Were you injured in a truck accident in Bloomington, MN?
At Johnston | Martineau PLLP, we help injured clients in Bloomington pursue full recovery in truck accident matters.
If you were injured in a Bloomington crash with a tractor-trailer or other commercial truck, you can bring a claim against the driver and the trucking company. Our Bloomington, MN truck accident lawyer identifies each company responsible for the crash and collects the records needed to prove its fault.
Johnston | Martineau PLLP handles these cases for injured clients across Minnesota. Our attorneys have more than 40 years of combined experience with claims involving semis, tankers, and other heavy trucks. That experience is available to you through a free consultation, which you can request at any hour.
Truck Accident Lawyer Bloomington, MN
A truck accident lawyer builds an injury claim against a trucking company and its insurer. That process starts with an investigation into how the crash occurred and which companies share responsibility for it. We then calculate the client's losses and present them to the insurers in a settlement demand. We file a lawsuit if negotiation does not produce fair compensation.
Hennepin County recorded 17,888 traffic crashes in 2023, according to Minnesota Crash Facts. Those crashes killed 53 people and injured 6,524. Bloomington accounts for part of that total because Interstates 494 and 35W, two major truck routes, meet in the city. A claim usually extends beyond the driver to the trucking company when one of those crashes involves a commercial truck.
Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle in Bloomington, MN
Commercial trucks serve Bloomington's interstates, construction sites, and retail centers. Each type of truck presents different hazards, so our truck accident attorneys request different records for each one.
- Tractor-trailer accidents. A loaded tractor-trailer weighs many times more than a passenger car, so a collision at highway speed causes severe injuries. Speeding and other reckless driving by the truck driver add to that force. We obtain the driver's logs and the carrier's safety history to show whether the company knew about earlier violations.
- Tanker truck accidents. Liquid cargo shifts inside a tank during turns and sudden stops, which makes tankers prone to rollovers. A driver needs specific instruction to control that movement. For that reason, we review the driver's file for evidence of inadequate training.
- Flatbed truck accidents. Flatbeds carry steel, lumber, and machinery secured by straps or chains. A load that breaks free can strike the vehicles behind the truck. We therefore examine the securement equipment and the loading records to determine who secured the cargo.
- Dump truck accidents. Dump trucks travel between construction sites and material yards on city streets, where their size creates large blind spots. Road projects in Bloomington add to that traffic. The contractor and the truck owner are often different companies, so we identify both.
- Concrete truck accidents. A full mixer has a high center of gravity, which raises the risk of a rollover on ramps and turns. Concrete must also be delivered before it sets, and unrealistic schedules lead some drivers to speed. We compare dispatch times with the truck's recorded speed to determine whether the schedule contributed to the crash.
- Box truck accidents. Delivery companies operate box trucks on tight routes through commercial districts. Drivers on those routes often consult phones or routing devices, which leads to distracted driving crashes. We request phone records and in-cab device data to establish what the driver was doing before the impact.
- Garbage truck accidents. Garbage trucks reverse and make frequent stops on residential streets, where people on foot are close to the vehicle. Either a city or a private hauler can operate the truck. We confirm the operator first because that fact determines who receives the claim.
Why Choose Johnston | Martineau PLLP as My Truck Accident Lawyer in Bloomington, MN?
Trucking companies and their insurers defend these claims with experienced counsel. A personal injury lawyer in Bloomington, MN must match that preparation on the client's side, and our attorneys do so by concentrating their practice on truck accident litigation. That focus is reflected in the millions of dollars recovered for our clients.
Trial Lawyers Admitted in State and Federal Courts
Christopher A. Johnston litigates crashes involving semi-trucks and tanker trucks. He is licensed in Minnesota and Iowa. His federal admissions include the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the District of Minnesota. Those admissions matter because claims against out-of-state trucking companies are sometimes heard in federal court.
Mr. Johnston also belongs to the American Association for Justice, a national organization that advocates for injured persons and the right to trial by jury.
Attorneys Active in Minnesota's Legal Community
Christopher P. Martineau focuses on truck accident litigation, including collisions with semi-trucks and wrongful death claims. He represents clients in Minnesota and Wisconsin, which allows our firm to handle crashes on either side of the state line.
His professional involvement includes membership in the Minnesota State Bar Association, the oldest professional association for attorneys in the state.
