Truck / 18-Wheeler Accident Lawsuit in Michigan

Venue & Jurisdiction: Michigan truck accident cases are filed in the Circuit Court of the county where the accident occurred, where the plaintiff resides, or where the defendant has its registered agent or principal place of business. Wayne County (Detroit), Oakland County, Macomb County, and Kent County (Grand Rapids) Circuit Courts handle the highest commercial trucking caseloads. The Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan exercise federal diversity jurisdiction when parties are from different states and damages exceed $75,000. Michigan follows a modified comparative fault rule — plaintiffs 51% or more at fault are barred from recovery.

Statute of Limitations: Michigan Compiled Laws § 600.5805(2) sets a three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims arising from truck accidents. The period begins on the date of injury. Wrongful death actions under the Michigan Wrongful Death Act (MCL § 600.2922) must be filed within three years of the date of death. Michigan's No-Fault Act governs first-party insurance benefits for Michigan residents injured in truck accidents, but tort liability against at-fault truck drivers remains available for serious impairment of a body function.

FMCSA & Michigan Regulations: All interstate commercial motor vehicles operating in Michigan must comply with FMCSA regulations. The Michigan State Police Motor Carrier Division and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) enforce state truck weight limits — Michigan permits heavier loads on some routes than most states, creating unique weight-limit litigation issues. Michigan requires intrastate carriers to register with MDOT. Michigan's extensive seasonal weight restrictions (spring load restrictions on rural roads) are a frequent source of regulatory violations with evidentiary value in litigation.

High-Accident Corridors: Michigan's most dangerous commercial trucking corridors include Interstate 94 (Detroit to Chicago — one of the Midwest's primary manufacturing freight routes), Interstate 75 (Detroit to Flint and Saginaw, and south to Toledo, OH), Interstate 96 (Detroit metro to Grand Rapids), Interstate 69 (Port Huron to Lansing and Battle Creek), and U.S. 23 (Ann Arbor to Flint). The I-94/I-75/I-96 interchange system in metropolitan Detroit — one of the most complex in the Midwest — is a consistent high-crash zone for commercial trucks. Detroit's Ambassador Bridge crossing generates intense cross-border drayage traffic.