If you’ve been hurt in a semi or commercial vehicle crash in Lansing, MI it’s important that you get an experienced truck accident lawyer on your side as soon as possible. He or she will help you and your family recover full and fair compensation for injuries as well as money damages to help pay for your medical bills and lost earnings and wages.
The Best Truck Accident Lawyer For Your Lansing, MI Case Is At Michigan Auto Law
We have been helping people like you for more than 50 years.
Our attorneys specialize exclusively in handling tractor trailer crash cases.
We have litigated more of these types of cases throughout the state more than any other personal injury law firm.
The attorneys at Michigan Auto Law have achieved noteworthy victories for our clients:
- We have won the largest semi crash settlement of any attorney or law firm in Michigan history.
- We have recovered the top reported tractor trailer crash jury verdict and settlement for our clients for more years than any other attorney or law firm in the state.
- We have more million-dollar semi crash results, including recovering the top-reported semi crash settlement and verdict of the year more times, than any other law firm in Michigan.
Michigan Auto Law is the only law firm in Michigan with a board certification in semi crash law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (the highest designation of skill and experience available for attorneys in America today).
Michigan Auto Law attorney Steven Gursten is one of only three attorneys in America to be honored with a Hall of Fame Award for semi crashes.
The attorneys at Michigan Auto Law have spoken at over 300 legal seminars in 26 states, teaching other attorneys throughout the country how to handle these complex cases.
Semi crash and commercial vehicle crash cases are far more complicated than other types of automobile crash cases. Entrusting your Lansing, MI crash case to a truck accident lawyer who lacks the necessary experience, skill, specialized knowledge and proven track record of success could cost you hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of dollars in compensation.
What Should I Do If I’ve Been In A Crash With A Tractor Trailer?
If you’ve been hurt in a crash with a semi or commercial vehicle in Lansing, MI, our experienced truck accident lawyers recommend that you take the following steps:
- Get medical attention for yourself and others right away
- If possible, move to a safe area
- Contact police
- Report and document your injuries
- Do not make any statements or sign any waivers or releases
- File your application for No-Fault benefits and comply with all notifications in your auto insurance policy
- Follow up with all medical care
- Keep good records
- Retain an experienced attorney as soon as possible
What Are The Most Common Causes Of Semi Or Commercial Vehicle Crashes?
According to our truck accident lawyers, the most common causes semi or commercial vehicle crashes in Lansing include:
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving
- Tailgating
- Reckless driving
- Careless driving
- Disregarding traffic laws and signals
- Impaired driving (alcohol, drugs and/or prescription medication)
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued driving
- Overloading or improper loading of cargo
- Mechanical malfunctions (caused by improper or inadequate inspection, maintenance and repair)
- Failure to adjust to dangerous road conditions
- The motor carrier company’s negligent hiring, training and retention of unsafe drivers
- The motor carrier company’s use of unsafe semis and commercial vehicles that should be kept out-of-service
Who Can Be Held Responsible For Semi Or Commercial Vehicle Crash?
An experienced truck accident lawyer will perform a thorough analysis of your Lansing crash case and determine who is at fault. In semi and commercial vehicle crash cases, fault often lies with more than one party. Potentially negligent parties include:
- The semi/commercial vehicle driver – There are many ways the semi or commercial vehicle driver can be found liable. His or her fault usually comes from negligent behavior, such as speeding, aggressive driving, distracted driving, impaired driving, fatigued driving, and other irresponsible behaviors.
- The semi and/or trailer owner – Semis come in two parts, a truck (or tractor) and a trailer. Sometimes one entity owns both. But the owner of either can be held liable based on a state’s “owner liability” law, or the owner’s failure to inspect, repair and maintain the semi in a safe condition.
- The motor carrier company – The motor carrier company can be held liable in two ways: (1) because of its status as the semi or commercial vehicle driver’s employer; or (2) because of its ownership of the semi and trailer (if it owns one or both). If the motor carrier company employed a driver with a bad driving record, failed to train or supervise the driver, failed to properly inspect and/or maintain the vehicle or trailer, or pressured the driver to violate hours-of-service requirements, it can be held legally liable.
