Minnesota Truck Accident Lawyer | Tractor Trailer Wreck Attorney

Trucks serve an essential purpose, but they can also create significant hazards on the highway. No passenger vehicle is a match for a truck in a collision. Truck crashes can cause severe and even fatal injuries.

If you collided with a truck and sustained injuries, you could be entitled to compensation for your losses. A Minnesota truck accident lawyer could review your legal options and help you pursue damages for the harm you suffered. Consult with our dedicated personal injury attorneys right away.

Trucker Negligence Causes Many Truck Accidents

Trucks are cumbersome vehicles. They are difficult to maneuver, respond sluggishly, and have huge blind spots on all four sides. Trucks do not handle wet or icy roads well, they are top-heavy and tend to roll on curves or in windy conditions, and their trailers can jack-knife. Driving a freight truck or other large commercial vehicle requires training, practice, and skill.

Safe operation of a tractor-trailer also requires attentiveness and caution. Unfortunately, even the most highly skilled truck drivers sometimes allow their attention to wander or cut corners on safety to make their delivery on schedule.

Truck drivers often cause accidents due to:

Driving too fast for conditions
Using cell phones or other electronic devices while driving
Drug or alcohol use
Fatigue

Truck accidents also could result from poor vehicle maintenance or defective equipment. For example, tire failures frequently cause truck accidents. Overloading the trailer or loading it improperly also could lead to wrecks. A Minnesota truck crash attorney could review the available evidence and work to establish the negligence of the truck driver and their role in injuring the plaintiff.

Proof of Negligence Triggers Obligation to Pay Damages

When someone suffers injuries in a truck accident, they can file a claim for damages from any party whose negligence had a role in the incident. ailing to take the precautions a reasonable person would take in a similar circumstance is generally what constitutes negligence.

However, the law holds trucking companies to a higher standard. As common carriers, trucks must take utmost care to avoid injury to others. A Minnesota attorney could investigate a truck accident to identify breaches of the “utmost care” standard. If the trucking company or driver strayed from best safety practices in any way, they are likely negligent under the law.

Other parties also could be liable for the injured party’s damages. If an overweight or poorly loaded trailer led to the accident, the company that loaded the truck could bear responsibility. A tire or truck manufacturer might be liable if mechanical failure had a role in the wreck. Other drivers and local governments could also bear some responsibility for an injured party’s damages in certain cases.

Damages For Truck Accident Injuries

Collisions with trucks often cause grievous, permanent injuries. The negligent parties are responsible for paying all costs, including medical and rehabilitation expenses, lost income, and any household help or home care the injured person requires. Damages also compensate for the injured party’s diminished quality of life, which applies to things like physical pain, disability, disfigurement, and emotional distress.

If a Minnesota truck collision attorney could prove that the claimant’s injuries resulted from another party’s conscious disregard for the claimant’s safety, a court might award punitive damages. Seeking punitive damages could be appropriate if the trucker was distracted, driving recklessly, or under the influence when the accident occurred.

If the injured party was partly at-fault in a truck accident, Minnesota Statutes §604.01 allows them to collect damages from other responsible parties, but the court will adjust the total they collect to reflect their degree of responsibility. If an injured person is primarily responsible for the incident, they cannot collect damages.

Let a Minnesota Truck Accident Attorney Fight for You

If you were hurt in a truck crash, you should not have to bear the financial burden of your injuries. The trucking company or other parties whose negligence led to the accident have a legal responsibility to compensate your losses.

A Minnesota truck accident lawyer brings years of experience and excellent investigative and negotiating skills to the table. Reach out as soon as possible to speak with a dedicated legal professional about your options.