Truck accidents can be painful and traumatizing experiences. Whether you suffer a life-changing injury or the unthinkable loss of a loved one, you don’t have to go through it alone. The dedicated and experienced team at Atnip & Associates, PLLC, is here to help you seek fair compensation to cover your medical and other expenses.
We understand how devastating a serious truck accident can be, and we have the knowledge and resources to go head-to-head with insurance companies that seek to delay, deny, and settle your claim for less. Our capable and compassionate attorneys will aggressively pursue the compensation you need to focus on healing.
We proudly serve clients in and around Madison Heights who have been injured or lost a loved one in a trucking accident. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and discuss your case.
According to Traffic Crash Data reporting from the Michigan State Police, Oakland County is by far the most dangerous in the state when it comes to motor vehicle accidents. Of the 287,953 accidents that occurred in Michigan in 2023, 35,386 (roughly 12%) happened in Oakland County, resulting in 54 fatalities and 9,212 injuries.
Whether you’re a resident driving home after a hot summer day spent splashing in the cool waters of Red Oaks Water Park or you’re passing through on your way to or from downtown Detroit, you’re more likely to experience a collision in this county than any other in the state.
What can you expect if you’re injured in a truck accident in Madison Heights?
Large trucks are involved in more than 5,000 fatal accidents each year in the United States, along with well over 100,000 injury accidents. A truck driver may be speeding or driving under the influence, or they may fall asleep at the wheel. Regardless, the outcome could be a crash that shatters your world.
As you can imagine, the size and weight of large trucks can cause significant damage to other vehicles and their occupants. The following are some of the most prevalent types of injuries produced when cars collide with trucks.
Whiplash, which occurs when the head is thrown violently back and forth or side to side, overextending the neck muscles, is among the most common injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes. Typical symptoms include:
Spinal cord injuries are also a possibility, including those to the cervical (neck), thoracic (upper and middle back), and lumbar (lower back) vertebrae. Victims could experience herniated discs, broken vertebrae, and nerve damage that could leave them in extreme pain or even paralyze them temporarily or permanently.
An accident victim can easily suffer a head injury during a collision when their airbag deploys, their head collides with a stationary object like an interior car surface, or whiplash causes their brain to slam against the inside of their skull.
In the worst accidents, an object could penetrate the victim’s skull and damage the brain. However, all of these situations can lead to a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
A concussion is typically considered a minor form of TBI, although it can have severe and lasting effects if not diagnosed and treated promptly and appropriately. Secondary brain injury, which manifests hours or days after the initial injury, is also a concern. This is why early diagnosis and monitoring are so important.
External injuries like cuts and bruises are usually readily apparent after an accident. Internal injuries can be more difficult to identify.
Internal bleeding and organ damage can have serious consequences if not identified and treated quickly. As such, you should seek immediate medical attention if you experience discomfort, pain, swelling, or bruising of the abdomen.
Safety features like airbags, head restraints, and lap or shoulder belts all serve to protect the most vital parts of the body (specifically, the head and torso). However, your limbs may flail during the impact of a collision, resulting in soft tissue injuries like sprains and strains.
Sprains occur when the ligaments connecting the body’s joints stretch, tear, or deform, while a strain involves damage to the muscles or tendons.
In addition to sprains and strains, broken bones are a possibility during a collision when the victim’s arms and legs impact hard surfaces inside the vehicle. Broken ribs are another common injury suffered in car crashes.
Although accidents involving trucks aren’t as common as those involving passenger vehicles, the outcomes can be much more severe.
While more than 388,000 passenger vehicles were involved in crashes in Michigan in 2023, only about 0.003% resulted in fatalities (1,067 total). By contrast, there were fewer accidents involving trucks (approximately 15,852), but the resulting fatality rate was three times as high at over 0.006%, or 100 deaths.
Even though Michigan is a no-fault auto insurance state, you can seek justice and fair compensation when you lose a loved one in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence.
No-fault insurance means your personal injury protection (PIP) will cover your medical expenses and those of family members living in your household, along with wage loss, for a time, regardless of who was to blame for the accident.
But what if your costs exceed the coverage limits and another party was at fault due to impaired driving, distracted driving, fatigue, or moving violations? In this case, you have the right to seek compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance.
If your claim is for less than $25,000, the 43rd District Court, Madison Heights Division on W. 13 Mile Rd. will oversee your case. For civil litigation involving amounts of $25,000 or more, your case will be assigned to the Oakland County 6th Judicial Circuit Court in Pontiac, MI.
Compensatory damages could include economic damages to cover costs like medical bills and lost wages. They could also include non-economic damages for effects like pain and suffering, loss of consortium and companionship, and disfigurement.
The attorneys at Atnip & Associates, PLLC, will attempt to negotiate a fair settlement outside of court to get you the compensation you need quickly. Since settling isn’t always an option, however, we’ll also be prepared to litigate your case at trial if necessary.
When you’re seriously injured or lose a loved one in a truck accident, you need time to heal or grieve. The last thing you need is to have to deal with an insurance company with the financial and legal resources to wear you down until you give up and accept a lowball offer.
You deserve the opportunity to work with an experienced attorney who knows how to pursue the compensation you need to put your accident behind you and get on with your life.
The capable and empathetic team at Atnip & Associates, PLLC, is proud to offer premier legal guidance and support to Madison Heights residents in need of representation. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and discuss your case with one of our lawyers.
