Semi Truck Accidents

If you’ve been injured in a semi-truck accident in South Dakota, Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC is a semi-truck collision lawyer who may be able to assist you. Truck companies and drivers are required to abide by strict federal and local trucking laws. When these companies cut corners to improve their bottom lines or when they violate federal and local trucking laws, they can put other road users in danger. Semi-truck accidents can be especially devastating due to the sheer size and weight of the vehicles involved. Because accidents have the potential to cause serious damage, truck companies and drivers are required to hold high-limit insurance policies to protect drivers, companies, and victims in the event of an accident. If you or someone you love was hurt in a semi-truck accident in South Dakota, you may only have a limited amount of time to seek damages from the truck company, driver, and their insurers. Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC is a semi-truck collision law firm in South Dakota that can review the details of your case, identify responsible stakeholders, investigate the causes of your truck accident, and fight to help you get the settlement you may deserve under the law. You and your loved ones may be entitled to seek damages for your medical costs, lost wages, rehabilitation expenses, and pain and suffering damages from truck companies, drivers, and their insurers.

Understanding Truck Accident Liability in South Dakota

In order to seek damages for a truck accident in South Dakota, the victim or victims must show that the other party or driver was negligent (or at fault) for the collision  and that the injuries you suffered were the result of the collision. Under South Dakota law, victims are able to seek damages for an accident as long as their contributed fault for the accident was slight in comparison to the negligence of the defendant.  What do victims of  semi-truck accidents need to consider:

• Who is at fault in my semi-truck accident?

Fault is determined based on many different factors. Truck companies are required to abide by many strict federal and local laws. Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC is a semi-truck collision law firm in South Dakota that can take a close look at the details of your accident to see if any of the following laws or regulations were broken:

• Federal Hours of Service Laws. Truck drivers are required to abide by strict hours of service laws that limit how long they can operate a truck before taking a break. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, truck drivers are subject to an 11-hour limit, after which the driver must take 10 hours off duty before he or she can drive again. Drivers are required to keep detailed logs about their hours of service. In some accident cases, it is later discovered that a driver may have attempted to falsify these logs. Fortunately, there are many ways for a semi-truck accident lawyer to evaluate whether logs have been falsified. For example, shipping schedules can be reviewed, to see if they match hours of service logs. When drivers fail to follow federal hours of service laws, they can be driving while fatigued. Fatigued driving can be incredibly dangerous and can result in crashes.
• Driver Qualifications. Truck drivers are required to meet strict medical requirements in order to operate a motor vehicle. Drivers must regularly pass medical exams. However, sometimes drivers develop new medical conditions which can endanger both the driver and others on the road. If the driver fails to report this change or if a driver starts taking medication that can impact his or her alertness, this can result in an accident in which others are injured. Your semi-truck accident attorney in South Dakota can look at your driver’s medical history, review any medications your driver might be taking, and fight for a fair settlement for you and your family, if your driver’s medical history resulted in your accident.
• Driver Had A Poor Driving Record. Truck companies have a responsibility to hire safe drivers. Unfortunately, sometimes these companies fail to perform thorough searches of a driver’s record. If a driver has a record of accidents, fatigued driving, or mistakes, you and your family may be able to claim negligence on the part of the trucking company. A semi-truck accident attorney in South Dakota like Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC can review all aspects of your accident, including taking a close look at the driver’s record.
• Improper Maintenance. If a truck company failed to properly maintain its vehicles, and then improper maintenance resulted in your crash, you may be entitled to seek damages for your losses. When a truck’s tires fail, when brakes fail, or when there are other mechanical issues, the consequences can be severe. A blown tire can result in a truck driver losing control of a multi-ton vehicle. Or, when brakes fail, you have a multi-ton vehicle barreling down the road, unstoppable, posing hazards to other drivers and passengers on the road. Truck companies are required to abide by strict maintenance schedules and standards. When truck companies cut corners to save money, they can endanger everyone else on the road. The semi-truck accident law firm of Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC in South Dakota, can review maintenance records, accident reports, and other facts to determine whether improper maintenance resulted in your crash.
• Driver Broke the Law. Sometimes truck drivers drink and drive. Sometimes they text and drive or engage in distracted driving. Sometimes they speed, or change lanes improperly. If a truck driver broke the law, you may be entitled to seek damages for your losses. Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC is a semi-truck accident attorney in South Dakota who may be able to help you seek damages for your losses if a truck driver was speeding, distracted, or in violation of another traffic law.
• Improper Loading. Truck companies have a responsibility to properly load their vehicles. Improper loading can make it more likely that a truck will tip over or that the driver can lose control of the vehicle. Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC is a semi-truck accident lawyer in South Dakota that may be able to assist you if you were a victim of a truck company’s negligence in loading a vehicle.

