Recent Blog Posts
Can I Recover Compensation for Injuries Caused By Assault and Battery?
Many people are aware of the ability to recover compensation for damages related to car accident injuries, whether through insurance or a personal injury claim against the negligent party. However, you may be unsure of what to do if you are injured because of someone’s intentional actions, such as assault or battery. Is it enough to press criminal charges, or should you also file a civil claim for compensation? An experienced attorney can help you answer that question and determine the best course of action.
Restitution vs. Compensatory Damages in Michigan
In Michigan, assault and battery are both criminal offenses. Assault is defined as threatening or attempting to cause bodily harm to another person, while battery is defined as intentionally causing bodily harm. If a person is convicted of assault or battery committed against you, the court may order them to pay you restitution for your medical care and rehabilitation, lost income, and other costs related to the injuries you have suffered.
What Should Injured Pedestrians Do After a Michigan Car Accident?
Out of everyone who shares the roadways in Michigan, pedestrians have one of the highest risks of suffering severe injuries in a car accident. According to the state’s most recent crash statistics, almost 8 percent of pedestrian injuries are fatal, compared to a less than 1 percent fatality rate for injured vehicle occupants. Pedestrians who survive a collision are often left with catastrophic injuries that affect the rest of their lives. As such, it is important for victims and their families to understand how they can recover compensation for their expenses and losses.
Compensation Options for Injured Pedestrians
In all cases, the first thing you should do if you are injured in a pedestrian accident is to seek medical care. Prompt treatment can give you a better chance of making a full or substantial recovery, and demonstrating that you have received care will also be important for any means of recovering compensation for your injuries.
Can I Pursue Compensation for Bite Injuries from a Police Dog?
Although dogs are often friendly and obedient, they are also capable of inflicting severe injuries under certain circumstances. Perhaps nowhere is this more clear than in the case of police dogs, who are trained to use force when necessary to assist in the apprehension of a dangerous suspect. The use of police dogs is common practice in Michigan, but it can sometimes go too far. In fact, a Michigan state trooper is currently facing charges of assault for alleged excessive use of force involving a police dog. This raises the question of whether it may be possible to pursue compensation through a civil claim for police dog bite injuries.
Dog Bite Liability Laws in Michigan
According to Michigan law, victims of dog bite injuries are often entitled to compensation from the dog’s owner. The state’s dog bite law is one of strict liability, meaning that it is not necessary for the victim to demonstrate that the dog’s owner was negligent in allowing the attack to happen, or that the owner knew of a previous history of the dog’s viciousness. However, it is necessary to demonstrate that the victim was not provoking the dog at the time and that the victim was lawfully allowed to be in the place where the attack occurred.
Recognizing Negligence in a Michigan Semi-Truck Crash
If you have been in a semi-truck accident, it is understandable that your thoughts would be preoccupied with your severe injuries and their effects on your day-to-day life, leaving you little time or energy to focus on legal matters such as the question of whose negligence is responsible for the crash. However, determining the answer to this question is crucial when it comes to securing the financial compensation you need to address your injuries. Fortunately, an experienced personal injury attorney can handle this matter for you while you recover.
Driver and Trucking Company Negligence
Typically, when you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, your first instinct may be to assume that liability lies with another driver. It is true that in many accidents involving large commercial trucks, the truck driver’s negligence is a contributing factor, meaning that he or she is liable for resulting injuries. However, the driver’s employer often shares responsibility in these cases, including in situations that you may not expect. For example:
Harmful Effects of Nursing Home Neglect in Michigan
Physical and psychological abuse are rampant problems in nursing homes throughout the United States, but perhaps equally damaging is the high prevalence of nursing home neglect. Nursing home residents who do not receive adequate care can suffer serious harm to their physical and mental health, and it is important for victims and their families to know that it is possible to take legal action to recover damages due to the negligence of a nursing home operator or employee.
What Is Nursing Home Neglect?
