Michigan Personal Injury Lawyers
Personal Injury Law in Michigan
Negligence in Michigan
Most personal injury cases involve an analysis of the State law regarding torts and negligence. Michigan is no exception. In fact, Michigan has its own way of viewing negligence cases. Due to the unique complications, it is important to hire an experienced Michigan personal injury lawyer to help analyze your claim. The basic idea, however, is that if a person does not show a required standard of care, and their actions cause your injury, they might be liable for any resulting damages. One aspect of law in Michigan is a comparative negligence framework. The idea is that your damages would potentially be reduced in some ratio of your own negligence that also contributed to the injury. Due to this, it is important for your injury attorney to make sure you aren’t being blamed for causing the injury if that is not borne out by the facts of your case. As with most other states, Michigan law also requires a showing of duty, breach, causation and damages in negligence cases. For more specific rules, see MCL Section 600.2959.
No-Fault Auto Insurance
If your personal injury case involves an automobile accident in Michigan, it probably also involves Michigan’s no-fault system of auto insurance. Michigan drivers are required to have a no-fault insurance policy which is designed to cover the cost of necessary medical bills to treat injuries from a car accident. Whether or not you are covered if you’re in an accident is a complicated legal question that requires the assistance of a Michigan car accident lawyer. If you are seriously injured in a car accident in Michigan, your case may even fall outside the no-fault system to some degree and involve a third-party case against the tortfeasor’s insurance company.
Damage Caps In Michigan
There are limitations to damages in some personal injury cases in Michigan although the analysis is too fact specific to apply a general blanket rule applying to all circumstances. One example is medical malpractice cases. There are also caps on product liability cases in certain instances. For more specific rules regarding potential damage caps in Michigan, see MCL 600.1483 and 500.3135.
Dog Bites in Michigan
The state of Michigan recognizes tort liability in certain cases against an owner of a dog that bites another and injures them. Under MCL Section 287.351, so long as there is no provocation and the injured person is on public property or private property lawfully, there’s probably going strict liability imposed on the owner of the dog responsible for the Michigan dog bite. This same liability might apply if the person is on the owner’s property performing any duty imposed on them by the law or if the person is an invitee or licensee of the person in possession of the property. Strict liability essentially means there are a limited number of defenses. Those defenses, however, do usually include cases where the injured party provoked the dog or where the injured party was trespassing. For more about the defenses to a dog bite in Michigan, see the Lorenz case.
Personal Injury Statute of Limitations in Michigan
MCL 600.5805
A statute of limitations is a law that governs the timeframe during which a certain lawsuit must be brought. For lawsuits involving injury or death in the State of Michigan, the applicable statute of limitations depends on the type of injury. There are many other factors that complicate this analysis as well. While the statute provides a listed timeframe, it is imperative that you consult with a Michigan Personal Injury lawyer regarding the specific facts of your injury case rather than relying simply on the listed timeframe. This is because of tolling/accrual rules that might differ depending on the nature of your injury and facts of your case. Sawan & Sawan is a Michigan Personal Injury law firm offering free consultations. Call 419-900-0955 if you have a question about your case.
Dennis P. Sawan
