Grand Rapids Truck Accident Lawyer Near You: Best Truck Crash Attorneys

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Grand Rapids, MI, you need an experienced truck accident lawyer near you who specializes exclusively in this area of law to get you and your family the full compensation and money damages you deserve.

And there is no law firm that has more experience or that has had more success in litigating truck accident cases in West Michigan than Michigan Auto Law. Our attorneys have litigated hundreds of truck accident cases throughout the state. With 8 local lawyers who live in West Michigan and an office in downtown Grand Rapids, our lawyers combine deep local knowledge with the best truck accident settlement results in the state, including the largest overall truck settlement ever of any Michigan lawyer or law firm, as well as the highest reported truck accident settlement and jury verdict in the state over more years than any other law firm in Michigan.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a truck accident in Grand Rapids, you need a lawyer from Michigan Auto Law.

Our unique specialization in truck crash law is one of the keys to our success for our clients. In addition, our attorneys truly care about the people we help, something that is reflected in our reviews.

Michigan Auto Law is also the only law firm in the state that has a board certification in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, which is the highest designation of skill and experience available for lawyers in America today.

One of our attorneys, Steven Gursten, is one of only three attorneys in the entire country to have been inducted into the Truck Accident Lawyer Hall of Fame Award (out of approximately 110,000 attorneys in the country who advertise or claim they handle semi truck crash cases).

Truck accident claims are very different from most other types of injury claims. Trucking companies are required to follow strict federal and state laws related to hours of service, weight limits, maintenance, hiring drivers, and much more. There are often also multiple parties who can be responsible for your crash – and multiple layers of insurance coverage and financial assets – available to pay for your settlement in the case of a catastrophic personal injury or wrongful death. Unfortunately, many Grand Rapids personal injury lawyers, while they may advertise for truck accident cases and claim they handle them, do not have the requisite knowledge and legal sophistication to identify all of the responsible parties, meaning that millions of dollars in insurance can be lost in the case of a catastrophic injury or death.

This is why it’s so important to secure and protect your future with an experienced truck accident lawyer for your Grand Rapids case.

Waiting to hire a lawyer after a truck accident in Grand Rapids can also give the trucking company an advantage. By law, trucking companies are only required to preserve documents for very specific periods of time, and it is not unusual for the trucking company’s lawyers to quite legally destroy crucial evidence the day after these periods of time pass. Delay also gives the trucking company and the insurance companies a greater opportunity to deny you the full compensation and economic damages you’re legally entitled to.

Talk to one of our experienced Grand Rapids semi truck accident lawyers today to find how he or she can help you.

Why choose a Grand Rapids Truck Accident Lawyer From Michigan Auto Law?

Simply put, the truck accident lawyers at Michigan Auto Law have handled more semi-truck crashes in Grand Rapids, and in the state of Michigan, than any other law firm. Our attorneys specialize in handling truck accident cases successfully, and lawyers from across Michigan refer these cases to our attorneys because of this specialization and experience. We have a proven track record of winning truck accident settlements and verdicts and 5-Star reviews from more than 2,000 clients to prove it. Michigan Auto Law has recovered more multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements in truck accident cases than any other firm in the state, including the largest truck crash settlement for any lawyer ever in the state.

Our mission when we represent you is to get you and your family the best possible settlement in your case. You are entitled to be compensated for your pain and suffering, and you have a legal right to insurance benefits that will help you pay for your medical bills and provide you a financial lifeline if you haven’t been able to work because of your injuries. Our Grand Rapids truck accident lawyers will fight to ensure that your settlement reflects the full, true value of your case.

We will help you prevent the destruction of evidence that is essential to proving your case and is so common in trucking cases.

And we help you make sure that all responsible parties are held fully accountable for the injuries, losses and harms that you have suffered.

Michigan Truck Crash Statistics

In 2022, there were 15,802 truck crashes in Michigan, which resulted in 105 deaths and 3,632 injuries, according to the most recent data available from Michigan Traffic Crash Facts.

