With I-90 running conveniently through Rochester, many big trucks pass through their area as they take goods to the rest of Minnesota and travel throughout the country. Most Rochester drivers expect periods of heavy traffic and the presence of big trucks on the road around them as they travel down Highway 30 or 42. Reach out to a Rochester truck accident lawyer.
That we see so many trucks in Rochester, however, does not make them less dangerous. Trucks pose a substantial danger to other vehicles due to their large sizes and the challenges truck drivers face.
If you suffer injuries in a truck accident, having a lawyer on your side can make a huge difference in your ability to recover the compensation you deserve. Contact Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers to learn more about your rights.
- How Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers Can Help in Your Rochester Truck Accident Claim
- Compensation After a Truck Accident in Rochester: What to Expect
- Rochester Truck Accidents
- Fighting the Insurance Company After a Rochester Truck Accident
- FAQ
- Contact Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers for Help With Your Rochester Truck Accident Claim
How Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers Can Help in Your Rochester Truck Accident Claim
When you suffer injuries in a truck accident, you may have many questions about your next steps and how to best navigate that road to compensation. At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we offer the support our clients need to pursue a just resolution to their claims.
Award-Winning Injury Attorneys
At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we have received recognition from many top organizations as we have worked to improve outcomes for our clients and communities.
We have received Avvo’s 10.0 rating and seen recognition from the American Bar Association, the Minnesota State Bar Association, and the Wisconsin Association for Justice. Our team of experienced attorneys will fight to help each client get fair results for their injury claims.
We Understand Rochester
We take local needs and traditions into account. At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, you will find a team of attorneys born and raised in the Midwest. We know Minnesota, we know Rochester, and we feel proud to fight for our clients here.
We Don’t Get Paid Unless We Win
We make it easy for our clients to get the representation they need. You do not have to pay if you do not get results from your claim. This simple strategy puts legal support within reach for many of our clients, who might otherwise struggle to get the support they need after an accident.
Did you suffer injuries due to the negligence of a truck driver? With more than 14 offices scattered throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota, we make it easy to get in touch. Contact us today to start your claim.
Compensation After a Truck Accident in Rochester: What to Expect
When you suffer injuries in a truck accident, finding out how much compensation you deserve can quickly rise to the top of your priority list. You may have expenses adding up and feel unsure how to best navigate them. How much compensation can you expect from your Rochester truck accident claim? You may need to carefully evaluate the losses you have sustained to better understand what you can expect from your specific claim.
At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we cannot guarantee the compensation our clients will recover for any claim. However, we can help our clients look at how their truck accident injuries have impacted their lives, including what financial and non-financial losses they have sustained, and give them a better idea of how they can evaluate those losses as part of their claim.
Most truck drivers have substantial insurance policies that can provide considerable compensation to the victims of those accidents. However, that does not mean that the insurance company will simply hand over the compensation you deserve. You may find yourself fighting hard to get reasonable compensation for the losses you sustained because of your truck accident.
Your Medical Costs
Medical bills often serve as the essential foundation of a truck accident claim. You have substantial injuries from your truck accident, and you have the medical bills to go along with treatment for those injuries, including hospitalization at Mayo Clinic Hospital or Omstead Medical Center. Let your lawyer see those medical bills, including receipts for co-pays and deductibles you may have dealt with after the accident. You will first need to use your PIP insurance to cover the cost of medical treatment.
Your Income Losses
Did you have to miss work because of your truck accident injuries? If so, losing those earnings can hit hard. Talk to your lawyer about the income you missed out on because of your truck accident, including any time you had to miss for follow-up appointments or therapy.
Your Pain and Suffering
Truck accident injuries often cause significant disability and may lead to long-term pain and suffering. Talk to your lawyer about all the suffering you have dealt with because of your truck accident injuries. Your claim does not necessarily have to include just your financial losses. You can also include compensation for non-financial losses, including things like the loss of your independence after the accident.
Rochester Truck Accidents
In Minnesota, around 900 truck accidents with injuries occur every year. Based on the Minnesota statute of limitations, truck accident victims have up to two years to file an accident claim allowing them to pursue compensation for their injuries.
Truck accidents can happen throughout Rochester because of:
- Negligent driving in poor weather. Rochester sees 48 inches of snow each year. Truck drivers without adequate training don't know how to deal with snow or ice, which may cause serious accidents.
