No Punitive Damages in Michigan

Why does Michigan have more truck accidents than many other states? One important reason is its lack of punitive damages. Where damages are monies ordered by a court to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury, punitive damages are additional monies awarded when the defendant acted with recklessness, malice or deceit. Specifically, punitive damages are a way of penalizing the wrongdoer and making an example to others.

Michigan lawyers cannot legally recover punitive damages against trucking companies that knowingly hire unqualified, careless truck drivers who commit safety violations that cause accidents. The absence of punitives allows bad trucking companies to continue to break the law and put profits over people, and to avoid being punished for egregious behavior that has resulted in serious injury or deaths.

Here’s how it works: The trucking companies have insurance and the insurance pays for the injuries or death the trucking company causes through truck accidents. Meanwhile, the trucking company itself avoids any punishment — or any deterrent to doing it again next time, other than an increase in its insurance premiums. Because lawyers in Michigan cannot sue a trucking company for punitive damages, the worst truck drivers who can’t find a job in states with tougher laws and punitive damages come to Michigan to drive large commercial trucks on our roads.

But just because Michigan’s law and public policy is one of the worst in the country does not mean your truck accident case isn’t worth fighting for. If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident, call the expert personal injury lawyers of Michigan Auto Law at (800) 777-0028 for a free, no obligation case evaluation. Or please fill out our contact form and we will respond to your inquiry within one business day.

Despite the lack of punitive damages, our Michigan truck accident lawyers have helped enforce important truck safety regulations to make our roads safer. No other law firm in Michigan has received more jury verdicts or consistently higher settlements for truck accident cases. In fact, the vast majority of our wrongful death and personal injury cases from truck accidents are referred to us by local attorneys, based upon our record of experience and success.