- The vehicle, trailer, or equipment manufacturer – A truck accident lawyer may be able to hold the manufacturer liable in your Lansing case if its defective semi, trailer, product, part, or equipment causes or contributes to the crash. Defective equipment can result in a variety of dangerous situations, including tire blowouts, brake failures, and steering malfunctions.
- The semi maintenance company – If the company hired to maintain the semi and ensure its safety is negligent in inspecting, servicing and repairing the vehicle, it can be held liable for injuries that result.
- The shipping company – Also called the “shipper,” this is the company that hires the semi driver and motor carrier company to haul (or “ship”) its cargo from one place to another.
- The load broker – This “middleman” or “intermediary” is hired by the shipper or a company that wants to ship its goods and products. The load broker’s job is to find and hire heavy load drivers and motor carrier companies that will transport the cargo to the specified destination.
- The loading company – This company’s job is to load cargo onto a semi or commercial vehicle for transportation. If that cargo is overloaded or improperly loaded and it causes a crash, the loading company can be held accountable.
- The leasing agent – This is a company that leases its semi and trailer to a driver, motor carrier company, or shipping company so that it can transport goods and products.
What Damages Can A Lawyer Recover For You From A Truck Accident In Lansing?
Compensation a lawyer may be able to recover for your Lansing truck accident case may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Fright and shock
- Reduced quality of life including the denial of social pleasure and enjoyments
- Embarrassment, humiliation or mortification
- Permanent and disabling injuries
- Wrongful death damages (if you lost a loved one in the accident you can filed a wrongful death claim for the loss of his or her companionship, support, services, and guidance, as well as funeral and burial expenses)
- Medical expenses (past and future)
- Loss of current income
- Loss of potential future earnings
- Vehicle repair or replacement costs
Why Choose A Michigan Auto Law Truck Accident Lawyer For Your Lansing Case?
Our truck accident lawyers have the experience, skill, resources, specialized knowledge, and track record of success to help you win a settlement that reflects the full and true value of your Lansing case.
For more than 50 years, our attorneys have specialized 100% in handling semi and commercial vehicle crash cases for people like you and your family.
We have litigated more semi cases than any other personal injury law firm in the state.
And we have million-dollar settlement semi and commercial vehicle crash results, including recovering the top-reported semi crash settlement and verdict of the year more times than any other law firm in the state.
Our attorneys have also won the largest semi crash settlement of any attorney or law firm in our state’s history.
What’s the secret to our success? Our attorneys deliberately handle fewer cases than attorneys in other personal injury law firms, which allows our attorneys to devote more of their time and attention to our clients’ cases – and to being available when our clients need us most. Unlike other law firms, the attorneys at Michigan Auto Law are never too busy to promptly return our client’s phone calls and answer their questions.
The success of our mission to combine deep specialized experience, knowledge and skill with compassionate, caring, and respectful treatment of our clients is reflected in our more than 2,500 real 5-Star reviews from former clients.
What Evidence Will A Truck Accident Lawyer Need to Prove In My Lansing Case?
Gathering and preserving the evidence you will need to prove your case is crucial to your ability to get full compensation for your injuries. An experienced truck accident lawyer will help you secure the following essential evidence for your Lansing case:
- Police reports
- Witness statements
- Crash scene photos
- Dash cam video of the crash
- Surveillance video of the crash
- Expert opinions
- Medical records
- The semi driver’s employee file
- The results of a post-crash toxicology test to determine if the semi or commercial vehicle driver was under the influence of prescription medication, drugs, or alcohol
- Cell phone records from the semi driver and the motor carrier company
- The semi driver’s and motor carrier company’s records of safety violations
- The semi or commercial vehicle maintenance and inspection records
- The semi or commercial vehicle driver’s electronic logging device (ELD) data which tracks the driver’s “hours-of-service,” i.e., the hours that he or she been driving and the hours that he or she has rested
- The “black box” or “electronic control modules” (ECMs) data which record data about the semi or commercial vehicle’s operation such as speed and braking