Michigan Personal Injury Accidents, Claims, & Laws

A personal injury, automobile accident, wrongful death, slip and fall, or dog bite case is any type of claim where a person has been injured or killed due to someone else's carelessness or negligence. If the only damage in your case is that your car got banged up, then you do not have a personal injury case - but you may have a property damage case. We do not handle property damage cases, but there are many lawyers who do so. If both you and your car have suffered an injury, then you have both a personal injury and a property damage claim. In those circumstances, either your insurance company or the negligent person's insurance company will usually take care of the property damage claim.

If someone's negligence causes the death of another person, then this is called a "wrongful death" claim. The laws of each state or jurisdiction differs significantly regarding what can be recovered in a wrongful death case. You need an attorney who understands the specialized wrongful death laws.

Whenever you are hurt by anyone's negligence, including that of a professional or a builder or a manufacturer or a store merchant, you have a "personal injury" claim. Products liability (injury by harmful product), medical malpractice (injury by a doctor, hospital or other healthcare provider), and slip-and-fall (injury because someone did not take care of their property) are all subtypes of personal injury cases.

The law does not require compensation for every injury. You must prove that someone else was negligent or careless and that it was this person's negligence or carelessness which caused your injury. If you have suffered an unfortunate accident that is no one else's fault, or if you do not sue the right person, then the law says that you will not win your case.

You definitely do not need an attorney for every small injury case. In fact, in the small case, the attorney fee and costs might leave little or nothing for you after your medical bills are paid, and we do not believe that would be fair to you. However, your case might have a higher settlement value than you think so you should at least call us for a free and honest opinion regarding the size of your claim.

There are many myths about Michigan personal injury accidents cases. These include:

-If you write a letter to the insurance company and are reasonable, you will get a reasonable settlement proposal.

-When you are in an accident and the insurance adjuster calls you to ask for a recorded statement, you have to give the adjuster a recorded statement or the insurance company will not settle with you.

-All lawyers who advertise that they handle accident cases have the same ability, tools and experience to handle your case.

-The insurance company for the person who caused your injuries is obligated to pay your medical.

-The tort liability system is some sort of lottery that will help you get rich.

-Just because there has been an accident and it was not your fault, there must be some insurance company that will pay for your medical bills, lost wages and injuries.

-Juries in Michigan are generous.


------

Lawrence J. Buckfire is a Michigan personal injury lawyer. If you or a family member have been seriously injured in a Michigan accident, you should contact our office immediately to learn about your legal rights. Call us now at (800) 606-1717. You should also request our FREE BOOK, "The Ultimate Guide to Injury Cases in Michigan," which includes the biggest mistakes you can make that can ruin your injury case.