Auto Accident Recovery
$3,700,000
Settlement for an auto accident causing death.
Free case review
Over $600 million recovered
Jay Trucks & Associates has a proven track record fighting for our clients. We're committed to securing your recovery and getting you back on your feet.
Our Truck Accident Lawyers
Our Michigan truck accident attorneys move fast to preserve black-box data, hours-of-service logs, and maintenance records — and we know how to take on trucking companies and their insurers.
Hear from our clients
How truck accident case values are calculated in MI
Truck accident settlements are typically far larger than ordinary auto cases — because the injuries are catastrophic and commercial policies carry far higher limits. Our attorneys fight to maximize every category of damages.
Medical bills & future care
Emergency surgery, ICU stays, orthopedic and TBI rehab, prosthetics, in-home care, and the lifetime medical treatment catastrophic truck-crash injuries demand.
Lost wages & earning capacity
Missed paychecks, exhausted PTO, self-employment income, and the long-term hit to your earning ability when injuries keep you off the job for months or years.
Pain, suffering & no-fault benefits
Third-party pain and suffering damages plus full Michigan PIP benefits — medical, wage loss, replacement services, and attendant care from the at-fault commercial policy.
Next steps after getting injured in a truck accident
Trucking companies dispatch investigators to the scene within hours. What you do in the first days after a Michigan truck crash will shape every dollar of your recovery.
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Get medical attention immediately
Call 911 from the scene. Even if you feel fine, get evaluated the same day — adrenaline masks serious injuries, and Michigan PIP requires prompt treatment for benefits to apply.
- 2
Document the scene and the truck
Photograph the truck, its DOT and trailer numbers, the trucking company name on the door, the cargo, debris, skid marks, road conditions, and damage to every vehicle involved.
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Wait for the police report
Stay until officers arrive and complete an official UD-10 crash report. It's the single most important early piece of evidence in any Michigan truck accident claim.
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Get witness contact information
Names, phone numbers, and email addresses for every witness. Truck companies move fast to lock down statements — independent witnesses help us push back.
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Don't talk to the trucking company's insurer
Adjusters often appear within hours and offer quick checks. Never give a recorded statement, sign a medical release, or accept a settlement before talking to a lawyer.
- 6
Call a Michigan truck accident lawyer immediately
Black-box data, hours-of-service logs, and dashcam video can be overwritten or destroyed in days. We send a spoliation letter the moment you hire us to preserve every piece of evidence.
Pay nothing unless we win your case
We handle every Michigan truck accident case on contingency. No retainer. No hourly fees. No risk to you. If we don't recover money for you, you don't owe us a dime.
- Free, no-obligation case review
- We come to you anywhere in Michigan
- Available 24/7 — we answer the phone
- Over $600 million recovered for clients
Talk to an attorney now
Call our Michigan truck accident team
(989) 601-2554 Get my free case reviewAvailable 24/7 · Confidential · No obligation
Michigan's truck accident laws
Michigan truck accident cases sit at the intersection of state no-fault law and federal trucking regulations. Knowing both is the difference between full compensation and a denied claim.
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations apply
Commercial trucks are governed by FMCSA rules covering hours of service, driver qualifications, maintenance, and cargo loading. Violations of these federal rules are powerful evidence of negligence.
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Michigan no-fault still controls PIP
If you were driving or riding in a passenger vehicle, you are entitled to Michigan PIP benefits — medical, wage loss, replacement services, and attendant care — typically from your own auto policy.
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Strict deadlines and evidence preservation
You generally have one year to file a no-fault PIP application and three years to bring a third-party lawsuit. Black-box data and ELD logs can be overwritten in 7–30 days — speed matters.
Common truck driver errors
Most Michigan truck crashes trace back to a handful of avoidable driver mistakes. We investigate every one of them — and use the evidence to prove fault.
Driver fatigue & hours-of-service violations
Drivers pushed past the 11-hour driving limit or 70-hour weekly cap by dispatchers — ELD logs and falsified paper logs are the smoking gun in these cases.
Distracted driving
Texting, dispatch tablets, eating, or fiddling with the radio in an 80,000-pound rig produces catastrophic crashes at highway speed.
Speeding & aggressive driving
Tailgating passenger cars, weaving between lanes, and exceeding posted limits — especially under load — drastically increase stopping distances and crash severity.
Drug & alcohol impairment
Stimulants, prescription medications, alcohol, and marijuana all show up on post-crash testing and create grounds for punitive damages.
Inadequate training & inexperience
New drivers turned loose on big rigs without proper supervision are a leading cause of jackknife, rollover, and lane-departure crashes.
Failure to check blind spots & mirrors
Massive blind spots — "no-zones" — make lane changes and right turns especially dangerous for cars beside or behind a tractor-trailer.