State and Federal Trucking Regulations

Truck accidents are much more complex than car accidents. They involve hundreds of specific federal and state safety laws and regulations. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules and regulations don’t come into play with car accidents.

Knowing these rules, regulations and laws are the keys to proving negligence on the part of the truck driver and trucking company who was at-fault for causing your truck accident. Knowing how to successfully use these federal and state rules and regulations and laws to build your case for liability and hold the responsible parties accountable is an essential skill that your truck accident lawyer must have for your Grand Rapids case.

Michigan has adopted the FMCSA rules and regulations for its trucking industry almost in their entirety. These laws and safety regulations established by the FMCSA set regulations and driver requirements for aspects of the job, including physical standards, alcohol and drug testing, hours of service, cargo, weight, licensing, inspection, repair and maintenance.

Our truck accident lawyers have the knowledge and experience in how to use these federal and state rules, regulations and laws to identify all of the safety violations that occurred in your Grand Rapids crash case. We also know how to make the most compelling and persuasive case to the insurance adjuster – or the judge or a jury – as to how those violations caused the truck accident that resulted in your injuries. We will obtain mandatory driver drug and alcohol screening results. We will carefully review the trucker’s logs to see if the driver violated “hours-of-service.” We will review records regarding the truck’s weight, its inspection history, its maintenance history, and any data from its electronic data recorder (the black box) and perform inspections of the semi-truck. Our attorneys will also obtain information about the truck driver, such as his or her past driving record and history of accidents and traffic violations, training and medical history. We will carefully review the driver’s employment file.

What Is Considered Important Evidence In A Truck Crash Case?

Our truck accident lawyers know that gathering and preserving evidence after a semi truck crash can be critical to the success of your Grand Rapids case. You should start collecting evidence, such as the police report, eyewitness statements, and photos of the damage to the vehicles, the crash scene, and your injuries right away.

The types of evidence that a lawyer can be used to prove your Grand Rapids truck accident lawsuit include:

Police reports
Photos of the crash scene
Surveillance video or dash cam video of the crash
Witness statements
Expert opinions
Medical records
The truck driver’s electronic logging device (ELD) data which tracks the driver’s “hours-of-service,” i.e., the hours that he or she been driving and the hours that he or she has rested
The “black box” or “electronic control modules” (ECMs) data which record data about the truck’s operation such as speed and braking
The truck’s vehicle maintenance and inspection records
The trucking company’s employee file for the truck driver
The results of a post-crash toxicology test to determine if the truck driver was under the influence of alcohol, drugs and/or prescription medication
Cell phone records from the truck driver and the trucking company
The truck driver’s and trucking company’s records of safety violations

What Are Common Causes Of Trucking Accidents In West Michigan?

Our truck accident lawyers know that common causes of truck crashes in Grand Rapids include:

Speeding
Fatigued driving
Distracted driving
Impaired driving (alcohol, drugs and/or prescription medication)
Reckless driving
Careless driving
Violation of traffic laws
Disregarding traffic signals
Failure to use the ordinary care that a reasonably careful driver would use
Following too closely
Mechanical malfunction issues due to improper or inadequate inspection, maintenance and repair
Failure to adjust to dangerous road conditions
Failure to safely monitor and account for blind spots
Cargo issues due to overloading and/or improper loading of cargo
The trucking company’s negligent hiring, training and retention of unsafe truck drivers
Trucking companies forcing unsafe trucks that should be kept out-of-service back onto the roads

Who Can Be Held Responsible?