- Drowsy drivers. Due to long hours on the road, truck drivers may become more tired than other drivers.
- Distracted drivers. While truck drivers may receive more careful monitoring in their vehicles to reduce the risk of driving while distracted, some drivers may still engage in dangerous behavior behind the wheel.
- Blind spot collisions. Big trucks usually have large blind spots, which can significantly increase the risk of a car getting lost in that blind spot and a devastating collision.
- Failure to yield. Truck drivers may try to force their way through intersections or ignore traffic signals because of their larger size. If drivers do not recognize those actions, they may be involved in a devastating collision.
Fighting the Insurance Company After a Rochester Truck Accident
After a Rochester truck accident, many people may find themselves fighting with the insurance company to get the compensation they deserve for their injuries. Unfortunately, fighting with the insurance company can become one of the most stressful parts of the truck accident claim process.
The insurance company may:
- Issue a low settlement offer that fails to account for the damages you sustained in the truck accident. A low settlement offer may initially seem like a relief since you may not realize the full extent of the damages you must deal with. However, later, you may realize you have much more severe damage than you initially realized.
- Pressure you to accept liability for the truck accident, including insisting that you must have engaged in reckless behavior that increased the risk of the accident or caused the accident.
- Ignore the extent of the injuries you sustained in the accident, which may mean insisting that you must have suffered your injuries at another time or trying to show that you limited your recovery. The insurance company may also refuse to accept the extent of the medical care you need.
At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we have the resources to fight even the big names in truck insurance and help you recover the compensation you deserve for those injuries. Our lawyers rise to the challenge when our clients struggle to get the insurance company to accept the full extent of their losses.
FAQ
Does the Trucking Company Share Liability for a Rochester Truck Accident?
In many cases, the driver alone will bear liability for a truck accident in Rochester.
However, the trucking company may share liability for the incident under several circumstances.
- The trucking company pressured the driver to drive in unsafe conditions.
- The trucking company's policies encourage drivers to exceed federal hours of service limits.
- The trucking company failed to properly monitor its drivers, including checking logbooks or accident history.
- The trucking company failed to provide adequate training to its drivers.
By working with a lawyer, you may clearly show that the trucking company committed some negligence that increased the odds that the driver would cause a devastating collision.
Does the Truck Driver That Caused My Accident Have to Pay My Medical Bills?
You may have many medical bills to pay after your truck accident, so you may turn to the party that caused your accident to pay them. However, as with any car accident, you must start by using your personal injury protection insurance to cover the initial cost of medical care after your accident.
As no-fault insurance, personal injury protection allows you to receive coverage for truck accident injuries regardless of who caused your truck accident. You will not need to jump through hoops or wait for an injury claim to go through to receive assistance with your medical bills.
If your treatment costs exceed the protection offered by your PIP insurance, on the other hand, you may need to turn to an injury claim to cover the cost of treatment. Even if you file an injury claim, that does not mean the truck driver or his insurance company has to pay for your medical care directly.
Instead, if you win your claim, you will receive compensation in a settlement. You can then use the funds from that settlement to cover your medical treatments.
What Should I Do to Protect Myself After a Truck Accident in Rochester?
After a truck accident in Rochester, you may go straight to the emergency room to treat your injuries. As you begin to recover physically, however, you may focus on your financial rights and overall recovery from the accident.
Protect yourself after your Rochester truck accident and:
- Get in touch with an attorney to review your claim. A personal injury lawyer can provide essential insights into how you can best manage the aftermath of a truck accident, including any time you have to deal with the insurance company.
- Stay on top of all medical appointments, therapy, and required exercises. Limiting your recovery by failing to follow those instructions could limit your ability to recover fair compensation after your accident.
- Keep track of your medical costs, including co-pay and deductible amounts.
- Follow your care provider’s instructions concerning activities you may need to avoid during your recovery. Some activities may worsen your injuries. If you choose to indulge in those activities, it could reduce the compensation you can recover for any further damages.
Contact Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers for Help With Your Rochester Truck Accident Claim
If you suffered injuries in a truck accident, you need a dedicated legal team on your side that will fight to help you recover the compensation you deserve. Contact Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers today at (507) 577-5411 to discuss your right to compensation. Reach out to a Rochester personal injury lawyer.
Nicolet Law- Rochester Office
218 1st Ave SW,
Suite 1 Rochester, MN 55901
Phone: (507)- 577-5411