Truck Accident Lawyer Lansing MI

A jackknife accident occurs when a truck’s trailer swings out to form a 90-degree angle with the cab, resembling a folding knife. These crashes often happen when a driver brakes too hard, loses traction in poor weather conditions, or takes a turn too quickly. Jackknife accidents are particularly dangerous because the swinging trailer can sweep across multiple lanes of traffic, striking several vehicles. We investigate whether improper braking, equipment failure, inadequate driver training, or road conditions contributed to the jackknife. These cases often involve detailed analysis of electronic logging device data, brake system inspection reports, and weather conditions at the time of the crash.

When a large truck strikes a vehicle from behind, the results are often catastrophic. The enormous weight and momentum of a commercial truck means it requires much longer stopping distances than passenger vehicles. A rear-end collision involving a semi-truck frequently results from driver distraction, following too closely, brake failure, or driver fatigue. Under-ride accidents, where a smaller vehicle becomes trapped beneath the truck’s trailer, are particularly deadly. We examine the truck’s maintenance records, the driver’s hours-of-service logs, and any available dashcam footage to establish liability in these devastating crashes.

Truck rollovers occur when a commercial vehicle tips onto its side or roof, often blocking multiple lanes and causing multi-vehicle pileups. Common causes include excessive speed on curves, improper cargo loading that shifts the truck’s center of gravity, tire blowouts, and driver overcorrection. These accidents frequently result in hazardous material spills, making them even more dangerous for other motorists and first responders. Our investigation focuses on cargo loading procedures, truck maintenance history, driver training records, and road design factors that may have contributed to the rollover.

Large trucks require significant space to complete turns, particularly right turns at intersections. Wide turn accidents occur when a truck driver swings left to make a right turn or fails to check blind spots, crushing vehicles or pedestrians in the truck’s path. These crashes are especially common in downtown Lansing and East Lansing where streets are narrower and traffic is denser. We analyze intersection camera footage, witness statements, and truck cab video to demonstrate the driver’s negligence in failing to maintain awareness of surrounding vehicles and pedestrians.

Commercial trucks have massive blind spots called “no-zones” on all four sides, with the largest blind spots directly behind the trailer and along the right side. When truck drivers fail to properly check these blind spots before changing lanes or merging, they can strike vehicles they never saw. Modern trucks should be equipped with blind spot monitoring systems and additional mirrors, but not all trucking companies invest in this safety equipment. We investigate whether the trucking company failed to provide adequate safety technology and whether the driver followed proper procedures for checking blind spots.

When a truck tire explodes while the vehicle is moving at highway speeds, the driver can lose control, and debris from the tire can strike other vehicles. Tire blowouts result from improper tire maintenance, overloaded trailers, manufacturing defects, or driving on worn tires past their safe lifespan. Federal regulations require regular tire inspections, but some trucking companies cut corners to save money. Our investigation examines tire maintenance logs, truck inspection reports, and whether the trucking company complied with federal tire safety requirements.

Federal hours-of-service regulations limit how many hours truck drivers can operate without rest periods, but violations remain common in the trucking industry. Fatigued drivers have slower reaction times, impaired judgment, and may even fall asleep behind the wheel. We obtain and analyze electronic logging device (ELD) data, driver logs, and delivery schedules to determine whether the trucking company pressured drivers to violate hours-of-service rules or falsify their logbooks.

Trucking companies are required to conduct regular inspections and maintenance on their vehicles, but some companies defer necessary repairs to cut costs. Brake failures, steering system malfunctions, lighting failures, and trailer coupling defects can all cause serious crashes. We work with mechanical experts to inspect the truck involved in your crash and review the company’s maintenance records to identify violations of federal safety regulations.

Our firm also handles cases involving motorcycle accidents with commercial trucks, wrongful death claims arising from fatal truck crashes, and workplace accidents involving company-owned commercial vehicles.

We begin with a thorough discussion of your accident, injuries, and concerns at no cost to you. During this consultation, we’ll review any documentation you have, answer your questions about the legal process, and provide an honest assessment of your case. If we believe you have a viable claim, we’ll explain how we can help and what to expect moving forward. This consultation is completely confidential, and you’re under no obligation to hire us.

Time is critical in truck accident cases. Once you hire Monument Legal, we immediately begin preserving evidence before it disappears. We send spoliation letters to the trucking company requiring them to preserve the truck, maintenance records, driver logs, electronic data, and all other relevant evidence. Our team visits the accident scene to document road conditions, take photographs, and identify witnesses. We obtain police reports, request traffic camera footage, and secure medical records documenting your injuries.