Our lawyers know that determining truck accident liability is often more complicated in these Grand Rapids cases because it often involves parties other than the truck driver. As such, most truck accident cases require a detailed investigation to determine what happened and how. A complete review of the evidence may indicate one or more individuals or entities liable for your injuries, including:

The truck driver – The truck driver is generally found at fault after an accident due to negligent behavior, which may include tailgating, speeding, driving while distracted, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The truck owner – The owner of the truck (which is also frequently referred to as a “tractor” – as in “tractor-trailer”) may also bear responsibility for the accident. This liability may arise due to the law of the state in which the accident occurred if that state has an “owner liability” law. Liability may also arise because the owner failed to take the necessary steps to inspect, repair and maintain the truck in a safe condition.
The trailer owner – The owner of the trailer which is being hauled by the truck (which is also known as the “tractor”) may not be the owner of the truck. The truck and trailer may have separate owners. In that case, the trailer owner may have liability for a crash for the same reasons that a truck owner would.
The trucking company – Trucking companies are responsible for their trucks and truck drivers. Their liability may arise from their status as the owner of a truck and trailer. Their liability may also arise from their status as the employer of the truck driver who caused the crash. They could also be held legally liable for a crash and the resulting injuries, deaths, damages based on negligent supervision, training and hiring, such as when they employ a driver with driving infractions or when they pressure drivers into violating the hours-of-service requirements or neglecting inspection and vehicle maintenance requirements.
The shipping company – Also called a “shipper,” this is the company that is hiring the truck driver and trucking company to haul – i.e., ship – its products or cargo from one place to another.
The load broker – This is the middleman or intermediary who is hired by a shipper or company who wants to ship their products and goods to find and hire truck drivers and trucking companies who will transport a shipper’s cargo and goods to the destination specified by the shipper.
The leasing agent – This person or company leases their own truck and trailer to a truck driver, trucking company, or shipping company to be used to transport cargo, products and goods.
The loading company – This company is hired and paid to load cargo, goods and products onto a semi-truck for transportation.
The maintenance company – This company provides regular maintenance of the truck to ensure it is functioning safely and properly. Its services include inspections and repairing and replacing worn-out, broken, defective, and malfunctioning parts of the truck and trailer.
Manufacturer of the truck, trailer and equipment – Depending on the laws of the state where a truck crash occurs, a truck part manufacturer can be held liable if its defective vehicle, trailer, product, part or equipment causes or contributes to a truck accident. Brake failures, tire blowouts, and steering malfunctions can result from defective products and equipment.

What Damages Can A Lawyer You Recover From A Truck Accident In Grand Rapids?

In general, compensation for a truck crash may include:

Medical expenses (past, present, and future)
Loss of current income and potential future earnings
Vehicle repair or replacement costs
Physical pain and suffering
Emotional trauma
Mental distress
Permanent and disabling injuries
Reduced quality of life

In addition, if you have lost a loved one in a truck accident in Grand Rapids, our lawyers can bring a wrongful death claim against the at-fault party or parties. This type of action allows you to recover payment for your loved one’s pain and suffering as well as the loss of their companionship, support, services, and guidance. Wrongful death compensation also includes economic losses, such as medical bills and funeral and burial expenses.

Trucking Rapid Response Teams and the Importance Of A Timely Crash Investigation

When a serious truck accident occurs in Grand Rapids, our lawyers know that the truck driver almost always calls the dispatcher, who then calls the risk manager (sometimes even at home in the middle of the night), who immediately calls in a “rapid response team.” This team usually includes an investigator and a defense lawyer in the state where the crash occurred who will begin working right away to claim “work product privilege” for anything that is done.

The two of them often head to the crash scene before the debris is cleared, which can cause critical evidence to be “lost” and the police investigation to be impacted. They sometimes delete electronic evidence within a matter of days and fail to retain documents the minute they are no longer required by law. In addition, driver logs may go missing and GPS data downloads may be modified. And police reports are often prepared without the benefit of input from the injured parties, allowing the truck driver and the investigator to tell their story to the officer. Without eyewitnesses and important physical evidence, many cases are lost before they even get started.

