Troy Truck Accident Lawyer

Experienced Troy Truck Accident Attorneys Help Our Injured Clients Win the Compensation They Need After a Crash

Troy, Michigan, is home to major businesses, shopping centers like the Somerset Collection and Oakland Mall, and the Troy Historic Village. Trucks play a vital role in supporting these enterprises. They drop off equipment and supplies, pick up finished goods, and make deliveries to businesses and homes across the city.

Safely operating a truck on the road is a significant undertaking involving many teams of professionals. Each plays a crucial role in minimizing the risk of a truck accident. If any one of them fails to use reasonable care, their negligence can lead to serious injuries.

If you’ve been injured in a truck crash in Troy, talk to an experienced Troy truck accident attorney. The team at Sommers Schwartz, P.C. can help.

Troy Truck Accident Statistics

The Michigan State Police (MSP) collects statistics on statewide vehicle crashes. It categorizes a crash as a “truck crash” if at least one vehicle involved in the collision has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over 10,000 pounds. This category includes everything from box trucks making local deliveries to fully loaded interstate tractor-trailers. Any vehicle with a hazardous materials placard is also included in this category, regardless of weight.

According to the Michigan State Police’s 2023 Statewide Traffic Crash Data Year End Report:

• 15,088 crashes on Michigan roadways involved a truck or a bus.
• 103 people died in truck and bus crashes.
• October had the most truck crashes (1,594).
• Truck and bus crashes were more common on weekdays and less likely to occur on weekends.

In Oakland County:

• 1,906 truck and bus crashes occurred in 2023.
• Five people died in truck crashes in 2023.
• 441 people suffered injuries, many of them serious.

Only Wayne County exceeded Oakland County’s total crashes, reporting 3,558. Macomb County ranked third, with 1,287 truck collisions. No other Michigan county exceeded 1,000 truck crashes in 2023; Kent County, the fourth highest, recorded 980 collisions.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Troy

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) oversees interstate truck travel. To improve roadway safety, the FMCSA collects data and publishes its annual Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) report. The 2023 LTCCS analyzed 141,000 fatal truck collisions across the United States.

Researchers found the following common causes of large truck crashes. In some cases, more than one factor contributed to causing an accident.

• Driver made the wrong decision in a crisis. Incorrect decision-making factored into 38% of the studied collisions. Incorrect driver decisions resulted from many different causes, including improper training, inexperience, being under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, and fatigue.
• Driver failed to recognize a hazard. Failure to spot a roadway hazard in time to avoid a collision can result from driver inattention, intoxication, fatigue, or other distractions.
• Driver failed to respond appropriately to a situation. Failing to brake in a traffic slowdown, failing to keep the vehicle from drifting, and similar “non-performance” problems occurred in 12% of the studied collisions.
• Vehicle or equipment failure. Hidden defects, improper cargo loading, and improper maintenance were common causes of truck accidents. This category was a contributing factor in 10% of all crashes FMCSA studied in 2023.
• Environmental issues. Slippery roads, low visibility, improperly designed roadways or signs, and other environmental factors can also cause or contribute to a truck crash. This category of factors contributed to 3% of truck collisions in the 2023 LTCCS.

In addition to assigning these broad causal categories, the LTCCS examined and cataloged specific events that occurred frequently in each type of accident. The LTCCS calls these “associated factors.” The most common associated factors in large truck crashes were:

• Brake issues (29%).
• Speeding/traveling too fast for roadway conditions (23%).
• Drivers being unfamiliar with the roads (22%).
• Problems with the road itself, such as potholes (20%).
• Over-the-counter drug use (17%).
• Driver’s failure to pay adequate attention to the truck’s surroundings (14%).
• Driver fatigue (13%).
• Driver felt pressured by their boss to work faster or longer (10%).
• Driver made an illegal turn, lane change, or other maneuver (9%).
• Tire problems with the truck (6%).
• Vehicle cargo shift (4%).

While drivers have control over many issues, they can’t control every potential problem with their truck or on the road. Cargo issues, vehicle maintenance problems, hidden defects in truck parts, roadway design errors, and other drivers’ behavior can all trigger a crash that a truck driver could not predict or prevent.

Determining precisely what caused a large truck collision can be challenging. It’s even harder when you’re struggling to recover from serious injuries. An experienced Troy truck accident attorney can help.

Navigating a Troy Truck Accident Claim

After a truck accident injury, you may struggle with basic activities. Healing takes time, which leaves you plenty of time to worry. Will your injuries heal? When can you go back to work, if ever? How will you pay your medical bills? How will you support your family?

An experienced attorney can handle your truck accident claim and allow you to focus on your recovery. They will negotiate with insurance companies, handle the appropriate court filings, and vigorously advocate for you to recover the compensation you deserve.

Time Limits

Michigan’s statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is three years. In most cases, an injured person has three years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. For truck accident injuries, this period usually begins on the accident date. However, numerous exceptions can lengthen or shorten the amount of time you have to file a claim. Speak to an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights. An experienced lawyer can examine the facts and determine when the deadline falls in your case.

Compensation

A truck crash lawsuit allows you to pursue compensation for damages you suffered related to the accident. The amount and type of damages include both “economic” and “non-economic” damages.

• Economic damages are financial expenses, costs, and easily quantified losses. They include direct expenses, such as medical bills and damaged property costs. You can also recover lost income and other expenses you wouldn’t have incurred otherwise, such as household help, personal care assistance, childcare assistance, necessary modifications to your home or vehicle, and other accident-related costs.

Economic damages may also include compensation for future losses, such as ongoing necessary medical care or predicted future surgeries. If your injuries prevent you from ever working again or reduce your earning capacity, you can seek compensation for future lost wages.

• Non-economic damages quantify the non-financial costs of an accident. You may be able to recover compensation for your conscious pain and suffering, your loss of enjoyment of hobbies and other activities, and mental or emotional anguish from scarring, disfigurement, and similar difficulties.

After a fatal truck crash, surviving family members can seek compensation in a wrongful death claim. This claim covers the deceased person’s losses as well as those of some family members, like funeral expenses and the loss of a loved one’s care, companionship, and support.

Each truck crash case has a unique set of facts and damages. An experienced attorney can ensure you understand the full value of your claim and pursue the compensation you deserve after a truck crash.

Proving Fault After a Truck Crash

Most truck accident injury claims are based on the legal theory of “negligence.” A plaintiff must prove that a defendant had a duty of care to prevent harm but failed to meet that duty, which caused injury to the plaintiff.

Many parties are responsible for putting trucks on the road safely. One or more of them failing to fulfill their legal responsibilities (or “duty of care”) can lead to an accident.

For example, a driver may run a red light or drift out of their lane. A trucking company may fail to train or drug test drivers properly. A cargo loading company may secure cargo improperly. A truck maintenance team may botch a repair. A truck owner may neglect to maintain a truck.

Many other factors can contribute to causing an accident. In many truck crash cases, more than one defendant’s negligence contributes to causing an accident. Determining what caused an accident and who may be legally responsible can be expensive, time-consuming, and complicated. An experienced Troy truck accident lawyer can help you investigate the truth and build a strong case against every potentially liable defendant.

Speak to a Knowledgeable Truck Accident Attorney in Troy Today

A truck crash can have devastating consequences. Truck collisions are often fatal. Frequently, survivors endure life-altering, catastrophic injuries.

If you’ve been injured in a truck crash in Troy or elsewhere in Oakland County, speak to an experienced Troy truck accident lawyer today. Contact Sommers Schwartz P.C. to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. Our attorneys will answer your questions and help you understand your options to pursue the compensation and justice you deserve.