Tractor trailers and semi-trucks can outweigh passenger vehicles by a factor of 20. When a car, pickup truck, or SUV gets into a crash with a large truck, the occupants of the passenger vehicle often sustain severe injuries. If you find yourself in this position, it is crucial to speak with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney who can advocate for you during this time.
An Albert Lea truck accident lawyer from Maschka, Riedy, Ries & Frentz Law Firm can fight to ensure you receive the maximum amount of compensation available for a claim. They can preserve your rights, investigate the crash, and negotiate with the responsible parties.
Part of what makes a truck accident claim more complicated than a standard car accident claim is that truck crashes often cause severe injuries to the occupants of smaller involved vehicles. Often, these injuries leave injured people permanently disabled. The expense of caring for these injuries can be financially challenging for most families, and the emotional impact is devastating.
Many people cannot return to their former employment after a truck accident. Some people are unable to work at all due to their physical and psychological injuries. Their quality of life is diminished and their families may have to adjust to a different lifestyle.
A skilled Albert Lea attorney can ensure that anyone injured in a truck accident receives the maximum available compensation for their losses. Damages in a truck accident case can include past and future medical costs, lost income, diminished earning capacity, and pain, suffering, and lost enjoyment of life.
Every accident is unique. However, many truck accidents are caused, at least in part, by the trucker’s or trucking company’s negligence.
Commercial trucks must follow state and federal regulations. These regulations are specific and cover working hour limitations, cargo weight limits, vehicle maintenance requirements, and other aspects of the industry. Non-compliance with these regulations or a violation of traffic laws, such as speeding or unsafe lane change, may constitute negligence. A skilled attorney in Albert Lea can hold the trucker and the company they work for responsible for injuries or death resulting from their negligence.
Sometimes, an injured person’s conduct contributed to the accident. According to Minnesota Statute § 604.01, a person who bears partial fault can collect compensation from other potentially responsible parties, as long as they are not more at fault than the other party. However, their total damages will be reduced by an amount equal to their degree of fault.
Anyone injured in a truck accident should seek legal representation immediately. The transportation industry is well-financed and powerful. When a truck accident causes injuries, a team of adjusters and investigators who work for the trucking company or its insurer may arrive on the scene within hours. Their sole purpose is to discover evidence that limits the trucking company’s liability.
Even thin evidence is enough for the insurance company to try to reduce the payments they make to injured parties. People injured in truck accidents should never agree to speak with an insurance company representative. Instead, they should immediately engage an Albert Lea attorney and let them handle communication with the trucker, trucking company, or their insurer.
A legal professional can ensure that a person hurt in an accident does not make any inadvertent admissions that might lead to partial liability for the crash. They can begin their own investigation and subpoena truck maintenance records, dashcam footage, and surveillance video (when available) and look for other evidence that would shed light on the cause of the accident. They also can participate in an inspection and take legal steps to ensure that the investigators for the transportation company do not destroy evidence like the trucker’s log or the truck’s black box.
Injuries sustained in truck accidents can permanently impact you and your family. When other parties are responsible for a crash, you can or bring a claim for compensation, and an Albert Lea truck accident lawyer can help with this process.
Consult our experienced legal team as soon as possible. Let us perform a detailed investigation and negotiate with the responsible parties while you and your family focus on recovering. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation.
