Mankato Truck Accident Lawyer

Large truck crashes present a compelling threat to the safety of Americans, and it’s an issue that doesn’t receive enough attention. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data estimates an average of almost 11 people in the United States die each day in trucking accidents, and an additional 100,000 are injured every year in accidents involving big rig trucks. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, these numbers are only increasing.

If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries from a collision with a semi truck, tractor trailer or other commercial trucking vehicle, contact our office today to schedule a free, no obligation consultation. We can answer questions about your case and provide you with the best legal help possible.

How Can Knutson + Casey Help My Mankato Truck Accident Case?

Accidents involving large trucks are much more complicated than those involving only traditional passenger vehicles. Often, a truck accident involves multiple parties, and there will need to be an extensive investigation into the incident. Most individuals who are injured in a car accident involving large trucks do not have the resources or experience necessary to pursue maximum compensation. Your Mankato truck accident lawyer will be responsible for:

  • Obtaining all evidence from the scene of the crash, including police reports, video surveillance of the incident, eyewitness statements, and more.
  • Obtaining all safety and maintenance records related to the driver and the trucking company.
  • Ensuring your medical records or evaluated by a trusted healthcare professional who can assess the extent of your injuries.
  • Negotiating with all parties involved in order to secure the compensation you are entitled to.

How We Recover Compensation for Truck Accident Injuries in Mankato, MN

If you’ve been injured in an accident involving an 18 wheeler, big-rig, delivery truck, or other large vehicle, you’re probably full of pressing questions. Who’s responsible? What kind of recourse can I expect for someone else’s negligence? How will I ever pay my bills and get back on my feet? If you’re worried about these kinds of things, you’re not alone. At Knutson+Casey, we don’t take negligence lightly.

Who Can be Liable for a Truck Accident in Minnesota?

If you want to seek additional damages above and beyond what your insurance companies offer, you’ll need to prove another party was at fault for your injuries. In the case of truck accidents, the driver, their employer, or the manufacturer of the vehicle could be responsible for the accident. Usually, we try to seek damages from the employer rather than the drivers, and we use several approaches to assign fault to another party for truck injury cases.

Here are a few examples:

  • Truck drivers are beholden to strict sets of rules, including the number of hours they’re allowed to drive and the number of breaks they have to take. If they fail to adhere to these regulations, they’ve committed negligence.
  • If the driver breaks the law (i.e., by abusing substances while on the road), he or she has automatically committed negligence and can be found at fault.
  • A company can commit negligence by failing to maintain the trucks properly or by hiring drivers with prior traffic convictions. 

Common injuries in Mankato, MN trucking accidents

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, there were 4,623 total crashes involving large commercial trucks in the state during the latest reporting year. Out of these incidents, we know that there were:

  • 122 serious injuries
  • 511 moderate injuries
  • 712 possible injuries
  • 44 fatalities

Incidents involving large commercial trucks often result in severe injuries. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) says that a fully loaded semi-truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. When a vehicle of this size and weight impacts a passenger vehicle, it is not uncommon for the following injuries to occur:

  • Broken and dislocated bones
  • Severe lacerations
  • Internal organ damage
  • Internal bleeding
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Whiplash injuries
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Open head injuries
  • Concussions

Victims of truck accidents often require extensive medical care along with lengthy recovery periods. Truck accident victims will likely incur major medical bills, and they could lose the income they need to support their families if they cannot work while they recover. Victims of truck accidents are also more likely to suffer from emotional and psychological trauma as a result of the incident and their injuries.

Common causes of truck accidents in Mankato

Similar to traditional vehicle crashes, truck crashes can have various causes. The Minnesota DPS says that the most common causes of truck accidents include the following:

  • following too closely
  • road surface conditions
  • careless or erratic driving
  • improper lane usage
  • failure to yield the right of way
  • improper turn/merge
  • congested roadways
  • vehicle run off the road
  • defective brakes

The FMCSA, along with Minnesota state agencies, strictly regulate truck drivers and trucking companies. All drivers should be properly trained, and they are required to adhere to a certain number of hours of service (HOS) within each workday and workweek to prevent driving while fatigued. Truck drivers must also not operate while impaired by alcohol or drugs or while distracted by cell phones or other electronic devices.

Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring drivers are properly trained and that each vehicle is regularly inspected and maintained. Ultimately, trucking companies are responsible for the actions of their truck drivers. Truck crashes often involved insurance carriers and legal teams from the trucking companies.

Truck crashes could also be caused due to defective vehicles or vehicle parts. In these cases, a truck accident attorney in Mankato will investigate the vehicle or part manufacturers, including safety history and whether there are any recalls.

How much is my trucking accident claim worth in Mankato, MN?

When you decide to pursue compensation, the amount we can recover depends on several factors, including:

  • Medical expenses. The amount of money you had to shell out for hospital bills, tests, physical therapy, at-home care, and ambulance transportation.
  • Wage loss. The amount of income you lost out on because you were in the hospital or at home recovering from your injuries.
  • Earning capacity. If an accident renders you unable to perform your job duties like you used to, we’ll determine the amount of money you stand to lose over the course of a career.
  • Emotional suffering, accounting for any mental of physical distress that you suffered as a direct result of an accident, like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or depression.
  • Loss of companionship if you’re a grieving spouse, widow, or family member of someone who’s been injured in a truck accident.

Injured in a Mankato Semi Truck Accident? Schedule a Free Consultation

If you’ve sustained an injury in an accident involving a commercial motor vehicle, you shouldn’t have to worry about paying medical bills or other expenses relating to your long-term care. We’ll review the specifics of your case and let you know how we can go to work for you. It’s no obligation, so what are you waiting for? Contact us today for more information.