Recreational vehicles offer fun, freedom, and adventure. But when a crash happens, the impact can be life-changing. These vehicles are larger, heavier, and harder to control than most cars. That makes the damage and injuries worse, especially on busy roads in Queens.
Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers helps people hurt in RV accidents. Whether you were hit by a runaway trailer, injured by a careless driver, or suffered harm due to poor maintenance, we’re here to help. Our team knows motor vehicle accident laws in New York and has years of experience handling personal injury claims for victims of car and RV accidents alike.
If you’ve suffered serious injuries in a crash involving an RV, you may be able to recover compensation. We’ll work to get you the fair compensation you deserve so you can heal, move forward, and rebuild your life.
Table of Contents
What Is a Recreational Vehicle Accident?
A recreational vehicle accident is a crash that involves an RV, trailer, or motorhome. These accidents can happen on highways, city streets, or even in parking lots. They often result in severe injuries or serious damage.
Types of Recreational Vehicles Involved in Accidents
- Motorhomes – Large, drivable RVs that often carry families or groups on long trips.
- Travel trailers – Pulled behind a car or truck. These can become dangerous if not hitched properly.
- Fifth-wheel trailers – Heavy RVs that connect to a special mount in the back of a truck.
- Toy haulers – RVs built to carry motorcycles, ATVs, or other small vehicles.
- Camper vans – Smaller RVs that are easier to drive but can still cause a car crash if driven carelessly.
- Pop-up campers – Compact trailers that fold down when not in use. These can lead to RV accidents if they detach.
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Where These Accidents Commonly Occur
Accidents involving RVs often happen on highways, especially during busy travel months. Drivers may lose control during turns or while going downhill. Crashes also happen at campgrounds, rest stops, or parking lots when visibility is low.
Many accidents involving RVs occur because drivers are unfamiliar with the size and weight of the vehicle. They misjudge stopping distance or don’t see smaller vehicles nearby. Queens roads are busy, and large RVs can easily cause a car accident if the driver makes a wrong move.
Some accidents happen due to poor maintenance, speeding, or runaway trailers. Such incidents can lead to rollovers, crashes, or even fires. No matter where it happens, an experienced RV accident attorney can help you understand your legal rights.
Common Causes of Recreational Vehicle Accidents
RV accidents happen for many reasons. Most are caused by driver mistakes, mechanical problems, or unsafe road behavior. Some of the most common causes seen in accidents involving RVs include:
Driver Inexperience or Negligence
Many RV drivers are not fully trained to handle large vehicles. They may not understand how long it takes to stop or how wide they need to turn. Even small mistakes can lead to big crashes when RVs are involved.
Some drivers ignore safety checks or miss road signs. Others don’t know how to safely change lanes or back up. These errors cause many RV accidents each year. If someone’s poor driving led to your injuries, a skilled RV accident attorney can help you pursue compensation.
Speeding or Reckless Operation
Driving an RV too fast is dangerous. These vehicles are heavy and can tip over or lose control easily. Speeding or reckless operation often leads to rollovers, rear-end collisions, or swerving off the road.
In car accident cases, speeding is a top cause, and it’s no different with RVs. The faster the vehicle, the harder it is to stop safely. Victims of these crashes may face severe injuries, high medical expenses, and long recoveries. An accident lawyer can help you recover compensation for your losses.
Impaired Driving (Alcohol or Drug Use)
Driving under the influence is illegal and dangerous. That includes when someone is behind the wheel of an RV. A drunk or drugged driver has poor judgment, slow reactions, and may fall asleep at the wheel.
Many RV accidents occur when someone drives impaired on long trips or vacations. These cases often involve serious damage and harm to others. If you were hurt by a drunk RV driver, you may be entitled to just compensation through a personal injury claim.
Vehicle Malfunctions or Poor Maintenance
RV owners are responsible for keeping their vehicles safe. When they skip repairs or avoid regular checks, parts can fail. A tire may blow out. Brakes can stop working. Trailer hitches may come loose. These issues often cause accidents involving RVs.
Some crashes happen because of defects in how the RV was built. In those cases, the manufacturer may be held responsible. Whether it was poor maintenance or a faulty part, a Queens accident lawyer can help determine fault and pursue compensation on your behalf.
What to Do After a Recreational Vehicle Accident in Queens
If you’re involved in an RV accident, taking the right steps immediately is very important. It can protect your health and help your case if you choose to file a claim. Here's what you should do right away.
Call 911 and Report the Incident
Your safety comes first. Call 911 as soon as the crash happens. This gets emergency help to the scene fast and ensures injuries are treated quickly. You’ll also need to file a police report, which becomes key proof in your case.
Make sure to tell the officers exactly what happened. Let them know if the other driver was speeding, distracted, or careless. This report helps show how the accident was caused, which can help your accident lawyer fight for your rights.
Seek Immediate Medical Treatment
Even if you feel okay, always see a doctor after a crash. Some car accident injuries, like head injuries, don’t show up right away. Getting care early helps protect your health and creates a record of your injuries.
If you delay treatment, the insurance company may argue that your injuries were not serious. Your medical records are important proof if you later file a personal injury claim to recover compensation.
Take Photos of the Scene, Vehicle, and Injuries
Use your phone to take clear pictures after the crash. Show damage to the RV or car, road conditions, skid marks, and any visible injuries. These photos help show what happened and support your story. Photo evidence is especially helpful in car accident cases where blame is unclear.
It helps your experienced RV accident attorney explain what caused the crash and why you deserve reasonable compensation.