In addition, both of our attorneys belong to the Minnesota Association for Justice, a group of trial lawyers dedicated to the rights of their clients.
Understanding Truck Accident Cases
The outcome of a truck accident claim depends on proof of fault and proof of loss. A Bloomington truck accident lawyer assembles both from records that several companies hold.
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Truck Accident Cases
Fault comes first because it determines who pays. More than one party can owe compensation after a truck crash, and liability commonly falls on the following parties.
- The truck driver is liable for negligent driving.
- The motor carrier is generally liable for its driver while the driver is on duty.
- A shipper or loader is liable for cargo that it loaded improperly.
- A maintenance contractor or parts manufacturer is liable for a mechanical defect that it caused.
Minnesota then weighs the fault of those parties against any fault of the injured client under a rule of modified comparative fault. Under that rule, a client's damages are reduced by the client's own percentage of fault. A client whose fault is greater than the defendant's fault cannot recover at all.
Damages are the second part of the claim, and they fall into two groups. Economic damages include medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle repair costs. Non-economic damages compensate for pain, emotional distress, and the loss of normal activities.
The amount in each group depends largely on the severity of the truck accident injuries and the length of the recovery.
What Is the Truck Accident Case Timeline?
A truck accident case usually begins with an investigation in the first weeks after the crash. During that stage, we notify the carrier that it must keep its records. We also gather police reports and witness statements while the client continues medical treatment. A settlement demand follows once the full extent of the injuries is known, because the demand must account for future care. Many claims resolve at that point through negotiation with the insurer. The remaining claims proceed to a lawsuit in Hennepin County District Court, where discovery and possibly a trial follow.
Minnesota's six-year filing deadline applies to most negligence claims for personal injury. Clients should not wait that long, however, because evidence held by a trucking company can be lost much sooner. For that reason, a Minnesota truck accident attorney should review the claim soon after the crash.
What Are Important Aspects of a Truck Accident Case?
Claims against trucking companies raise issues that ordinary car accident claims do not. Four of those issues affect most of the cases we handle.
- Commercial carriers hold larger insurance policies than private drivers, and some large fleets insure themselves.
- A carrier's hiring, training, and supervision practices can establish negligence by the company itself.
- Most truck crashes have more than one cause, so proving liability requires evidence for each cause.
- Carriers keep some driver and vehicle records for limited periods only, which makes early record requests necessary.
Most Dangerous Locations for Truck Accidents in Bloomington, MN
Trucks pass through Bloomington on four highways, and our Bloomington truck accident attorneys handle crashes on each of them.
- Interstate 494 crosses northern Bloomington. The I-494 reconstruction project covers the stretch from East Bush Lake Road to 12th Avenue, and its second phase is scheduled to run through 2030.
- Interstate 35W runs the length of the city from north to south. Its interchange with Interstate 494 is part of that reconstruction.
- Highway 77 (Cedar Avenue) serves eastern Bloomington and the area around the Mall of America.
- U.S. Highway 169 runs along the western side of the city.
Trucks leave those highways on local streets to reach businesses, so collisions also occur on the following routes.
- American Boulevard runs parallel to Interstate 494 through hotel and business districts.
- Lyndale Avenue South connects residential neighborhoods with Interstate 494.
- Old Shakopee Road crosses the city from east to west.
- Penn Avenue South crosses Interstate 494 on a bridge that the reconstruction project includes.
What Should You Bring to Your Truck Accident Consultation?
A consultation is more productive when we can review documents from the crash. The following records are the most useful.
- The crash report number allows us to request the official report.
- Insurance cards and policy declarations show the available coverage.
- Discharge papers and medical bills show the treatment received so far.
- Pay stubs document the income lost after the crash.
- The names and phone numbers of witnesses help us collect statements.
Clients who do not yet have these records can still meet with us, because we can request most of them later. We use the meeting to explain the strengths and weaknesses of the claim. We then describe the steps that would follow if you hire us.
Reach Out to Johnston | Martineau PLLP to Schedule a Consultation
A claim against a trucking company requires prompt and organized preparation. Johnston | Martineau PLLP provides that preparation to injured clients and their families. After you hire our Bloomington, MN truck accident attorney, we handle all communication with the carrier and its insurer. The first step is an initial consultation, which we offer at no charge on any day of the week. Contact us to arrange that consultation about your crash and your injuries.