I saw a story on the news today about an Ann Arbor Gravel Hauler Accident on I-94. According to the Michigan State Police, the accident happened near Dancer Road, between Ann Arbor and Chelsea, when a gravel hauler pulled out of the construction lanes into the path of an oncoming vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was seriously injured and taken to the University of Michigan Medical Center where he is in critical condition. Police are still investigating this accident.

I am very sorry to hear about this accident and wish the driver a speedy and full recovery. I hope that he has no permanent deficits from this accident.

Our Michigan truck accident lawyers advise accident victims of their legal rights.  For this type of auto accident in Michigan, the injured driver can submit a claim for Michigan No-Fault insurance benefits.  No-Fault benefits will cover his medical expenses, lost wages, attendant care, replacement services, and other benefits related to injuries suffered in the accident.  The injured party can claim these benefits even if he did not have a Michigan automobile insurance policy.

In addition, the injury victims may be able to file a lawsuit against the persons determined to be at fault in the auto accident as well as the company that owns the gravel hauler.  The insurance company for the driver must still cover any injuries. In this lawsuit, the injured party can claim damages and compensation for injuries suffered in the accident.  The insurance company for the negligent driver typically pays a settlement for this type of case.  

An experienced Michigan car accident lawyer can assist the victim with this type of claim.  Accident victims should not speak with the insurance adjuster for the negligent driver before consulting with an attorney.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan car accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Car Accident Handbook” by clicking on the book link.  We will send it out immediately along with other important information.

For more information about Michigan car accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan car accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

Our Michigan truck accident lawyers often represent victims of truck accidents that involve semi-trucks.  Due to the size and weight of these trucks, it is necessary that the truck drivers are highly trained and fit to operate the vehicle on the roadway.  The injuries from this accidents are often very serious and even catastrophic.

Semi-trucks have large blind spots at the front, back and sides of the truck. When a car is in the blind spot, the driver cannot see it.  If the truck tries to make a right or left turn, it would likely cause serious damage to  any automobiles in its path.

There are many other dangers of Semi-Trucks.  These include:

Squeeze Play - Semi Trucks need to swing wide to the left in order to negotiate a right turn. When truck drivers make wide right turns; they are often unable to see smaller vehicles directly behind or beside them. When a car cuts between the truck and a curb, the car can be caught in a squeeze, and a serious accident can occur.

Stopping Distance - Big rig trucks need a greater stopping distance than other cars and other vehicles. If there is not enough stopping distance between an automobile and a large truck, the car risks being involved in a rear-end collision.

“Off-track” - Occurs when a truck turns at high speed and swings into an adjacent lane unexpectedly. Unlike passenger vehicles, transport trucks require up to 40 percent more space to stop. Following too closely results in inadequate stopping distance between large trucks which then rear-end vehicles in front. It is not difficult to imagine the devastating results that occur when a car, van or SUV is hit from behind with over 10,000 lbs. of moving metal.

The most common causes of Semi Truck accidents are:

Driver Fatigue-sleepy or tired driver; driving too long and too many hours without rest.

Inadequate driver training

Overloaded trucks and improperly loaded trucks

Poorly maintained truck brakes

Speeding

Running off the road

Failure to yield the right of way

Aggressive driving behavior

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol

Reckless driving

Defective safety systems, reflectors, lights and other warning devices

Victims of Michigan semi-truck accidents do have legal rights to recover for their injuries, medical expenses, and lost wages.  For more information on these rights, request our Michigan car accident book which has been called “the best book ever written for Michigan consumers involved in car accidents.”

You can also call us at (800) 606-1717 to speak with one of our experienced Michigan truck accident lawyers.  We do not charge any legal fees unless we obtain a recovery or settlement for you.

Black Box Providing Evidence in Truck Accidents

Many late model automobiles and trucks are installed with a computer called an Event Data Recorder (EDR), also often referred to as a “Black Box.”   When triggered by an impact, accident or similar event, the EDR records certain information about the accident. The information recorded can include various events in the few seconds preceding a crash, including speed, airbag deployment, braking, RPMs, and even whether the driver’s seatbelt was fastened. Thus, the information from these devices can be collected after a crash and analyzed by an expert to help determine what the vehicles and drivers were doing before, during, and after the accident. 

In a lawsuit involving claims for injuries sustained in an automobile accident, the data obtained from the EDR can be helpful in establishing whether or not the negligent party was speeding, attempted to avoid the collision, attempted to brake, etc.  (See e.g. Harris v. Weaver,  unpublished opinion per curiam of the Court of Appeals, decided August 17, 2006 [Docket No.  No. 265617, No. 265618] [http://courtofappeals.mijud.net/documents/OPINIONS/FINAL/COA/20060817_C265617_38_265617.OPN.PDF]  In civil lawsuits, EDR data has been admissible and deemed reliable under universally accepted evidentiary standards.  (See Bachman v. General Motors Corporation, 332 Ill. App. 3rd 760 (4th Dist 2003).

            In order to use the information from the EDR as evidence in a personal injury lawsuit, a qualified expert first must download the information from the EDR.  It will also be necessary to assess factors that could affect the reliability of the data (e.g tire size). This type of evidence can be very helpful to establish that a particular Defendant acted negligently.  Thus it can serve as a powerful tool in maximizing damages in a settlement where injuries are established but liability is strongly contested.  Our law firm has been successful in using EDR data to obtain significant settlements in several automobile accident lawsuits in Michigan.

Our Michigan truck accident lawyers just filed a serious truck accident accident lawsuit arising out of a West Michigan truck accident.  The accident happened in Muskegon County at the intersection of  Apple Road and Newaygo Road.  The suit alleges that the truck driver was negligent and crashed into our client’s passenger vehicle. 

Our client suffered serious orthopedic injuries, a head injury, and other painful and major injuries.  He required extensive medical treatment and will continue to do so in the future.  The injuries have also disabled him from his work as an electrician.  Under Michigan law, he is receiving Michigan No-Fault Insurance Benefits for his medical expenses, lost wages, and other essential services.  His insurance company is voluntarily paying these benefits.

The lawsuit was filed in the Wayne County Circuit Court.  The suit seeks personal injury damages from the trucking company for non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, and economic damages, like wage loss claims that go beyond the three years that the No-Fault Insurance Company must pay.  The truck company has not yet filed an answer to the lawsuit.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan truck accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Car Accident Handbook” by clicking on the book link. We will send it out immediately along with other important information.

For more information about Michigan truck accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com. If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan truck accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

The Michigan truck accident lawyers at our firm represent clients who have been injured in  garbage truck accidents.  Many car-garbage Garbage Truck collisions are not accidents at all. Rather, they are preventable tragedies that typically result from the negligence of the garbage Garbage Truck driver.  

Unlike in the past, most garbage garbage trucks are owned by private companies who contract with cities to provide sanitation services.  As a result, those large companies can be held accountable for the driving accidents of their employees.

Victims of  garbage Garbage Truck accidents often suffer significant injuries.  Injuries often include brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, back injuries, neck injuries, and bone fracture injuries. Lawsuits can be filed to compensate them for their injuries. 

For more information on your rights after a Michigan truck accident, call us at (800) 606-1717.