According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the majority of truck related accidents occur on straight, level, dry, paved roadways during typical workweeks. The majority of these accidents do not involve drugs or alcohol.  How then do these tragic and life changing accidents occur on such a frequent basis?  In many instances, they occur because truck drivers are pushed to drive when they are tired or distracted, they drive too fast, drive aggressively, or become desensitized to the grave perils they create for the average automobile occupants with whom they share the roadway.

If you are involved in a collision of any kind, the first and most important thing to do is call for medical and police assistance. Never leave the scene and it is best if you do not move your vehicle. If there are any disputes over the way the collision occurred, placement of the vehicles will often times assist the police and others in reconstructing the accident to determine exactly what happened. If you have a camera in your car, take pictures of the damage to the vehicles, and the position of the vehicles.

If you can, attempt to locate people who may have witnessed the collision. Get their name, address and telephone number. Exchange information with the other driver, such as insurance information and driver’s license information. Be sure you know which police department investigates the collision (i.e. City Police, County Sheriff or State Police) so you know from whom to request the police report. If the tractor or truck is not drivable from the scene of the crash, find out where it was taken since almost all of the “newer” semi-tractors have “Black Box” recording devices that will show what the unit was doing (speed and breaking) just before the crash.

Dealing with Trucking Companies or their Insurance Carriers after an Accident

Many commercial carriers will send highly trained investigators, who are on staff with the trucking companies, or insurance investigators, to the truck accident scene within hours of the crash. Their only job is to reduce or lessen the trucking company’s “exposure” or legal responsibility for the crash. Remember you are NOT negotiating on level ground when dealing with a trucking company after a wreck. Accident claims resulting from truck accidents are a normal daily operation. These adjusters represent the truck company, not you. Obtain the individual’s name and the company he/she works for or represents. If you are able, take a picture of the person. Further, while the family of the accident victim is tending to medical and hospital care and/or funeral arraignments, the trucking company is investigating the accident and setting up their defense. Do not give them any statements or sign any releases for medical records or employment records. Often the medical release allows the adjuster to talk to the doctors without you or anyone else being present. In addition, the trucking company may attempt to steer you away from legal counsel, because trucking companies know that if you have an experienced attorney, you are more likely to receive fair compensation. Do not discuss your accident with anyone unless you have attorney representation, as anything you say may be used against you later. DO NOT agree to an interview or sign any thing until you have spoken to or retained your own attorney .

Benefits and Claims for Truck Crashes in Michigan

If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious trucking accident, one of the most important things you can do right now is to protect yourself and your family from any further damage. This is going to involve lawyers and insurance companies. It may sound overwhelming, but a good lawyer can guide you through the legal process and make sure you get the money you need for medical bills, lost work time, and other damages. 

Here is what you need to know. Trucking accidents are different from other vehicle accidents because of the federal laws that govern the trucking industry. Federal regulations require that certain evidence must be maintained, but only for a limited amount of time. For example, the truck driver’s log may be destroyed after six months if an attorney does not obtain a court order or take other immediate action.

Over the road trucks must also carry various levels of insurance coverage, depending on the nature of the materials in the truck. This can create a situation where the hauling and leasing companies may spend months or years arguing about which insurance company is responsible for compensating the victim in a truck liability case. You will need someone to represent you in this potentially long, drawn out process, as you deal with other issues in your life.

You should also know that in Michigan, payment for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages caused by an accident involving a semi-truck, are controlled by the Michigan No-fault statute. This means that payment for your medical bills and the first three years of wage loss are the responsibility of your own No-fault insurance carrier. These are referred to as First Party No-fault benefits. Payment for the property damage to your vehicle is your responsibility (subject to the $500.00 mini-tort). If you have “full coverage” for property damage to your vehicle through your insurance company, then your insurance company pays for the repairs, subject to any deductible. You must notify your own No-fault insurance carrier of the crash and your injuries immediately after the crash.

