Collisions involving commercial trucks often cause life-threatening damages. If someone else is responsible for causing your crash, they should be ordered to cover your costs as well. However, making the at-fault party pay is one of the most challenging elements of the claims process.
You should not have to go at it alone. When you reach out to a dedicated Midland truck accident lawyer at White Law PLLC, you can get the legal guidance and advice you need when you need it most. Contact our office for a free consultation today and learn more about how the truck accident claims process works, who could be responsible for your damages, and the steps you can take to make them pay.
How Truck Accident Victims in Midland Are Compensated
Your truck accident lawyer in Midland, MI needs to go over all of the ways your life has been affected by your injuries to accurately calculate the value of your claim. Many injury victims are not fully aware of how the claims process works, the various damages they are entitled to, or how to ensure they are being compensated fairly for the damages.
Each White Law PLLC Midland truck accident attorney is here to help you understand what to expect next. With that in mind, here is more about how you can recover maximum compensation for your damages and the various types of damages that you could recover in your truck accident lawsuit and insurance claims.
Insurance Claims
One of the top ways to recover compensation after a truck accident is by filing a claim with the insurance company. The insurance company you will file a claim with will be based on who is responsible for causing your accident and whether you purchased your own no-fault insurance coverage as part of your insurance policy.
Since Michigan is a no-fault state for auto insurance purposes, you will generally file a claim with your own insurer as opposed to that of the liable party. However, depending on the details of your case, you may also have the chance to file a claim with the liable party’s insurer.
Dealing with insurance claims can be a complex process. The insurance company is only required to pay out up to the highest limits of the claim. This means if you only purchased the minimum amount of auto insurance coverage, your damages may exceed the limits of your policy. When this happens, the insurance company is not required to compensate you beyond this limit.
Types and Amounts of Insurance Coverage
Additionally, insurance settlements cover only specific types of damages. For instance, your property damage liability coverage will cover the costs of your vehicle repairs.
However, there is no type of insurance coverage that is designed to compensate victims for certain types of economic damages and almost every type of non-economic loss. Fortunately, filing a claim with the insurance company is not the only way you can recover compensation for your damages. You also have the opportunity to recover your damages by filing a claim in civil court.
Trial Verdicts
Bringing your truck accident claim to civil court may be in your best interests. Although you may not relish the idea of going to trial, with a truck accident attorney in Midland, MI on your side, you do not need to worry about anything.
We will build a compelling case against the liable party by gathering the evidence we need to support your case. We will uncover the identity of the liable party and ensure anyone and everyone who contributed to your injuries is held accountable accordingly.
At trial, you are not limited by the balance of an insurance policy. You have the opportunity to recover compensation for both economic damages and non-economic damages, some of which could include:
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of income
- Chronic physical pain
- Emotional trauma
- Existing medical bills
- Future medical costs
- Childcare expenses
- Loss of household services
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement and skin scarring
- Diminished earning potential
- Inconvenience and embarrassment
Your Fight Is Our Fight
Liability for Midland Truck Accident Injuries and Damages
Establishing fault after a collision will be one of our truck accident lawyer’s most important responsibilities. There are multiple parties who could share blame depending on how the accident occurred. Here is more:
The Trucking Company
The trucking company is one of the most common parties named in truck accident lawsuits and insurance claims. Trucking companies have an obligation to ensure that their vehicles are safe and properly maintained.
They must also hire skilled and experienced truck drivers who they properly vet before putting on the roadways. Trucking companies are required to adhere to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations, including work-hour regulations.
Failure to uphold these responsibilities could be considered negligent. Trucking companies can be held accountable anytime their truck drivers are responsible for causing collisions or truck malfunctions that contribute to the crash.
The Truck Driver
Truck drivers are also commonly named in lawsuits and insurance claims. There are multiple ways in which truck drivers have been known to cause trucking wrecks. Examples of these causes include:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- Driving while fatigued
- Failure to stop at a stop sign
- Failure to yield to the right of way
- Driving over the speed limit
- Failure to stop at a traffic light
- Aggressive or reckless driving
- Tailgating and making illegal turns
The Owner of the Truck
Another common cause of truck accidents is truck defects. When the truck itself is not safe, whether that be due to a failure to maintain the truck or defective parts, the owner of the truck may be held accountable for the victim’s damages.
Truck owners have an obligation to ensure that the truck is in safe, working order before it goes on the roadways. Failure to uphold this obligation is considered negligence.
We know how to get our clients the results they need in the toughest legal arenas.
Get Help from a Truck Accident Lawyer in Midland Today
When your truck accident injuries have had an impact on virtually every aspect of your life, there is no reason you should be stuck dealing with the consequences if someone else is to blame. You can take action to hold them accountable for their negligence when you get in touch with a reputable Midland truck accident lawyer at White Law PLLC.
Our firm is proudly offering free consultations to truck accident victims across Midland and surrounding cities. Take advantage of this opportunity. Fill out our quick contact form or call our office to schedule your complimentary case review as soon as today.
We’re Experienced. We Care.
We Exceed Client Expectations.