East Lansing Car Accident Lawyer

Attorney Working With Car Crash Victims to Obtain Compensation in East Lansing, Michigan

East Lansing is a busy college town, and its streets reflect that. Students, faculty, commuters, and visitors share local roads like Grand River Avenue, Harrison Road, Abbot Road, and Saginaw Street with cyclists and pedestrians. When drivers make careless choices, they may be responsible for causing car accidents that can leave other people hurt, out of work, and unsure about where to turn.

At John D. Tallman, PLC, Attorney at Law, our attorney provides legal help to people who have been injured in collisions in East Lansing. He will look closely at how a crash happened, identify every source of insurance coverage, and stand up for injured people when insurers delay or deny their claims. He will work to secure results that will reflect the true cost of a person's injuries while fighting for compensation that will help a person move forward.

Options After a Car Crash

Michigan's auto insurance system gives injured people several possible paths for recovering compensation. Depending on the facts, a person may be able to pursue:

• Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Benefits: A person's own no-fault insurance policy can pay for reasonable medical care, a portion of their lost income, and help with household tasks, regardless of who was responsible for causing an accident.
• A Claim Against the At-Fault Driver: An injury victim may take steps to recover compensation for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life due to serious injuries caused by a driver's negligence. Compensation may also address medical costs and lost wages that exceed the PIP limits of an insurance policy.
• Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage: If the other driver had no insurance or did not have enough coverage, optional coverage provided through an injury victim's insurance policy may help to address this gap.

How Speeding Can Lead to Car Crashes

In East Lansing, many streets have low speed limits to ensure that people's safety is protected in crowded crosswalks, intersections with traffic that makes frequent turns, and narrow lanes that leave little room for error. All drivers are required to drive at a speed that is careful and prudent based on traffic and road conditions, as well as visibility due to weather or at night. Even if a driver was under the posted limit, they may be considered to be speeding if they were acting unsafely.

A driver who is speeding will need more distance to stop, and they will have less time to react to a pedestrian in the road or a car that pulls out of a parking lot. Higher speeds will lead to a greater force of impact, which is why crashes involving fast-moving vehicles can cause severe injuries like fractures and damage to internal organs.

The Dangers of Distracted Driving

Looking away from the road for only a few seconds can cause a driver to travel a long distance without watching where their car is going. In Michigan, drivers are prohibited from holding or manually using cell phones while driving. However, drivers may violate this law and use phones or other devices for texting, social media, or watching videos.

Activities like adjusting navigation devices, eating, and reaching for items in the back seat can also take a driver's attention away from traffic at the worst moment. Our attorney can take steps to show that a driver was distracted. He may request phone records, review vehicle data, and interview witnesses to show that a driver was not paying attention when the crash occurred.

Why Impaired Driving Is So Dangerous

Alcohol and drugs can cause serious impairments that are likely to affect a person's ability to drive safely. Slower reaction times, blurred vision, and poor judgment that occur when a driver is intoxicated can prevent them from avoiding a collision. An impaired driver may weave between multiple lanes without signaling, misjudge distances when other vehicles are approaching, or fail to notice a red light or stop sign entirely.

Because of campus nightlife, drunk driving crashes are a real concern in East Lansing. In some cases, a bar or restaurant that served alcohol to someone and did not take steps to prevent them from driving may be held responsible for an accident under Michigan's dram shop law. Our lawyer can provide guidance on the options that may be available for someone who has been injured by a drunk driver.

Other Careless Driving Behaviors That Can Lead to Car Accidents

Many other forms of negligence can cause collisions. Drivers who run red lights or who do not yield to oncoming vehicles while turning left can cause dangerous crashes at intersections. Fatigued drivers, including people who are driving home after late-night shifts or long study sessions, may drift out of their lanes and cause head-on collisions. Aggressive drivers may tailgate, pass unsafely, or cut off other vehicles on purpose, which could lead to rear-end accidents, sideswipe accidents, or other types of crashes.

Contact Our East Lansing, MI Car Accident Attorney

When a car crash has been caused by a driver who was speeding, distracted, impaired, or otherwise negligent, John D. Tallman, PLC, Attorney at Law can help an injury victim determine what to do to obtain compensation. Our attorney will review the available options, negotiate with insurance companies, and advocate for the payments needed to address a person's injuries and financial losses. Reach out to our East Lansing, Michigan car accident injury lawyer at 616-361-8850 for a free consultation.