Semi-trucks are common sights throughout the country. They are essential components of the American economy, transporting goods across state lines to ensure stores, businesses, and even individual citizens receive items in a timely manner. Despite their obvious usefulness, however, trucks can also be highly dangerous vehicles.
As you travel along highways like the M-343, you can encounter commercial trucks traveling at very high speeds, and there’s always the worry that the trucker could be fatigued, distracted, or even driving under the influence.
Your concern is not unfounded. In 2023 alone, there were 7,827 collisions throughout the state involving commercial trucks.
If you’ve been in a truck accident and suffered injuries, you need experienced representation to help you recover damages. At Atnip & Associates, PLLC, our truck accident lawyers offer the guidance you need to file a claim.
Truck accidents can occur for a number of reasons, all of which can lead to catastrophic injuries.
Truckers spend a lot of time on the road, and boredom can set in. That can lead them to adjust the radio, look at their phone, or engage in any other activity besides driving. This is called distracted driving.
Distracted driving is dangerous, causing thousands of fatalities each year. In 2022, 3,308 people died throughout the United States because of distracted drivers. Someone who doesn’t have their eyes on the road and their full attention on driving can miss hazards and changes in road conditions.
This split focus is especially problematic when a truck is involved because these large vehicles need more time to stop. In many instances, abruptly hitting the brakes to avoid a hazard will cause the truck to careen out of control.
People who hold a commercial driver’s license have very strict regulations to follow when it comes to driving under the influence. Instead of the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of 0.08% that the rest of the drivers have to abide by, holders of a CDL must not have a BAC above 0.04%.
Someone driving while intoxicated will be less able to respond appropriately to changes in road conditions because their reflexes and coordination will be affected. They could also lose consciousness behind the wheel.
Michigan abides by the laws the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has created when it comes to the number of hours a truck driver can work. These laws are in place to prevent truck drivers from being exhausted behind the wheel. Despite these laws, however, truckers often exceed work hours to meet deadlines.
A driver who’s tired or sleepy will be less able to react in time to changes on the road. If the trucker falls asleep behind the wheel, they could lose control of the vehicle and cause a catastrophic accident.
If a trucker is speeding, they may not be able to stop the truck in time to avoid a collision if a hazard appears. Even if they hit the brakes immediately, a commercial truck carries a lot of force and weight that will propel it forward.
The tractor may stop, but the trailer could continue forward on its own momentum and lead to a jackknife or even a rollover accident.
An accident is not always the trucker’s fault. Sometimes, truck parts malfunction, leading the driver to lose control of the vehicle. If the tires fail and explode, for example, the fault for any resulting accidents can belong to the parts manufacturer.
If the problem could have been caught and fixed during routine maintenance, the fault could also belong to the person who was supposed to inspect the vehicle. That could be the driver or their employer.
A truck carrying cargo that hasn’t been loaded correctly could easily get out of the driver’s control. That’s because cargo can shift during transport, changing the truck’s stability and balance. In these kinds of cases, the company in charge of the loading could be held liable.
One of the most important things you can do after being in a truck accident is to contact a personal injury lawyer. One main reason for this is to ensure you’re able to get fair compensation.
Michigan has complex laws regarding vehicular accidents. Because it’s a no-fault state, you would be able to claim compensation from your own insurer. What you’d not be able to do following this no-fault system is claim non-economic damages. You can only be eligible for those damages if you have sustained serious injuries.
That may not be an issue if you suffered very minor injuries, but that is less likely to be the case when a truck is involved. To make certain you can prove your injuries are severe enough to pursue a personal injury claim outside of the no-fault laws, you need a lawyer. Serious injuries include fractures, disfigurement, and permanent disabilities.
With Atnip & Associates, PLLC, helping you, you get the chance to claim non-economic damages. We’ll present all of the evidence necessary to show that you do not hold more than 50% of fault for the accident and that you deserve non-economic damages.
Negotiating with insurance companies can be very complicated and stressful. They’re always looking for ways to keep from paying you what you deserve. They may even try to get you to accept a low offer by threatening not to pay anything. With an experienced lawyer helping you, you can focus on healing and not on dealing with insurers.
If negotiations don’t progress as desired, we can take the claim to the 8th District Court. We have decades of experience litigating personal injury claims. Often, just the threat of going to court can get insurance companies to come back to the negotiation table.
After a truck accident, you can claim economic and non-economic damages. Economic ones compensate you for the financial losses you suffered. Medical expenses and lost wages fit into this category. If you’ll need ongoing medical care, you can get compensation for those future expenses, too.
If you’ll be unable to return to work because of the severity of the injuries, you can also claim loss of earning potential. It compensates you for the years of wages you’d have received if the accident hadn’t occurred.
If you suffered serious injuries, you can also claim non-economic damages. These compensate you for non-financial losses, including pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
If you’ve suffered losses in a truck accident that resulted from someone’s negligent or wrongful conduct, you have a chance to recover damages. By hiring a truck accident lawyer, you can get experienced assistance throughout the entire claims process.
At Atnip & Associates, PLLC, we offer the tenacious representation you deserve. Our team of lawyers will assess your claim and begin gathering evidence to demonstrate that you deserve compensation. We will aggressively negotiate with insurers to help you maximize your settlement and go all the way to court if necessary.
Contact Atnip & Associates, PLLC to schedule a free consultation.
