Michigan Semi Truck Accident Lawyer: The Best Legal Experts
When you have been injured in a semi truck accident in Michigan, one of the most important things you can do is hire an experienced lawyer from a reputable law firm who understands the law. These types of big rig crashes are very different from one involving a passenger motor vehicle, and having an attorney that can show the federal and state safety rules and regulations that were violated can help to get you the best possible settlement for your injuries and losses.
To find out what your case may be worth, please check out our Settlement Calculator.
Table of Contents
- What to do after a crash
- Statistics
- Types of crashes
- Unique truck crash liability laws
- Causes
- Pain and suffering compensation
- Wrongful death compensation
- How do semi-trailer lawsuits work?
- Who can be sued?
- What is the average settlement?
- No-Fault benefits
- Do these cases go to trial?
- More FAQs
- Free consultation
What to do after a crash with a semi
- Contact police and seek medical attention
- Document all injuries
- Retain and experienced attorney quickly
- Notify your auto insurance company quickly
- File an application for No-Fault benefits
- Check insurance policy for notification requirements
- Check insurance policy for uncoordinated benefits
- Never give statements of sign releases
Michigan semi-trailer accident statistics
In 2022, there were 2,759 semi-trailers involved in the 51,066 personal injury-related motor vehicle crashes in Michigan which resulted in 3,632 people being injured.
What are the types of semi crashes?
In Michigan, there are many types of semi truck accidents that our lawyers have handled, but the most common include: (1) head-on collisions; (2) rear-end crashes; (3) broadside crashes; (4) a jack-knifed tractor-trailer; (5) roll overs; and (6) truck underride crashes (where a passenger vehicle slides underneath the truck’s trailer).
Remember that our state has unique truck crash liability laws.
Our state’s truck crash liability laws are different from all other states. Damages recoverable from an experienced Michigan semi truck accident lawyer for an injury after a tractor trailer crash will include first-party claims (victim’s insurance), such as medical bills, wage loss, replacement services, attendant care and medical mileage. Third-party auto negligence tort claims (negligent driver’s insurance) involve personal injury and excess economic loss. All auto insurance policies sold in our state include some limited coverage for vehicle damage, property damage and pain and suffering compensation for physical and emotional injuries.
What causes most semi truck accidents?
The most common cause of semi truck accidents involve driver error. However, as every commercial motor carrier has a non-delegable duty to safely train, supervise, and monitor their drivers, even cases involving driver error usually involve a larger failure in the safety system of the company itself.
Other examples of failures in safety systems that the Michigan semi truck accident lawyers from our law firm have found include: (1) trucking companies negligent hiring of unqualified and unsafe drivers; (2) truckers driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; (3) dangerous out-of-service-trucks; (4) chameleon carriers; (5) truck driver fatigue; (6) no punitive damages; (7) bad weather; (8) speeding; (9) failing to yield; and (10) improper lane usage.
Legal rights to pain and suffering compensation
After a crash with a semi-trailer, you or a loved one may be able to recover pain and suffering compensation from the at-fault truck driver, the owner of the truck, the motor carrier and other responsible parties. An experienced Michigan semi truck accident lawyer will need to prove the truck driver was negligent and was at-fault for the crash.
Legal rights to wrongful death compensation
If you have lost a loved one in a semi truck accident in Michigan, then you and your family can hire an experienced lawyer and pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver, the owner of the truck and other responsible parties.
In most states, a wrongful death lawsuit allows you and your family to recover damages for: (1) medical, hospital, funeral, and burial expenses; (2) pain and suffering compensation; and (3) loss of the deceased’s financial support, society and companionship.
How do semi-trailer crash lawsuits work?
The stages of a semi-trailer crash lawsuit include: (1) investigating the crash scene; (2) preserving key evidence; (3) interviewing witnesses; (4) hiring expert witnesses; (5) identifying the liable parties; (6) filing the lawsuit; (7) conducting discovery; (8) negotiating a settlement; and/or (10) going to trial.
Who can be sued after a semi truck crash?
An experienced Michigan semi truck accident lawyer can help you sue the follwing parties after a crash: (1) the driver who caused the crash; (2) the maintenance company; (3) the shipping company; (4) the load broker; (5) the leasing agent; (6) the trailer owner, if different from the owner of the tractor; (7) the loading company; and (8) the vehicle manufacturer.
What is the average settlement for a semi truck accident?
In Michigan, the average settlement amount that a lawyer can help you recover after a semi truck accident will depend on the liability coverage limits of the truck driver and truck company involved. Federal law requires interstate trucks to have a minimum of $750,000 to cover bodily injury and property damage.
Trucks that are hauling hazardous materials and large buses may be required by federal law to carry a minimum of $5 million in liability coverage.
Other factors that may affect the amount of your settlement after a crash with a big rig include your injuries, medical needs (present and future), work disability and the experience and track record of your Michigan semi truck accident lawyer.
Legal rights to No-Fault benefits
According to state law, when you have been injured in a crash with a semi-trailer, you are entitled to collect No-Fault PIP benefits from the responsible auto insurance company to help pay for your medical bills, lost wages, transportation costs for medical appointments, and attendant care services.
To protect your right to recover No-Fault insurance benefits, you must file an application for No-Fault benefits – which is also called a “written notice of injury” – with the responsible auto insurance company within one (1) year after your crash. (MCL 500.3145(1) and (4))
Generally, the insurance company that is responsible for paying your No-Fault insurance benefits will be your insurer or the insurer of your spouse or a relative living in your home. If no coverage is available through those sources, then you will need to apply for No-Fault benefits through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.
If you do not file your application on time, then the auto insurance company will use this to deny your claim and refuse to pay any and all of the No-Fault benefits you would have otherwise been entitled to.
Do semi truck accidents go to trial?
In Michigan, semi truck accidents can go to trial if a settlement cannot be reached through negotiation or alternative dispute methods. When a case goes to trial, it means that the parties involved were unable to reach a mutually satisfactory settlement, and the case is presented before a judge or jury.
Going to trial is often considered a last resort when all other attempts to settle the case have failed. The decision to go to trial depends on various factors, including the complexity of the case, the extent of the damages, the strength of the evidence, and the willingness of the parties to negotiate. It’s important to note that the majority of personal injury cases, including tractor trailer crash cases, are settled out of court. However, in cases where liability is heavily contested or the damages are substantial, having an experienced Michigan semi truck accident lawyer take the case to trial may be necessary to seek a fair resolution.
More Michigan Semi Truck Accident Lawyer FAQs
If you’ve been in injured in a crash with a semi trailer, you are certain to have a long list of questions on what to expect from the litigation process. We’ve covered a few of our frequently asked questions (FAQ) below and you can read more FAQs here.
Do I need a lawyer for a semi truck accident in Michigan?
In Michigan, if you are injured in a semi truck accident you are not required to hire a lawyer from a law firm but it is in your best interest. Tractor trailer crashes can be catastrophic, and they are far more complicated and complex than car crash cases. Specialized experience is your best protection.
An experienced Michigan semi truck accident lawyer with a track record of success will have the “know how” to move quickly to protect semi-trailer crash victims and their families. This means stopping trucking companies from destroying key evidence. It means identifying all of the negligent parties responsible for the safety violations that caused the crash with a big rig. And it means uncovering all of the trucking company’s insurance coverage and assets which will be needed to pay for a settlement.
Your attorney will make the legal process as easy as possible for you so you can focus on healing – both physically and emotionally – after your semi-trailer crash.
How do I choose the best semi truck accident lawyer in Michigan?
To help you choose the best Michigan semi truck accident lawyer for your case, limit your search to only those attorneys who have specialized experience in this area of the law. Check out their websites to see what settlements they’ve won for other clients. Read their online reviews to learn how clients rate them in terms of patience, compassion and attentiveness.
As stated above, semi-trailer crash cases are complicated, complex, and totally unlike a car crash case. You need an attorney who knows the ins-and-outs of these cases based on extensive, specialized experience. Your case is too important to entrust to a “dabbler” who thinks he or she can “figure things out” as he or she goes.
To find out which Michigan semi truck accident lawyer is the best fit for you and your family, schedule a free consultation and meet them in-person. This will allow you to ask questions about their specialization, experience, and track record of success in these types of cases. It will also give you a preview of what it will be like to work with this attorney.
How much does a semi truck accident lawyer cost in Michigan?
In Michigan, hiring a semi truck accident lawyer from a law firm costs you $0 in attorney fees for a case unless and until your case is won. You will not be asked to pay any up-front costs. You will pay your attorney’s 1/3 or 33% contingency fee only after your case is done. and, importantly, only if a recovery is made for you first.
At our law firm, each and every one of our clients also get our free 100% client satisfaction guarantee.
Injured in a semi-trailer crash? Call now for a free consultation.
If you were injured in a semi truck crash, call Michigan Auto Law now (248) 353-7575 for a free consultation with an experienced semi truck accident lawyer from our law firm. There is no cost or obligation. You can also visit our contact page or use the chat feature on our website. Our attorneys can help you better understand your legal rights to sue for pain and suffering compensation as well as other non economic and economic damages,.
Our law firm specializes in semi-trailer crash cases and receives referrals from attorneys all over the state and the U.S. Our attorneys have spoken at nearly 300 seminars and legal education programs throughout the country, educating other personal injury attorneys on how to handle these unique types of cases. Attorney Steven Gursten is a past-president of the American Association for Justice Truck Accident Litigation Group. Our law firm is also the only law firm in the state that has national board certification in semi-trailer crash law.
Arguably The Best Semi Truck Accident Lawyers In Michigan
The Michigan semi truck accident lawyers from our law firm are arguably the best in the state having an extensive record of success, including recovering the highest recorded tractor trailer crash jury verdicts and settlements over multiple years, according to year-end compilations of settlements and trial verdicts by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. These include:
- $34.5 Million – Our team secured the largest-reported tractor-trailer crash settlement in the U.S. for that year. It is the largest truck settlement by an attorney in the state.
- $14.3 Million – Our attorneys won this truck crash verdict in Clinton County in a case involving a traumatic brain injury, extensive economic damages and loss of consortium. The defense’s final pre-trial settlement offer was $25,000. This was the largest-reported motor vehicle trial verdict in the state for that year.
- $13.5 Million – Our attorneys settled a case for a victim in a car vs. tractor trailer crash who suffered major burn injuries.
- $10.5 Million – We obtained this truck crash recovery for a woman who was seriously injured when a big rig crashed into her vehicle.
- $9 Million – Our attorneys obtained this recovery for a man who lost both of his legs in a rear-end collision. This was the largest pain and suffering trucking settlement of the preceding decade for a rear-end crash in the state.
- $6.2 million – This confidential out of state trucking death case was settled by our attorney, who was brought in to try the case by another attorney after the insurance company made a “final” offer of $1 million dollars to the widow of the man who was killed.
For more than 50 years, the Michigan semi truck accident lawyers from our law firm have been helping people like you who have been injured in commercial semi-trailer crashes and big rig crash wrongful death cases get the best possible settlement for their case. Our attorneys understand the physical, emotional and psychological hardships you are experiencing. We can help.
