Accidents involving semi-trucks can be far more serious than the average motor vehicle accident. Due to their sheer size and weight, large trucks can do considerably more damage. The individuals involved in these accidents frequently suffer life-changing injuries and even death.
Seeking compensation after being injured in a crash involving a semi-truck is complex. There are several factors involved that don’t apply to accidents involving privately owned cars. Questions you may have after a semi-truck collision include:
- Out of several possible parties, who was liable for the crash?
- Are my injuries so severe I can pursue my claim for damages against the defendant through the courts?
- What can I claim as damages?
- Will the trucking company’s insurance cover my damages?
If you have been involved in a truck crash, seek advice from an experienced truck accident lawyer. They can protect your legal rights and help you claim the compensation you are entitled to.
Who Is Liable for the Accident?
In accidents involving semi-trucks, several parties may be partly or wholly at fault. Liability may arise from negligence or breach of statutory duty. This may include:
- The driver. They may be responsible if they were speeding, under the influence of alcohol, committed a traffic violation, or failed to observe regulations regarding driving hours and rest periods.
- The trucking company. Failing to observe the federal or state regulations such as maintenance and inspection requirements, not observing driver’s service hours rules, and failing to conduct proper background checks on drivers.
- The truck owner. This may be a different entity to the trucking company. Many trucking companies do not own their trucks; they lease them. In these cases, although the truck owner may not have had anything to do with the crash, they may still be liable. This may be the case if they breached state or federal regulations on maintenance or inspection.
- The loaders of the truck. The company responsible for loading the truck may be liable if the accident was caused by improper loading or weight distribution.
An experienced truck accident lawyer can review the evidence and decide which party or combination of parties is responsible for the accident and your injuries.
Filing a Claim After a Semi-Truck Collision
Under Michigan’s No-Fault law, you could receive compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Attendant allowance
If your injuries are severe enough to reach the statutory standard, or a family member was killed in the crash, you may be able to sue one or more of the parties for damages arising from their negligence.
Under MCL 500.3135, if you have suffered, because of the accident, serious impairment of body function, permanent serious disfigurement, or death, you may sue the person responsible for the accident. In this situation, you can also recover non-economic losses. These include:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Loss of companionship
What Is My Claim Worth?
Each case must be judged on its individual merits. However, you can get an idea of compensation recovered in semi-truck accident cases by looking at some of the awards Fieger Law has achieved for our clients:
- $30,000,000 for a client who was hit by a truck while stationary. One plaintiff was killed and the other severely injured
- $8,650,000 for a plaintiff killed in a crash caused by the semi-truck driver using his phone before the crash
Protect Your Rights to Compensation After a Semi-Truck Collision
Discovering who is liable for the accident is not always straightforward, and you may need help pursuing the right party. Collecting evidence to pursue a defendant can be complex and time-consuming. Hire a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to avoid missing filing deadlines and jeopardizing your claim.
Contact the Detroit truck accident lawyers at Fieger Law today for a consultation regarding what your claim is worth. Although our firm is based in Michigan, we have experience handling car accident cases across the U.S. Regardless of where your semi-truck collision occurred, we can advise how to proceed with your claim.