Can U-Haul be sued when a U-Haul truck causes an accident involving personal injury or wrongful death?
This question came up recently when a U-Haul truck rented by a Yale undergraduate ran over three women at the Harvard-Yale tailgate party on Saturday, November 19th. The truck allegedly swerved and accelerated before hitting the women, two of whom were injured and one of whom was killed.
The Yale Daily News asked me if U-Haul could be held liable (sued and held accountable to pay personal injury and wrongful death claims). Here is an excerpt from the article:
Attorney Eric Hageman
Eric Hageman, a Minneapolis-based personal injury attorney who handles cases involving truck accidents, said U-Haul could only be held liable for an accident like Saturday’s if it were proven that the company “did something wrong.” If, for instance, Ross [the driver of the U-Haul] was given the vehicle despite being unqualified to drive it, or if it could be shown that the vehicle was put on the road despite a known need for repair, a case could be brought against U-Haul, Hageman said. . . .
[Hageman] added that the Graves Amendment, a federal statute, substantially limits the liability car- and truck-rental companies face in the event of accidents if their vehicles are shown to have been properly maintained and loaned.
However, even if it turns out that U-Haul is not responsible for the tragedy at the Yale game, the driver of the U-Haul truck could be sued. And if the accident was caused, even in part, by a defective part on the U-Haul truck, the manufacturer of that part could also be sued.
Eric Hageman represents accident victims and their families throughout the United States. He can be reached for a free consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or by submitting our free consultation form.
Can a child bring a claim for damages (or a lawsuit) if he or she was injured in an accident caused by the child’s parent?
Yes. Generally, when children are injured in accidents caused by their parents, the child has to, in effect, sue their own parent. Our civil justice system is designed to hold accountable those who have caused harm to another, even if the harm was caused by a parent (or a spouse or a sibling or any type of relative). Of course, in cases like these, the claim is really against the insurance company, but overcoming the hurdle of suing a parent or family member is a difficult one for many people. The goal, however, is simply to obtain necessary compensation for medical expenses, cost of care, pain and suffering and other damages caused by the accident.
Obviously, these can be extremely emotional cases, and if you are in a situation like this, I am available for a free, confidential consultation. Because I have five children myself, I understand the anguish parents feel in situations like this. I also know that, if at all possible, these feelings of guilt and anger need to be put aside for the good of the child, and the at-fault parent needs to understand that the lawsuit is not a personal assault, but a necessity to obtain the compensation necessary to take care of the child’s needs.
In situations like these, after the lawsuit is filed against the parent, the parent’s insurance company takes care of all litigation matters and negotiations for the at-fault parent. As your child’s attorney, I would negotiate with the insurance company on behalf of the child and take the case to trial if necessary.
Attorney Eric Hageman helps families get back on their feet after life-changing accidents. He can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or by submitting our free consultation form. Eric has been given the highest rating by Martindale-Hubbell for an attorney, AV Preeminent. An AV® certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment – a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.
If my leg is crushed in an accident with a semi truck and needs to be amputated later, how do I get compensation for the loss of my leg?
We have handled a number of cases in which a crushing injury to an arm or leg leads to amputation. If the semi truck driver was at fault for the accident which caused such an injury, the driver, trucking company and others can all be held liable for your injuries, including all of the complications that stem from an initial injury, such as amputation. This is the case even if the amputation happens months or even years after the accident, if it can be proved that the amputation was a result of the injuries sustained in the accident.
Generally, the at-fault semi truck driver and trucking company can be sued for past and future:
- medical expenses
- lost wages and other income
- pain and suffering
- disability
- emotional distress
- other damages.
An inexperienced attorney may not know to wait to go forward with your claim until the extent of the damage done is known or can be persuasively estimated. This can leave amputation victims without enough money to get adequate medical treatment and the best prosthetics.
Please feel free to talk to me about your case, and together we can determine the best course of action to make sure you are fully compensated for your amputation.
In recognition of his achievements, Eric Hageman was selected as a “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics magazine. According to Super Lawyers, “The objective is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource to assist attorneys and consumers in the search for legal counsel.” Contact Eric for a free consultation.
Semi Truck Accident Attorneys in Minnesota for Investigation
Semi Truck Accident Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Eric Hageman Inspect a Truck
As soon as possible after an accident with a semi truck, the truck, including the tractor and trailer, should be inspected.
Rear Ended By Semi Truck, Need Injury Attorney MN
In the following video Minnesota Truck Accident Attorney Eric Hageman discusses the importance of retaining an experienced truck accident attorney.
FREE CONSULTATION WITH AN ATTORNEY >>>
Our law firm represents people who have been rear ended by a semi truck in Minnesota or across the United States. We will conduct our own investigation of the accident on behalf of our client, hire accident experts as needed and aggressively pursue justice. We recently won a $2,560,000 settlement for a client whose car was rear ended by a semi truck. Call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) for a case review by an attorney.
Rear Ended By Semi: Truck Driver Negligence
Most rear ended accidents are caused by some form of driver negligence — texting, reading, eating, drinking, speeding to name a few forms of negligence. All drivers, including semi truck drivers, are required to abide by traffic laws according to Minnesota State Statutes chapter 169. Truck drivers are negligent if they do one or more of the following:
- Drive faster than the posted speed limit or drive too fast for conditions
- Text while driving
- Fail to be alert
- Fail to maintain control of their truck
- Fail to stop, swerve, reduce speed, or maintain control of their truck when there is a reasonable likelihood of an accident
- Drive a commercial motor vehicle that is in violation of state and federal laws and regulations
- Drive a motor carrier for more hours than allowed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) or to drive when impaired by fatigue
- Failure to maintain current record of his or her duty status as required by FMCSR
- Leave the scene of an injury accident in violation of state law
- Drive in a careless or reckless manner
- Fail to stay in single lane of travel in violation of state law
- Fail to yield the right-of-way
- Fail to report an accident
Rear Ended By Semi: Injuries
Being rear ended is one of the most dangerous types of motor vehicle accidents. If the driver or passenger is not wearing their seat belt, they are likely to be ejected which usually results in significant brain damage or even death. Other severe injuries may include:
- Concussion
- Brain Contusion
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Neck Injury
- Spinal Injury
- Fractured Bones
- Burns
- Kidney Damage
- Kidney Failure
- Collapsed Lung
- Amputation
The extent of the injuries have a bearing on the amount of recovery. If you were in a rear end accident and retain our firm’s services, we will invest time to get to know you and learn how the injuries sustained in the rear end accident are affecting your life. We hire medical experts to testify regarding necessary medical procedures, how much those procedures cost, estimated future medical expenses and pain and suffering associated with the emotional distress, disfigurement, and loss of quality of life.
MN Semi Truck Injury Attorney
Minnesota semi truck accident lawyers Fred Pritzker, Elliot Olsen and Eric Hageman have been named “Minnesota Super Lawyers” and, in addition, Fred Pritzker is listed in the current edition of The Best Lawyers in America. To contact a lawyer at Pritzker Olsen, P.A. for a free consultation about a lawsuit against a truck driver that rear ended you and the associated trucking and insurance companies, please or submit our online form for review by one of our attorneys. We have a proven track record of success and the resources needed to get you deserved compensation.
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