While you may not have rented or driven a U-Haul truck yourself, you have probably shared the roads with them on many occasions. If you have been in an accident with a U-Haul, you also know that as helpful as they can be, they also pose dangers. U-Hauls are trucks, but often, they are not operated by experienced truck drivers.
A Lansing truck accident lawyer can help if you need to recover damages from an accident with a U-Haul. Attorneys at White Law PLLC have extensive legal knowledge and experience fighting for accident victims, and a Lansing U-Haul truck accident lawyer from our is ready to fight for you. You deserve compensation, and the at-fault party deserves to be held accountable.
Possible Liable Parties in a U-Haul Truck Accident
As with any motor vehicle accident, there are a variety of potential at-fault parties. A Lansing personal injury lawyer will investigate your case carefully to ensure you identify and hold the right party accountable. To collect compensation, you must prove that party’s liability, and you can only collect that proof if you have made the right determination.
The Truck Operator
You might think that to drive a U-Haul truck, the operator must have a special license, such as a commercial driver’s license (CDL), but U-Haul drivers need only a government-issued driver’s license to rent and operate these trucks. Of course, handling these trucks is not the same as driving a passenger vehicle, which is what most U-Haul drivers are used to driving. Accidents can easily result from this lack of experience.
That said, even experienced drivers can cause U-Haul accidents for the same reasons any other driver causes a motor vehicle accident. The driver may:
- Speed
- Drive while distracted
- Drive under the influence
- Ignore traffic signals
- Practice reckless driving behaviors
- Commit a driving error
The Truck Renters and Loaders
The driver is not the only one responsible for the safe operation of the U-Haul. Those who load the vehicle’s cargo must ensure that the cargo is balanced and appropriately secured. The problem is that most U-Haul renters do not have proper training or even the awareness that cargo placement, weight, and security are issues to consider.
U-Haul
While U-Haul can rent to just about anyone with a license, they still have some responsibility when it comes to managing safety. The company must provide renters with information regarding safe loading and operating procedures. There is no guarantee renters will review or absorb that information, however.
U-Haul puts truck inspection responsibilities onto the renter. It provides renters with a list of “things to do” before driving the vehicle. It also provides renters with information about how to schedule a “professional” inspection.
Clearly, U-Haul is seeking to avoid responsibility should a truck malfunction lead to an accident. If a truck or part defect caused your accident, do not be scared away from filing a personal injury claim. Your U-Haul truck accident lawyer in Lansing will fight to ensure U-Haul’s policies do not leave you paying for damages they own.
Other Drivers or Entities
There is also the chance that another driver’s negligence caused the accident. In these cases, a U-Haul accident lawyer in Michigan can help you recover damages through a personal injury claim. Michigan is a no-fault state, which means a driver’s personal insurance covers them for accident damages. However, if the damages are extensive, and victims are less than 50% responsible for causing the accident, they can sue the at-fault party’s insurance.
Sometimes, government entities fail to fulfill their assigned duties. If a broken traffic light, inadequately lit street, or poorly maintained road caused the accident, the government entity responsible for those areas may bear fault. Since the procedures for filing against a government entity come with additional complications, it is best to put your case in the hands of a capable U-Haul accident attorney in Michigan.
Your Fight Is Our Fight
How a U-Haul Truck Accident Attorney in Lansing Will Help
Whether you are hurt by a collision with a U-Haul or hurt as the driver of the U-Haul, you need a knowledgeable, skilled lawyer navigating your case for you. U-Haul is a big company with strategic policies in place to protect them from paying settlements to victims. White Law PLLC is not intimidated by the company, its strategies, or its attorneys and will protect you from potential unfair treatment.
Your U-Haul truck accident attorney in Lansing will review your case with great care and consult with relevant experts to determine the cause of the accident and the at-fault party. Then, your lawyer will gather evidence and build a case to prove the at-fault party’s negligence. After assessing your losses, your attorney will send a fair settlement demand to the at-fault party’s representative.
Negotiating a Settlement
The at-fault party’s representatives will not likely agree to your initial demand. They will usually make a counteroffer that is lower than your demand. Your attorney will respond, and these negotiations will continue until both sides agree to an amount.
Many personal injury cases settle out of court, but not all do. If the at-fault party in your case refuses to make a fair offer, purposely slows down negotiations, or continues to deny responsibility, you may have to take your case before a judge and jury. White Law PLLC is fully prepared to represent you at every trial proceeding.
Settlement Amounts
It is not possible to predict the amount of a settlement without knowing the details of the situation. Every case has its own unique circumstances affecting the settlement amount. For example, the severity and consequences of your injuries, damage to your property, the extent of your emotional trauma, and your and the at-fault party’s respective percentages of fault all affect compensation.
That said, you can expect your attorney to fight for coverage of your medical bills and future care costs, income loss and lost future wages and benefits if applicable, property repairs or replacement, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life.
We’re not just lawyers. We’re passionate advocates who will ensure that your voice is heard and your rights are protected.
Trust Us to Fight for You
Significant damages demand significant compensation, and White Law PLLC is here to fight to get you that compensation. Connect with us today to schedule a free consultation with a dedicated, bold Lansing U-Haul truck accident lawyer. Your attorney will work tirelessly to hold the at-fault party accountable so you can see justice served through a substantial settlement.
We’re Experienced. We Care.
We Exceed Client Expectations.
