A wrongful death occurs when someone dies because of wrongful act associated with an injury or illness. This can occur later when the victims succumbs to their injuries or when a person dies at the scene of an accident. In Minnesota, truck accidents are one of the most common causes of wrongful deaths caused by a motor vehicle accident. Truck accidents are often associated with fatalities because of the weight and force a large commercial truck exerts, and how much damage it can do when crashing into a small passenger vehicle. Trucks weigh 20-30 times more than passenger cars, so these accidents can be catastrophic. In 2018, there were 5,096 large trucks involved in fatal crashes in the US.
What Causes Fatal Truck Accidents?
With accidents that only involve passenger cars, liability and fault is often much easier to determine. However, with truck accidents, more than just the driver of the vehicle can be at-fault for the accident. That means that common causes of truck accidents can include the driver’s negligence as well as negligence on behalf of third parties. The driver’s negligence may look like distracted driving, driving under the influence, speeding, reckless driving, driving while fatigued or exhausted, or aggressive driving.
A very common cause is driver fatigue, although it can be difficult to determine who was at fault for the accident if the driver was exhausted on their trip. Driver fatigue can be the fault of both the driver and the trucking company. For example, if the trucking company overscheduled the driver past the legal allowed limit, the company could be at fault for the accident as well. Trucking companies may often encourage their drivers to drive more than legally allowed, thinking that no one will find out. However, when an accident occurs and investigation follows, the information will come to the surface.
A trucking company could also be liable for accidents caused by improper maintenance, or improper safety or training. If the trucking company doesn’t provide new drivers with enough training to feel safe behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle, then they could cause an accident to occur.
Loading a commercial truck correctly is incredibly important as the improper loading of the vehicle can cause weight to shift around during transport. If enough weight shifts or moves at the right time, it could cause an accident. Accidents may also be the fault of the manufacturer of the truck, for example, if a defective part causes the accident.
Injuries that Can Cause Fatality
Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries can range from mild to severe, and more severe injuries can cause serious complications like brain death, vegetative state, and coma. In these situations, you as the loved one, may be faced with a tough decision to take your family member off of life support. With severe damage to the brain, recovery can be a long and painful process.
Brain injuries are very common in truck accident because of the force exerted during the collision. Often times, drivers or passengers in the smaller vehicle suffer severe injuries, one of the most common of which is a TBI. If your or your loved one suffered a TBI that led to death because of truck accident, speaking to an attorney could help you.
Spinal Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can result in complete paralysis, and in severe accidents, death. The sudden blow to the spine caused by the force of a truck can be too much for the human body to take. Death because of a spinal cord injury can also occur because of complications with the injury while receiving treatment.
The sheer force and weight difference that a truck versus car accident causes often means that the driver or passengers of the smaller vehicle are twisted around, thrown from their vehicles, or crushed in their cars. This can cause serious spinal cord injuries. If your or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury that led to death, contact Sand Law today to help.
Internal Injuries
Internal injuries can be very severe and may not be apparent right after the accident. Internal injuries can cause death at the scene of the accident as well as death because of complications further down the road. Internal injuries include internal bleeding as well as damage to the organs.
Because of the crushing nature associated with is a collision involving a large truck and a small vehicle, internal injuries are common. Internal injuries can easily lead to death because of internal bleeding or damage to vital organs. If you or a loved one died as a result of internal injuries resulting from a truck accident, contact Sand Law LLC to discuss your options today.
Who’s Liable for my Loved One’s Truck Accident?
Determining liability for your loved one’s death is something your attorney will start investigating as soon as they’re brought on to your case. As previously stated, determining truck accident liability can be more complex than determining car accident liability, but a talented attorney will know what they’re doing. After hiring your attorney, they’ll begin to investigate the accident, looking at what may have caused the accident by reading police reports, speaking with witnesses, and talking to the trucking company.
What Kind of Compensation Can I Receive?
Wrongful death cases can leave the family of the victim with a lot of debt to pay back, as well as a significant amount of pain and suffering. We know that compensation won’t bring back your loved one, but we hope that it can help to take some of the weight off of your shoulders.
You can claim damages for medical costs, funeral costs, and any wages your loved one may have lost before they passed away. You can also claim damages for your loved one’s pain and suffering as well as your own pain and suffering. This compensation is calculated based on looking at how your quality of life has changed since their passing, as well as how much suffering your loved one had to deal with before they passed away.
Contact a Wrongful Death Attorney
If someone you love has passed away because of a truck accident, we encourage you to contact our talented attorneys here at Sand Law. We’re ready and willing to help you get the compensation and justice that you deserve for your loss. Please contact us online using our chat box option or by calling us at 651-291-7263.