Any motor vehicle accident can come with devastating consequences, but given the size and weight of semi trucks, it should come as no surprise that accidents involving these large rigs can be particularly dangerous. And while a personal injury claim filed after a standard car accident will look similar to a claim filed after an accident involving a semi truck, there are a couple significant differences between the two claims. Below, we take a closer look at some of the main differences between semi truck accidents and car accidents in Minnesota
Factors To Consider After A Semi Truck Accident
Here’s a look at a couple of the main differences that will need to be accounted for when filing a personal injury claim if you are injured by a semi truck driver.
1. How The Accident Happened – Determining the cause of a car accident is always important, but there are more factors to consider when the accident involves a big rig. For example, a semi truck is much larger, meaning it oftentimes has a significant blind spot to account for if it hopes to avoid an accident. Similarly, semi trucks oftentimes have way more tires than the four you’ll find on a car. More tires means a greater chance that a tire defect or stress causes a tire to explode, which can lead to an accident. Simply put, there is a higher likelihood that driver error or equipment malfunction caused the accident.
2. What You’re Up Against – Trucking companies are oftentimes backed by large insurance companies and groups of lawyers to help cover their interests in the wake of an accident. They may try to bully you into accepting a quick and low settlement for your injuries simply because you lack experience with the injury compensation system. If they have lawyers on their side, you absolutely need a professional in your corner to ensure you get what you’re entitled to receive.
3. Driving Regulations – Truck drivers have some additional safety regulations that must be followed when they are on the road. For example, they have a lower legal limit for the amount of alcohol they can have in their system compared to the average individual (0.04 vs. 0.08). Moreover, drivers are not allowed to work more than a set number of hours in a day or over a certain amount of time. If they were working past these limits, you may be able to make a case that drowsiness or inattentive driving contributed to the accident.
4. Injury Significance – Finally, as we mentioned above, any type of motor vehicle accident can lead to significant injuries, but truck accidents tend to be even more traumatic because of the size and weight of the vehicles. Serious injury and death are more common in car vs. semi truck accidents than in standard vehicle on vehicle crashes, so you really need to ensure all factors are considered to help you get a fair compensation award. The easiest way to do this is to consult with an experienced truck accident attorney like Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm.
So if you or someone you love was injured in a car accident involving a semi truck, make sure your interests are protected and you maximize your award potential by syncing up with an attorney. In the greater Twin Cities area, reach out to Margolis Law Office at (952) 230-2700.