If you did not own a vehicle with No-fault insurance coverage, then you obtain your first party No-fault benefits (payment for medical bills and the first three years of lost wages) from the No-fault insurance carrier of a resident relative who owns an insured motor vehicle. If there is no insured motor vehicle in your household, then your first party benefits would be paid by the insurance carrier of the vehicle “you occupied” at the time of the crash. If there is no policy of No-fault insurance covering the vehicle you were in at the time of the crash (or the owner of that vehicle), it is only then that the insurance carrier of the semi-truck involved in the crash will pay your first party No-fault benefits. See the “What if I am in a Crash” section of this web site for a more detailed explanation of your rights under the Michigan No-fault statute. ( Please Note: If you were the owner and driver of an uninsured motor vehicle involved in a crash with a semi-truck in Michigan, you will not be entitled to Michigan No-fault benefits.)

How are the semi-truck driver and commercial carrier held responsible for the semi-truck crash? Well, because of the Michigan No-fault statute, and the way the Michigan Supreme Court has interpreted it, there are limitations on when you may hold the semi-truck driver and commercial carrier responsible for their carelessness. The semi-truck driver must be more than fifty percent (50%) at fault for the crash . If this is the case, you may hold the semi-truck driver and commercial carrier responsible only if you or a loved one has been injured and that injury results in lost wages for a period greater than three years, or there is a death, or the injury has resulted in an “objectively manifested serious impairment of an important body function that affects the person’s ability to lead a normal life”. The extent of the physical limitations caused by your injury and the duration you will suffer with these limitations are important factors in deciding if your injury qualifies as a “serious impairment of a body function” under the No-fault statute. This is a complex determination that looks at how an injured person’s life has changed as result of the injuries from a crash. The extent to which the physical limitations have affected your life should be documented by your health care providers through written medical restrictions. The law in this area is constantly changing

Unfortunately, death or serious injury of the occupants in a car is the most likely result of a crash involving a car and a semi-truck. Because proving fault is an important part of holding the semi-driver or commercial carrier responsible in Michigan, it is necessary for anyone charged with protecting your interests in the matter, to begin collecting information about the crash and the driver of the semi-truck as soon as possible after the crash. You need to hire an experienced Michigan attorney to protect the rights of you and your family as soon a possible. Attorney Richard J. Stolcenberg has represented many seriously injured individuals and their families over the past twenty years. Many of these involved semi-truck crashes. He is compassionate and understands the fear and uncertainty a crash like this creates. Let him help you and your family.

Semi-Truck Crash Statistics  

Accidents involving commercial semi trucks, tractor trailers, eighteen wheelers, and other large vehicles are among the most serious and deadly and result in the most catastrophic of injuries. A typical fully loaded large commercial truck can weigh 80,000 pounds or more, while an average passenger automobile weighs approximately 3,000 pounds. Because of this size difference, and due to the basic laws of physics, any collision between a commercial truck and another vehicle is likely to result in serious, even fatal, injuries. In 1999, an estimated 1,027,000 people were involved in 451,000 large truck related crashes. Of those, 5,362 people were killed and 142,000 people injured with a third suffering severe brain damage or loss of a limb. This equals more than sixteen truck-related injuries an hour, and more than fourteen truck-related deaths a day. In 2001, the incidence of fatal crashes involving trucks and other large vehicles declined but large truck crashes still accounted for 5,350 fatalities and 133,000 injuries.
While the statistics show that thankfully there has been a decrease in commercial vehicle crashes, the danger of becoming involved in a crash with one of these giants is still a big risk each of us (and our children) face every day. More times than not, the results are tragic for the people in the car.

