A truck accident can upend your life. If you were injured in a collision with a commercial vehicle, a truck accident lawyer can help you seek damages.
The attorneys at Sweet James have more than 25 years of experience helping accident victims. If you were involved in a crash with a negligent trucker, a Michigan truck accident lawyer can take on your case and help you pursue compensation.
Why Hire a Michigan Truck Accident Attorney?
Trucking companies and their insurers fight injury claims hard. A personal injury lawyer can assist with your case by:
- Collecting evidence: A lawyer can gather evidence and interview witnesses to determine what caused the crash and who is at fault.
- Calculating your losses: An attorney can help make sure your claim accounts for all of your damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future medical care.
- Handling settlement negotiations: A lawyer can handle conversations with insurers, negotiate on your behalf, and work to secure a fair settlement.
- Providing representation: If settlement negotiations fail, an attorney can file a lawsuit and present your case in court.
What Types of Compensation are Available?
The compensation available in a Michigan truck accident claim depends on the circumstances of the crash and the specific losses you have suffered. Damages that may be available include:
- Medical expenses: You can recover compensation for emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and other accident-related medical care.
- Future medical care: You can seek compensation for anticipated treatment and long-term care if your injuries require continuing medical attention.
- Lost wages: You can recover income you lost because your injuries prevented you from working.
- Reduced earning capacity: You can seek additional compensation if your injuries permanently affect your ability to earn a living.
- Property damage: You can recover costs associated with repairing or replacing your vehicle and other damaged personal property.
- Pain and suffering: You can receive compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by your injuries.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: You can recover additional compensation if your injuries prevent you from participating in activities you enjoyed before the accident.
A Michigan personal injury lawyer can help make sure your settlement accounts for all of your losses.
How Long Do You Have to File a Truck Accident Claim in Michigan?
MCL § 600.5805 generally imposes a three-year filing deadline for personal injury lawsuits related to truck accidents. If you don’t file your claim within three years of the date of the crash, you will likely forfeit the right to recover damages.
A different statute of limitations may apply if your case involves a government entity, wrongful death, or injuries that aren’t discovered right away, which is why it’s important to consult a Michigan truck accident attorney.
Who is Liable for a Truck Accident in Michigan?
Liability for a truck accident does not always fall solely on the truck driver. Depending on the circumstances of the crash, several parties may be responsible for your injuries, including:
- The truck driver: A driver may be responsible if negligent driving, fatigue, impairment, speeding, or another negligent behavior caused the collision.
- The trucking company: An employer may be liable for a driver’s conduct in certain circumstances. In addition, a company may face liability for negligent hiring, training, supervision, or vehicle maintenance.
- The truck owner: If a separate owner failed to properly maintain the vehicle or contributed to the crash in another way, they may share responsibility.
- A maintenance company: A third-party company responsible for inspections or repairs may be liable if negligent maintenance contributed to the accident.
- A cargo-loading company: Improperly loaded or secured cargo can cause a truck to become unstable or create hazards for other motorists.
- A parts manufacturer: A defective truck component may contribute to a collision, shifting liability to a parts manufacturer.
A Michigan commercial truck accident lawyer can identify who is at fault for your accident and help hold them accountable.
Who Pays for a Truck Accident in Michigan?
Under Michigan’s no-fault accident laws, your own auto insurance generally provides benefits after a truck accident, regardless of who caused the crash. Personal protection insurance (PIP) will cover your medical expenses and lost wages, and Property Protection Insurance (PPI) will cover any damage you cause to others’ personal property.
However, Michigan law allows you to step outside the no-fault system and pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for the crash if you suffer a serious impairment of body function or permanent serious disfigurement, or if you lose a loved one in a fatal crash.
A successful personal injury claim will allow you to recover compensation for losses that are not fully covered by no-fault benefits, including pain and suffering. Our Michigan truck accident lawyers can evaluate your case and determine whether you have grounds for a lawsuit.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Michigan
Truck crashes can happen for many reasons. Some of the most common causes include:
- Driver fatigue: Truck drivers who operate vehicles while drowsy may have slower reaction times and difficulty paying attention to the road.
- Distracted driving: Looking at a phone, adjusting equipment, eating, or engaging with other distractions can prevent a driver from noticing hazards.
- Speeding: Driving too fast for traffic or weather conditions can make it harder for a truck driver to stop or maintain control.
- Impaired driving: Alcohol, illegal drugs, and certain medications can affect a driver’s ability to operate a commercial vehicle safely.
- Improper loading: Cargo that is improperly secured or distributed can shift the truck’s center of gravity or fall onto the roadway.
- Poor vehicle maintenance: Defective brakes, worn tires, lighting problems, and other mechanical issues can contribute to crashes.
- Inadequate training: A trucking company may contribute to an accident if it fails to properly train or supervise a driver.
- Unsafe lane changes: Large trucks have substantial blind spots. A driver who fails to check surrounding traffic may collide with another vehicle.
Steps to Take After a Truck Accident in Michigan
The steps you take after a truck accident can affect your health and the strength of your legal claim. It’s critical to:
- Report the accident: Contact law enforcement and make sure an official crash report is created.
- Document the scene: If you are able, photograph the vehicles, the roadway, your injuries, and anything else that may be relevant to your claim.
- Collect witnesses’ information: Exchange contact information with people who saw the collision.
- Preserve evidence: Keep photographs, medical records, bills, repair estimates, and other documentation related to the accident.
- Seek medical attention: Get evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible, even if you feel fine.
- Avoid admitting fault: Do not discuss fault when speaking to people at the scene or insurance adjusters.
- Talk to a lawyer: Speak to a Michigan semi-truck accident lawyer to get help with your claim.
Consult a Truck Accident Lawyer Serving Michigan
Recovering compensation for a truck accident can be difficult, especially if the other party disputes fault. A truck accident lawyer serving Michigan from Sweet James can investigate the crash, gather evidence for your claim, and fight for the compensation you need to rebuild your life.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your situation with an attorney.
