Need a Michigan Truck Accident Lawyer? Andriacchi Law is Here to Help
If you’ve been in a truck accident and are looking for a Michigan truck accident lawyer, Andriacchi’s Law’s truck accident lawyers are here to help. We have the knowledge, skills, and experience to get you the maximum compensation you deserve for your serious injuries.
After a truck crash, you need to focus on your physical injuries and emotional trauma. You must focus on getting better and your medical treatment. The last thing you need to worry about is the insurance company. That’s where we step in.
With our expertise in Michigan truck accident cases, we guide you through the legal maze, helping you understand your rights and options, and ensuring you get the maximum compensation you deserve. We do everything from:
- Hire accident reconstruction experts
- Interview witnesses
- Determine who is legally responsible
- Summarize the injuries caused
- Gather medical records and medical costs and
- Pursue compensation through no-fault insurance, the truck driver’s insurance, or through a lawsuit and trial.
You need to act fast as any delay may mean evidence gets destroyed or lost (like black-box data). Hurry and call now for a free consultation today.
Key Takeaways
- Having an experienced Michigan truck accident attorney is essential for recovering compensation after a crash.
- Trucking cases are not the same as a car accident.
- Truck accident lawyers will ensure your rights are protected.
- Our truck accident lawyers have successfully helped truck accident victims who have suffered serious injuries, including orthopedic injuries and brain injuries.
- We offer free consultations and help clients on a contingency fee basis.
Why You Need a Michigan Truck Accident Lawyer Skilled in Michigan Truck Accident Lawsuits
A truck accident’s consequences can be devastating. Victims often face serious injuries, medical bills, and a loss of income. You need an experienced Michigan truck accident attorney to guide you through the process, especially if you file a truck accident lawsuit. But why is this so challenging, you ask?
You Must Hire a Lawyer With Experience in Truck Crashes
Many times after a semi-truck accident, the victim will hire a lawyer who is a general practitioner. A general practitioner is a lawyer who does a little bit of everything. Maybe they help clients with a will, divorce, and a speeding ticket.
It’s like going to a family care doctor when you need brain surgery. A good family care doctor would send you on your way.
Sometimes, the victim will hire a Michigan personal injury lawyer. This lawyer may tout all their various settlements, but they are all in car accidents or medical malpractice. They don’t say anything about truck crashes specifically.
It’s like going to a shoulder surgeon when you need brain surgery. It’s better than the family care doctor but not as good as an actual brain surgeon would be.
Both hires are huge mistakes.
Many of these lawyers treat truck crashes as car accidents. But, commercial vehicles, like semi-trucks, big rigs, or a tractor-trailer, is not the same as a car. A semi-truck driver has to follow special rules. A car driver driving passenger vehicles does not have to follow those same rules.
Those rules are called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
Not knowing this is a huge blunder. The negligent truck driver’s insurance company will note this mistake and value your case less.
You must hire a lawyer who has helped truck accident victims before. At Andriacchi Law, we help truck accident victims. We’ve filed truck accident lawsuits before, taken them to trial, and won.
Your Lawyer Must Understand Michigan Truck Accident Laws and the Statute of Limitations
Michigan and federal truck laws apply to Michigan truck accidents. These laws are intricate, detailed, and include things like:
- Truck driver conduct, such as how fast they can drive in bad weather or when they’re allowed to turn
- Vehicle maintenance, especially for the braking system
- Loading and unloading cargo, and
- Company responsibilities.
Understanding and applying these laws is a huge step to proving liability. That’s why you need a skilled truck accident lawyer. This improves your chance to get a fair result.
But, understanding the laws is just the first step.
Another important law is the Statute of Limitations. Michigan law has a strict time limit for filing a truck accident lawsuit. Generally, MCL 600.5805(2) says you have three years after the crash to file your lawsuit.
Experienced truck accident attorneys will guide you through the process, ensuring all deadlines are met, gathering evidence, and your rights are protected. They help a victim’s ability to hold the truck drivers’ companies accountable.
You Must Act Now: Waiting Means Destroyed Evidence
Even though you have three years to file a truck accident lawsuit, it is still important to act fast. Delays can lead to loss or destruction of vital evidence, making it hard to establish liability.
A lawyer must properly preserve evidence, including witness testimonies, photographs, and other physical evidence at the accident scene. Having a team of professionals ready to collect this evidence increases your chances of a successful outcome. We know experts who have emergency on-call hours and will travel immediately to a crash scene.
For example, black-box data is only kept for so long, especially if the truck is still operable. I also know of a Nevada case where the trucking company and their insurance company made repairs to the semi-truck immediately after the accident happened. They did it without telling anyone so it was harder to prove they did anything wrong.
Contact a truck accident attorney as soon as possible.
How Lawyers Determine Fault in Truck Accidents
Figuring out who is to blame involves more than just looking at the truck driver. Many times, the trucking companies and other potentially liable parties are to blame.
