Straight Truck Accident Attorneys in Portage | Kalamazoo County 18 Wheeler Wreck Attorney
Unlike a semi truck in which the truck tractor and trailer are mounted on separate chassis, a straight truck is a type of truck where the power train and cargo area both share the same frame. Like semi trailers, there is a variety of straight truck designs for different purposes. For example, a box truck is a type of straight truck, but not all straight trucks are box trucks.
A straight truck does not have safety issues of jacknives, or jacknifing, because the trailer bed of the truck is actually welded to the tractor portion so it is all one unit. This type of truck certainly has its share of accidents because it is considered the workhorse of the short haul industry. The bottom line is that there are many different types of straight trucks, but, because of their relative inexpensiveness compared to 18 wheelers it is not uncommon for a straight truck to be involved in an interior city of Portage roadway.
Obviously, the most serious negligence is a crash due to a drunk truck driver. When a trucker decides to drive his vehicle over the Portage’s interstate highway system while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he now becomes a potential weapon of mass destruction, and any trucker driving under the influence (DUI) who causes an accident or deadly crash will be held negligent and can be prosecuted if found guilty of a DUI.
Portage Straight Truck Accidents Caused By Drunk Driving
Many of the straight truck crashes that occur in the city of Portage along Portage highways, such as the I-94, SH 96, SH 331, and US 131 are caused by driving under the influence of some illegal substance. Using drugs and alcohol by truck drivers while on the job and on the road is against the law and it is especially dangerous while truck drivers are driving on busy Portage roads or highways. Even though in our society drug addiction and alcoholism are considered to be illnesses and should be treated as such, alcoholics and drug addicts have no business possessing a commercial driver’s license (CDL), driving a truck or any other vehicle in the first place.
Not only is it a crime in Portage for a truck driver to get behind the wheel of a truck intoxicated or under the influence of drugs — it is also considered to be gross negligence or, in some states can rise to malice. In states such as Michigan, driving drunk or driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol can result in an award of punitive damages, or exemplary damages, to be assessed against the truck driver. If the defendant is found to have been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, then this type of an award for damages can and should be made by a Kalamazoo County jury in any truck accident case where drugs and/or alcohol is involved, such as a driving under the influence case.
When to Hire a Portage Straight Truck Accident Attorney
In many cases, Portage truck accident lawyers must retain the services of medical and scientific experts to establish the causes of the accident and your injuries. A qualified straight truck accident lawyer will obtain and investigate all the evidence concerning the scene of the wreck. Among the evidence collected will be truck logs and other important information which may be overlooked by an attorney who does not handle many truck accident injury cases. A good truck accident lawyer will know whether to sue the trucker, the trucking company, or both. Gathering statements from factual witnesses, retaining expert witnesses and preparing important physical and documentary evidence is just some of the many ways a Portage straight truck injury lawyer can help you after you’ve suffered a truck crash injury.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a serious truck wreck, semi crash or big rig accident, then hiring the right lawyer is critical. Although meeting with a Portage truck accident lawyer is probably the last thing on your mind when a tragedy like this strikes, you should definitely contact one of the Portage – Kalamazoo County 18 wheeler accident lawyers on this page or on this site, earlier rather than later. A meeting with a Kalamazoo County Portage truck accident lawyer, at your request, can be done at a hospital, doctor’s office, at your home and anywhere that is convenient for you and your family. Believe it or not, the earlier you call for yourself, or for a family member, or friend, the better for the case. Preservation of evidence is essential and you can rest assured that while you are grieving, the truck insurance company is not; they are, instead, hiring experts and taking statements with “rapid response teams” that, depending upon the severity of the injuries or deaths, are highly trained to start building a case against you or your wrongfully killed family member.
The earlier you call a Portage truck accident lawyer the better.
Do yourself a favor and call one of the Portage truck accident lawyers listed on this page or on this site. Hire a qualified Portage straight truck accident lawyer to help protect your rights.
Drunk Driving Statistics for The State of Michigan
In 2008, in the State of Michigan, there were:
262 fatal accidents where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.08% or above;
282 people were killed in accidents where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.08% or above;
49 people were killed in accidents where at least one driver had a BAC between 0.01% and 0.07%;
331 total deaths caused where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.01% or above.
Kalamazoo County has a high number of alcohol-related fatalities per capita, and about 28 percent of Michigan’s traffic fatalities were alcohol-related. This, unfortunately, is over the national average and gives rise to truck accident wrongful death lawsuits in Portage, MI all too often.
Did You Know 28% of all Traffic Fatalities in Michigan were Related to Alcohol in 2008?
It is true. In at least one-third of these cases, at least one driver, or non-occupant, involved in the crash had measurable alcohol in their blood.
A truck driver in Portage who also happens to be an alcoholic or drug addict will usually also be found to be under extreme physical and mental distress. This is true of almost every person be they a Portage auto driver or a Portage based truck driver. Dysfunctional behavior is not solely limited to truck drivers; but since that is how they make their living, they need to get their behavior under control when they are doing their job. The truck driver is under pressure to make money for his family to be able to pay the bills, but on the other hand he knows that driving under the influence is unsafe and illegal. In some cases the trucker’s failure to drive safely can be extremely dangerous for fellow motorists on Michigan roads and highways. Portage truck drivers who are addicted to drugs or alcohol should seek treatment and should not even be on the road. The truck driver who is found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of an accident will most surely be found to be criminally negligent. There are several drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers near Portage that may help the addicted truck driver.
Portage Area Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers:
Beverly Yee, MTOM, LAc
Kalamazoo Probation Program
Alcoholism & Drug Treatment |
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A time of grief is difficult enough, but if you or your loved one were injured in an accident with a truck due to alcohol or substance abuse, contact a Straight Truck Accident Lawyer sooner rather than later. |
Straight Truck Accident Attorneys Serve Portage and Surrounding Cities
Portage straight truck accident attorneys are experienced in handling serious injury truck collision cases and can help you fight the trucking company or its insurer in order to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact a Portage straight truck accident lawyer today for a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION.