Brooklyn’s Most Trusted Truck Accident Attorneys (September 2026): Kucher Law Group Ranks First

Why Choosing the Right Truck Accident Lawyer Matters

Early September puts two kinds of large vehicles on Brooklyn’s side streets at once. On a weekday morning in Borough Park, a yellow school bus stops on 13th Avenue with its red lights flashing, and a 20-foot rental truck, picked up an hour earlier for an apartment move, tries to squeeze past it. In Ditmas Park, a renter backing a 26-foot box truck toward a house on Argyle Road misjudges the length of the cargo box and pins a neighbor against a parked car. People hurt in crashes like these need truck accident attorneys in Brooklyn who know that buses and rental trucks follow different rules than tractor-trailers.

The federal numbers show who carries the risk. In “School-Transportation-Related Traffic Crashes: 2013-2022 Data” (DOT HS 813 600, August 2024), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration counted 1,082 people killed in school-transportation-related crashes over that decade. Only 111 were riding in a school transportation vehicle. Another 169 were pedestrians, 76 of them school-age, and 71 percent of all the deaths were occupants of other vehicles. Locally, in a December 17, 2025 release, the New York City Comptroller’s office reported that the City transports more than 145,000 public, charter and private school students using 48 private bus companies.

Each defendant has a practiced response. A bus contractor’s insurer may interview the driver and bus attendant within hours and call a hard stop unavoidable. A rental company will usually cite the federal Graves Amendment and say it has no responsibility for what a renter does, an argument New York’s highest court strengthened in April 2026. The renter may not know whether a personal auto policy reaches a rented truck.

The right attorney can make the difference between:

• A bus crash written off as nobody’s fault and a contractor held to New York’s bus driver qualification rules
• A rental company’s denial letter ending the claim and a full search for the driver’s policy, counter-purchased coverage and the injured person’s own SUM benefits
• Bus GPS and camera data overwritten on schedule and records preserved by an early demand
• A child’s claim left to drift and every notice deadline calendared from the first week

These claims combine Vehicle and Traffic Law Article 19-A, the Graves Amendment, the no-fault system and, when the Department of Education or the City is named, a 90-day notice of claim. For no-fault covered motor vehicle actions commenced on or after May 26, 2026, New York’s FY2027 budget also removed the 90/180-day serious injury category and added CPLR §1411(b), which bars a claimant whose culpable conduct is greater than the defendants’. The rankings below show which firms are best prepared for that mix.

September 2026 Rankings

Rank	Law Firm	Lead Attorney	Client Satisfaction	Notable Settlements	Years Experience	Specialization Focus
1	Kucher Law Group	Samantha Kucher, Esq.	99%	$2,500,000 Head-On Collision Result; $1,400,000 Vehicle Settlement	15+	Truck Accident & Personal Injury
2	Jacoby & Meyers, LLP	Andrew G. Finkelstein	97%	$5,700,000 School Bus Wrongful Death Verdict; $5,000,000 Truck Settlement	Nearly 50 Years	Truck Accident & Personal Injury
3	Ajlouny Injury Law	Paul Ajlouny	95%	Two $2,700,000 Commercial Vehicle Results	Not Stated	Truck Accident & Personal Injury
4	Levine and Wiss, PLLC	Joel L. Levine and Scott L. Wiss	94%	Hundreds of Millions Recovered (Firm-Stated)	100+ Combined Years	Personal Injury & Truck Accident
5	Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel	Jay S. Knispel	93%	$2,000,000 Tractor-Trailer Award	25 Years	Truck Accident & Personal Injury

#1 Kucher Law Group

Why They’re #1: A September crash involving a contracted school bus or a rented moving truck can leave a family facing a bus company, a rental company and a stranger’s insurer all at once, and Kucher Law Group’s Brooklyn attorneys for school bus and rental truck crashes take that on from the first call: three partners who prepare cases for trial, seven-figure motor vehicle results, and phones answered 24 hours a day, so bus GPS logs, driver files and rental agreements can be demanded quickly.

Firm Overview

The legal entity behind Kucher Law Group, RRK Kucher Law Group PLLC, dates to December 10, 2019. A staff of 10 to 19 serves clients from 463 Pulaski Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant and from 26 Broadway, 27th Floor, in Lower Manhattan. The firm’s self-reported figures include more than $50 million recovered, more than $20 million in settlements and a 99 percent success rate. It holds a 4.99 out of 5 Google rating from 81 reviews and works on contingency only.

Notable Case Results

• $2,500,000 : Head-on motor vehicle collision in which the client’s cervical spine injury required surgery
• $1,400,000 : Motor vehicle accident settlement
• $1,250,000 : Erb’s palsy injury to an infant, settled before trial
• $1,800,000 : Sidewalk trip and fall that led to surgery
• $650,000 : Slip and fall suffered by a restaurant patron

Legal Team Excellence

Michael Roitman is the firm’s primary trial attorney, and bus cases test that role. A school bus contractor carries insurance built for large claims, so its adjusters weigh closely whether the lawyer across the table will actually stand before a Kings County jury. Attorney Roitman studied at NYU, earned his JD at Cooley Law, and is admitted in New York and New Jersey courts and in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. His family fled Ukraine, and he was named to the Top 50 PI Settlements New York list in 2023.

Samantha Kucher was admitted to the New York bar in 2015 after studying at NYU and New York Law School, and she grew up at Milton Hershey School. She was a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2020, has been recognized among the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, and received NAOPIA honors in 2024 and 2025. Attorney Kucher speaks with families in English, Russian and Spanish. Alex Rybakov, licensed since 2010 after NYU and Seton Hall, has handled personal injury work exclusively for more than ten years.

What Sets Them Apart

• 24/7 Availability: A lawyer picks up at any hour, including early mornings when bus routes begin and weekends when moving trucks crowd the curbs
• No Upfront Fees / Contingency Only: Families owe no legal fee unless the firm recovers compensation
• Brooklyn Knowledge: Familiarity with Kings County courts and the blocks where buses load children and renters unload furniture
• Personalized Service: Clients work directly with their attorneys
• Bus and Rental Records Demands: Early requests for Article 19-A driver files, bus GPS and camera data, rental agreements and any liability coverage bought at the rental counter

Client Testimonials

One client describes the firm’s range, and a car accident client recalls the support after a rear-end collision.

“These attorneys are definitely experts in their field. They will fight for you every step of the way. Car accidents, slip and falls, premise liability, labor law, they really know their stuff. They also take the time to explain what to expect as your case goes on.”

Anthony Mangona, Google Review

“Following a rear end collision that caused serious neck injuries, I was overwhelmed with insurance paperwork and medical appointments. Their personal injury attorneys took over everything allowing me to focus on my recovery. They were always ready to answer questions and handled negotiations professionally. Great results!”

Steffani Mains, Google Review

Why Choose Kucher Law Group

When a child is hurt on a bus or a neighbor is struck by a rented truck, the family needs one team to sort out which company answers for what. Kucher Law Group brings trial-ready partners, help in three languages and a contingency fee with nothing due up front. The first consultation is free, and with phones answered around the clock, a preservation demand can reach the bus contractor or rental company before routine deletion begins.

Contact: (929) 563-6780 | 463 Pulaski St #1C, Brooklyn, NY 11221

#2 Jacoby & Meyers, LLP

Why They Made Our List: Jacoby & Meyers, LLP publishes the result most closely tied to this month’s theme, a $5,700,000 wrongful death verdict after a runaway school bus fatally struck a child in Brooklyn, along with a $5,000,000 truck settlement reached during trial and two offices inside the borough.

Firm Overview

The firm reports nearly 50 years of experience representing injured people. Its Brooklyn offices are at 8701 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge and 1711 Kings Highway, and its Brooklyn truck accident page, published in English and Spanish, names Andrew G. Finkelstein as the firm’s Brooklyn truck accident lawyer. Jacoby & Meyers states that it works on a strict contingency basis with no upfront costs and no fee unless it wins.

Notable Achievements

• $5,700,000 : Wrongful death verdict after a runaway school bus fatally struck a child in Brooklyn
• $5,000,000 : Truck accident settlement reached during trial after a multi-vehicle highway crash that caused several severe injuries
• $2,500,000 : Tractor-trailer settlement for a client who required spinal cord stimulator surgery

Lead Attorney / Team

Andrew G. Finkelstein is the attorney the firm identifies for its Brooklyn truck work. Jacoby & Meyers cites recognition from the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. A jury verdict in a Brooklyn school bus case shows a team that has carried a heavy vehicle death claim all the way to a decision, and the mid-trial truck settlement points the same direction.

Service Approach

Prospective clients receive a no-cost case evaluation. For families in Marine Park and the neighborhoods along Kings Highway, the firm’s second Brooklyn office keeps an in-person meeting within a short trip, which matters to parents juggling a child’s medical appointments and a new school year. The Spanish-language truck page lets families review their options in the language they use at home. The school bus verdict also gives parents a concrete reference point when they ask which firm has handled a claim like theirs, and the multi-vehicle highway result speaks to crashes in which one large vehicle draws several drivers and several insurers into a single case.

Contact: (917) 765-1933 | 8701 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

#3 Ajlouny Injury Law

Why They Made Our List: Ajlouny Injury Law lists three commercial vehicle outcomes of $2,100,000 or more on its Brooklyn truck page, each tied to a described injury, so readers can judge the firm on documented results.

Firm Overview

The firm works from 26 Court Street in Brooklyn’s civic center, a short walk from the Kings County courthouses. Its truck accident page states that every truck case is handled on contingency and that clients pay nothing unless the firm wins. The firm does not publish its years in practice, so our table lists that figure as Not Stated.

Case Results

• $2,700,000 : A 28-year-old Bronx man rear-ended by a commercial vehicle who needed shoulder and lower back surgery
• $2,700,000 : A 66-year-old Staten Island foreman struck by a truck in a loading dock
• $2,100,000 : A client with catastrophic injuries from a rear-end collision with a commercial vehicle that required back surgery

Lead Attorney / Team

Paul Ajlouny founded the firm, and Michael Levitz is also named in its truck materials. Two of the three published results began with a commercial vehicle striking another from behind, the same kind of impact a bus passenger or a driver can suffer when a heavy vehicle cannot stop in time.

Service Approach

The firm explains truck claims in plain language and pairs each figure with the injury behind it. Contingency representation keeps upfront cost out of the decision. Each listed result involved surgery or catastrophic harm, the kind of injury that calls for careful medical proof, which is especially relevant now that New York’s 2026 changes have removed the 90/180-day route to a serious injury claim in motor vehicle cases.

Contact: (516) 535-5555 | 26 Court St #1104, Brooklyn, NY 11242

#4 Levine and Wiss, PLLC

Why They Made Our List: Levine and Wiss, PLLC pairs a nine-attorney roster with a Brooklyn office at 455 Utica Avenue and a Google “Top Rated Law Firm” badge showing a 5.0 rating.

Firm Overview

The firm reports more than 100 years of combined attorney experience and hundreds of millions of dollars recovered for clients. Both figures are self-reported, and its Brooklyn truck page does not list case-level results. The website is offered in Spanish, and the firm states that no fee is charged unless compensation is obtained.

Lead Attorney / Team

Joel L. Levine and Scott L. Wiss lead a team that also includes Ernest T. Lawson, Wayne Wilson, Martin M. Howfield, Jules G. Messinger, Jeremy D. Wiss, Anthony A. Ferrante, and Sam Sheridan.

