Truck Accident Lawyers
Michigan has a high rate of truck accident deaths and injuries. In 2017 alone, there were more than 13,000 accidents on Michigan roadways involving trucks. Nearly 100 of them involved fatalities and nearly 3000 involved injured parties.
What makes trucking accidents different in Michigan than they are in other states? There are no punitive damages. Punitive damages are damages awarded to an injured party when the person who caused the accident was reckless or acted with malice. They serve as a form of punishment and to deter this type of behavior, but Michigan does not impose punitive damages. This means if a trucking company hires careless, unqualified driver there is nothing that can be done to directly punish the company and deter it from happening again.
The insurance company can be forced to pay for injuries that occur because of a trucking accident, but the company is not on the hook for its role in the collision. They can hire the worst truck drivers in the country – those that cannot even find jobs in other states – and get away with it because lawsuits cannot be filed against the trucking companies for doing so.
What do you need to know if you are injured in a trucking accident in Southfield Michigan or Oakland County Michigan area?
- Time is of the essence. If you wait too long to contact an experienced lawyer, crucial evidence will be destroyed.
- There will be an Insurance Services Offices (ISO) search.
- You will likely be under surveillance.
Trucking companies are required to retain documents related to an accident, but once the legal retention period passes, the documents can and will be destroyed. An experienced trucking accident lawyer can prevent the destruction of documents by submitting a legal order for preservation, but this does not mean you should wait. If you have been injured in a trucking accident, you need to contact an attorney as soon as possible.
Truck accident cases are different from car accident cases. The trucking industry is highly regulated because of the inherent danger of the vehicles. They are bigger and heavier, and cause more serious injuries and fatalities than other vehicles.
Trucking companies also tend to have more aggressive lawyers who likely to spend more money creating a strong defense and doing all they can to refute your claim. They will invest in an ISO search, which is a vast pool of past insurance claims compiled by collaborating insurance companies and they will be able to access and use every claim you ever made. They will paint you as a troublemaker – or worse, a criminal committing insurance fraud – instead of the victim. You need someone in your corner defending your rights and ensuring you are treated fairly.
The best thing you can do is contact a lawyer as soon as possible to help you with your case. If you have been injured in an auto accident and you would like to speak to an experienced Southfield Michigan or Oakland County Michigan area personal injury attorney, contact Ian Freed at 248.213.4900.
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