Muskegon’s Trusted Truck Accident Attorneys

Key Takeaways

• Michigan’s statute of limitations for truck collisions is usually three years.
• Many insurance companies may be involved in truck accident cases if entities other than the driver share liability.
• Most attorneys, including Matz Injury Law, handle truck and car accident cases on a contingency fee basis.
• Never admit fault to anyone at the accident scene or insurance company.
• Never apologize for your actions or inactions at the accident scene.

Truck accident injuries are more often serious or catastrophic because of the size and weight of the vehicle. To add insult to injury, these cases are usually more complex due to the number of plaintiffs that may share liability for your injuries and losses. A Muskegon truck accident lawyer can guide you through the process of filing a claim or negotiating a settlement after a truck accident case, whether your injuries are relatively minor, you suffered catastrophic injuries, or you lost a loved one.

Why Clients Choose Matz Injury Law’s Muskegon Truck Accident Lawyers

When you need an experienced truck accident attorney, you can count on Matz Injury Law. We offer free consultations and will guide you through your truck accident case.

Recent Client Testimonials From Truck Accident Cases

“I was advised by Steve Matz over several days regarding a previous auto accident. He was very diligent with providing me the information I needed to be successful. I was very worried and misguided about the steps I needed to take to manage the lawsuit and obtained his contact information from one of the law firm’s previous clients. I appreciate all of the time he took to get me back on track.” – Domonique B.

“Steve Matz was very easy to work with. His whole staff was knowledgeable and efficient. I would recommend them to anyone in need of an attorney. Thanks again Steve and staff!!” – Linda P.

“Steve was outstanding from the first telephone conversation all the way through until he settled my case at an amount that exceeded my expectations. He is a consummate professional and a compassionate attorney and I would highly recommend him if you ever find yourself in need of a personal injury attorney.” – Sharyn G.

Recent Settlement Results

Some of our recent settlement results include:

• $4.15 million for a college student who was killed in a motorcycle accident
• $3.45 million for a truck accident that resulted in three fatalities and severe injuries to a 4-year-old boy
• $1.3 million for a mother and daughter who were injured in a truck accident
• $1 million for a woman who suffered injuries in a gravel truck accident
• $3.45 million for fatalities in a cement truck accident

Our Muskegon, Michigan, Truck Accident Lawyers are Highly Trusted

Because of our attention to detail and the care we give to each client’s case, we have won several awards, including:

• Rated Super Lawyers for 10 years
• Rated AV Preeminent
• Rated 10.0 Superb by Avvo
• The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
• Michigan Top Attorneys

How Our Muskegon Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help Your Case

Experienced truck accident attorneys can help your case by:

• Thoroughly investigating the accident
• Collaborating with expert witnesses
• Aggressively negotiating with insurance companies
• Comprehensively preparing your case
• Representing you with skill in the courtroom should the insurance companies refuse a fair and reasonable settlement for the compensation you deserve
• Obtaining evidence, including electronic logging devices, maintenance logs, and driver records
• Working with accident reconstructionists, economists, and medical experts to quantify your damages
• Reviewing police reports
• Analyzing any physical evidence from the accident scene

Is There a Statute of Limitations for Truck Accidents in Muskegon, Michigan?

Michigan law sets a time limit for filing a truck accident lawsuit, known as the statute of limitations. You must file a lawsuit within three years of the date of the accident. If you do not file by this deadline, the court will dismiss your case, and you may have no other options.

Michigan’s no-fault law, which allows you to recover compensation from your insurance company no matter who was at fault in the accident, also sets a time limit. You must make a claim within one year of the accident to receive no-fault insurance benefits from your personal injury protection (PIP) coverage.

What Are the Benefits of Hiring an Attorney in a Truck Accident Case in Muskegon?

If you have suffered injuries in an 18-wheeler accident, dealing with insurance companies and truck accident claims is one of the last things on your mind. You might still be receiving medical care and worrying about how you can pay your bills after missing so much work. You might still be feeling traumatized by being involved in a car crash with a big rig, and you are in no place to try negotiating with an insurance adjuster.

You might have been too injured after the accident to gather evidence at the scene, collect contact information from witnesses, and take other steps to prepare for a personal injury claim. Even if you are feeling better now, you might not know how to start collecting evidence.

An experienced truck accident lawyer can help you. They can obtain evidence like police reports, witness statements, and medical bills. They can act as the go-between for you and the insurance companies to protect your legal rights while you focus on recovering from your injuries and returning to your life.

How Much Does a Muskegon Truck Accident Lawyer Cost?

Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis. You only pay if you win your case or settle it. However, where we differ is that most other attorneys take the standard 33-1/3 percent of your settlement or jury award for their fees.

Matz Injury Law does not pay millions of dollars for television or other expensive advertising. Instead, our fees are just 22 percent of your settlement or jury award.

How Do Insurance Companies Handle Truck Accident Claims?

Once you sign a retainer agreement with a truck accident lawyer, you can instruct the insurance company to contact us for information about your case. You should retain an experienced personal injury attorney before you speak to any insurance company – they often twist what you say to try to lay some of the fault for the accident on you.