Truck accident cases require specialized expertise. We work with accident reconstruction experts who analyze physical evidence, vehicle damage, and electronic data to determine exactly how the crash occurred. Trucking industry experts review compliance with federal regulations and industry standards. Medical professionals evaluate your injuries and future care needs. This expert analysis builds a compelling case demonstrating the trucking company’s liability and the full extent of your damages.

We handle all communication with insurance companies on your behalf. Trucking companies carry high-value insurance policies, but their insurers are skilled at minimizing payouts. We present a comprehensive demand package documenting liability, your injuries, medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. Our attorneys are experienced negotiators who understand insurance company tactics and won’t accept lowball settlement offers that fail to fully compensate you.

If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, we’re fully prepared to file a lawsuit and take your case to trial. We handle all aspects of litigation, including filing the complaint in Ingham County Circuit Court, conducting discovery to obtain additional evidence, taking depositions of the truck driver and company representatives, and retaining additional experts as needed.

Many truck accident cases settle before trial once the trucking company recognizes the strength of our case. However, we prepare every case as if it will go to trial to ensure maximum leverage during settlement negotiations. If your case does proceed to trial, our experienced trial lawyers will present your case persuasively to a jury and fight for the full compensation you deserve. We keep you informed throughout the process and make all major decisions together.

Once we’ve secured compensation through settlement or trial verdict, we help you navigate the recovery process. This includes coordinating with medical providers regarding outstanding bills, ensuring settlement funds are properly disbursed, and connecting you with resources for ongoing medical care or rehabilitation if needed. Our relationship with clients doesn’t end when the case concludes- we remain available to answer questions and provide guidance as you rebuild your life.

You can recover compensation for all medical treatment related to your truck accident injuries, including emergency room care, hospitalization, surgery, prescription medications, physical therapy, occupational therapy, mental health counseling, assistive devices, and home health care. Michigan law allows recovery of future medical expenses when your injuries require ongoing treatment, additional surgeries, or long-term care. We work with medical experts to document your complete medical needs and calculate the projected costs of future treatment to ensure your settlement or verdict covers decades of care if necessary.

Truck accident victims often miss substantial work time during recovery or become unable to return to their previous employment due to permanent disabilities. You can recover compensation for wages lost during your recovery period, benefits you would have received, and lost future earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from working or require you to accept lower-paying work. For seriously injured victims who can never return to work, this represents the largest component of their damages. We retain vocational experts and economists to calculate the present value of lost lifetime earnings, ensuring you’re compensated for decades of lost income.

Under Michigan law (MCL 600.2959), if you are found to be more than 50% at fault for the accident, you are barred from recovering non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. However, you may still recover economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, and property damage), which are reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are 50% or less at fault, you can recover both economic and non-economic damages, reduced by your percentage of fault. Michigan law allows recovery for physical pain, emotional distress, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and other non-economic losses resulting from your injuries. Unlike medical bills and lost wages that can be calculated precisely, pain and suffering damages require presenting compelling evidence of how your injuries have impacted every aspect of your life. We help clients document these intangible losses through personal journals, testimony from family members, mental health records, and before-and-after evidence showing how the accident changed their life.

You’re entitled to compensation for damage to your vehicle and any personal property destroyed in the crash. This includes the fair market value of your vehicle if it was totaled, repair costs if it can be fixed, diminished value if the repairs reduce your vehicle’s resale value, and replacement costs for personal items damaged in the accident.

When a truck accident results in a fatality, the victim’s estate and surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim for funeral and burial expenses, medical expenses before death, lost financial support, lost household services, loss of companionship and guidance, and the conscious pain and suffering the victim experienced before death. These cases are particularly complex and emotionally difficult, but our compassionate attorneys help families navigate the legal process while honoring their loved one’s memory.

Michigan law (MCL 600.5805) provides three years from the date of the truck accident to file a personal injury lawsuit for negligence claims, including claims for pain and suffering against the trucking company. However, claims for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits are governed by MCL 500.3145, which requires notice to the insurer within one year of the accident and limits recovery of benefits to expenses incurred within one year of the accident unless reasonable explanation is provided for the delay. While you have three years to sue the trucking company for pain and suffering, you may lose the right to have medical bills paid if you don’t act within one year. This deadline is strictly enforced. If you fail to file your lawsuit before the three-year deadline expires, you lose your right to pursue compensation forever, regardless of how strong your case might be. For wrongful death claims, the three-year deadline runs from the date of death, not the date of the accident if the victim survived for some period after the crash. Some circumstances can shorten or extend this deadline, so it’s essential to consult with an experienced East Lansing truck accident lawyer promptly to protect your rights.