Service Approach

A rental truck crash may require one lawyer to trace the driver’s personal and supplemental coverage while another builds the medical case, and a deeper bench makes that division of labor practical. The contingency model keeps cost out of the first conversation, and the Utica Avenue office gives families across central Brooklyn a nearby place to meet. We did not independently verify the review count behind the firm’s Google badge.

Contact: (718) 575-2222 | 455 Utica Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11203

#5 Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel

Why They Made Our List: Jay S. Knispel brings a stated 25 years of practice, a Court Street office near the Brooklyn courts, and a published $2 million award in a crash involving a tractor-trailer.

Firm Overview

The firm represents injured New Yorkers, offers a free consultation and notes Spanish-speaking service on its website. It reports recovering millions of dollars for clients through verdicts and settlements.

Notable Achievements

• $2,000,000 : Award in a car accident involving a tractor-trailer

Lead Attorney / Team

Founding partner Jay S. Knispel is described on the firm’s site as a “Top 100 Trial Lawyer,” though the site does not name the organization behind that title.

Service Approach

Clients work with a single Brooklyn office close to Borough Hall, which simplifies filings and court dates. The truck page does not spell out contingency terms, so readers should ask how fees work during the free consultation. The tractor-trailer award offers a concrete example of heavy vehicle experience to weigh against the other firms here.

Contact: (718) 802-1600 | 26 Court St., Suite 2511, Brooklyn, NY 11242

Understanding Brooklyn Truck Accident Cases

September puts two very different drivers behind Brooklyn’s large vehicles: a professional qualified under state bus driver rules, and a first-time renter who may never have driven anything longer than a sedan.

Common Causes

Passing a stopped school bus. Under NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1174(a), a driver meeting or overtaking a school bus from either direction must stop while its red signal operates and wait until the bus moves or the driver or a police officer signals traffic on. On 13th Avenue and 16th Avenue in Borough Park, a driver who goes around a stopped bus can strike a child crossing in front of it.

Unqualified or fatigued bus drivers. VTL Article 19-A, beginning at §509-a, bars a motor carrier from letting a bus driver operate unless the driver is qualified. New York DMV guidance describes biennial medical exams, road tests and written or oral tests, annual defensive driving observations, an annual driving record review under §509-e, and fingerprint-based background checks for school bus drivers. Section 509-k addresses ill or fatigued operators.

First-time drivers in rental trucks. Rental moving trucks are generally rated below the 26,001-pound line at which federal rules require a commercial driver’s license, so the person at the wheel may hold only an ordinary license. Misjudged clearance, wide right turns and backing without a spotter are common errors on the blocks of Ditmas Park around Cortelyou Road.

Move-day double-parking. A loaded truck stopped in the travel lane near Prospect Park Southwest in Windsor Terrace, ramp down and furniture on the sidewalk, forces cyclists and pedestrians into moving traffic.

Renters off the truck routes. In Marine Park, a renter following a phone app may steer a box truck down residential streets, although NYC’s truck route rule, 34 RCNY §4-13, covers two-axle, six-tire trucks whoever drives.

Who Can Be Held Liable

• The school bus driver and the private bus company that employs the driver and owns the bus
• A motorist who passed a stopped school bus or otherwise caused the crash
• The DOE or the City, in limited situations involving their own negligence and subject to notice of claim rules
• The person driving the rental truck, and that person’s employer when the move was for work
• A moving company or hired crew that operated the truck
• The rental company, only for its own negligence, such as renting out a truck with known brake defects, since the Graves Amendment (49 U.S.C. §30106) bars liability based on ownership alone
• A manufacturer or repair shop, when a defect contributed

