Michigan Semi Truck Accident Lawyer

Large commercial trucks such as semi-trucks or tractor-trailers are some of the most essential vehicles on the road. These massive vehicles are responsible for transporting billions of tons of goods and materials across the country, and the U.S. supply chains are heavily reliant upon commercial trucking. However, these large vehicles are also capable of causing devastating accidents, and it’s vital to consult a dedicated Michigan semi truck accident lawyer when one occurs.

At Wigod & Falzon in Southfield, MI, we can help you navigate the legal process and advocate for your rights.

Understanding the Prevalence and Dangers of Truck Accidents

In the United States, truck accidents are tragically common. This is where a skilled Michigan semi-truck accident attorney becomes crucial. Consider the following stats showcasing the prevalence and seriousness of truck accidents:

• There were about 503,000 police-reported crashes involving large trucks in 2022.
• Approximately 54% of all fatal crashes occurred in rural areas, with 27% occurring on interstate highways.
• In 2024, accidents involving only one large truck led to 154 deaths.

Large vehicles like semi-trucks can be hard to drive around and cause major damage to cars because of their size and weight. Any large commercial truck is likely several times larger and many times heavier than the average passenger vehicle, so when they crash, they are easily capable of damaging many other smaller vehicles around them in a very short window of time.

Commercial Truck Weight and Axle Load Limits are carefully regulated to ensure safety on the roads. These limits dictate how much weight a truck can carry per axle and in total, helping to prevent accidents caused by overloading. Trucks exceeding these limits can face increased risks of accidents, particularly if their load shifts or they are harder to stop or maneuver.

Truck accidents often occur when drivers get distracted or do not adjust their speed to match road conditions. Other semi truck accident causes include defective vehicles, as well as drivers who are unqualified, poorly trained, or under the influence.

Because large trucks have more demanding maintenance requirements than standard vehicles and their drivers require special training, there are more risk factors that could potentially cause a serious truck accident than a standard passenger car accident.

Determining liability for your recent truck accident could be more challenging than you expect at first, which is another important reason you need to consult an experienced Southfield, MI, truck accident lawyer as quickly as possible.

The right attorney can review the details of how your truck accident happened, help determine all parties that may be liable for your damages, and explain how to navigate the auto insurance claim filing process in the state.

Wigod & Falzon has years of professional experience representing injured clients in a wide range of complex motor vehicle accident cases, including semi-truck accident cases. Our goal is to help our client understand their legal situation as clearly as possible and recover as much as they can for their damages. We explain the complexities of semi-truck accidents in personal injury cases. Learn how a semi-truck accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Michigan’s Busy Highways

Michigan’s extensive highway system supports a tremendous amount of commercial traffic throughout the year. Major routes such as Interstate 75 (I-75), Interstate 94 (I-94), Interstate 96 (I-96), Interstate 69 (I-69), U.S. 23, and U.S. 131 are popular for tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, flat beds, and other vehicles transporting freight in Michigan on interstate and even international routes.

Congestion near Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor, and Kalamazoo, combined with ongoing construction zones, severe winter weather, and high commuter traffic, creates conditions where Michigan truck accidents are more likely to occur.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Michigan

Commercial trucks are essential to Michigan’s economy, but when a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or other commercial vehicle that is fully loaded is involved in a collision, the consequences and injuries can be devastating.

Because these vehicles can weigh up to 80,000 pounds or even more when fully loaded, even a relatively low-speed crash can result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Understanding the most common causes of Michigan truck accidents can help injured victims recognize when negligence may have played a role.

If another party’s careless actions caused your injuries, a knowledgeable Michigan truck accident attorney from our experienced law firm can investigate the crash and pursue compensation on your behalf. Here are some common causes of truck accidents.

Driver Fatigue

Truck drivers often spend long hours behind the wheel and embark on multi-day trips where rest periods can be tucked between long multi-state routes. This challenging work arrangement demonstrates the dedication of truck drivers, but it also makes fatigue a leading cause of serious semi-truck accidents. Although federal Hours of Service regulations limit how long commercial drivers may operate before taking mandatory breaks, violations still occur.

