Truck accidents caused by unsafe lane changes in Mankato often lead to serious injuries. If you were hurt or your loved one was killed because a truck driver did not use appropriate caution when changing lanes, you deserve justice.
Based in Mankato but serving surrounding areas, our truck wreck attorneys at Maschka Personal Injury have the skills and resources to take on big transportation companies. We will provide you and your claim with the personalized attention it deserves to ensure your physical, emotional, and financial recovery from your injuries.
A truck’s design leaves the vehicle with large blind spots. A full-sized tractor-trailer has a blind spot extending across two traffic lanes and more than the length of the trailer on the right side, a narrower blind spot on the left, and no ability to see objects within 200 feet behind the trailer or 20 feet in front of the cab. Therefore, truckers must use extreme caution when changing lanes to avoid cutting off or colliding with vehicles traveling in adjacent lanes.
Trucks are often equipped with cameras, mirrors, and lane incursion alarms to alert drivers to vehicles in their blind spots. Trucker training focuses on being aware of these vehicles and tracking them to avoid accidents. Truckers should generally use the SMARTS system when changing lanes:
Skipping any of these steps can cause accidents.
Lane change accidents involving trucks may occur when a driver is distracted, tired, or impaired and does not execute the SMARTS protocol properly. Sometimes, the driver is trying to avoid a hazard they did not notice or another vehicle that suddenly veered into their path. Our Mankato attorneys can investigate your accident to determine why the truck driver performed an unsafe lane change and help you hold the responsible parties accountable.
When you bring a claim for truck accident injuries, the transportation company’s insurance provider usually defends it vigorously. Minnesota Statutes § 604.01 prevents anyone who is primarily responsible for a crash from collecting damages and reduces the damages of anyone who was partially responsible. Therefore, insurance companies have a strong incentive to blame you for the crash.
They may assert that the accident was your fault because you were traveling in the truck’s blind spot or “no zone.” However, the trucker must double-check that the blind spot is clear before merging or changing lanes. It is often the trucker’s failure to adhere to basic safety protocols that cause a lane change accident.
Our experienced Mankato attorneys are familiar with the tactics trucking companies use to avoid paying fair compensation for unsafe lane change accidents. We will demonstrate that the trucker is at fault and work to ensure you receive compensation for your lost income and out-of-pocket expenses, as well as reasonable compensation for your pain and suffering.
Truckers have a duty to drive with due care, both for their own safety and to protect others on the road. Often, there is no excuse for truck accidents caused by unsafe lane changes in Mankato.
At Maschka Personal Injury, we advocate for people harmed by others’ negligence. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your truck accident case and explore your legal options.