Collect Contact Information From Witnesses and Other Parties
Get names, phone numbers, and insurance details from everyone involved in the crash. Also, speak to witnesses. Their statements can help prove that the other driver caused the accident. Make sure you get the license plate and driver’s license information from the RV driver. Your accident lawyer can use this info to build your case and contact people if needed.
Avoid Speaking to Insurance Adjusters Without Legal Advice
Insurance adjusters may contact you quickly after the crash. Be careful, because what you say can be used against you. Never admit fault or speculate about injuries. Before you talk to the insurance company, speak with a skilled RV accident attorney.
They can guide you on what to say and help you avoid mistakes that hurt your case. This gives you the best chance to pursue compensation successfully.
What Compensation Can Victims Recover?
If you were hurt in an RV accident, you may have the right to recover money for the harm it caused. This includes both the money you’ve already spent and the losses you may face in the future. Some of the types of compensation accident victims can seek through a claim or lawsuit are:
Medical Expenses
Medical care after an RV accident can be very expensive, especially if you suffered head injuries, broken bones, or other serious injuries that require long-term treatment. You may need to visit multiple doctors, take medication, go through physical therapy, or even have surgery.
A skilled RV accident attorney can help you recover compensation for all these costs—including hospital stays, ambulance rides, follow-up visits, and future medical care related to the accident. Your health shouldn’t suffer just because someone else was careless behind the wheel.
Lost Wages and Reduced Earning Capacity
If your injuries keep you from working, even for a short time, you may lose income you rely on to support yourself and your family. This is known as lost wages, and it’s one of the most common losses in personal injury claims.
In some cases, injuries may be so serious that you can’t return to your old job or work full-time. That’s called reduced earning capacity, and it means you may need to be compensated for future lost income as well. An experienced RV accident attorney can help calculate these losses and include them in your claim.
Pain and Suffering
Not all losses from a crash are financial. You may be dealing with daily pain, limited movement, trouble sleeping, or stress that affects your entire life. These losses are harder to measure, but they are just as real.
Pain and suffering compensation helps cover the physical and emotional impact of the accident. This is often a major part of proper compensation, especially in car accident or RV accident cases involving long recoveries, constant pain, or permanent disability.
Property Damage (Vehicle or Gear)
If your car, motorcycle, or even your camping gear was damaged in the crash, you can include these losses in your claim. RV accidents often involve large vehicles and trailers, so the damage can be severe and expensive to fix.
Whether your vehicle needs repairs, your gear was destroyed, or the RV was totaled, or the RV itself was totaled, a Queens accident lawyer can help you seek payment for the cost to replace or repair your damaged property. Don’t pay out of pocket for something that wasn’t your fault.
Emotional Distress
After a serious crash, some victims develop anxiety, fear, or emotional trauma that makes daily life more difficult. You may fear driving again, have trouble relaxing, or suffer flashbacks of the accident. These emotional effects are known as emotional distress.
Even though these issues are not always visible, they can impact your relationships, career, and mental health. That’s why accident victims can often seek compensation for emotional trauma. A car accident lawyer or RV accident attorney can help document these damages and fight for full recovery.
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FAQs
Do I Need a Lawyer for RV Accident Insurance Claims?
Yes, having a lawyer can make a big difference when handling RV accident insurance claims, especially if you're facing serious injuries or large repair costs. Insurance companies may try to pay less than you deserve or blame you for part of the crash. A lawyer can protect your rights, gather evidence, and help you seek maximum compensation for your losses.
What if the RV Crash Happened in Suffolk County or Nassau County?
No matter where the crash happened, whether in Suffolk County, Nassau County, or anywhere in New York, you still have the right to file a claim. Our team at Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers handles RV accidents, ATV accidents, and more across the state. We understand personal injury law and know how to help victims from all areas.
Can I Sue the Vehicle Manufacturer for an RV Crash?
Yes, if the vehicle manufacturer made a defective part or failed to recall a known issue, they could be held responsible. Many RV accidents happen because of poor maintenance practices, faulty brakes, or trailer problems. If the crash involved maintenance, speeding, runaway trailers, or mechanical failure, the manufacturer may share fault with the negligent driver.
Will My Regular Car Insurance Cover an RV Accident?
Usually, a driver’s regular automobile insurance does not fully cover accidents involving large recreational vehicles. You may need special RV insurance for full coverage. If another driver caused the crash, their insurance may not want to pay the full amount. That’s why it’s smart to speak with an accident lawyer before accepting any offer.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lawyer for an RV Accident Case?
Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers works on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t pay anything unless we win your case. Your first call with us is also a free consultation, so there’s no risk in asking questions or getting legal advice. We’re here to help you every step of the way.
Call Our Queens Recreational Vehicle Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you were hurt in an RV crash, you don’t need to face the process alone. Whether it involved poor maintenance practice, runaway trailers, or a negligent driver, these accidents can lead to high medical bills, serious injuries, and lasting stress. You deserve answers, support, and the chance to seek maximum compensation.
Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers helps people involved in RV accidents, ATV accidents, and other serious vehicle crashes across Queens, Nassau County, and Suffolk County. Our team understands personal injury law and how to deal with RV accident insurance claims, manufacturers, and stubborn insurers who try to pay less than what’s fair.
Your first call is always a free consultation, and you pay nothing unless we win, because we work on a contingency fee basis. Contact us today to talk with a trusted accident lawyer who will fight for your rights and guide you every step of the way.
