Brain Injury From Truck Accident – Truck Accident Attorney in Detroit & Southfield Michigan

Accidents involving commercial trucks and passenger vehicles can result in serious injuries, property damage, and loss of life.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a truck collision, you need lawyers who will fight to recover the compensation you deserve.

Truck Accidents in Michigan

According to statistics from the Michigan State Police, there were 312,798 total vehicle crashes across the state in 2018. Although accidents involving cars, SUVs, and vans account for the vast majority, 15,539 crashes involved big, commercial trucks – crashes that injured 2,662 people and killed 113.

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration classifies vehicles into eight categories based on weight. The largest, heaviest trucks fall into the two top categories. Class 8 trucks have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 33,000 pounds, and include tractor-trailers, cement mixers, garbage and dump trucks, and semi-trailers.

Causes of Truck Accidents

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulate and provide safety oversight of the trucking industry. To operate a large truck, drivers must have a commercial license, must maintain logbooks of their trips, may only drive during a period of 14 consecutive hours, and can only come on duty following ten consecutive hours off duty. Truck owners must maintain the vehicles and observe mechanical safety regulations.

Most truck collisions are preventable. Despite proper training and maintenance, truck accidents in Michigan can happen, commonly caused when the truck driver:

• Fails to signal
• Exceeds the speed limit
• Follows too closely behind another vehicle
• Disregards traffic and road signs
• Carries an improper or unsecured load weight
• Engages in distracted driving
• Is impaired
• Is fatigued

Truck Accident Injuries

Similar to other motor vehicle crashes, injuries can include head injuries, broken bones, and internal injuries. An accident with a large truck increases the risk of more severe consequences – especially head and brain injuries, such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Skull fractures
• Brain herniation
• Penetration of an object through the skull and into the brain
• Diffuse axonal injuries to nerve fibers caused by shaking or rotational force

Legal Compensation and Filing a Lawsuit

Brain injuries from a truck accident can lead to long-term disability, irreversible harm, and loss of life. Even so-called “short term” injuries can have life-altering effects, and if you suffered a brain injury in a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for:

• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages
• Loss of future earnings
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Future medical care and treatment

Truck accidents are not always the fault of the truck driver. Sometimes, mechanical errors, faulty truck maintenance, or other negligence can lead to an accident. Besides the driver, the trucking company, truck owner, load owner, mechanic, or others may be responsible.

To recover compensation for a brain injury, you may have to file a lawsuit seeking damages. But a court case can be time-consuming, complicated, and mentally and physically draining. Defendants in truck accident suits devote significant money and resources to avoid paying money to injured plaintiffs. That is why you should hire an attorney to help you through the legal process.

HIRING A MICHIGAN TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

If you or your loved one suffered a brain injury from a truck accident, please contact the experienced and knowledgeable attorneys at Sommers Schwartz. We will protect your rights and pursue your case.

For more than four decades, we have helped plaintiffs injured in truck accidents obtain significant compensation. Contact us today at (800) 783-0989 to schedule a free consultation. The call is free, and because we work on a contingency basis, there is no fee unless we win.