Lansing Truck Accident Lawyer
FREE CASE CONSULTATION
No Fees Unless We Win
Large truck crashes are a common occurrence on Michigan roads. These accidents often cause severe, life-changing injuries or result in fatalities due to the sheer size and weight of these vehicles. If you have been hurt or lost a loved one in a truck-related accident, a Lansing truck accident lawyer is here to help. You may be eligible to pursue compensation to help pay for medical bills you have incurred to treat your injuries and to help recoup some of the income you may have lost from being unable to work while in recovery.
For over three decades now, Jay Trucks & Associates has been helping injury victims obtain fair recoveries for their injuries and other damages. We have obtained over $500 million for our clients and have successfully handled truck accident cases including a $935,000 recovery for a 29 year old female that was involved in a collision with a commercial vehicle that made a left turn into her lane.
I would recommend Jay Trucks & Associates to my friends and family. Jayson has done an outstanding job on helping with my case. Thank you.
– G. Garner
We are prepared to discuss what happened and answer all of your questions during a free, no-obligation consultation. We charge no upfront costs should you hire us and you only pay us if you obtain a recovery.
No Upfront Fees. Call Now 989-254-6113989-565-9047
Am I Able to Take Legal Action?
Your ability to take legal action is dependent on certain factors unique to your situation. Our legal team needs to review everything that took place to not only help establish liability for your damages, but also whether negligence caused or contributed to the accident and your injury.
Negligence claims must prove four things:
- The other party owed you a duty of care to act reasonably in order to prevent you from suffering harm.
- The other party breached this duty by not acting as a reasonable person would have in the same type of situation.
- The other party’s actions or inactions were the proximate cause of your injury.
- The other side’s breach caused you to suffer verifiable damages, supported by medical bills or pay stubs.
If you have a viable case, our Lansing truck accident lawyers are prepared to conduct a detailed investigation to gather evidence to help you build a strong case for maximum compensation.
Request a free consultation to get started. Ph: Call Now 989-254-6113989-565-9047
How Much is My Truck Accident Case Worth?
Your financial recovery after a truck accident will vary based on the type and extent of your injuries, medical treatments you have undergone and may continue to need, when you will reach maximum medical improvement and so on. That said, you may be able to recover certain forms of compensation through your personal injury protection or PIP car insurance coverage. These are also referred to as first-party no-fault insurance benefits.
Medical Expenses
Any policies being issued or renewed prior to July 1, 2020 will provide unlimited coverage for any necessary and reasonable medical expenses, such as surgeries, Imaging tests, prescription medications, hospital stays, etc. After this date, anyone purchasing or renewing their policies must choose their coverage amount.
These coverage options under Michigan’s no fault auto insurance reform law include:
- Unlimited PIP coverage
- $500,000 in coverage
- $250,000 in coverage
- $50,000 for those enrolled in Medicaid
- No PIP coverage with a qualified health plan
Portion of Wages Lost
You may be compensated for up to 85 percent of your income for up to three years if your injury has caused you to miss work for some time to recover.
Replacement and Household Services
These benefits make it possible for an accident victim’s normal household duties to still get done. You may be able to get up to $20 a day for up to three years to hire someone to perform ordinary and necessary services, such as cooking, cleaning, washing, grocery shopping, driving, running errands and even childcare.
You may even be eligible to pursue compensation for non-economic losses, such as physical and mental pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of consortium or companionship, and diminished quality of life.
Find out more about the potential value of your case by calling a Lansing truck accident attorney.
Possible Liable Parties After a Truck Accident
Truck accidents often require extensive and exhaustive investigations to determine what exactly happened and how it happened. These cases can be difficult because more than one party could possibly be liable for any harm suffered. Examples of these parties could include:
Truck Driver
The truck driver generally faces legal liability for causing injuries and damages if his or her actions caused the accident. Violating state laws or federal regulations and driving while distracted, drowsy or under the influence of drugs or alcohol are all forms of driver negligence.
Truck Owner
The truck owner could be an individual or a company. The owner may also be the owner of the vehicle and could be liable if he or she failed to keep up with maintenance, such as checking that the engine, brakes, steering and hydraulics are in proper working order.
Trucking Company
The trucking company could be held responsible for the actions of their employee, as long as the truck driver is not an independent contractor. This could include failing to properly continue a routine inspection or maintenance on the vehicles or trying to cut corners in an effort to save money by having drivers meet unrealistic delivery deadlines.
Truck Manufacturers and Maintenance Contractors
In other situations, a vehicle or truck part that malfunctions or is defective could have caused the truck accident. The truck manufacturer could be held liable due to a defective part or the maintenance contractor could be held liable if the part malfunctioned because of faulty maintenance.
Cargo Owners, Loaders and Distributors
Cargo owners or distributors could be legally liable if they fail to take the necessary precautions to ensure that any hazardous materials are safely loaded or handled properly and the cargo causes a truck accident.
Advantages of Hiring a Lawyer
There are many advantages to hiring a lawyer after being injured in a truck accident. For one, accident victims generally recover more compensation when they seek legal help versus those that do not.
Our lawyers at Jay Trucks and Associates have more than 150 years of combined experience handling many different personal injury cases. Should you have a case and decide to move forward, we are prepared to obtain the police or accident report filed, black box data from the truck involved, the truck driver’s logbooks, inspection, repair and/or maintenance records, witness statements and use expert testimony to help build a strong case on your behalf. We have helped countless Michigan residents recover maximum compensation.
We also know how insurance companies think and the tactics commonly used to delay, devalue or deny legitimate claims. An insurance adjuster may seem friendly and like they are on your side, but they have ulterior motives. His or her overall goal is to save the company money, not to maximize your damages. This is why we recommend having an experienced lawyer by your side to protect your rights and best interests.
Have Some Questions? Ph: Call Now 989-254-6113989-565-9047.
Filing Deadlines for Michigan Truck Accidents
There are multiple filing deadlines in Michigan that truck accident victims should know. Generally, you have one year from the accident to file a claim if you are pursuing first-party no-insurance benefits. Failure to file within the one-year window will likely result in your inability to obtain these benefits.
If you are denied these benefits, you may be able to file a lawsuit. The deadline in most situations is within three years from the date of the accident for a personal injury or within three years from the date of your loved one’s death. Failure to file within the statute of limitations will likely result in your claim being dismissed.
Applicable State and Federal Trucking Laws
State and federal laws govern Michigan’s trucking industry. Truck drivers traveling within and across state lines must obey certain regulations. At Jay Trucks & Associates, we are ready to determine whether the accident and your resulting injuries were caused by a violation of state or federal trucking laws.
Size and Weight Limits
The width of a commercial truck must be between 96 to 102 inches, the height cannot exceed more than 13 feet and 6 inches and the length of a single vehicle, including its load, cannot exceed 53 feet. Overall, the maximum gross weight for a commercial vehicle in the state is 80,000 pounds or less.
Commercial Truck Insurance
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) have certain commercial truck insurance requirements. All drivers must have liability insurance coverage and can opt for additional coverage to protect themselves in the event of an accident, by either purchasing physical damage truck insurance and/or bobtail coverage.
In accordance with the MDOT, truck drivers traveling within state lines much have enough liability insurance to cover the type of cargo being hauled. This includes the following amount of coverage:
- At least $300,000 in coverage for trucks transporting household goods
- At least $750,000 in coverage for trucks transporting general freight
- At least $1,000,000 in coverage for trucks transporting oil
- At least $5,000,000 in coverage for trucks transporting hazardous materials
Drivers traveling across state lines must follow federal regulations. Commercial trucks must carry between $750,000 to $5,000,000 in liability insurance based on the type of cargo being hauled. The lowest amount of coverage available is $300,000 for non-hazardous cargo in trucks weighing no more than 10,001 pounds.
Hours of Service Regulations
The number of hours truck drivers can operate their vehicles is restricted by the FMCSA’s hours of service regulations. This means that a truck driver can only drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty and cannot drive after he or she has reached 60 to 70 hours on duty in 7 to 8 consecutive days.
Drug and Alcohol Rules
Trucking companies are required to test their truck drivers for drug or alcohol use under federal law. This includes an initial test before hiring an employee and other tests throughout his or her employment.
Testing is also conducted after the following scenarios:
- Accidents that causes a severe, life-changing injury or results in death
- Reasonable suspicion that the truck driver is driving while intoxicated
- When a truck driver is returning back to work after he or she tested positive
Truck accident cases can be complex. Our licensed Lansing truck accident attorneys are well-versed in state and federal trucking laws and how they may apply to our particular situation.
Give us a call at Call Now 989-254-6113989-565-9047 or fill out our free online form.
Common Causes of Michigan Truck Accidents
Unfortunately, most truck accidents are caused by negligence, such as:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk or drugged driving
- Drowsy driving
- Speeding
- Unbalanced or unsecured cargo
- Blind spots
- Maintenance issues
- Following other vehicles too closely
This can lead to many different types of truck accidents:
- T-bone collision
- Rear-end wreck
- Head-on collision
- Rollover
- Left-turn accident
- Jackknife crash
Common injuries include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, burns and amputations, among many others.
Get in Touch With a Lansing Truck Accident Lawyer
For more than 30 years, Jay Trucks & Associates has been advocating for injury victims and their families, recovering millions of dollars in compensation for clients in Ingham County and throughout Michigan. Founder Jay Trucks and president Todd Trucks are both members of the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association.
Schedule a consultation with a Lansing truck accident lawyer at no cost to you. There are no risks or obligations involved. Should we represent you, there are no upfront fees. We only get paid if you win.
Our firm is ready to take your call at Call Now 989-254-6113989-565-9047 or chat online.