Getting involved in an accident with a commercial truck in Minneapolis can be overwhelming, frightening and confusing. It is imperative to know how to protect your rights as a victim of a jackknife accident, as the trucking company and its insurance provider may both try to take advantage of you.
At Goldenberg Lauricella, PLLC, our truck accident attorneys have been representing individuals and families in Minnesota since 1986. We can help you work through your truck accident case and achieve the best possible outcome with tailored legal services. Call (612) 333-4662 today to schedule your free case review to learn more.
Why Choose Our Jackknife Truck Accident Attorneys in Minneapolis?
- Our law firm has years of experience handling complex and high-stakes truck accident cases.
- We have collected millions of dollars in settlements and jury verdicts for injured clients in the past.
- We are not afraid of going up against major trucking companies and insurance providers.
- Our lawyers strive to make a real difference in the lives of each and every client.
- You won’t pay us anything unless we win your jackknife accident claim.
What Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Do to Help You?
Jackknife accidents in Minneapolis can come with many complex legal elements, from serious and catastrophic injuries to multiple liable parties and federal common carrier laws. A qualified personal injury attorney can work through all of these issues and protect your legal rights during the recovery process.
An attorney can investigate the accident to determine why the truck jackknifed and identify the responsible party/ies. A lawyer can collect important evidence, interview eyewitnesses, hire experts, negotiate with an insurance provider and even take your case to court, if necessary, to seek justice while you focus on recovering from serious injuries.
What Is a Jackknife Accident?
A jackknife accident is a specific type of large truck accident where the bed or trailer of a truck swings out away from the cab at an angle, like the folding of a jackknife. It is a violent and serious type of crash in Minneapolis that can lead to a total loss of control over the tractor-trailer.
When a truck folds in this manner, the wheels can lock up and skid, causing the truck bed to sweep across multiple lanes. Large and heavy commercial trucks significantly outweigh smaller cars, often crushing and totaling everything in their path. Jackknife accidents can be catastrophic.
Typical Injuries From Jackknife Accidents
The occupants of a motor vehicle that is involved in a truck jackknife accident could sustain severe or life-changing injuries. Commercial truck accidents tend to result in multiple hospitalizations or fatalities.
Common types of jackknife accident injuries include:
- Face, head and brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Crushed limbs
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue and nerve damage
- Burn injuries
- Lacerations and permanent scars
- Wrongful death
The Minneapolis personal injury lawyers at Goldenberg Lauricella, PLLC, have enough experience handling truck accident cases to know exactly what severely injured clients need to recover physically, financially and emotionally. You can come to us for assistance with any type of injury.
Common Causes of Truck Jackknife Accidents
Jackknife accidents are almost always preventable. They are often connected to problems with the truck and/or truck driver. In other cases, jackknife accidents are caused by dangerous or defective roadways, such as a truck driver having to swerve to avoid debris or a dangerous construction zone.
Examples include:
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Taking a turn too quickly
- Driving too fast on wet or icy roads
- Using the incorrect braking techniques
- Overcorrecting
- Overloaded truck or shifting cargo
- Truck equipment failures
- Potholes or other road defects
At Goldenberg Lauricella, PLLC, our truck accident lawyers can carefully investigate your jackknife crash to determine its cause and name the at-fault parties.
Holding Someone Liable for Your Jackknife Accident in Minneapolis
Liability, meaning financial responsibility, for a Minneapolis jackknife accident will depend on the cause of the crash. Although Minnesota is a no-fault state, jackknife accidents are frequently severe enough to allow victims to file fault-based claims outside of this insurance system.
Under state law, if a victim requires more than $4,000 worth of medical bills or an injury causes disability or disfigurement for at least six months, the victim can file a claim with the insurance provider of the at-fault party.
It is a trucking company’s responsibility to ensure that every truck is in proper working order and that their drivers know how to operate trucks safely and correctly. Any lapse in this duty of care is known as negligence, and can make the company liable for a related jackknife accident.
Trucking companies can often be held vicariously liable for the mistakes of their truck drivers – even those who are classified as independent contractors. This means you most likely have the right to hold a trucking company responsible after a jackknife collision in Minneapolis.
Why These Cases Are Unique
Personal injury and insurance claims involving large trucks and 18-wheelers should not be treated the same as typical car accident cases in Minneapolis. Truck accident cases are unique in terms of liability, injury severity, evidence, federal laws and defendants. It is highly recommended that you speak with a truck accident attorney before proceeding with the claims process.
For example, truck accident cases often involve broken federal safety laws, such as violated driver hours-of-service rules or truck maintenance requirements. Commercial trucks must abide by a unique set of federal laws enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Any evidence of FMCSA violations could help prove a jackknife accident claim. There may also be other unique types of evidence, such as the truck’s black box.
Injured in a Jackknife Accident in Minneapolis? Contact Us for a Free Consultation
You do not want to handle a commercial truck accident case on your own in Minnesota. These are notoriously complicated injury claims with powerful adversaries, unique types of evidence, federal trucking laws and many other potential challenges. That’s where we come in.
Goldenberg Lauricella, PLLC, has been representing truck accident victims for many years. We can help whether you were directly struck by the jackknifed truck or were hit by another vehicle trying to avoid the truck.
No matter what circumstances surround your jackknife truck accident, contact us to find out how we can help you move forward with a strong injury claim. We offer free initial consultations so that you can get answers to your time-sensitive questions at no charge or pressure. Call (612) 333-4662 today.