Some drivers push through their rest breaks to try to make their deliveries faster, especially if they’re paid by delivery rather than by the hour. Others are pressured by their bosses or company to skip rest breaks for the sake of the bottom line. Others may find there’s no safe place to stop when their legally mandated rest time arrives, so they press on to try and find a safe truck stop, though this can lead to unsafe conditions on the road.

Fatigued drivers can experience:

• Slower reaction times
• Poor decision-making
• Reduced concentration
• Dulled reflexes
• Lane drifting
• Microsleep episodes
• Highway hypnosis

Even a few seconds of inattention can cause a devastating collision, especially at highway speeds. If a fatigued truck driver caused you to suffer injuries or property damage, our truck accident lawyers in Michigan are here to help.

Speeding or Driving Aggressively

Just as drivers may be pressured to skip rest periods to make deliveries faster, they may also be tempted to break the speed limit for similar reasons. But the faster a commercial truck goes, the easier it is for one swerve or gust of wind to knock it off course, leading to momentum taking its toll and creating an accident.

Driving too fast can lead to:

• Rear-end collisions
• Jackknife accidents
• Rollovers
• Loss of vehicle control
• Multi-vehicle crashes

These issues can also arise from aggressive driving. Some drivers may become irritable due to long periods on the road without exercise, healthy food, or time with family. The simple act of one driver cutting them off, even by accident, can lead to an aggressive response. This can easily set off a chain reaction that puts multiple lives at risk.

Distracted Driving

Like all motorists, commercial truckers can become distracted by activities inside or outside the cab. For some truck drivers, they may be more susceptible to these risks than a passenger car driver. This can be because of factors such as:

• Drivers may be focused on enjoying the scenery as they pass through new areas
• In-cab features like navigation and entertainment options can take drivers’ attention
• Communication with dispatch can take their focus, resulting in a lapse of concentration
• A desire to connect with loved ones back home can push drivers to text or take calls

While truck drivers may have a hard job, they must obey the rules of the road, which include being attentive to traffic and one’s surroundings while behind the wheel.

Improper Training, Loading, or Maintenance Procedures

Trucking depends on several factors coming together to help produce safe trips every time a driver heads out. But even one failure in any of these areas can be enough to cause an accident. Common causes of truck accidents due to shortcomings in professional behavior can include:

• A lack of training for drivers, usually because of companies cutting corners
• Failures in maintenance, due to rushing or because of faulty equipment providers
• Improper cargo loading due to rushing or an attempt to carry too much freight

An untrained driver, a malfunctioning component, or a trailer that’s too heavy and prone to swaying can lead to a serious accident that may claim lives. Our trucking law firm in Michigan can investigate these issues and help with your truck accident claim.

Impaired Driving

Impaired driving is a risk for any motorist, especially truckers. Some drivers use alcohol or other substances to ease the stress or dull feelings of loneliness, but even slight intoxication beyond the legal limit is a crime, and truckers can put countless lives at risk by engaging in this behavior.

Common Injuries Sustained in Truck Accidents

Commercial trucks can weigh 20 or 30 times more than the average vehicle, creating a size and power disparity that makes catastrophic injuries more likely. Even safety features such as airbags and seat belts may not be enough to prevent serious harm when a fully loaded semi-truck collides with a car, motorcycle, or pedestrian.

Victims of Michigan truck accidents frequently require emergency medical treatment, multiple surgeries, lengthy recovery periods, and ongoing care that may last for years. Understanding the most common injuries sustained in these crashes can help accident victims understand why they should seek legal help. A Michigan truck accident attorney from our firm can evaluate the impact of these injuries when building a personal injury claim.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Among the most serious injuries sustained in truck and semi-truck accidents are traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). These injuries occur when the violent force of an accident, common in truck collisions, causes the brain to strike the inside of the skull. Even with no visible head wound, a person may experience mild-to-severe injuries, leading to symptoms that affect their ability to communicate, work, and live independently.

