Practice Areas
Truck Accidents
80,000-pound semis. 6,000-pound family cars. The math is brutal. With 30+ years and millions recovered, we know how to take on trucking companies and their insurers.
How These Crashes Happen
Over 100,000 injury crashes — and 4,000+ deaths — every year.
More than 12.5 million large trucks and buses are registered in the United States, traveling more than three million vehicle miles each year. It seems every week brings another news report of a semi or bus crash causing serious injury or death.
Improper loading
Driver fatigue
Equipment failure
Lack of maintenance
Speeding
Improper lane use
Texting / cell phone use
Aggressive driving
Regulations & Negligence
When the rules are broken, evidence tells the story.
Because of the disparity in size and weight, commercial vehicles are supposed to be rigorously and routinely inspected. Drivers must complete specialized training to earn a CDL. Hours-of-service rules cap how long they can drive. And both drivers and owners must keep detailed travel and maintenance logs.
Driver logs & HOS records show fatigue and dispatch pressure.
Maintenance & inspection files expose missed safety checks.
ECM "black box" data captures speed, braking, and steering at impact.
Driver qualification file can reveal a history the trucking company should have caught.
What To Do After a Crash
The first hours matter. Here's how to protect yourself.
If you or your family is injured by a semi-truck or bus, three steps protect both your health and your case.
1
Take care of your medical needs first
If you have any question at all, accept the ambulance ride and get checked out. Follow up with your family doctor and complete every test or referral they recommend.
2
Report it to your own insurance
You can recover Michigan No-Fault benefits — medical bills, wage loss, household replacement services, and attendant care — for any accident-related injuries.
3
Don't talk to the trucking company
Politely decline to speak with the at-fault driver, the trucking company, or their insurer. They are looking to limit their exposure — let us handle it.
30+ Years & Millions Recovered
No fee unless we recover for you.
Call our Sterling Heights office toll free at (866) 529-3537. Don't wait — evidence in trucking cases disappears fast.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Michigan permits commercial vehicles weighing up to 164,000 pounds. A normal family vehicle weighs less than 6,000 pounds. The disparity in size and weight produces catastrophic injuries — and brings federal trucking regulations, driver-hour limits, and corporate insurance carriers into the case.
Free Consultation
Talk to a Michigan truck accident attorney.
Tell us what happened. An attorney will follow up within one business day.
Toll Free (866) 529-3537 (586) 264-3756
44444 Mound Rd #100, Sterling Heights, MI 48314
Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Free phone consultation
- 30+ years handling trucking cases
- No fee unless we recover
Client Reviews
What our clients say
"Dear Amy, Jeff, Tim and team — thank you for all your time and effort in the process of getting my mom's affairs settled and making the transfer of her condo to me so smooth. Have a blessed day!"
"I needed results against a powerful insurance company. I felt alone and quite frankly, overwhelmed. I contacted SMD Law and spoke with attorney Patrick Derkacz. Immediately I felt relief; this person really wanted to help my family and I. Pat promised me results, and he got me ju…"
"Dear Pat, (AKA my favorite attorney) — you pitched a perfect game and hit a grand slam! Thank you so much for working hard to make sense of my case with Lincoln and advocating for me. I am thankful for your kindness and compassion throughout the process. I'm glad to have a Hall-o…"
"Dearest Patrick and Jeffrey, I personally, and on behalf of my siblings, thank Patrick, Jeffrey and Amy Klimas, for providing exceptional legal services to my loving parents, Joseph P. (Retired USAF) and Joyce (Honorary Retired USAF) for so many years and at an extremely discount…"
"When I first contacted Patrick, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic. I had no idea of what to expect, but Pat was wonderful to work with. He listened to my predicament, and explained to me the process he was planning to follow. He was upfront and I understood everything I had to…"
"Patrick and his staff has handled my case efficiently and professionally to a positive outcome. He has always promptly returned my phone calls and emails like no attorney before. I can easily say he has made a positive difference in our lives. Glad he continues to have our backs."
