadline. Give your lawyer copies of safety reports and benefits decisions so those processes can be considered alongside the injury claim.
These answers provide general information. The facts and applicable rules should be reviewed with a lawyer before making decisions about a particular matter.
No. An investigation may also examine the carrier’s conduct, vehicle maintenance, loading, and the actions of other road users. Responsibility depends on each party’s legal duties and its connection to the crash. The presence of a company name on the vehicle does not, by itself, establish the complete ownership or employment relationship.
Keep the police report, photographs of the vehicle and identifying information, and any correspondence from insurers. Driver and maintenance records can help identify relevant conduct, while contracts may clarify the parties’ roles. Counsel must evaluate applicable law and causation rather than assume every business connected with the shipment is liable or that a particular label eliminates responsibility.
Sources: FMCSA — Summary of Hours of Service Regulations ; FMCSA — Safety Planner: Vehicle Maintenance .
They can help determine whether fatigue, vehicle condition, or a carrier’s practices contributed to a crash. Federal hours-of-service rules regulate driving and rest periods for covered operations, while inspection and maintenance requirements address vehicle safety. Whether a rule applies depends on the operation and any applicable exceptions; a violation alone does not resolve every element of an injury claim.
Identify the truck, carrier, route, and approximate crash time as accurately as possible. Counsel may seek driver logs, inspection reports, repair records, and other relevant evidence through appropriate procedures. Different records answer different questions: an electronic driving log is not necessarily a complete recording of speed, braking, or the events immediately before impact.
New Jersey generally allows two years after a personal-injury claim accrues, but an individual deadline requires a review of the facts. The date of the incident, when the injury was discovered, the injured person’s age, and the identity of each defendant can affect the analysis. Do not assume that an insurance claim or negotiations extend the time to sue.
Claims involving public entities or public employees may require a formal notice much earlier than the lawsuit deadline. Bring the incident date, relevant correspondence, and names of the parties to an initial consultation. A lawyer can distinguish a filing deadline from notice requirements and identify whether a recognized exception needs consideration.
Sources: New Jersey Legislature — N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2 ; New Jersey Treasury — Tort Claim Notice .
Personal injury protection, or PIP, may pay covered medical expenses under the applicable auto policy, regardless of fault. Coverage depends on the policy, the person’s status, and the circumstances of the crash. PIP and a liability claim against another driver address different questions, so receiving medical benefits does not by itself settle the entire injury case.
Provide the declarations page, health-insurance information, and any insurer notices to counsel. Deductibles, selected limits, coordination of benefits, and required procedures can affect payment. Keep copies of denials and requests for information. The appropriate coverage cannot be identified from the vehicle damage alone, and medical-bill disputes should be reviewed separately from any proposed bodily-injury release.
Sources: New Jersey DOBI — 2026 Auto Insurance Buyer’s Guide ; New Jersey DOBI — 2026 Auto Insurance Questions .
Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may provide another source of recovery when the applicable policy and facts permit it. The coverage is not interchangeable with PIP, and policy limits do not automatically become the amount owed. Eligibility, fault, damages, exclusions, and required notice or consent procedures must still be examined.
Give counsel all potentially relevant auto policies, including household coverage, and any settlement proposal from another insurer. Before signing a release, ask how it could affect other available coverage. The New Jersey insurance guides explain policy choices and coverage categories, but the actual contract controls important details. A lawyer can review which policies may apply to you as a driver, passenger, or pedestrian.
Possibly. In a New Jersey negligence claim, a plaintiff’s own negligence does not automatically prevent recovery. The comparative-negligence rule generally reduces damages by the plaintiff’s percentage of responsibility and bars recovery when that responsibility exceeds the combined negligence of the defendants against whom recovery is sought. An insurer’s allocation is not necessarily the final legal answer.
The evidence must address everyone’s conduct and how it contributed to the injury. Photographs, witness accounts, incident records, and the condition of the scene may matter. Different claims can involve distinct defenses or statutory rules, so a lawyer should assess the legal theory before applying a simple percentage calculation to a settlement offer.
Sources: New Jersey Model Civil Jury Charge 7.10 — Comparative Negligence ; New Jersey DOBI — 2026 Auto Insurance Questions .
Preserve the original records that show what happened, who was involved, and what changed afterward. Useful material may include photographs, witness contact details, messages, incident reports, damaged items, and records of medical treatment. Keep originals and dates where possible; do not alter a photograph or recreate a document as though it were an original.
Explain where other evidence may exist, including recordings or business records held by someone else. An attorney can consider appropriate preservation requests and later discovery. The evidence needed depends on the disputed duty, the alleged breach, and the connection to your losses. Gathering information should not delay a discussion of filing deadlines or urgent medical needs.
Sources: New Jersey DOBI — 2026 Auto Insurance Questions ; New Jersey Legislature — N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2 .
A supported injury claim may address medical expenses, the effects of disability, pain, and loss of enjoyment of life caused by the defendant’s conduct. The available recovery depends on proof of liability, causation, and the particular losses. A past verdict, a diagnosis, or the amount of insurance alone does not establish the value of another person’s case.
Keep treatment bills, receipts, and a record of how the injury affects ordinary activities. Future care needs require medical support rather than an estimate based only on current expenses. Tell counsel about insurance payments and benefits as well, because coverage, reimbursement obligations, and applicable statutory limits can affect the eventual recovery.
Sources: New Jersey Model Civil Jury Charge 8.11A — Medical Expenses ; New Jersey Model Civil Jury Charge 8.11E — Disability and Pain and Suffering .
Not necessarily. A civil dispute may resolve through negotiation or mediation, but settlement requires an agreement and cannot be promised at the outset. The parties may need to exchange documents, obtain expert opinions, or resolve important factual disputes before they can evaluate a proposal. Some cases require a court decision on liability or damages.
A useful settlement discussion considers the evidence, risks, available relief, costs, and the terms of any release. Ask which claims would end and whether any obligations would remain. Mediation can provide a structured opportunity to negotiate; it is not the same as a judge deciding the merits. Continue meeting court and filing deadlines while discussions are ongoing.
Sources: New Jersey Courts — Civil Mediation Questions ; New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct — Fees and Client Duties .
The Epstein Law Firm offers a free initial consultation. The fee arrangement for any representation should be discussed separately and confirmed in writing. Ask whether the matter would use a contingency fee, an hourly arrangement, or another structure, and how litigation expenses would be handled. A free consultation does not mean that every potential matter will be accepted.
Before signing, ask what services are included, how costs are advanced or reimbursed, and what happens if the matter ends without a recovery. The answer can depend on the practice area and the proposed agreement. Bring the documents you already have and identify any approaching deadlines so the initial conversation can focus on the next necessary steps.
Sources: The Epstein Law Firm — Contact and Consultation ; New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct — Fees and Client Duties .
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The Epstein Law Firm
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