Common symptoms can include:

• Persistent headaches
• Memory loss
• Difficulty concentrating
• Dizziness or balance problems
• Mood or personality changes
• Vision problems
• Speech or language difficulties
• Cognitive impairment

Some traumatic brain injuries don’t become apparent until days or weeks after the accident. These injuries can also lead to long-term struggles that worsen and even become fatal. One study found that within five years of suffering their injury, about 30% of TBI sufferers saw their condition worsen, while 22% lost their life as a result of the injury.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Truck crashes frequently cause significant trauma to the neck and back. Damage to the spinal cord can be extremely debilitating, as this essential biological and neurological communication network links the brain and body together.

Injuries to this highly sensitive area can cause life-changing trauma, such as:

• Partial paralysis
• Temporary paralysis
• Complete paralysis
• Chronic nerve pain
• Loss of sensation
• Reduced mobility
• Loss of bodily functions
• Loss of sexual performance
• Inability to work or travel

These injuries can necessitate extensive long-term medical treatment in the form of invasive procedures, lengthy rehabilitation, and home modifications. If you suffered a spinal injury in a truck accident, hire a truck accident lawyer from our firm to help you seek recompense.

Broken Bones and Orthopedic Injuries

The tremendous force involved in Michigan semi-truck, flat bed, and other truck accidents can result in fractures throughout the body. These issues can heal with casting and rehabilitation in some cases, but others require extensive surgical procedures, which may involve implanting hardware to help bones mend properly.

Common areas where breaks and fractures occur include, but are not limited to:

• Arms
• Legs
• Hips
• Pelvis
• Collarbone
• Ribs
• Hands and wrists
• Ankles

While these issues may seem minor compared to other injuries, they still represent pain, struggles, and debt that people shouldn’t have to suffer alone.

Internal Injuries

Not every serious injury is immediately visible after a truck accident. The force of impact can cause damage to internal organs, leading to loss of organ function, internal bleeding, and other serious complications.

Unfortunately, many people dismiss these injuries as cramps or soreness, not realizing the extent of the harm until it begins to manifest in more serious ways. Common organs that can be injured in a Michigan truck accident include, but are not limited to:

• Liver
• Spleen
• Kidneys
• Lungs
• Heart
• Intestines

Because symptoms sometimes develop gradually, anyone involved in a significant truck collision should seek immediate medical attention from a Michigan hospital near them. This can help you learn how to treat injuries properly, and the medical reports can also be valuable evidence in a Michigan truck accident claim.

Severe Burning and Scarring

Some truck accidents involve fuel leaks, vehicle fires, explosions, or hazardous cargo. Victims may suffer serious burns that require skin grafts, reconstructive surgery, and prolonged hospitalization.

In addition to the physical pain, this can also lead to disfigurement that affects a person’s confidence, emotional well-being, and quality of life years after the accident.

Crush Injuries and Amputations

Some commercial truck collisions result in occupants becoming trapped inside their vehicles. This can be traumatic both mentally and physically. Crush injuries can damage muscles, nerves, blood vessels, tendons, and bones simultaneously, and these injuries can last a lifetime.

In especially severe cases, emergency amputations or surgical amputations may become necessary when a limb cannot be saved. Victims often require prosthetic devices, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and long-term medical care. If this type of debilitating injury changed your life, hire a truck accident lawyer from our firm to help you pursue justice.

Emotional and Psychological Trauma

The effects of a truck accident can extend far beyond physical injuries. Many survivors experience emotional trauma due to near-death experiences and carry this mental strain long after visible injuries have healed.

Common psychological injuries can include:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Sleep disturbances
• Fear of driving
• Emotional distress

While some truckers, companies, and insurers may try to minimize the impact of emotional distress, our law firm understands how to convey these clinical conditions professionally in your truck accident claim. If you are suffering emotional or mental trauma due to your accident, we are here to help.

Determining Liability in Truck Accidents: The Driver or the Company?