Improper braking & equipment misuse
Riding the brakes downhill, using engine brakes incorrectly, or failing to downshift causes runaway and overheated-brake crashes on Michigan grades.
Failure to adjust for weather
Snow, ice, fog, and Great Lakes lake-effect storms require slower speeds and greater following distances. Drivers who don't adjust trigger pile-ups.
Common trucking company negligence
The trucking company is almost always on the hook alongside the driver. We dig into hiring, training, dispatch, and maintenance records to prove corporate negligence.
Negligent hiring & retention
Putting drivers behind the wheel without verifying CDL status, prior crashes, drug-test history, or motor-vehicle records — and keeping them after warning signs.
Inadequate training & supervision
Skipping required orientation, route training, or refresher courses creates drivers who can't handle weight shifts, mountain grades, or Michigan winter conditions.
Pressuring drivers past hours-of-service limits
Dispatchers who reward speed over safety push drivers to fudge ELD logs, skip rest breaks, and run loads while exhausted — a pattern we expose in discovery.
Failure to maintain equipment
Bald tires, worn brakes, broken lights, defective coupling, and overdue inspections show up in DVIR reports and DOT violation history — and prove negligence.
Improper loading & cargo securement
Overweight, unbalanced, or unsecured loads cause rollovers, jackknifes, and load-shifts that throw a rig into oncoming traffic.
Ignoring drug & alcohol testing rules
Skipping pre-employment, random, and post-crash testing — or failing to act on positive results — is a federal violation that supports punitive damages.
Liable parties in Michigan trucking accidents
Truck accident claims often involve multiple defendants and stacked insurance policies. We identify every liable party and pursue every available source of compensation.
The truck driver
Personally liable for negligent driving — fatigue, distraction, speeding, impairment, or violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
The trucking company (motor carrier)
Vicariously liable for the driver's conduct on the job and directly liable for negligent hiring, training, supervision, and dispatch decisions.
The truck owner (when separate from the carrier)
Owner-operators, leasing companies, and fleet owners can be held liable for failing to maintain the tractor or trailer.
Cargo loaders & shippers
Third parties responsible for loading and securing freight can be liable when overweight, unbalanced, or unsecured cargo causes a crash.
Maintenance & repair contractors
Outside mechanics and shops that perform negligent repairs or miss critical inspections share responsibility for equipment-failure crashes.
Manufacturers of defective parts
Tire blowouts, brake failures, and steering defects open product-liability claims against truck, tire, and component manufacturers.
Government entities (in some cases)
When poor road design, missing signage, or unsafe construction zones contribute to a crash, state or municipal entities may share liability.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions Michigan truck accident victims ask us most often.
How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in Michigan?
You generally have one year from the date of the crash to file a Michigan no-fault PIP application and three years to file a third-party bodily injury lawsuit. But evidence — black-box data, ELD logs, dashcam footage — can be overwritten in days. Call us immediately so we can preserve it.
Why are truck accident cases more complex than car accident cases?
Truck cases involve federal regulations, multiple defendants (driver, motor carrier, owner, shipper, maintenance contractor), stacked insurance policies, and aggressive corporate defense teams. They also require fast evidence preservation. We handle all of it.
Who can be held liable for a Michigan truck accident?
The driver and trucking company are almost always defendants, but liability often extends to the truck's owner, cargo loaders, maintenance contractors, parts manufacturers, and sometimes government entities. We identify every liable party.
What evidence is critical in a truck accident case?
Black-box (event data recorder) data, electronic logging device (ELD) hours-of-service records, driver qualification files, dashcam and traffic-camera footage, maintenance and inspection records, and the post-crash drug and alcohol test. We send a spoliation letter the moment you hire us.
Will I get Michigan PIP benefits if I was hit by a truck?
Yes — if you were in a passenger vehicle, your own no-fault insurance pays PIP benefits regardless of fault. That covers medical care, wage loss, replacement services, and attendant care. We also pursue a third-party claim against the trucking company for pain and suffering and excess damages.
What does it cost to hire a truck accident lawyer?
Nothing up front. We handle every Michigan truck accident case on contingency — you pay no attorney fees unless we win. The free consultation costs nothing and there's zero obligation.
What if the trucking company's insurance offers me a quick settlement?
Don't accept it. Trucking insurers move within hours of a crash specifically to settle cheaply before you understand the value of your case. Initial offers in serious truck cases are almost always far below what the case is worth. Talk to a lawyer first.
What is my Michigan truck accident case worth?
It depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical bills and future care, lost wages and earning capacity, available commercial policy limits (often $1 million or more), and the strength of the liability evidence. Our attorneys give you a candid valuation in your free consultation.
Offices across Michigan
We meet clients at offices throughout the state. Find the location nearest you.
Free case review
Need to speak to someone right away? Call (989) 601-2554