Highways 52, 63, 14 and 90 in and around Rochester, Minnesota, are heavy traffic areas for semi-trucks, tractor-trailers and 18-wheelers. They are also the danger zones for truck-car accidents. Truck-car accidents often result in catastrophic injuries, or death, for the car driver and passengers.
The commercial trucking industry is heavily regulated, with many laws unique to the maintenance and operation of trucks and big rigs. If you've been injured in an accident with a truck-or a loved one has died-you need an attorney who understands the complexity of commercial trucking law as well as personal injury and wrongful death laws.
Jim Suk of Suk Law Firm is a Minnesota State Bar Association board-certified civil trial specialist and nationally certified trial advocate with a sole focus on personal injury law. Since 2001, he's been named one of Minnesota's "Super Lawyers" in personal injury by Minnesota Law & Politics magazine.
Truck Accidents - An Overview
A traffic accident involving a commercial truck, such as an eighteen-wheeler or other large freight carrier, can be much more catastrophic than an ordinary car accident. A typical fully-loaded large commercial truck can weigh 80,000 pounds or more, while an average passenger automobile weighs approximately 3000 pounds. Because of this size disparity, and due to the basic laws of physics, any collision between a commercial truck and another vehicle is likely to result in serious, even fatal, injuries. While statistics show that truck drivers are generally much more careful on the road than automobile drivers, and thankfully the incidence of fatal crashes involving trucks and other large vehicles has declined in recent years, large truck crashes still accounted for 5350 fatalities and 133,000 injuries in 2001.
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What to Do if You Are Injured in an Accident
A motor vehicle accident is a serious matter, particularly when it involves a commercial truck. You or someone else may have been seriously injured and even if you have not been injured, you may be wondering what you should do next.
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Truck Safety
Commercial trucking presents dangers that the drivers of passenger cars may never face. Although most truckers make every effort to be safe in their operations, there are a number of things that make commercial trucking hazardous. Some of the more common causes of trucking accidents are set out below. If you are injured in a commercial trucking accident, you need to consult an attorney with experience in handling truck accident cases.
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Lawsuit Chronology
If you are injured in an accident involving a commercial truck, you may be unsure of what to expect when your lawsuit is filed. An experienced lawyer will be able to answer any specific questions you might have about your case, but the following chronology will provide an overview as to how a civil suit normally proceeds.
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Common Causes
Commercial vehicles such as eighteen-wheelers and other large freight carriers are a unique presence on roads that are occupied mostly by small passenger vehicles, and commercial vehicles present dangers that are also unique. Not only do commercial truck drivers need to be aware of the special circumstances presented by the large vehicles they are driving, but other drivers on the road also need to use caution in their presence. Especially on major highways and at higher speeds, seemingly insignificant driving errors that may occur without consequence where small vehicles are concerned can result in catastrophe when an eighteen-wheeler is involved.
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