In general, nursing home neglect occurs when those responsible for caring for patients or residents fail to provide them with the necessary care, such as feeding, bathing, and providing medication and supervision. Nursing home neglect may be tied to a variety of causes. In some cases, individual staff members may fail to perform their care duties. However, neglect is often a symptom of problems on an organizational level. For example, nursing home management may fail to provide their employees with adequate training or supervision throughout the workday. In other cases, a nursing home may fail to provide the space or materials necessary for the quality care of its residents.
Can I Recover Damages for a Michigan Snowmobile Accident?
Recent snows in the Grand Rapids area have inspired many residents to bring out their snowmobiles and engage in this popular recreational activity. However, it is important to note that along with the enjoyment of snowmobiling comes an important responsibility to ensure personal and public safety. Unsafe riding can often result in serious accidents and injuries, and injury victims may need to look to compensation from negligent parties through a personal injury claim to alleviate their medical expenses and other damages.
Common Causes of Snowmobile Accidents
Snowmobile accidents can happen for many different reasons and may involve a variety of parties, from snowmobile operators and passengers to pedestrians, to drivers of motor vehicles. Some of the most common causes of accidents that result in injuries include:
Can Online Retailers Be Liable for Injuries from Defective Products?
In Michigan, if you suffer an injury due to a defect in a product that you are using, you may have a case for compensation from the product’s designer, manufacturer, or seller, depending on the circumstances. However, with the growing prevalence of online shopping, it can be more difficult to determine who the seller actually is. For example, if you purchase a defective product through Amazon, should you pursue compensation from Amazon itself, or from the company that uses Amazon to sell its products? To answer this question, it is helpful to examine Michigan’s product liability laws, as well as recent defective product cases involving Amazon throughout the United States.
Who Is Liable for Defective Product Injuries in Michigan?
Michigan law establishes a high standard for demonstrating negligence in a defective product case. Depending on the situation, you may need strong evidence of some or all of the following:
Dangerous Car Accidents Are Common on US-131 in Michigan
For those living in and around Grand Rapids, US-131 is an almost unavoidable travel route, whether you are simply driving around town or taking a trip to the Upper Peninsula or south into Indiana and the surrounding states. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most dangerous roads in Michigan. The intersection with Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids is especially dangerous, but car accidents are common across the entire highway. If you or your loved one was involved in a vehicle collision, an experienced attorney can help you bring a personal injury claim against any at-fault parties for your damages.
Recent Accidents Serve as a Sobering Example
In recent weeks, multiple accidents just south of Grand Rapids brought to light just how dangerous US-131 can be for all motorists on that road. The events, which took place in Allegan County, started when a pedestrian was struck by a semi-truck after leaving his vehicle. As traffic backed up due to the accident, two more collisions occurred, involving multiple large trucks and passenger vehicles. In total, three people died in these accidents, and several others were injured.
Reacting to Car Crash Injuries During the Winter in Michigan
Based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding fatal collisions in winter weather conditions, Michigan was rated as the most dangerous state for winter driving in 2019. During the three-year time period of the data collection, there were 49 average annual fatalities in Michigan due to winter vehicle accidents, which is 19 more than the next highest state. With injury risks this high, it is crucial that you understand how to protect yourself from winter car crashes, as well as what to do if you or a loved one is injured.
Winter Driving Safety Tips in Michigan
With the proper safety precautions, you may be able to avoid winter car accidents entirely. The Michigan State Department offers several helpful suggestions for safe winter driving, including:
When Is a Michigan Business Liable for My Injuries?
If you are injured in an accident, you may think that your case for compensation rests on the ability to demonstrate the negligent actions of an individual person who is responsible. While it is true that many personal injury cases, especially those involving car accidents, have an individual defendant, it is also possible for a business entity to be liable for your injuries. These cases can be more complicated, but with the help of an experienced attorney, it is also often possible to obtain greater compensation.
Circumstances in Which a Business Can Be Negligent
There are a wide variety of situations in which a business may be fully or partially responsible for injuries suffered in an accident. Some of the most common include:
- When an accident occurs on the business’s property. According to Michigan premises liability law, the owner of a property has a duty of care to ensure safe conditions for lawful visitors. If an injury occurs in a store, restaurant, or other business because the business owner failed to reasonably address a hazard that they should have known about, the business may be liable for damages.
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