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.

In Michigan, injury victims in car accidents, including pedestrians, can often look to compensation through no-fault Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. If you are injured as a pedestrian and you have a vehicle and car insurance policy of your own, you can file a claim with your provider for coverage of medical bills, lost wages, and household upkeep expenses resulting from your injuries. The same may be true if you are covered under the insurance policy of another member of your household. If you do not have your own PIP coverage, however, you may need to file a claim with the insurance provider of the driver involved in the accident, or with the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.

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.

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:

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.

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: