A collision with a commercial truck on I-75, I-94, I-96, the Lodge Freeway, or another local freight route is a terrifying experience, but the days and weeks that follow can be equally taxing in their own way.
Painful injuries, missed work, and insurance calls that come before you have had time to process what happened leave you in a difficult place you never expected to be in.
An experienced truck accident lawyer in Metro Detroit can help put you on equal footing again while the trucking company and its insurer work aggressively to protect their own financial interests.
At Kajy Law Firm, our team of Michigan truck accident lawyers represents people injured by semi-trucks, box trucks, dump trucks, and other heavy commercial vehicles in Detroit, Southfield, and across Michigan. We investigate the driver, carrier, and other companies that may share responsibility and fight to obtain the outcome you need.
We handle car, truck, and motorcycle accidents exclusively. Start your case today. Call 248-702-6641 any hour of the day or night, or contact us online for a free case review.
Table of contents
- What Makes a Michigan Truck Accident Claim Different From a Car Crash?
- How Much Can a Truck Legally Weigh in Michigan?
- Who Can Be Held Liable for a Michigan Truck Crash?
- How Can a Metro Detroit Truck Accident Lawyer Use Federal Trucking Rules to Prove Your Case?
- What Types of Truck Crashes Require Different Evidence in Michigan?
- How Does Michigan No-Fault Pay After a Truck Crash?
- The First Week After a Michigan Truck Crash
- Where We Handle Michigan Truck Accident Cases
- Michigan Truck Accident Questions Answered by Our Attorneys
- Talk With a Truck Accident Lawyer in Metro Detroit Today
What Makes a Michigan Truck Accident Claim Different From a Car Crash?
Michigan truck accident cases often involve more responsible companies, federal safety records, laws and regulations, and commercial insurance issues than ordinary car claims. Each difference changes how the crash should be investigated and what evidence may matter.
Commercial trucks carry higher liability limits than ordinary passenger vehicles. Those larger policies matter when a crash causes severe injuries, long-term care needs, or substantial wage loss.
Truck claims require a broader investigation because the driver may be only one of several potentially responsible parties.
Identifying every company connected to the truck helps uncover potential sources of liability and insurance coverage. Anyone searching for a truck accident lawyer after a serious crash should ask how the firm plans to handle the case.
How Much Can a Truck Legally Weigh in Michigan?
Michigan's grandfathered truck-weight rules allow certain properly configured trucks to gross up to 164,000 pounds on 11 axles. Federal law generally sets an 80,000-pound Interstate limit, but Michigan is among the states with grandfather rights allowing heavier configurations on qualifying routes.
The Michigan Department of Transportation documents how the state built the system, explaining that it focuses on axle loadings rather than a simple gross-weight cap. Spreading weight across more axles helps reduce pavement damage.
However, even when a heavier truck is legally configured, the weight difference can increase the severity of a collision with a passenger vehicle. Michigan's 164,000-pound maximum is one reason truck weight and axle configuration can matter when gathering proof after a Michigan collision and investigating what happened.
Weight also becomes evidence. Whether the truck was legally loaded, whether it held the right number of axles, and whether the load was secured correctly are questions we answer with weigh station records and shipping documents.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Michigan Truck Crash?
More than one party may be responsible for a Michigan truck crash. A careful investigation looks beyond the driver to the carrier, cargo companies, maintenance providers, equipment owners, and others whose work may have contributed to the collision.
| Party | Why they may be responsible |
|---|---|
| Truck driver | Drivers directly cause crashes when they exceed speed limits, drive while fatigued or distracted, or operate the vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. |
| Motor carrier | Trucking companies bear liability if they enforce illegal delivery schedules, hire unqualified or unsafe drivers, or fail to complete required vehicle maintenance. |
| Cargo loader or shipper | Third-party loaders risk destabilizing the truck or causing cargo spills if they overload the trailer, distribute weight unevenly, or fail to secure freight properly. |
| Maintenance provider | Independent mechanics and service facilities share fault when improper repairs or neglected brake, tire, and steering inspections contribute to a mechanical failure. |
| Parts manufacturer | Equipment manufacturers face product liability claims when defective tires, failed coupling systems, or faulty brake components cause the driver to lose control. |
| Trailer owner | Separate trailer owners maintain independent legal responsibility and insurance policies for defects or lack of maintenance on the trailer itself. |
Some liable parties may have separate insurance coverage. Identifying them can affect both the evidence available and the sources of compensation that may apply to the claim.
