What Lawyer Deals with Truck Accidents?

Semi-truck accidents are some of the most devastating incidents on U.S. roadways. If you are involved in a truck accident, you may not know where to turn for help. Due to the serious nature of injuries resulting in collisions between passenger and commercial vehicles, insurance companies may push you to settle quickly to avoid costly outcomes. As medical bills pile up and you cannot work, it may seem like your only choice is to accept whatever settlement amount is offered.

A personal injury lawyer protects your rights and works to get the compensation you deserve after a truck accident. You need time to heal and understand the extent of your injuries, and an attorney is by your side, dealing with insurance companies and getting to the bottom of who is at fault in the accident. Personal injury cases are often complex legal matters that take time to resolve. Mike Morse Law Firm is the team you want on your side when you are hurt by someone’s negligent actions and need assistance to get your life back on track. These are reasons it is crucial to hire a personal injury lawyer to represent you.

Provides an Objective Case Review

Every personal injury case is different and needs a thorough evaluation before moving forward with the matter. Often, emotions and feelings are the primary things an individual focuses on when relating what occurred in an accident. This makes sense when you are hurt and overwhelmed by the event. However, a lawyer is interested in the facts of your case and provides the legal perspective necessary to identify the merits of your claim.

Informs You About the Need for Ongoing Medical Treatment

The injuries you suffer in a truck accident will most likely require months to years of continued medical treatment, rehabilitation services, or disability care. After an accident, many people don’t realize the importance of seeking ongoing care to understand what is required to treat and heal the physical damage they’ve sustained. A lawyer can provide information about medical practitioners who offer the treatment options you need. Your medical records are crucial for determining damages in your personal injury case.

Expedites Your Claim

Almost 96% of personal injury claims settle out of court. An experienced personal injury lawyer knows how truck accident cases evolve and what it takes to settle claims. Your lawyer begins working immediately to gather facts and push your case forward. Even if you’re still in the process of recovering, an attorney reviews medical records and other pertinent information to calculate a fair compensatory damage amount to pursue.

Negotiates With Insurance Companies

Insurance companies do everything within their power to avoid paying or drastically reduce the amount of a settlement. They will delay and deflect in hopes that your frustration with the legal process causes you to settle impulsively. Therefore, it is imperative to have a personal injury lawyer fighting for you. Your attorney can work with insurance companies using the facts of your case and the law to reach a just settlement.

Collects Evidence To Support Your Case

An attorney prepares for whatever direction your case goes. Whether you settle with an insurance company or file a lawsuit, you need substantive evidence to support your case. Neither insurance companies nor defendants have much legal leeway when the facts of the accident are clearly in your favor. These are the types of evidence your lawyer gathers and develops to build your case:

• Medical records
• Medical bills
• Police accident report
• Witness statements
• Photographs of the accident scene
• Videos of the accident scene (mobile phone recordings and nearby security camera footage)
• Accident reconstruction analysis
• Expert witness testimony

It is critical to have a well-organized strategy to avoid time-consuming setbacks. Choose an attorney who knows how to represent you and has a proven record of success.

Handles Communications With Other Parties

A significant aspect of what a lawyer does for a client is communicating with all parties to a claim. The vast amount of legal work for personal injury claims happens through phone calls and emails. While more informal than court proceedings, these types of communications require a lawyer’s skill and knowledge to manage all the critical details in discussions about your case. Legal complexities must still be negotiated even in these less formal settings when seeking to recover damages.

Knows How Insurance Laws Apply to Your Case

Michigan is a no-fault insurance state, and everyone who drives a car is required to purchase this coverage. If you are hurt in an accident, your no-fault insurance pays your medical expenses, wage losses, replacement services, and damage to another person’s property. Noneconomic damages can be recovered by filing a personal injury lawsuit if your case meets these criteria:

• Serious impairment of body function
• Permanent serious disfigurement

Having a personal injury attorney to deal with these issues after a truck accident is important when pursuing a damage recovery.

Modified Comparative Fault

Michigan is also a modified comparative fault state. You must prove liability to recover damages in a personal injury lawsuit. However, you can be partially responsible for an accident and still seek damages if you are not more than 51% at fault in an accident. If you are more than 51% responsible, you have no lawful right to a damage recovery. Because modified comparative fault applies, the amount of your damages is reduced by your percentage of fault.

Litigates Your Case

In 2020 traffic statistics from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, semi-trucks were involved in 4.6% of traffic crashes. This totals more than 11,000 accidents throughout the state. If a careless truck driver injures you, you need to make sure your voice is heard if you go to court. A Michigan truck accident lawyer prepares your case for trial in these ways:

• Files your lawsuit paperwork
• Develops your case presentation
• Researches the laws that pertain to your case  
• Manages the discovery process
• Prepares witnesses for trial
• Brings in experts to support your case
• Counsels you through the trial process

Time is critical in truck accident cases. While the Michigan statute of limitations allows you to file a personal injury lawsuit within three years, it is best not to wait out the clock on consulting with an attorney. There is a window of time to gather evidence in a case to ensure you have the best possible chances of getting the damage recovery you deserve.

Provides You With Timely Legal Counsel

It is essential to have a personal injury attorney who listens to you and keeps you up to date on your truck accident case. There is more to legal representation than delivering settlement offers. You need to understand how your case is being handled and have the opportunity to ask questions. Some claims don’t reach a pre-trial settlement, so being aware of the developments in your case matters if you file a lawsuit.

Get an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney for Your Truck Accident Case

Mike Morse Law Firm is the personal injury team that knows how to deal with truck accidents. When a semi hits your vehicle, you are often left with debilitating injuries that affect your ability to work and pay your bills. Your entire family is affected when the negligent actions of another driver hurt you.

We help you reclaim your life by representing your interests after an accident. We want you to know that there are no fees until we win. Please fill out this quick contact form to get started.

Sources:

https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/difs/Publication/Auto/FIS-PUB_0202.pdf?rev=7f43969712ec4c269abfc0cbf8a843ef

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(1nzzucoij4zrqe3hqafqoyeg))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=mcl-600-2959

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(hkrthhuu4awlh3ae1uwdk1fo))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=mcl-500-3135

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(hnowxyvjdsu3ec5jhuelnhzg))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-600-5805

https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/msp/cjic/pdfs9/2020_year_end_traffic_crash_statistics.pdf?rev=4348f6d6236442c4bcd9b2307d574c4a