A commercial truck usually has both a massive size and weight. A truck’s collision with a smaller passenger vehicle often results in catastrophic or fatal injuries. Truck accident victims can suffer traumatic brain injuries, spine or spinal cord injuries, broken or fractured bones and other serious injuries. These debilitating injuries often require costly long-term medical treatment and can alter the victim’s life forever.
If you have been seriously injured or a loved one has died in a truck accident in Southfield, you need a highly-skilled, experienced, and compassionate truck accident lawyer on your side. The Southfield truck accident lawyers of Christensen Law are ready to help get your life on the road to recovery. We will protect your rights and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve to safeguard your future. To schedule a free initial consultation, call us today.
How an Attorney Can Make a Difference in Your Truck Accident Case
A truck accident case is completely different from an automobile accident case, and demands specific expertise. An experienced Michigan truck accident lawyer at Christensen Law can help you with the challenges of your truck accident case. An attorney at Christensen Law will launch an immediate investigation by bringing in reconstruction experts, interviewing witnesses and preserving important evidence like “black box” and GPS data.
A knowledgeable truck accident lawyer can also walk you through Michigan’s complex no-fault insurance system. A trucking lawyer can assist you with the required forms. An attorney can help deal with the insurance adjusters to make sure your medical expenses and lost wages are covered.
The Southfield truck accident attorneys of Christensen Law will fight for your rights to no-fault personal protection insurance (PIP) benefits. These benefits include medical and rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, and expenses for replacement services.
Our Southfield truck accident lawyers can:
- Handle your no-fault insurance claim and help you get the benefits you deserve, such as reimbursement for medical bills and loss of income.
- Identify all the liable parties.
- Negotiate with the insurance companies.
- Collect important evidence, including medical records, critical documentation from the trucking company, witness statements and police reports, and “black box” and GPS data to help you win your case.
- Give your truck accident case the personal attention it deserves as we seek a full settlement on your behalf.
If your truck accident involved a death, our semi-truck accident attorneys will help you pursue what was paid in funeral and burial expenses. Our lawyer can also file a claim for survivors’ loss benefits on your behalf.
Allow the Southfield truck accident lawyers at Christensen Law to take care of your accident case. That will let you focus on what’s most important: your health and recovery.
Why Are Truck Accident Cases So Complex?
Accidents involving commercial trucks tend to result in catastrophic injuries and even death. This is due to the sheer size and weight of the truck when compared to the size of a passenger vehicle.
The severity of the injuries makes truck accidents more challenging to handle than car accidents. In Michigan, when someone is seriously injured in a truck accident:
- More money is often on the line.
- Insurance claims are more complex.
- State and federal laws and regulations apply.
- Trucking companies are working hard at defeating these claims from day one.
- Multiple parties are typically involved.
- Multiple insurance policies – often with higher limits – are usually at play.
Personal injury claims stemming from Michigan truck accidents can be extremely complex. People injured in a truck accident should consult an experienced truck accident lawyer who understands the trucking laws and Michigan’s no-fault insurance system.
Who Can Be Held Responsible After a Commercial Truck Accident?
Parties who may be held liable in Michigan truck accident cases include:
- The truck driver
- The vehicle owner
- The trucking company/motor carrier
- The truck manufacturer
- Contractors
- Cargo loaders
- The shipper that hired the trucking company
- Insurance companies
An experienced Michigan truck accident attorney will be able to identify all the potentially liable parties in your truck accident case and work to hold them accountable.
Compensation for Truck Accident Injuries
Michigan’s no-fault system means drivers involved in an accident, whether at fault or not, can collect insurance benefits from their own insurance company. Individuals involved in a Michigan truck accident can file a first-party claim against their insurance company. Personal injury protection (PIP) benefits can cover these expenses:
- Medical expenses
- Wage loss
- In-home attendant care
- Replacement services
- Special transportation mileage
In addition to first-party benefits, those injured in a trucking accident can file a third-party claim against the at-fault driver or other negligent parties in the accident. You are eligible to file a lawsuit in a truck accident case if your injuries meet one of these injury-minimum thresholds:
- Wrongful death
- Permanent serious disfigurement
- Serious impairment of body function
The experienced Southfield truck accident lawyers of Christensen Law can help you determine if your injuries are severe enough under Michigan law to pursue third-party benefits.
Time Limit for Filing a Truck Accident Claim
As a Michigan, truck accident victim, you have one year to file a lawsuit with your own insurance company for no-fault benefits. You have three years to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver and other responsible parties for pain and suffering damages and excess economic expenses like medical bills and lost wages. If you do not file within the three-year deadline, you may be barred from ever seeking compensation from the at-fault party or parties.
Talk to a Truck Accident Lawyer in Southfield Now
The Southfield truck accident attorneys at Christensen Law understand the complexities of truck accidents. Our highly skilled and compassionate Michigan truck accident attorneys will work hard to ensure you receive the maximum compensation you deserve.
Contact the truck accident attorneys at Christensen Law today. We offer free, no-obligation consultations, during which we will discuss all your legal options. Our Southfield personal injury attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis, which means you will not owe us a dime until we secure compensation for you.
