It’s every driver’s worst nightmare, getting into an accident with a semi-truck, and with good reason.
KENT COUNTY, Mich. — It’s every driver’s worst nightmare, getting into an accident with a semi-truck, and with good reason. Statistics out of Michigan show an increase in truck accidents and an increase in injury-related and even FATAL accidents. Brandon Hewitt is an attorney with Michigan Auto Law and he joined us to break down the statistics. He explained there are several reasons ny semi-truck accidents are so serious:
Fatality rates are higher – In Michigan in 2022, the fatality rate for semi-truck crashes was more than 28% higher than the overall fatality rate for all motor vehicle crashes. Specifically, in 2022 in Michigan, the fatal crash rate for tractor trailers was 1.5 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled compared to the overall fatal crash rate of 1.171 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
Differences in size and weight – Semi-trucks are drastically bigger and weigh significantly more than a passenger vehicle (i.e., estimates show that semi-trucks may weigh as much as 80,000 lbs., compared to 4,000-6,000 lbs. for a passenger vehicle). In the event of a crash between a semi and a passenger vehicle, the occupants of the latter are more vulnerable to serious injury because heavier vehicles will have more force than small vehicles in a crash.
Highway speeds – In light of the size and weight differences, the impact of a semi-truck operating at highway speeds of 65-75mph will be much more damaging and potentially deadly than if the semi were a passenger vehicle.
Pedestrians are more vulnerable with larger vehicles – Just like pedestrians are at greater risk of death or injury with SUVs as compared to passenger vehicles, the same is true for semi-trucks.
Hewitt said, when an accident happens, it’s important to get a truck accident lawyer early. He said, “Evidence must be preserved immediately, or it can be lawfully destroyed. Liable parties try to escape being held accountable by trying to hide their identities, concealing their assets, and withholding information about the extent of their insurance coverage.” He said an experienced lawyer will know how to preserve the truck driver’s ELD (electronic logging device) data to track the driver’s compliance or non-compliance with the federal safety regulations on how many hours during a 24-hour period that a trucker is permitted to drive. These hours-of-service regulations are intended to prevent truck drivers from getting behind the wheel if they haven’t gotten enough sleep and rest to drive safely. In addition to the ELD, Hewitt said a lawyer will know how to preserve data from the semi-truck’s “black box” or Electronic Control Modules (ECMs) which records data about the truck’s operation immediately before, during and after the crash. This allows your lawyer to determine the truck’s speed and whether or the brakes were applied before impact. “Your lawyer will be able to prevent investigators, defense attorneys and adjusters who work for the insurance company from altering or destroying evidence at the crash scene to favor the truck driver or other related parties,” said Hewitt. “For example, in one of our actual cases, which was a horrific burn injury caused by a careless truck driver, the truck company’s investigators actually moved the client’s stick shift from drive to neutral. Luckily, police photos taken at the scene exposed what they had done.”
Hewitt shared some advice for choosing the best truck accident lawyer. He said there are several factors to consider – and questions to ask of a prospective lawyer – when choosing the best truck accident lawyer for your case:
- Experience – How long have you been practicing truck accident law, and how many car accident cases have you handled?
- Specialization – Do you specialize in helping people and families who have been injured in truck accidents?
- Board Certification – Has your law firm earned Board-Certification in Truck Accident Law from the National Board of Trial Advocacy (an ABA-Accredited Lawyer Certification Program)?
- Settlements and Verdicts – What is your track record in recovering settlements and verdicts for your clients?
- Client reviews and testimonials – Do you past clients give you 5-star reviews? What do your past clients say in their reviews and testimonials about your communication style, your availability, your promptness in answer phone calls and emails, and whether the outcome of their cases met or exceeded the expectations?
- Attorney fees – What is your fee structure, and how do you handle payment for your services?
For more information or to seek the help of an attorney, call 833-411-MICH or visit www.MichiganAutoLaw.com.
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