This applies with particular force to semi and 18-wheeler collisions, where the tractor, the trailer, and the freight frequently belong to three different businesses.
How Can a Metro Detroit Truck Accident Lawyer Use Federal Trucking Rules to Prove Your Case?
Federal motor-carrier rules can create records that do not exist in an ordinary passenger-vehicle claim. Interstate carriers may have driver logs, inspection records, maintenance files, and other documents that can help show how the truck and driver were operating before the crash.
Hours of service limits
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) limits driving time. Its hours of service rules generally limit property-carrying drivers to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty and prohibit driving beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty.
If records show that a driver exceeded those limits, the logs may help show whether fatigue played a role in the crash.
Electronic logging devices
Electronic logging devices record driving and duty status. Other onboard systems may capture speed, braking, engine activity, or other vehicle data. Together, those records can help reconstruct what happened before impact.
The preservation problem
Not all electronic records have the same retention period. Federal rules generally require motor carriers to keep electronic logging device records and supporting documents for six months.
Once the trucking company reasonably expects a lawsuit, it may have a duty to preserve relevant evidence. A preservation letter puts the carrier on notice and identifies the records it must preserve.
These records can help test competing accounts of the crash and show whether potentially liable parties followed federal safety rules.
What Types of Truck Crashes Require Different Evidence in Michigan?
The type of crash can point investigators toward different records, mechanical issues, and companies. Michigan's state traffic data includes crashes on major routes such as I-75, I-94, and I-96.
- Jackknife crashes can occur when a trailer swings out after hard braking and sweeps across lanes.
- Underride crashes occur when a smaller vehicle slides beneath a trailer, creating a risk of severe injury to occupants.
- Rollovers may involve speed, road geometry, cargo balance, or load securement.
- Blind-spot and wide-turn crashes may involve visibility, mirrors, lane position, or the truck's turning path.
- Tire and brake failures may raise maintenance and inspection questions.
The crash pattern helps determine whether the early focus should be speed data, load-securement records, maintenance history, or another source of evidence.
How Does Michigan No-Fault Pay After a Truck Crash?
A Michigan truck crash can involve two distinct claims. No-fault benefits may pay allowable medical expenses and part of lost income regardless of who caused the crash.
A separate claim against an at-fault trucking company may seek losses that no-fault does not cover. For pain and suffering, Michigan generally requires death, permanent serious disfigurement, or a serious impairment of body function.
Each claim runs on its own deadline, and Michigan enforces both:
- Written notice of injury is generally required within one year of the crash
- A lawsuit against the at-fault parties generally must be filed within three years
Partial fault does not end the second claim. Michigan reduces your damages by your share of responsibility and bars payment for pain and suffering only when you are found more than 50% at fault.
These deadlines run independently. A person can protect a claim against the at-fault parties and still lose PIP benefits by missing the no-fault notice or filing rules, so both timelines for PIP insurance in Michigan should be reviewed early.
The First Week After a Michigan Truck Crash
The clock starts ticking moments after a serious truck accident. Trucking companies erase driver logs, GPS data, and inspection records on routine retention schedules, and some of those records disappear within weeks of a crash. A preservation letter sent in the first few days legally requires the company to keep them. Here is what we do while you are still in treatment:
- Send preservation letters to the carrier and its insurer promptly.
- Identify every company in the chain, including brokers, trailer owners, and shippers.
- Obtain the crash report, scene photographs, and any footage from nearby cameras.
- Open your no-fault claim with the correct insurer so available benefits can be pursued without avoidable delay.
