As legal advertising in Michigan hits bottom, time to call back the truth police
Right now, there’s a Michigan lawyer who is running commercials on television who says:
“No law firm in the country has been more successful at trying and winning truck accident cases.”
A boast like this illustrates the urgent need for a “truth squad” in legal advertising — because it’s misleading and just plain false.
Unfortunately, with no “truth police” to serve and protect the public, accident victims in desperate need of finding an experienced truck accident lawyer in Michigan have no way of knowing the truth and/or the facts behind this lawyer’s puffed-up self-promotion. And it isn’t just this commercial.
That’s why I’m writing this blog post: I want the facts to speak for themselves.
So, how would I answer the question if someone asked me about my success “at trying and winning truck accident cases”?
| Trying and Winning Truck Accident Cases |
How Michigan Auto Law Stacks Up |
|---|---|
| How successful are you at winning truck accident cases? | According to Michigan Lawyers Weekly and VerdictSearch, I have received the largest truck accident settlement of any Michigan attorney.
In addition, last year I settled with my very excellent Ohio co-counsel, a truck accident injury case for $34 million during trial, which was the largest-reported truck accident settlement in 2014 in the United States. I also personally have some of the highest reported truck accident settlements and jury verdicts in Michigan, including but not limited to: A $9 million settlement; a $3.9 million settlement; a $3.6 million award on a $300,000 defense offer; a $3.5 million verdict on a $1 million defense offer; a $2.5 million verdict on a $250,000 defense offer; and, a second $2.55 million jury verdict on a $250,000 defense offer. In addition, the Michigan Supreme Court reaffirmed in my case of Estate of Michael Shekoski that Michigan attorneys can bring direct negligence claims against a negligent trucking company and wily defense lawyer who is hoping to sweep illegal and negligent acts under the rug by admitting vicarious liability. |
| What is your experience litigating truck accident cases? | I have personally litigated over 300 truck accident cases to settlement or verdict.
Trucking litigation has become such a big part of my cases that I started a second law firm that exclusively litigates catastrophic injury and wrongful death truck accident cases: The Truck Accident Attorneys Roundtable. Between myself and my partners at the Roundtable, we have litigated over 600 truck accident cases in the majority of states in America today. Finally, I teach other lawyers around the nation how to litigate truck accident cases. I speak at legal seminars around the nation on this topic. Last week, I spoke in Las Vegas at the 360 Advocacy Advanced Trucking Seminar, and this summer in Los Angeles, I will be speaking at the trucking litigation track at the American Association for Justice convention. |
| Do you handle truck accident cases all across the country? | Yes. Between myself, the attorneys at Michigan Auto Law and the three founding members of Truck Accident Attorneys Roundtable, we have litigated or co-counseled serious truck accident cases in 31 states nationwide. |
| Have you won punitive damages claims for truck accident cases? | Yes. I do not believe any other Michigan attorney can say this. |
| Have you written peer-reviewed articles on truck-accident litigation? | Yes. I do not believe any other Michigan attorney can say this. |
| Does the media (newspapers, radio and TV) rely on Michigan Auto Law and Truck Accident Attorneys Roundtable as “go-to” experts on truck accident litigation and safety issues? | Yes. Michigan Auto Law and the Roundtable attorneys have been quoted in hundreds of news articles by mainstream, legal and insurance-related publications and media outlets.
In fact, Forbes wrote the following about me: “Steve Gursten of Michigan Auto Law is one of the nation’s leading experts on serious truck accident injury cases.” |
| Do other lawyers rely on — and learn from — the lawyers in these law firms because of their experience in and deep subject matter knowledge of trying and winning truck accident cases? | Yes. Michigan Auto Law and the Roundtable attorneys have taught other lawyers how to handle truck accident cases by lecturing and presenting at more than 200 legal seminars throughout the U.S. |
| Are your attorneys involved in legal organizations dedicated to protecting truck accident victims? | Yes. Not only am I and the attorneys at Michigan Auto Law and Truck Accident Attorneys Roundtable involved, but many of our lawyers hold positions of leadership in such organizations. For instance, I am currently President of the Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers Association. Also, I am a Past President of the Truck Accident Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice; and I was a member of the Michigan Board of Governors for the Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America. No other Michigan lawyer can say this, or has even held a legal leadership position in any litigation group focused on representing victims of truck accidents. |
| What do you do to help young truck accident victims? | We’re proud to offer the annual “Truck Accident Injury Survivor Scholarship,” which is available to college students who are survivors of truck accidents and who have overcome their injuries to pursue an education. |
| What you do to promote truck safety? | This is a very important issue. To help advance the cause, I speak at trucking seminars around the nation, teaching lawyers how to litigate these cases so we can help put a stop to horribly dangerous “chameleon carriers” and grasshopper drivers. |
As for the statement that “[n]o law firm in the country has been more successful at trying and winning truck accident cases,” that same law firm has reached out to me repeatedly to answer truck-accident related questions and to recommend legal experts. Just makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
I trust that when people know all the facts, they’ll draw the correct conclusion for themselves.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, what kind of lawyer do you want to help you? Here are several important factors to consider:
- A lawyer who is successful at winning truck accident cases.
- A lawyer with a proven track record of trying and winning truck accident cases.
- A lawyer who handles truck accident cases all across the country.
- A lawyer who has won punitive damage awards in truck accident cases.
- A lawyer whom the media considers a “go-to” expert on truck accident and truck safety issues.
- A lawyer who, because of his experience and knowledge of truck accident law, is trusted and relied on by other lawyers.
- A lawyer who is dedicated to improving truck safety and protecting truck accident victims – who takes a leadership role in organizations committed to accomplishing those goals.
- A lawyer who helps young truck accident victims and their families.
Of course, you would want — and you would need — a lawyer who possesses all of those qualities.