Critical NYC Requirements

• Deadlines: CPLR §214 generally allows three years for personal injury, CPLR §208 generally extends that period for an injured child until age 18, and EPTL §5-4.1 allows two years for wrongful death
• Notice of claim: A claim against the DOE or the City requires notice within 90 days under NY General Municipal Law §50-e, which Education Law §3813(2) applies to school district claims; claims against private bus contractors are not subject to that rule
• Rental coverage: In Second Child v. Edge Auto, Inc., decided April 23, 2026, a divided Court of Appeals held that the Graves Amendment preempts VTL §370’s requirement that rental companies provide primary liability coverage to renters, so the driver’s policy, counter-purchased coverage and the injured person’s SUM benefits often decide what is available
• 2026 vehicle rules: For no-fault covered motor vehicle actions commenced on or after May 26, 2026, Insurance Law §5102(d) no longer includes the 90/180-day category, CPLR §1411(b) bars a claimant whose culpable conduct is greater than the defendants’, and a $100,000 non-economic cap applies to certain at-fault uninsured drivers and drivers convicted of impaired driving or a felony, but not to wrongful death claims; non-vehicle claims keep pure comparative fault under CPLR §1411

Selection Criteria

Our September rankings weighed the factors below. None decided a position on its own, and each was applied to what the firms publish about themselves, so readers should confirm details with any firm they consider.

Case Results and Recovery Amounts. Published verdicts and settlements involving buses, trucks and other heavy vehicles earned the most credit. Case-level figures counted for more than lifetime totals, and we labeled every number a firm reports about itself. A result involving a child or a school bus carried extra relevance this month.

Client Satisfaction. Parents and injured neighbors judge a firm by how often it calls back. Reviews describing clear explanations and steady updates through treatment counted heavily, and praise on independent platforms outweighed testimonials a firm selects for its own website.

Legal Experience and Expertise. Bus and rental truck cases draw on VTL Article 19-A, the Graves Amendment and the 2026 changes to New York’s motor vehicle rules. We favored firms whose records show comfort with contractors, rental companies and the insurers behind them, since those defendants know the rules well.

Trial Readiness. A bus contractor’s insurer prices a claim partly by asking whether the injured family’s lawyer will try it. Verdicts, and settlements that arrived only after trial began, showed which firms have carried heavy vehicle cases into the courtroom.

Brooklyn Community Connection. Knowing where buses load on crowded avenues, which blocks fill with moving trucks on the first of the month, and how Kings County courts schedule cases speeds every stage. Offices inside the borough also spare injured clients long trips.

Professional Recognition. Honors from named organizations offered an outside check on reputation. Titles without an identified issuer received little weight, and no award outranked documented results for injured clients.

Accessibility and Communication. Bus camera footage and GPS records can be overwritten quickly, so round-the-clock access mattered. We also valued service in the languages Brooklyn families speak at home, because a parent should be able to explain a child’s injuries without an interpreter.

Fee Structure and Transparency. Contingency arrangements with no upfront cost make representation possible for families already facing medical bills. We credited plain explanations of how case costs are handled and noted where a firm did not publish its fee terms.

Scope of Services. One crash can involve a no-fault claim, a lawsuit against a bus contractor or a renter, a notice of claim against the DOE and an SUM claim under the injured person’s own policy. Firms that manage every piece spare families repeated handoffs.

Moving Forward

School buses and moving trucks will share Brooklyn’s curbs through the fall, from the bus stops of Borough Park to the house-lined blocks of Ditmas Park and the residential streets around Marine Park. If a bus or a rental truck injures you or your child, get medical care first. If you can do so safely, photograph the vehicle, its bus number or rental markings and its license plate. Decline recorded statements from any insurer until you have legal advice.

Then contact a qualified attorney who can send preservation demands for bus driver files, GPS and camera data, and rental records, and who can calendar any notice deadline against the DOE or the City. Most firms on this list offer a free consultation. Ask how each would handle a claim involving a bus contractor or a rental company, then choose the team you trust.

About Our Rankings: NewNoted’s monthly rankings recognize excellence in specialized practice areas. Our evaluation process examines case results, client satisfaction, professional experience, and community impact. Rankings are based on verified data and are updated monthly to reflect current performance. Enhanced profiles are available but not required for ranking consideration.

For Attorneys: To nominate yourself or a colleague for future rankings, please email editor@newnoted.com.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique, and results depend on specific facts and circumstances.