Truck Accidents
MINNEAPOLIS TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
TRUCK ACCIDENT CLAIMS
Motor vehicle accidents that involve trucks can be extremely serious due to their size and weight. Truck accident victims often face a lengthy and painful recovery from catastrophic injuries such as:
- Head trauma
- Spinal cord damage
- Broken bones
- Back injuries
- Knee injuries
- Internal injuries
What Happens After a Minnesota Truck Collision?
After a truck accident, the trucking company and its insurance providers will act quickly to minimize their liability. Understanding their tactics can help you protect your rights and seek fair compensation.
How the Trucking Company and Its Insurers Respond
- Rapid Investigation: Trucking companies often deploy accident response teams immediately to gather evidence, take statements, and assess potential liability.
- Insurance Adjuster Contact: Their insurers may contact you for a statement. Be cautious—anything you say could be used to reduce or deny your claim.
- Blame Shifting: They may attempt to place partial or full blame on you, other drivers, or external factors to limit their financial responsibility.
- Delaying Tactics: Some insurers delay processing claims, hoping you’ll accept a lower settlement out of frustration.
- Settlement Offers: Initial settlement offers may not cover all your damages, including future medical costs and lost wages.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents can lead to serious and life-changing injuries due to the size and force of impact. Some of the most common injuries include:
- Head and Brain Injuries: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), concussions, and skull fractures can occur from strong impacts.
- Spinal Cord and Back Injuries: Damage to the spine may cause chronic pain, limited mobility, or even paralysis.
- Broken Bones: The force of a truck crash can result in fractures in the arms, legs, ribs, and other areas.
- Internal Injuries: Blunt force trauma may lead to internal bleeding or damage to vital organs.
- Neck and Whiplash Injuries: Sudden movement can strain muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the neck.
- Severe Cuts and Burns: Shattered glass, debris, or fires can cause deep wounds and serious burns.
Recovering from a truck accident can be challenging, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Butwinick Injury Law is here to help you understand your legal options and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Minnesota Trucking Laws
Minnesota has strict regulations in place to ensure the safety of commercial trucking operations. These laws are designed to protect drivers, passengers, and pedestrians from accidents caused by negligence or non-compliance. Key trucking laws include:
- Weight and Size Limits: Trucks must adhere to state and federal weight restrictions to prevent road damage and reduce accident risks.
- Hours of Service Regulations: Truck drivers must follow limits on driving hours to prevent fatigue-related accidents. Federal law restricts most commercial drivers to a maximum of 11 driving hours after 10 consecutive off-duty hours.
- Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Requirements: Operators of large trucks must obtain a CDL and undergo proper training to ensure safe driving practices.
- Vehicle Maintenance and Inspections: Trucking companies are required to maintain their vehicles and conduct regular inspections to ensure they are roadworthy.
- Cargo Securement Rules: Proper loading and securement of cargo are mandated to prevent shifting loads that can lead to accidents.
- Drug and Alcohol Testing: Commercial drivers are subject to mandatory drug and alcohol testing to ensure they are not impaired while operating a truck.
Common Truck Accident Injuries Truck Drivers
Since trucks are capable of causing catastrophic damage in the event of an accident the trucking industry is heavily regulated by The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Truck drivers are required to adhere to the strict highway safety standards they lay out. Many times accidents are caused by a truck driver’s negligence or violation of these laws, such as:
- Drunk driving
- Driving with insufficient sleep
- Driving while under the influence of drugs
- Speeding
- Making improper lane changes
One of these regulations is called the hours of service regulations which rules how long truck drivers can be on the road and when they must take meal breaks. This rule states that:
- Truckers can work up to 14-hour a day, however, they are permitted to actually drive for 11 of these hours. The remaining three hours must be spent on meal or rest breaks.
- At the end of the day, drivers must rest for at least 10 hours before returning to another day at work.
- Truckers also must take days off work at regular intervals. These intervals are based on how many days a week the company the driver is employed by is open. If a trucking company is open seven days a week a driver is only allowed to work 70 hours in an eight-day period before taking at least 34 consecutive hours off. Likewise, if a trucking company is open less than seven days a week than a driver is only allowed to work 60 hours in a seven-day period before taking 34 hours off.
As stated above, sometimes drivers break these rules. In rare circumstances these regulations can be temporarily lifted in times of national emergency, in order to help get supplies where they need to go faster, such as in the recent COVID-19 crisis.
No matter the case, the result is the same, tired truck drivers on the road and more accidents. A qualified attorney can investigate your accident to determine if another person was at fault for your injuries and can hold them accountable for their actions.
How Much Is My Minnesota Truck Accident Claim Worth?
The value of your truck accident claim depends on factors like medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and property damage. You may be eligible for:
- Medical Expenses: Past and future treatment costs.
- Lost Wages: Compensation for time missed at work.
- Pain and Suffering: Physical and emotional distress.
- Property Damage: Vehicle repairs or replacement.
- Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme negligence.
Trucking companies and insurers often try to reduce payouts. Contact Butwinick Injury Law for a free consultation to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Common Causes of Minnesota Truck Crashes
Truck accidents can happen for many reasons, often due to negligence or dangerous road conditions. Some of the most common causes include:
- Driver Fatigue: Long hours on the road can lead to drowsy driving and slower reaction times.
- Distracted Driving: Truck drivers using phones, GPS, or other distractions can cause serious crashes.
- Speeding and Reckless Driving: Large trucks need more time to stop, making speeding especially dangerous.
- Improper Truck Maintenance: Faulty brakes, tire blowouts, or mechanical failures can lead to accidents.
- Overloaded or Unbalanced Cargo: Improperly loaded cargo can cause rollovers or loss of control.
- Poor Weather Conditions: Ice, snow, and rain increase the risk of skidding and jackknifing.
Additional parties that may be to blame after a Minnesota truck collision include
Truck accidents often involve multiple responsible parties beyond just the driver. The trucking company may be liable if they failed to properly train their drivers, enforced unsafe schedules, or neglected vehicle maintenance. Cargo loaders could also share responsibility if improperly secured or overloaded cargo contributed to the crash.
Manufacturers may be at fault if defective truck parts, such as faulty brakes or tires, caused the accident. Additionally, maintenance providers who fail to perform proper repairs or inspections can be held accountable. In some cases, government entities may be responsible if poor road conditions, missing signs, or faulty traffic signals played a role in the collision.
Determining liability in a truck accident can be complicated, but Butwinick Injury Law is here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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