Investigating the Truck Driver’s Conduct
The truck driver’s conduct is a key step in determining liability. Was the driver speeding? Were they distracted or fatigued? Did they follow established safety protocols? By answering these questions, a clear picture of the driver’s role in the accident can emerge.
Moreover, evidence like driving logs and black box data can offer important insights into the driver’s actions and behavior, which helps a lot in deciding fault.
Assessing the Trucking Company’s Responsibilities
Trucking companies must ensure their vehicles’ and drivers’ safety. They must maintain their trucks to specific standards, train their drivers, and ensure all safety regulations are followed. When a trucking company doesn’t, the negligent truck drivers and trucking companies are responsible.
For example: poor maintenance can cause a mechanical defect leading to a crash, or inadequate training can lead to driver error. Both the driver and the trucking company (especially if they are the vehicle owner) may be held accountable.
Other Liable Parties in Truck Accidents
In some cases, other parties might be responsible. That might include the cargo loading company, if improper loading contributed to the accident, or the manufacturer of a defective truck part that led to a mechanical failure.
In complicated cases, multiple parties may share responsibility, making seeking compensation more challenging. Having a skilled attorney can help untangle this web of liability and ensure all responsible parties are held accountable.
Special Federal Considerations for Commercial Vehicle Collisions
A few federal regulations for commercial vehicles and commercial vehicle collisions are discussed next. These regulations govern commercial trucks, cargo-related issues, and liability.
Federal Regulations Governing Big Rigs
Federal regulations are very important in commercial truck operations. They cover a wide range of issues, including:
- Hours-of-service limits for drivers
- Cargo securement requirements
- Vehicle maintenance and inspection standards
- Drug and alcohol testing requirements
- Electronic logging device (ELD) mandate
Non-compliance with these regulations can lead to accidents and is a key piece of evidence proving negligence in a truck accident case.
Cargo-Related Issues and Liability
Cargo-related issues often contribute to commercial vehicle accidents. For example, improper loading or securing cargo leads to unbalanced trucks, increasing the risk of accidents. Transporting hazardous materials is especially dangerous and requires adherence to specific safety protocols.
Breach of these protocols can result in serious accidents and expose the cargo loaders or trucking companies to accountability.
Your Lawyer Must Understand Truck Accident Injuries
Understanding the rules and laws for commercial vehicles, the truck driver, and the trucking company are just one piece of the puzzle. Truck accident attorneys must also understand medicine and injuries as well.
Semi-truck crashes can lead to a wide range of internal injuries, everything from minor injuries to life-altering injuries including:
- Minor cuts and bruises
- Whiplash
- Neck injuries along with thoracic and lumbar spine (herniated discs or bulging discs)
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Amputations
- Burns
- Paralysis
- Wrongful death
The severity of these injuries greatly influences the amount of compensation a victim can recover.
Victims often need comprehensive medical care and assistance during their recovery, increasing the overall impact of the accident. Often, your medical expenses are paid by your insurance coverage, such as health insurance or no-fault insurance.
Your lawyer must understand the injuries that occur in a motor vehicle accident. They don’t have to be a doctor. But they must understand how the injury occurred, the standard treatment, and how to prove it happened and you suffer from it.
Your Lawyer Must Understand Your Medical Care
Recovering from a truck accident often involves extensive medical care. This can range from emergency medical attention and surgeries to long-term care such as physical therapy and rehabilitation. The extent and cost of this care greatly affect the compensation claim. Keep detailed records of all your medical treatments.
Truck drivers’ insurance companies will review your medical records. If they can, they’ll challenge any treatment you get (or don’t get) to try to blame you. For that reason, your lawyer needs to understand this and help you get the appropriate medical care you need.
At Andriacchi Law, we have experience working with medical experts, reviewing medical records, and understanding care and treatment for these catastrophic injuries.
Understanding Compensation Claims in Michigan Truck Crashes
After a truck accident, victims often face a mountain of expenses, from medical bills and lost wages to property damages. In Michigan, this is where compensation claims come in.
Your lawyer must have the knowledge, skills, and experience to handle all aspects of your compensation claim, such as:
- Economic damages, like lost wages or medical expenses
- Non-economic damages (commonly called pain and suffering)
- Common insurance adjusters’ and defense lawyers’ tactics
- Settlement negotiations and
- Take your case through a jury verdict and win.
At Andriacchi Law, we have successfully helped many victims from the day the crash occurred all the way through a jury trial.
Economic vs. Non-Economic Damages
In a truck accident case, damages are divided into economic and non-economic categories. Understanding the distinction between these types of damages is vital in estimating the overall value of the compensation claim.
Economic damages cover tangible, out-of-pocket expenses such as medical bills, property damage, and lost wages.
Non-economic damages address intangible losses such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of companionship.
