Wrongful Death Seminar 2015

Attorney Eric Hageman spoke at the Minnesota Association for Justice 2015 wrongful death seminar this week. For the 4th year, Eric acted as chairman.

The Trucking Wrongful Death Case

Eric Hageman
Contact Attorney Eric Hageman at 612-338-0202 or [email protected].

Eric’s presentation taught lawyers some of the basics about litigating fatal truck accident claims on behalf of families.

Top 10 Takeaways

  1. Trucking cases are not the same as car crash cases.
  2. The trucking industry is heavily regulated.
  3. The goal in any trucking case is to show that the driver and the trucking company simply didn’t follow safety rules and, as a result, the client paid the price.
  4. The evidence needs to make a case against the trucking company, not just the driver.
  5. The attorney needs to send a spoliation letter requesting documents, including both documents required by FMCSRs (e.g., log books, driver qualification files) and others the lawyer needs to build a winning case.
  6. It’s important for an attorney to get to the crash scene as soon as possible.
  7. Driver fatigue is a big issue in trucking cases and is something a lawyer always need to consider.
  8. If there is evidence of reckless or willful action, which caused the death of the family member, punitive damages are in play.
  9. The attorney needs to determine whom to sue: the motor carrier/trucking company; the truck driver; the owner of the trailer; the freight broker; a repair and maintenance facility that worked on the truck; the manufacturer of the truck; the truck loader; and/or the shipper/logistics company.
  10. It is critically important where a lawsuit is filed.

About Eric Hageman

Since 2014 alone, Eric has won over $100 million for his clients. Eric has a national practice helping families throughout the United States with wrongful death claims involving an accident caused by a truck, bus, or other commercial motor vehicle. He has won recoveries against some of the largest trucking companies in the U.S. His offices are in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Truck Crash Information

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Posted: , updated by Pritzker Law Firm
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