Michigan follows a modified comparative negligence rule (MCL 600.2959) for truck accident cases. Under this law, if you are found to be more than 50% at fault for the accident, you are barred from recovering non-economic damages (pain and suffering). However, you can still recover economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, and property damage), which are reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are 50% or less at fault, your total compensation for both economic and non-economic damages is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if a jury determines your damages total $1 million but you were 20 percent at fault, your recovery would be reduced to $800,000. Even if you are found to be 51% at fault, you may still recover economic damages, though they will be reduced by your fault percentage. Insurance companies often argue that victims share fault to reduce their liability, which is why strong legal representation is essential to protect your full recovery.

Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system requires all drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage that pays medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who caused the accident. Recent changes to Michigan no-fault law allow drivers to choose lower levels of PIP coverage or opt out entirely in certain circumstances, which can significantly impact recovery after a serious truck accident. Understanding how your PIP coverage interacts with a negligence claim against the truck driver and trucking company requires experienced legal guidance.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) establishes comprehensive regulations governing commercial trucking operations. Key regulations that frequently come into play in truck accident cases include hours-of-service rules limiting how long truck drivers can operate without rest, maintenance and inspection requirements for commercial vehicles, driver qualification standards including licensing and medical certification, cargo securement rules preventing loads from shifting or falling, and drug and alcohol testing requirements for commercial drivers. Violations of these federal regulations provide strong evidence of negligence in truck accident cases.

Federal law requires trucking companies to carry much higher insurance coverage than passenger vehicles. The minimum insurance coverage depends on the type of cargo and vehicle weight, but most semi-trucks must carry at least $750,000 to $5 million in liability coverage. This higher insurance coverage is necessary given the catastrophic injuries that typically result from truck accidents, but it also means trucking company insurers fight these claims aggressively to avoid paying large settlements. Having a serious truck accident lawyer in Lansing MI who knows how to maximize recovery from high-value insurance policies is essential.

Federal regulations require most commercial trucks to use electronic logging devices (ELDs) that automatically record driving time and hours-of-service compliance. This electronic data is invaluable in truck accident cases for proving hours-of-service violations, establishing the truck’s speed and braking patterns before the crash, and documenting the driver’s compliance with federal regulations. However, this data can be overwritten or destroyed if not preserved immediately after the accident, which is why early attorney involvement is critical.

Monument Legal handles all truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Our fee is a percentage of your settlement or verdict, so we only get paid when you do. We also advance all case costs including expert fees, investigation expenses, court filing fees, and medical record costs.

You’ll never receive a bill from our firm regardless of how much time or money we invest in your case. This arrangement ensures everyone can afford experienced legal representation after a serious truck accident, regardless of their financial situation.

Michigan law provides three years from the date of your truck accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in court.

This statute of limitations is strictly enforced, and missing the deadline means you lose your right to pursue compensation forever. For wrongful death claims, the three-year period runs from the date of death, not the accident date. While three years may seem like plenty of time, truck accident cases require extensive investigation and preparation that can take many months.

Additionally, evidence deteriorates and witnesses’ memories fade over time, making early action essential. Some circumstances can shorten this deadline, so consult with an experienced attorney promptly to protect your rights and ensure critical evidence is preserved.

The value of your truck accident case depends on numerous factors unique to your specific situation, including the severity and permanence of your injuries, total medical expenses both past and future, lost income and reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering and diminished quality of life, the degree of the trucking company’s negligence, available insurance coverage, and the strength of evidence proving liability.

Serious truck accident cases often result in settlements or verdicts worth hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, particularly when victims suffer permanent disabilities or wrongful death occurs. However, every case is different, and ethical attorneys cannot guarantee specific results.

During your free consultation, we’ll review the specific facts of your case and provide an honest assessment of potential compensation based on our experience with similar cases.

Most truck accident cases in Michigan resolve within 12 to 24 months from the date you hire an attorney, though complex cases can take longer.