Navigating Insurance Adjuster Tactics
Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize the amount their company pays out in claims. They may employ various tactics, such as rushing victims into settlements, using victims’ statements against them, or offering lower-than-fair compensation.
A skilled attorney can help victims navigate these tactics, ensuring their rights are protected and they receive fair compensation. Something as simple as knowing your injuries’ ICD codes and reporting them to the insurance adjuster can increase your claim.
Settlement Negotiations and Litigation
Many times, settlement negotiations or legal proceedings are necessary to secure the most compensation for victims.
Remember: insurance companies don’t make money by paying you a fair amount. They make money by collecting premiums and denying claims as long as possible. If they’re forced to pay, they’ll try to pay as little as possible.
These processes can be complex and stressful. At Andriacchi Law, we will guide you through them, ensuring your interests are represented, and you receive the compensation you deserve. Call now for a free consultation today. We take cases on a contingency fee, which means that if you win, we win, and if you lose, we lose. You don’t pay a dime in attorney fees unless we win.
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Steps to Take After a Michigan Truck Accident
These steps include documenting evidence at the accident scene and contacting a truck accident attorney.
Step 1: Get Medical Attention and Report All Injuries
Obviously, if you have severe injuries and are sitting on the side of a road, reading this is the last thing you should be doing. Instead, call 911 and get immediate help at an emergency room.
Although I’m being somewhat facetious (I don’t think anyone is reading this site immediately after a crash), in the days afterward, you should also be actively watching for signs or symptoms of any injuries. You should also ask a loved one to keep an eye on you and document any changes in behavior by writing it down.
Together, you should follow up with a primary care doctor, walk-in clinic, or emergency room. Report everything. If you have a headache, report it. Dizziness, nausea, hearing changes, pain in your side, etc., report it all. Forgetful? Report it. Changes in smell? Report that too.
All of these are common and key signs and symptoms of potentially serious internal injuries. Report them, get the care you need, and call us.
Step 2: Gather Evidence at the Accident Scene
Ideally, you have a lawyer or loved one who can do this step for you. Recording evidence at the accident scene is essential in constructing a robust case. This includes:
- Taking pictures of the vehicles involved
- Taking pictures of the surrounding area
- Taking pictures of any visible injuries
- Gathering information from witnesses
- Obtaining the police report
These steps can provide invaluable insights into the accident’s circumstances.
Step 3: Hire a Michigan Truck Accident Attorney
Call a Michigan truck accident attorney as soon as possible. An experienced attorney can:
- Guide victims through the complex legal process
- Help gather evidence and preserve it
- Navigate and file insurance claims
- Fight for fair compensation including through trial
Having legal representation will lower your stress and burden.
Maximizing Your Claim: The Advantage of Hiring a Skilled Attorney
Although you can try to handle your case on your own, hiring a skilled attorney can significantly impact the amount of compensation they receive. Think of it this way. If you were the insurance adjuster, who would you take more seriously: someone representing themself, or a lawyer who has multiple successful verdicts and settlements under their belt?
Exactly. A seasoned attorney will use their knowledge in accident reconstruction, witness interviewing, and applying intricate laws and regulations to build a strong case.
Expertise in Accident Reconstruction
Lawyers often use accident reconstruction experts, which involve:
- Analyzing and determining the cause of a vehicle accident
- Providing expert analysis and testimony to establish liability
- Determining the factors that contributed to the accident
This can be extremely beneficial in building a strong case and maximizing your compensation claim.
Interviewing Witnesses and Gathering Evidence
Witnesses provide key details about the accident’s cause, the parties’ actions, and other pertinent information. For example, in one of our trucking cases, an EMS worker who first responded to the crash testified that our client was dazed and confused at the scene. This was a key piece of evidence that wasn’t documented in the EMS report. It was key because it was the first sign our client had suffered a traumatic brain injury in the crash.
This evidence will be used to negotiate a fair settlement or present a solid court case. In the above example, this EMS worker’s testimony was key in disproving the defense doctor’s lies that our client was faking and exaggerating her injuries.
Interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence are vital steps in constructing a robust case.
Complex Laws and Regulations Navigation
Truck accident cases involve a myriad of complex laws and regulations. An adept attorney can navigate these complexities, safeguarding the victim’s rights and striving for the best possible outcome. They can interpret and apply the laws to the victim’s situation, ensuring the most favorable outcome.
Call Andriacchi Law’s Truck Accident Attorneys Now
With the right legal guidance from an experienced truck accident attorney like Andriacchi Law, victims can successfully navigate this complex process, ensuring their rights are protected and they receive the compensation they deserve.
At Andriacchi Law, we have successfully represented truck accident victims previously, including winning at trial. Attorney Dominic Andriacchi, a former truck driver himself, still has his Commercial Driver’s License since the 1970s. Attorney Dominic Andriacchi, Jr. has attended numerous trial skills and medical seminars throughout the US and internationally.
Combined they will recover compensation for you. Call now for a free consultation or fill out the form below.