Bloomington Truck Accident Lawyer

Semi-trucks are essential in today’s economy. However, they are also dangerous vehicles that can ruin property and lives. Truck accidents frequently cause massive destruction and often involve many vehicles. If you have been harmed by one, our Bloomington truck accident lawyers can potentially help.

Why Choose Tyroler Leonard Injury Law?

At Tyroler Leonard Injury Law, we go the distance and do not stop until our clients are properly compensated. We do not settle for less — you can rely on our team of Bloomington truck accident lawyers to always pursue what you are entitled to.

With Tyroler Leonard Injury Law representing you, you get:

• Industry-leading Bloomington truck accident lawyers
• Client-centered attention and services
• 24/7 attention and availability
• Free initial consultations.

Our track record shows that we go for maximum compensation. For our truck accident injury clients, nothing else will suffice. The stakes are simply too high.

Truck Accident Causes and Who’s to Blame

Truck accidents often occur due to some type of negligence or unacceptable misstep. Often, the truck driver is to blame. Truck drivers have significantly more responsibility on the road than drivers of passenger autos. The machines they operate require them to complete special training and comply with numerous federal and state regulations, all of which seek to keep the public safe.

Hours of Service (HOS) Violations

Federal regulations establish detailed HOS rules that limit the number of hours a truck driver may drive each day and during the day. For example, if a commercial truck driver has been off duty for ten consecutive hours, they may drive for up to 11 hours. Drivers must also take a 30-minute break after driving for 8 cumulative hours without a 30-minute break. Failure to abide by these rules leads to drowsiness and fatigue, which are two main causes of truck accidents.

Vehicle Safety Violations

Big rigs have numerous moving parts that work to keep the truck safe. As with anything, these parts need regular inspection for issues that invariably pop up, such as tire pressure issues, load tie-down issues, and problems related to the brakes. Commercial truck drivers are required to perform regular vehicle safety inspections and log the results. If a problem arises, they must take appropriate action. Sadly, some drivers ignore developing problems or do not adequately perform vehicle checks, and accidents happen.

Driver Qualification Violations

Commercial truck drivers must pass skills and knowledge tests before being issued a commercial driver’s license. They must also submit a medical self-certification form, typically with an attached medical exam, as proof of medical eligibility. Additionally, certain commercial truck drivers must possess an endorsement with their license, such as an H or a P endorsement, for hazardous materials and passenger transport, respectively. These endorsements demonstrate a trucker’s ability to operate their respective commercial vehicles safely.

Basic Negligence and Recklessness

Even if a truck driver complies with all of the federal and state requirements for big rigs, they still may commit basic acts of road negligence and recklessness, such as:

• Driving while distracted
• Drunk driving
• Driving while under the influence of drugs
• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Improper lane change
• Failure to yield
• Failure to stop.

Because Minnesota is a no-fault state, most injury victims cannot sue truck drivers for damages unless:

• The injury victim has suffered at least $4,000 in medical expenses
• The injury victim has suffered permanent disfigurement or injury or a disability for at least 60 days.

Instead, individuals hurt in truck accidents must seek compensation from personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, which only covers limited economic losses. Given the destructive nature of truck accidents, however, sustaining at least $4,000 in medical expenses is not at all rare, as permanent disfigurement and long-term disabilities are frequent outcomes of these types of crashes.

If the circumstances of your case permit you to file a claim against the truck driver’s liability insurance, you may be entitled to the following damages:

• Medical and hospital costs and expenses
• Medical device and equipment costs
• Lost present and future income and wages
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Wrongful death proceeds in the event of a death.

If a truck driver deliberately disregards the safety and rights of others, they may also be liable for punitive damages. Punitive damages make an example of particularly bad-behaving defendants and are awarded only in court.

Employer Liability

Trucking companies can be held liable for their truck drivers, even when the trucking company itself is not negligent. For example, if a truck driver operates their vehicle in violation of HOS and causes a crash due to drowsiness, the trucking company and the driver can be held liable.

The trucking company may also commit acts of negligence that make it liable, such as:

• Negligent hiring
• Putting improperly trained or inexperienced drivers on the road
• Providing unsafe vehicles
• Failing to maintain fleet trucks
• Requiring drivers to drive in violation of HOS rules.

Vicarious liability applies only when the truck driver is driving within the scope of their employment. However, an employer may still be held liable even if the trucker is not on the clock. Under a theory of negligent entrustment, the owner of a vehicle is liable for the negligent actions of the person to whom they entrusted a vehicle. If a truck driver is driving a company rig, negligent entrustment applies whether the driver is working or not.

Other negligent parties may include:

• Cargo loading companies
• Truck makers
• Truck maintenance and repair shops.

Road construction contractors and property owners may also be held liable for trucking accidents. For example, shoddy road construction or dangerously unmaintained parking lots or driveways can easily cause a trucker to lose control and cause an accident. Whatever the case, Tyroler Leonard Injury Law will identify every liable party in your case and seek appropriate damages from each one.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have been injured in a truck accident, you may deserve compensation. You definitely deserve answers to any questions you might have.

Should I hire a Bloomington truck accident attorney to represent me?

If you are seeking full compensation in a timely manner, you are strongly advised to hire an experienced Bloomington truck accident lawyer to fight for you. Going through the compensation process alone reduces your likelihood of receiving proper compensation for the losses you have suffered.

The Bloomington truck accident lawyers at Tyroler Leonard Injury Law aggressively pursue every penny our clients deserve. You never have to worry about leaving compensation on the table when our Bloomington truck accident attorneys are fighting for you.

What is the statute of limitations for truck accident claims in Minnesota?

The main time requirement is a statute of limitations giving truck accident victims up to six years from the date of their accidents to seek compensation. However, injury victims should never hesitate or delay seeking compensation simply because the statute of limitations is not in danger of expiring any time soon. Other timing concerns are also in play, such as degradation of evidence and witness recall.

Can I sue Amazon, FedEx, or UPS for a truck accident?

Under certain circumstances, yes, you may sue companies like Amazon, FedEx, and UPS for a truck accident. As mentioned, employers of truckers can be held liable vicariously for accidents. However, keep in mind that some drivers for these companies are independent contractors and not employees. Employers typically can not be held liable for the actions of independent contractors they work with. There are some exceptions, however, that our team of Bloomington truck accident attorneys can explain over a free consultation.

How much money can I get from a truck accident claim?

It depends on the seriousness of your injury and the conduct of the parties involved. The skill of your Bloomington truck accident attorney plays a significant role in your compensation total as well.

Call Tyroler Leonard Injury Law to get more answers to your truck accident questions. An experienced Bloomington truck accident lawyer is happy to take your call.

Speak with a Bloomington Truck Accident Lawyer Today

Experienced Help Recovering Compensation

No one who has been harmed in a truck accident by someone else’s negligence or unlawful act deserves to shoulder their injuries and losses alone. Unlawful actors should pay for every single loss their actions have caused. Tyler Leonard Injury Law fights hard to make that happen.

Attorney Isaac Tyroler

Attorney Isaac Tyroler has been a strong advocate for injured people his entire legal career. He has a passion for righting wrongs, and he deeply cares about representing injured clients who may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about how to navigate the legal system. He is compassionate toward clients and aggressive with insurance companies and defendants. He is on the elected Board of Governors of the Minnesota Association of Justice (MAJ), the top personal injury lawyers’ group in Minnesota. And is currently the chair of MAJ’s legislative committee. [ Attorney Bio ]