When our truck accident lawyers get your call after a crash in Grand Rapids, they like to launch a rapid investigation for themselves, before important information is deleted or goes missing. They will immediately visit the accident scene, obtain the police report, speak with the responding officer, obtain other reports, witness statements and photographs, and interview all known witnesses. They also have access to the best truck crash experts.

In addition, we are often able to obtain photos from sources other than the police, including firemen, tow truck personnel, EMTs, local media, and other governmental agencies that participate in cleanup of truck crash sites. We also try to quickly track down the vehicles involved in the crash to take photos and gather additional data. And if our truck accident lawyers are on the scene quickly enough, they can observe and document skid marks and gather and preserved debris that will be critical in your Grand Rapids crash case.

What Do I Do If I’ve Been In a Crash Involving a Truck?

After a truck accident in Grand Rapids, our lawyer recommend that you should do the following:

Contact police and seek medical attention
Move to a safe area if possible
Document the scene
Gather witness information
Get the truck driver’s license and insurance information
Refrain from making any statements or signing any releases
Retain an experienced Grand Rapids truck accident lawyer quickly

Contact a Michigan Auto Law Grand Rapids Truck Accident Lawyer Now!

If you were injured in a truck crash in Grand Rapids, call one of our experienced truck accident lawyer at (855) 960-3320 for a free, no-cost, no-obligation consultation. We’re here to help. You can also visit our contact page or use the chat feature on our website.

Michigan Auto Law is the state’s largest and most successful truck crash law firm. We have been specializing exclusively in helping people who have been injured in truck crashes for more than 50 years. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Grand Rapids, you can have both – local lawyers who know the community and the top results in the state.

Reach out to us now so that we can start making a difference for you.

More Grand Rapids Truck Accident Lawyer FAQs

Why do I need a lawyer for a truck accident in Grand Rapids?

After a truck accident in Grand Rapids, you need a lawyer because these are serious, high-stakes cases and the only way they can be won is with the help of an attorney who has specialized knowledge and experience handling these cases. A skilled truck crash attorney will protect you and your family. He or she will protect your legal rights. And he or she will give you the best and only chance to get the full compensation you deserve for your injuries.

How do I choose the best truck accident lawyer for my Grand Rapids case?

To choose the best truck accident lawyer for your Grand Rapids case, you need to find an attorney who has these qualities: (1) extensive experience handling these types of cases, (2) his or her practice focuses exclusively on specializing in helping truck crash victims (it’s not just one of the many practice areas they advertise about), (3) a track record of winning settlements and verdicts, (4) a reputation for going to trial, and (5) a reputation for treating clients fairly, respectfully and compassionately (check out whether they have 5-star reviews and, if so, read them to see how happy their past clients have been).

Finally, when you meet with the lawyer, determine whether he or she is kind and compassionate and whether you believe you can build a strong rapport.

How much does a truck accident lawyer cost in Grand Rapids?

It will cost you nothing out-of-pocket – ever – to hire a truck accident lawyer for your Grand Rapids case from Michigan Auto Law. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means we collect an attorney fee only if we win your case and only after your case has been completed. Our fee is a ⅓ or 33% percent portion of the recovery that we make for you in the form of a settlement or trial verdict. To reiterate, you don’t have to pay our fee – not one penny – unless we win for you.

How long does a lawsuit take?

In most counties in West Michigan, once a lawsuit has been filed it can take 1 to 2 years to settle. It could take longer if a trial becomes necessary. Factors that will affect how long it takes to resolve your lawsuit include: (1) the nature and extent of your injuries, (2) your future medical needs, (3) whether you’re able to work, (4) how clearly the evidence establishes the truck driver’s negligence, (5) the truck driver’s and the trucking company’s insurance policy coverage limits, (6) the court where the lawsuit is filed, (7) the judge assigned to the court, (8) whether that particular court or county has a backlog of cases (fortunately, the court dockets in West Michigan tend to be smaller and more efficient than the court dockets in Metro Detroit), and (9) the discovery process which includes deposing all of the parties, witnesses and experts.