By the end of the first week, we have taken steps to preserve key records, begun identifying the responsible companies, and put the insurer on notice that the claim is under active investigation.
Early investigation can shape which records are available later, and what to do after a Michigan truck accident depends heavily on how badly you were injured and whether the carrier has already contacted you.
Where We Handle Michigan Truck Accident Cases
We take truck cases statewide, from the freight corridors around Detroit to I-96 toward Grand Rapids and US-23 south of Flint. A truck accident lawyer in Metro Detroit on our team handles crashes on I-75 and I-94 and serves clients across Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.
Kajy Law Firm has recovered more than $100 million for injured Michigan clients across more than 5,000 cases, with over 150 years of combined experience.
Lawrence Kajy started this firm after seeing other firms treated accident victims as file numbers, settling claims quickly and cheaply or letting them go ignored for long periods. He also studied Michigan's no-fault system closely enough to publish a law review article on it at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and that statute governs every truck claim the firm files.
The National Trial Lawyers named him to its Top 40 Under 40, and he has been selected to Super Lawyers. He sets a high bar for his staff of personal injury lawyers, so you never have to wonder whether your case is in good hands. With Kajy Law Firm, it always is.
If your crash happened in Oakland County, you can speak with a Southfield truck accident lawyer from our office on Nine Mile. If you cannot travel, we can come to your home or your hospital room.
"My experience working with Kajy Law Firm was a great experience despite the stress of filing a lawsuit. Communication was excellent and I felt well cared for throughout the process. I would recommend Kajy Law Firm to anyone seeking a great attorney." - W. L.
Past results do not predict what your case will bring, but they do reflect our commitment to securing the compensation our clients need. Call 248-702-6641 or contact us online to start your case.
Michigan Truck Accident Questions Answered by Our Attorneys
Should I give the trucking company's insurance adjuster a recorded statement?
You are not required to give the at-fault carrier a recorded statement just because an adjuster asks. Early statements may later be compared with medical records or other evidence. Let a Michigan truck accident attorney handle that communication for you.
The trucking company offered me a check already. Should I take it?
An early offer may arrive before the long-term effects of an injury are clear. Signing a settlement release can permanently give up the right to seek additional compensation. Have the offer evaluated against your medical needs, lost income, and other documented losses before signing.
What if the truck was from an out-of-state company?
A Michigan claim may still be possible when an out-of-state carrier causes a crash here. Where a lawsuit can be filed depends on jurisdiction and venue, and some cases involving out-of-state carriers may proceed in federal court.
Does it change anything if the driver was an independent contractor?
An independent-contractor label does not automatically protect the motor carrier from liability. Federal leasing rules require authorized carriers to assume responsibility for operating leased equipment under their authority, but who can be held liable still depends on the facts of the crash.
What if the truck driver was cited by police?
A citation can show what the officer alleged at the scene, but Michigan law generally bars evidence of a traffic conviction or civil-infraction determination from a later civil case. The underlying evidence, including the driver's logs and the truck's data, is what proves the case.
How long does a Michigan truck accident case take?
Truck accident cases often take longer than ordinary car claims because the investigation may involve more parties, federal records, and commercial insurance issues. No-fault benefits can move on a separate track while the liability claim develops around the medical evidence.
How do I pay for a truck accident lawyer in Metro Detroit?
We work on a contingency basis, so you pay us nothing unless we win your case. Truck claims may require accident reconstruction or expert witness testimony in truck accidents from qualified professionals. We explain how case expenses are handled during the free consultation.
Talk With a Truck Accident Lawyer in Metro Detroit Today
Trucking companies may begin investigating a serious crash quickly, and some electronic records have limited retention periods. Early legal review can help identify which records matter and whether preservation steps are needed.
A free consultation can help identify potential responsible parties, important evidence, and the legal issues that may affect your claim. There is no obligation, and we will tell you plainly if your case does not need a lawyer.
Kajy Law Firm, PLLC is at 18000 W Nine Mile Rd, Suite 1400, Southfield, MI 48075. Call 248-702-6641 day or night, or contact us online. There is no fee unless we win.