"Phil Serafini and the other attorneys in this office are great. I have worked with them over the years and they treat everyone with the utmost respect and are tireless advocates on behalf of their clients."
"Dear Phil, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your hard work. You will never know how tremendously you have changed my life. Six years ago, when no one else would listen to me or take my case, you did. I was living in the worst time of my life, I had lost my…"
"Pat was very professional, kind and always paid attention to detail. He was also very patient with me, and that made me feel at ease and that I was in good hands. He always responded to every inquiry, and always kept us updated. I would highly recommend his services."
"Thanks so much for all your help these past five years in helping me with all the legal aspects of my folks, L & E.M.'s, trust. Thanks for answering all my questions. It's been a difficult last 5 years on making decisions for my father, but I'm so grateful that God blessed me wit…"
"I want to thank you both for all your help and hard work on my case. This certainly was good news! You both did tremendous jobs dealing with Cigna and answering my questions. Thank you and have a wonderful Christmas season!"
"Thank you so much for all of your help getting me thru this mess. You have no idea how much you have helped. I couldn't have done this without you! Only one more hurdle, yay!!"
"I really wanted to thank you, the way you talked with me and worked with me, it was amazing. I was dreading the experience and the deposition and you really made it very easy for me. So, thank you very much for a job well done."
"Dear Amy, Jeff, Tim and team — thank you for all your time and effort in the process of getting my mom's affairs settled and making the transfer of her condo to me so smooth. Have a blessed day!"
"I needed results against a powerful insurance company. I felt alone and quite frankly, overwhelmed. I contacted SMD Law and spoke with attorney Patrick Derkacz. Immediately I felt relief; this person really wanted to help my family and I. Pat promised me results, and he got me ju…"
"Dear Pat, (AKA my favorite attorney) — you pitched a perfect game and hit a grand slam! Thank you so much for working hard to make sense of my case with Lincoln and advocating for me. I am thankful for your kindness and compassion throughout the process. I'm glad to have a Hall-o…"
"Dearest Patrick and Jeffrey, I personally, and on behalf of my siblings, thank Patrick, Jeffrey and Amy Klimas, for providing exceptional legal services to my loving parents, Joseph P. (Retired USAF) and Joyce (Honorary Retired USAF) for so many years and at an extremely discount…"
"When I first contacted Patrick, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic. I had no idea of what to expect, but Pat was wonderful to work with. He listened to my predicament, and explained to me the process he was planning to follow. He was upfront and I understood everything I had to…"
"Patrick and his staff has handled my case efficiently and professionally to a positive outcome. He has always promptly returned my phone calls and emails like no attorney before. I can easily say he has made a positive difference in our lives. Glad he continues to have our backs."
"Phil Serafini and the other attorneys in this office are great. I have worked with them over the years and they treat everyone with the utmost respect and are tireless advocates on behalf of their clients."
"Dear Phil, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your hard work. You will never know how tremendously you have changed my life. Six years ago, when no one else would listen to me or take my case, you did. I was living in the worst time of my life, I had lost my…"
"Pat was very professional, kind and always paid attention to detail. He was also very patient with me, and that made me feel at ease and that I was in good hands. He always responded to every inquiry, and always kept us updated. I would highly recommend his services."
"Thanks so much for all your help these past five years in helping me with all the legal aspects of my folks, L & E.M.'s, trust. Thanks for answering all my questions. It's been a difficult last 5 years on making decisions for my father, but I'm so grateful that God blessed me wit…"
"I want to thank you both for all your help and hard work on my case. This certainly was good news! You both did tremendous jobs dealing with Cigna and answering my questions. Thank you and have a wonderful Christmas season!"
"Thank you so much for all of your help getting me thru this mess. You have no idea how much you have helped. I couldn't have done this without you! Only one more hurdle, yay!!"
"I really wanted to thank you, the way you talked with me and worked with me, it was amazing. I was dreading the experience and the deposition and you really made it very easy for me. So, thank you very much for a job well done."