SOUTHFIELD, MI, November 13, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ — Kajy Law Firm is representing a Troy teenager and his family in a lawsuit against General Motors and the driver of a GM-owned pickup truck that struck the boy in Troy last summer. The case rests on a Michigan law that can make a vehicle’s owner responsible for an injury even when someone else is driving.
The teen was 14 when a white GMC Canyon hit him as he crossed Square Lake Road at John R Road, WXYZ-TV Detroit reported. He was pinned beneath the truck. An off-duty Troy firefighter recorded the crash on a dash camera, and police cited the driver for careless driving.
The family sued the driver and GM earlier this year. In October, GM filed a countersuit against the teen’s parents. The automaker withdrew it Oct. 20.
According to attorney Lawrence Kajy, GM owned the truck and had given it to an employee as a perk of the job. That ownership is the basis for the family’s claims against the company.
“GM owned that truck and decided who would drive it,” said Lawrence Kajy, founder of Kajy Law Firm. “Michigan law doesn’t let an owner step back and say somebody else was behind the wheel. If you hand over the keys, you share the responsibility.”
Section 257.401 of the Michigan Vehicle Code makes the owner of a motor vehicle liable for injuries caused by its negligent operation when it is driven with the owner’s express or implied consent or knowledge. The law presumes consent when the driver is the owner’s spouse, parent, sibling, child or another immediate family member.
The family is also bringing a negligent entrustment claim against GM. Under that legal theory, an owner can be held responsible for giving a vehicle to someone it knew, or should have known, was likely to drive unsafely.
Kajy said owner’s liability claims come up more often than most drivers expect. A company car, a vehicle borrowed from a friend and a family car driven by a relative can all bring the owner into a case. In Metro Detroit, where automakers and other employers put company vehicles on the road, that question can decide who pays when someone gets hurt.
“People hear ‘car accident lawsuit’ and assume it’s only about the driver,” Kajy said. “A lot of the time, the owner is the one with the insurance and the resources to cover what an injured person is facing. Knowing that can change the outcome for a family.”
On the withdrawn countersuit, Kajy said: “We’re glad GM dropped the case against his parents. Now this can stay focused on what happened at that intersection and who is responsible for it.”
The case remains pending.
About Kajy Law Firm
Kajy Law Firm is a Southfield-based personal injury law firm that handles car, truck and motorcycle accident cases across Metro Detroit and Michigan. Motor vehicle accidents are the firm’s entire practice, which is where its tagline, “It’s All We Do,” comes from. Founded by attorney Lawrence Kajy, the firm has handled more than 5,000 cases and recovered more than $100 million for injured clients. Its attorneys have more than 150 years of combined experience. The firm offers free consultations, is available 24/7 and charges no fee unless it wins. Through Kajy Cares, the firm is active in community programs throughout Metro Detroit. For more information, visit 877kajycares.com.
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