When a large semi or other commercial truck collides with a smaller vehicle, the resulting injuries can be devastating. Truck accident survivors often sustain severe and debilitating injuries that require costly medical treatments. Lost income from missing work is another hardship accident victims face after an expensive accident with a semi-truck.
Trucking companies and insurance companies will often try to minimize their financial responsibility in these cases, which is why you need an experienced Kentwood truck accident lawyer representing you. Our skilled attorneys have proven case results, and we offer a free consultation where we can discuss your accident details.
Determining Whether You Have a Case
Every truck collision claim is different, so your attorney will need certain information to determine whether you have a valid claim and to calculate your case’s value. The factors that go into deciding whether you have a solid case include the truck driver or truck company’s level of negligence, the severity of your injuries, and the cost of your medical treatment.
Determining negligence can be complex. The trucking company could be liable if it broke a federal regulation, if the driver broke a traffic law, or if another third party contracting with the truck company broke the law or otherwise cut corners. Our truck accident attorneys understand trucking law and know how to get to the bottom of a complicated truck accident case.
One of our truck accident attorneys in Kentwood, MI, can review your case and provide you with an initial evaluation of your claim during a free consultation.
Your Fight Is Our Fight
How a Kentwood Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
Our truck accident attorneys understand the importance of moving quickly to preserve key evidence. When you hire our firm to represent you, your lawyer will get to work right away, interviewing witnesses and gathering and preserving evidence. If needed, we can enlist the help of professional investigators and accident reconstructionists to pinpoint how the collision happened.
We can also help you with your no-fault insurance benefits claim. Our team will help you prepare the necessary forms, submit them, and work with the insurance adjuster to ensure that your medical bills and lost wages are taken care of quickly. We will also work on your behalf to negotiate a fair personal injury settlement.
We know how to get our clients the results they need in the toughest legal arenas.
Complicated Liability Issues in a Truck Accident
Because truck accident cases can be complex, it is vital to have an experienced attorney representing your interests. Our semi-truck lawyers will thoroughly evaluate your accident and work tirelessly to make sure the responsible party or parties pay for the damage they caused.
Personal injury claims for commercial vehicle accidents are different from the typical car accident claim in that more than one party is often responsible. In addition to filing suit against the insurer of the at-fault driver, a victim may also be able to hold the trucking company for the actions of its employee due to “vicarious liability.”
The trucking company may also be held liable for failing to perform a comprehensive background check that might have uncovered a pattern of unsafe driving. Typically, the trucking company will have higher insurance coverage than the individual driver, which often results in a larger insurance settlement.
We understand that you may be going through a difficult situation and we are ready to help however we can.
Liable Parties in a Truck Accident Case
Determining who is liable and filing multiple claims is complicated, and the insurance company may try to blame you for the accident. For these reasons, it is best to contact a qualified truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after an accident.
Parties often held liable in Michigan semi-truck accident cases include the following:
- The truck driver
- The truck company or another business owner
- The truck manufacturer or a parts manufacturer
- Cargo shippers
- Cargo loaders
You will always work directly with your attorney throughout your case.
Michigan’s No-Fault Insurance
Under Michigan law, you are entitled to receive no-fault insurance benefits, regardless of who is at fault in the accident. This is true as long as you were injured in an accident involving the use of an automobile, such as a car or truck. An insurance company is not allowed to deny your no-fault benefits if the accident was your fault.
Michigan’s no-fault insurance benefits include medical expense coverage, wage loss benefits for three years after the incident, household chore assistance for three years, mileage to and from doctor appointments, attendant care, and other benefits such as home renovation and vehicle modification.
Time Limit for Filing a Michigan Truck Accident Lawsuit
Michigan Legislature §600.5805 sets the time limit to file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver and trucking company at three years from the date of the accident. This time limit is known as the Statute of Limitations.
The period is extended if the person who was injured was a minor on the date of the accident. Another important deadline for filing for no-fault benefits claims not paid by the insurance company is one year from the date you incurred the expense.
That said, it is best not to wait too long to hire an experienced truck wreck lawyer to start the legal process and get everything filed on time. There is so much to be done in these cases, and if you miss an important deadline, you could lose your claim to a settlement and your right to sue for damages.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer in Kentwood, MI
If you were involved in an accident involving a truck, our team at White Law PLLC could help you figure out your next steps. A conversation with one of our experienced truck accident lawyers will help you determine whether your accident qualifies you to make a claim against the trucker or trucking company’s insurance company.
We provide free consultations for accident victims, and there are never any fees to you until your case settles. Learn more about our truck accident practice and how we help our personal injury clients get full compensation for their injuries. Reach out to one of our Kentwood truck accident lawyers today to get started.
We’re Experienced. We Care.
We Exceed Client Expectations.