The timeline depends on several factors including the time needed to complete medical treatment and reach maximum medical improvement, the complexity of the investigation and number of liable parties, the trucking company’s willingness to negotiate fairly, court scheduling if litigation becomes necessary, and whether your case settles or proceeds to trial. Simple cases with clear liability and relatively minor injuries may settle within a few months. Complex cases involving catastrophic injuries, disputed liability, or multiple defendants may require two years or more to resolve fully.

While everyone wants their case resolved quickly, rushing to settlement often results in accepting less compensation than you deserve. Our priority is maximizing your recovery, not closing your case quickly.

While Michigan law doesn’t require you to hire an attorney, attempting to handle a truck accident case yourself puts you at a severe disadvantage.

Trucking companies and their insurers employ experienced lawyers and investigators who begin working immediately to minimize their liability. Without legal representation, you face numerous challenges including preserving critical evidence before it disappears, understanding and proving violations of complex federal trucking regulations, identifying all potentially liable parties beyond just the truck driver, accurately calculating the full value of your damages including future losses, negotiating with insurance companies trained to minimize payouts, and meeting court deadlines and procedural requirements if litigation becomes necessary.

Studies consistently show that injury victims represented by attorneys recover significantly more compensation than those who handle claims themselves, even after attorney fees are deducted. The truck accident attorney at Monument Legal in Lansing has the experience and resources to level the playing field against well-funded trucking corporations.

Yes, absolutely. Police citations provide helpful evidence, but the absence of a citation doesn’t prevent you from pursuing a truck accident claim.

Police officers responding to crashes make quick assessments based on limited information and may not identify all contributing factors or regulatory violations. Our investigation often uncovers evidence of negligence that wasn’t apparent at the accident scene, including violations of federal hours-of-service rules revealed by electronic logging device data, improper maintenance discovered through inspection of the truck and company records, driver qualification deficiencies found in the trucking company’s files, and unsafe company policies or pressure to meet unrealistic delivery schedules.

The legal standard for proving negligence in a civil case differs from the standard for issuing traffic citations. Many successful truck accident cases involve crashes where no citation was issued.

Michigan’s comparative negligence law (MCL 600.2959) allows you to recover compensation even if you share some responsibility for the accident. If you are 50% or less at fault, your total compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.

If you are more than 50% at fault, you are barred from recovering non-economic damages (pain and suffering) but can still recover economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, property damage), which are reduced by your fault percentage. For example, if your damages total $500,000 and you’re found to be 30 percent at fault, you would recover $350,000.

Insurance companies routinely argue that victims share fault to reduce their payout, so it’s essential to have an experienced attorney who can effectively counter these arguments and minimize any fault attributed to you. Even if you think you might have contributed to the crash, consult with an attorney before accepting any liability or making statements to insurance adjusters.

Proving trucking company negligence requires comprehensive investigation and documentation of regulatory violations, company policies, and industry standards.

Our investigation focuses on obtaining and analyzing the truck’s electronic logging device data showing hours-of-service violations, maintenance records revealing deferred repairs or inadequate inspections, the driver’s qualification file including training records and prior violations, company safety ratings and compliance history with federal regulators, policies regarding driver compensation and scheduling that incentivize unsafe behavior, witness statements and expert analysis of the accident scene, and photographs and video evidence from the crash scene and truck.

We work with accident reconstruction experts, trucking industry specialists, and other professionals who can interpret this evidence and explain how the company’s negligence caused your injuries. Building a compelling case requires resources, expertise, and time, all of which Monument Legal provides to every client.

Most truck accident cases settle before trial, often after the trucking company recognizes the strength of your case during the litigation process.

However, we prepare every case as if it will go to trial to ensure maximum leverage during settlement negotiations. If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation that adequately addresses your losses, we’re fully prepared to present your case to a jury in Ingham County Circuit Court, or any other Michigan court.

We make all major decisions about settlement versus trial together, and we’ll never pressure you to accept an offer that doesn’t meet your needs.

If you haven’t already, take these important steps to protect your legal rights.

Seek immediate medical attention and follow all treatment recommendations. Preserve all evidence related to the accident including photographs, damaged clothing, and medical records. Don’t speak with insurance adjusters or sign any documents without consulting an attorney first. Keep detailed records of all expenses, lost wages, and how your injuries affect your daily life. Don’t post about your accident or injuries on social media.

Contact an experienced Lansing truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to preserve evidence and protect your rights. The sooner you have legal representation, the better we can protect your interests and build the strongest possible case for maximum compensation.