Truck Accident Causes

Big trucks equal big business. Some trucking companies offer large incentives for speed rather than safety. Unfortunately, there are also some trucking companies that push their drivers to work while fatigued, falsify their time in service logs, and violate safety policies. Under federal law, there are clearly established standards for safety that tractor trailer truckers and their companies must follow. Semi truck and eighteen-wheeler accidents present unique issues not necessarily associated with a typical motor vehicle accident. These differences include :

• Greater likelihood of serious injuries or deaths
• Negligent hiring and supervision claims
• Negligent maintenance claims
• Unique insurance coverage issues
• Governmental regulation

In a car - truck accident there may be a multitude of reasons that the truck accident occurred in the first place. Some of the most common causes of trucking accidents include:

• Lack of training on the part of the truck driver;
• Overloaded trucks;
• Oversized trucks;
• Poorly maintained brakes on the trucks;
• Driving in conditions of poor visibility due to smoke fog, snow or rain;
• Truck driver inexperience;
• Fatigued, sleepy or tired driver driving too long and too many hours without rest;
• Speeding or driving at speeds or beyond the road and weather conditions;
• Running off the road;
• Failure to yield the right of way;
• Aggressive driving behavior;
• Truck drivers under the influence of drugs and alcohol while driving;
• Driving the truck in bad weather conditions;
• Dangerous or reckless truck driver with a long record of wrecks and accidents;
• Unsafe safety systems, reflectors, lights and other warning devices.

To determine why a heavy truck accident occurred, it is often necessary to preserve the truck in order to inspect it, along with interviewing witnesses and reviewing police reports. Factors that can contribute to a crash include the truck's speed and operation, weather and driving conditions and the truck's mechanical condition.

In 1986, the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act (CMVSA) was passed by Congress. It created laws dealing with the problems caused by irresponsible and unqualified bus and semi truck drivers. For example, laws were enacted that prohibited truck drivers from having more than one license. In fact, by 1992, truck drivers were required to meet minimum national standards in order to operate a tractor-trailer. Once a driver met these standards, he was issued a Commercial Driver's License (CDL).

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act (FMCSA), considered the driving force behind the regulation of the trucking industry to reduce truck accidents, covers issues such as driver qualifications, emergency equipment, safe loading, alcohol and drug usage and a number of other factors.

What You Can Do

Any traffic accident involving a commercial truck is likely to result in serious physical injury and property damage. In the event that you or a loved one are involved in such an accident, you should consult an experienced attorney to ensure that your claim is properly assessed and your case adequately handled. Especially in light of legal deadlines for filing lawsuits, meeting with an attorney as soon as possible is the best way to protect your rights.

If you or a loved one are the victim of a large truck crash in Michigan and wondering what to do, I urge you to not wait another minute to get someone working on your behalf. The trucking company has already been at it for hours, if not days. We are here to help. Contact our office at (616) 532-1666 today.

Additional Online Resources for Semi-Truck Accidents

Here is a list of helpful links related to truck accidents and the resources to research truck accident related data.

Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) Web-Based Encyclopedia
Comprehensive site offering a wealth of knowledge based on breakdowns of truck related accidents, cause of truck accidents, and injuries/death categorized by state and year.
http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), NHTSA is a federal agency for the prevention and control of motor vehicle and truck related death and injury. NHTSA’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce traffic-related health care and other economic costs. http://www.nhtsa.gov

Hotline to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Here’s the handy page and toll-free number to file a vehicle safety defect report, learn about the process of car and truck recalls, and search the database of consumer complaints related to car and truck accidents.
http://www.nhtsa.gov/hotline/

Child Passenger Safety Tips from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Buckle up for child passenger safety. Use this chart for the good, bad, and better options available in the marketplace today.
http://www.nhtsa.gov/CPS/

National Center for Statistics and Analysis
A division of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NCSA provides truck accidents and traffic safety reports, high profile cases, and data sheets.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-30/ncsa/AvailInf.html

Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Comprehensive site for all things related to transportation in the U.S.
http://www.bts.gov/

University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute Center for National Bus and Truck Statistics
Collects and analyzes truck and bus accidents and related travel data
http://www.umtri.umich.edu/cntbs/

Safety and Fitness Electric Records System (SAFERS)
A division of FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) -- SAFERS offers truck company safety data and related services to the industry and the public over the Internet.
http://www.safersys.org/