These are just some of the factors that can lead to a semi-truck accident in South Dakota. In South Dakota, in particular, sometimes truck accidents happen at the work place. . It can be complicated to disentangle a semi-truck accident claim from a worker’s compensation claim in this instance. Having a semi-truck accident law firm in South Dakota like Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC to help you make sense of your crash can make all the difference in the world.

Tractor Trailer Accident Law Firm in South Dakota

Tractor trailer accidents in South Dakota can be especially devastating to victims and families. According to the Federal Highway Administration, a single axle truck can weigh as much as 20,000 pounds. Tandem axle trucks can weigh more, with the maximum permitted being 80,000 pounds. When trucks of this size collide with passenger vehicles, the results can be devastating. Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC is a tractor trailer accident lawyer in South Dakota, which can evaluate your accident and fight to help you get the settlement you may deserve under the law. What are some types of tractor trailer crash types?

• When a truck’s trailer moves into a ninety-degree angle with the truck’s cabin, this is called a truck jackknife. This can be a very dangerous situation for other drivers on the road, because the trailer can cut through other lanes of traffic, colliding with these vehicles. Jackknife accidents can occur if the driver brakes too quickly or too fast. This can be due to driver inexperience or because a truck driver might have been speeding.
• Rollover Accidents. Another risk-factor for tractor-trailers is a rollover accident. When a vehicle rolls over, it can collide with other passenger vehicles in the process, resulting in serious injuries and loss of life. Rollover accidents can occur if a vehicle isn’t properly loaded, if a driver takes a turn too sharply, or if a driver is speeding.
• Dangerous Lane Changes. Tractor trailers have a wide blind spot. When drivers fail to properly check their blind spot or properly indicate a lane change or turn, devastating accidents can occur.
• Mechanical Failure. Tire blowouts, brake failure, and other mechanical failures can result in serious tractor trailer truck accidents.
• Lost Loads. When a truck loses its load because it wasn’t properly secured, this can pose a serious risk to others on the road or highway. If you or someone you love was hurt when a tractor trailer lost its load, you may have the right to seek damages under the law for your losses.

These are just some of the types of tractor trailer accidents that Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC, a tractor trailer law firm in South Dakota can handle. If you or someone you love was hurt in a tractor trailer accident, our attorneys can review your case, and identify responsible parties. You may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim under the law. Contact Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC today.

18-Wheeler Accident Law Firm in South Dakota

The larger the vehicle, the greater the risk it poses to others on the road. Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC is an 18-wheeler accident law firm in South Dakota who may be able to assist you and your loved ones if you have suffered injuries or losses due to an 18-wheeler accident. Larger trucks can leave victims suffering from more serious injuries. What kind of injuries do victims sometimes suffer following an 18-wheeler accident?

• Spinal Cord Injury
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Amputations
• Disfigurement
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Broken Bones
• Back and Neck Injuries
• Internal Injuries
• Whiplash
• Death
• And other serious injuries

If you or someone you love was hurt in an 18-wheeler accident in South Dakota, reach out to Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC, an 18-wheeler accident attorney today. Our lawyers may be able to help you get a settlement to cover your lost wages, medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and other losses following an 18-wheeler accident.

Commercial Truck Accident Law Firm in South Dakota

Seeking a settlement for your injuries following a commercial truck accident in South Dakota can be complex because there might be many stakeholders responsible for your injuries. The driver is likely responsible , but also the trucking company may be negligent as well. Inaddition, the shipper, the mechanics and the manufacturer of truck and trailer components must also be evaluated. Commercial trucks are also required to have high-limit insurance policies, which means that victims and their families will need to negotiate with insurance companies intent on paying the minimum.  . Seeking a claim following a serious commercial truck accident can get complicated. Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC is a commercial truck accident attorney in South Dakota who may be able to help you. Contact our law firm today to learn more about how you might be able to seek the claim you might deserve. You may only have a limited amount of time to pursue a settlement under the law. Our attorneys can offer you and your family a free initial consultation during which we can review your claim.