We start investigating the case and collecting evidence. When we have what we need, we draft a demand letter to begin the negotiation process. At this point, the insurance company:

• Reviews the demand letter
• Completes its own investigation
• Accepts or denies your demand, they can also forward a counteroffer to your attorney

Negotiations may go back and forth several times. If you believe the insurance company will not offer a fair and reasonable settlement, you can ask your attorney to start preparing for litigation.

Your attorney will discuss any offers with you and help you determine whether the offer is fair and reasonable based on his investigation into the accident. Once you are ready, your experienced trial attorney will start preparing for litigation.

In some cases, often after your attorney files a lawsuit on your behalf, the insurance company may reopen settlement negotiations, as they do not want to cover the cost of an expensive trial.

What Type of Damages Are Payable in Muskegon, Michigan Truck Accidents?

After a truck crash in Michigan, you may be eligible to receive two types of damages, depending on your case: economic and non-economic damages. These are both “compensatory damages” since they aim to compensate you for your losses.

Some states also allow accident victims to recover punitive damages to punish a defendant for serious wrongdoing. Most truck accident cases involve negligence; however, Michigan law does not allow punitive damages in negligence cases. It only allows plaintiffs to claim punitive damages for injuries that result from a defendant’s “malicious,” “willful,” or “wanton” conduct.

Economic Damages

Economic damages compensate you for your economic losses. You may recover many of these losses from your PIP insurance coverage. If the amount of damages exceeds your insurance policy’s PIP limits, you may be able to recover the rest from a truck driver, trucking company, or other at-fault parties.

Examples of economic damages resulting from a truck accident may include:

• Medical expenses
• Future medical care
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Rehabilitation and other expenses related to your injuries
• Funeral expenses in wrongful death cases

You can easily prove economic damages by producing documents like medical bills and wage statements.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are more subjective than economic damages. They attempt to compensate accident victims for the effects of their injuries on their quality of life.

“Pain and suffering” is a common type of non-economic damage. It provides compensation for both physical and emotional pain resulting from truck accident injuries. Many forms of physical pain can endure long after your medical care, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and other forms of treatment are complete after an accident. You may experience emotional or psychological pain, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An accident that causes disfigurement or scarring can cause both physical pain and psychological distress.

This kind of damage is not something you can put on a bill or invoice. Proving non-economic damages often requires the assistance of a skilled personal injury trial lawyer who can tell the jury a story about how a truck driver’s negligence caused you millions of dollars of pain and distress.

How Does Michigan’s No-Fault Insurance Law Apply to Truck Accidents?

All Michigan drivers must have no-fault insurance on their vehicles. If you are involved in an accident, regardless of fault, your insurance pays:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Certain replacement services (household services you can no longer do for yourself)
• Damage to other people’s property

It does not cover repairs for your vehicle. The basic no-fault insurance policy consists of three parts:

• Personal injury protection (PIP) for all medical expenses, up to 85 percent of your lost wages for up to three years, and $20 per day for household services
• Property protection (PPI) for up to $1 million if your vehicle damages other people’s property, including their parked vehicle. It does not include damages to your vehicle.
• In most circumstances, residual liability insurance prevents you from being sued due to a vehicle accident.

Should I Speak With the Insurance Adjuster?

You can talk to the trucking company’s insurance adjuster after the accident. That is to say that no law prohibits you from speaking to one another. Remember, though, that the insurance adjuster’s job is to get you to either:

• Admit that the accident was your fault, meaning that the insurance company owes you nothing or
• Accept a lowball settlement that does not come close to compensating you for your injuries and other damages.

Neither of these options benefits you. There is a better way to handle it.

While you and the insurance company are legally free to speak to one another, you do not have to talk to them. You will eventually have to make a statement as part of the insurance claim process, but you have time to speak to an attorney first.

Insurance companies know many ways to avoid paying the maximum compensation owed to accident victims. Given the chance, they will try to trick you into saying something that sounds incriminating to make it look like you are to blame for the accident. The more you appear to be at fault, the less the insurance company has to pay. If they can establish that you are more at fault than the trucker — i.e., that 51% or more of the fault is yours — they will not have to pay you anything under Michigan law. You can avoid their traps by not speaking to them.

If you speak to the insurance company before hiring a personal injury attorney, keep your comments to them simple and short. Do not apologize for your part in the accident or speculate about what might have happened. All you need to tell them is that you have an attorney or will retain one soon.

Once you have hired them, your attorney can handle communications with the insurance company. They can present the evidence supporting your claim and negotiate with the adjuster to reach a settlement agreement. If they cannot agree, your lawyer will know how to proceed with a personal injury lawsuit.

Truck Accidents Can Be Catastrophic. Do Not Wait to Call an Attorney.

Truck accidents can cause severe and debilitating injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, disfigurement, and more. You need a Michigan law firm with extensive experience helping truck accident victims in Muskegon recover the maximum compensation owed to them under Michigan law. You need a personal injury lawyer who will fight for you at the negotiating table and, if necessary, in the courtroom. Matz Injury Law is the law firm that you need. We serve many cities across Michigan, including Portage, Port Huron, Sterling Heights, and many more.

Ready to discuss your case? Talk to a truck accident lawyer by calling 866-226-6833 or complete our online contact form, and we’ll be in touch immediately!