• Truck accidents can be complicated, as the ads on trucks may not reveal who the actual owners of these vehicles are.

In other words, the driver of the truck typically doesn’t own the vehicle they drive. Larger companies that employ truck drivers should accept liability for their drivers’ negligence. A knowledgeable semi-truck accident lawyer in Michigan can help identify the liable parties in such complex situations, keeping in mind the Michigan Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Cases.

In addition, many truck drivers lease their trucks to large shipping companies, making the lessee liable for driver negligence. Additionally, another company sometimes owns the trailers that trucks pull.

This is why, compared to car accidents, truck accidents can be complicated to navigate.
However, when you hire a truck accident lawyer from our firm, we can clearly guide you through this process. We can also help you recover fair compensation for injuries caused by a driver or company’s negligence.

Considering Interstate Laws and Regulations

In addition to ownership issues, trucking companies and their drivers face constantly changing rules. State and federal regulators frequently create and amend these rules for delivering goods across the US, especially in Michigan.

Understanding these regulations is a key skill of semi-truck accident lawyers in Michigan. Breaching these rules can subject the public to harm. Therefore, it is important to monitor truck drivers’ speed and limit their driving hours.

Violating these guidelines can be evidence of negligence on their part and even the fault of the company they drive for. Internal computer programs and GPS satellite tracking are now standard in the trucking industry.

Obtaining these records is vital in proving one’s case and something your personal injury lawyer should do immediately.

Ultimately, proving liability for a truck accident could be crucial to your full recovery, but it may not be as easy as you initially expected. It is possible for liability to fall to more than one party, including the truck driver and their employer. An experienced Southfield, MI, truck accident lawyer can review the evidence of your truck accident claim and help identify all liable parties bearing fault for your damages.

Recover With an Auto Insurance Claim

State law requires every driver to have their own no-fault auto insurance, and drivers have the choice to secure the level of insurance coverage they believe is appropriate for them as long as they meet the state’s minimum coverage requirements.

The state’s no-fault auto insurance also applies as residual liability coverage if you cause an accident. This means your insurance will pay for damages for bodily injury and property damage, but only to an extent.

Filing an auto insurance claim can be more challenging than you expect, and it is always possible to encounter unexpected complications in your interactions with an auto insurance company. They may attempt to offer a lowball settlement or deny your claim on a technicality, and some insurance companies even engage in bad-faith tactics to avoid paying out claims. Your Southfield, MI, truck accident attorney can help you file your claim and resolve any such issues.

If your case meets certain criteria, you may have the option of filing a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver. If you sustained any type of catastrophic injury that has caused permanent disability and/or disfigurement, or if your case involves an out-of-state driver who does not have auto insurance registered in the state, you could have grounds to pursue a personal injury claim that can potentially enhance your recovery significantly.

Filing Your Personal Injury Case in Southfield

If you plan to pursue a personal injury claim after your truck accident in Southfield, it is important to know how to build this claim, the statutory rules for filing it, and the damages you could potentially recover if you are successful. It is also important to understand how any fault you may share for the accident could be reflected in your case award under Michigan’s unique modified comparative fault rule.

Under this rule, it is possible for a plaintiff to share fault with a defendant and still have grounds to claim compensation. However, their recovery is reduced to reflect their shared fault. In Michigan, the plaintiff can still claim compensation if they are less than 50% at fault, but their fault percentage is taken from their case award as a penalty.

If they are over 50% at fault, they cannot recover compensation for non-economic damages, and their economic damages will be reduced by their fault percentage. This could dramatically reduce the plaintiff’s case award.

If you have any concerns about bearing partial liability for a recent truck accident, it is vital to consult an experienced attorney who can explain the legal implications of your shared fault in terms of your case award in accordance with truck accident laws.

To succeed with a personal injury claim in Southfield, the plaintiff must accurately identify the party or parties responsible for causing their damages and then prove the true extent of those damages. The plaintiff will also need to establish causation between the defendant’s actions and their damages, meaning their damages must have been the direct result of the defendant’s negligence or misconduct and not from any other cause.

The plaintiff may have a grasp of their immediately recognizable economic losses, but accurate determination of long-term economic damages and assessing their non-economic damages will be very difficult without an attorney’s help. Your Southfield, MI, truck accident attorney can be an invaluable asset for accurately calculating the true potential value of your case.

FAQs

Are Truckers Automatically Held Liable in Accidents Involving Cars?

No, truckers are not automatically held liable in accidents involving cars. While some people assume that their larger size and higher risks make them automatically at fault, truck drivers have a right to a fair case just like any other motorist. Drivers of passenger vehicles involved in truck accidents must prove that the truck driver caused the collision, and this can be much easier with the help of a skilled and experienced Michigan truck accident attorney.

What Are Non-Economic Damages an Accident Victim May Recover?

Non-economic damages a victim may recover can include pain and suffering and lifestyle changes. While these issues may come with some type of economic cost, they are mainly a factor because they represent issues like loss of life enjoyment, loss of bodily functions, relationship strains, mobility limitations, and other issues that can be compensated for based on how they affect the victim’s life. Our firm can help you assess, quantify, and recover these damages.

What Evidence Can Be Used in a Truck Accident Case in Michigan?

Many types of evidence can be used in a truck accident case in Michigan. Accident reports from police and medical reports can help convey fault and show damages. Witness testimonies and accident scene recreation can also be used. If available, footage from dashboard, traffic, and body cameras can also help to accurately convey the details of the accident. Our firm can help gather this evidence and organize it for your Michigan truck accident claim.

Do All Michigan Truck Accident Claims Go to Court?

No, not all Michigan truck accident claims go to court. In some cases, drivers and companies are willing to settle through insurance out of court, as this can be faster and help their businesses avoid costly and stressful legal battles. Our Michigan truck accident law firm can negotiate with insurance companies directly on your behalf to secure a fair settlement. If a deal cannot be reached, we can represent you in formal court cases.

Call a Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer Today

Our team of experienced truck accident lawyers in Michigan can assist you in gathering the needed evidence. They can help you secure the compensation you deserve for your injuries or the loss of loved ones.

The team at Wigod & Falzon has successfully represented clients in personal injury and wrongful death claims throughout the Southfield, MI, area that involved semi-trucks and other commercial trucks. We are ready to put this experience to work in your impending truck accident case.

Call us today if you or a family member has been in a truck accident. Receive a free consultation with no commitment required. Remember, you pay us nothing until we recover compensation for you!

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Hire a Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

There are no fees to start your case. With our contingency fee policy, we take a percentage of your case award as our fee, so there is no risk of your legal expenses eclipsing your total compensation. Additionally, we only take this fee if we obtain compensation for you.

Let the personal injury attorneys of Wigod & Falzon advocate for your rights. Reach out to us for a free, no-commitment consultation today. We can listen to your story, review the details of your claim, and help determine the most appropriate route to recovery.

We can explain the various legal services we can provide to assist with your case and provide an estimate of your case’s most likely timetable.

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About Michigan

Michigan is known for its rich car-making history, beautiful Great Lakes shores, and lively cities like Detroit and Ann Arbor. But because it’s a key transportation state, it also deals with serious semi truck accidents.

In 2022, there were over 15,800 crashes involving large trucks in Michigan. These crashes caused 96 deaths and more than 2,400 injuries—an increase from the year before. The main causes are speeding, distracted driving, unsafe lane changes, and not yielding properly.

One sad example happened in April 2025, when a 64-year-old truck driver was killed while unloading his trailer on a hill in Ann Arbor. His death showed how dangerous this job can be.

To help prevent crashes, Michigan has strong rules: truck drivers must check their vehicles before every trip, can’t use handheld phones while driving (under the 2023 law), and must follow the “Move Over” rule to protect workers on the roadside.

With better enforcement, safety programs, and public awareness, Michigan is working to make roads safer for everyone—drivers, workers, and pedestrians alike.