Car Accidents

Stressed woman calling for help after a car accident

Michigan Car Accident Attorneys

Car Accident Claims

At West Michigan Injury Lawyers, PLC, our Michigan car accident attorneys have decades of experience winning auto accident cases. We will take care of your legal paperwork and investigate every possible cause of your car accident to ensure you receive full and fair compensation for your injuries.

Our car accident lawyers will also help you find adequate medical care. We can assist you in finding an appropriate specialist to treat your injuries, and we can also make arrangements with your medical care provider to hold off on payments until your case is resolved. Whatever it is you need, we will handle it with efficiency, skill, and compassion.

Car Accident Causes & Liability

Every year, millions of Americans are injured in motor vehicle wrecks. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), someone in the United States is killed in a car crash every 16 minutes.

Automobile accidents are typically caused by negligent or reckless behavior on the part of a motorist. Courts look to several factors in determining whether a driver was negligent to determine who was at fault whether one or more drivers hold partial blame for the crash.

Examples of driver negligence include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Disobeying traffic signs or signals
  • Disregarding weather or traffic conditions
  • Driving too fast or too slow
  • Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Failing to drive on the correct side of the road
  • Failing to signal when making a turn

However, sometimes accidents can be caused by other factors, such as poorly designed roads or a vehicle malfunction. In such cases, an individual or company other than a driver could be held responsible for the crash, such as the city which made the road or vehicle manufacturer responsible for the defective part.

Common factors unrelated to driver negligence that contribute to causing car accidents include:

  • A problem that limits the drivers’ vision
  • A sharp obstruction in the road
  • Improper lane striping
  • Malfunctioning traffic control signals
  • Poor design, signage, lighting, or other defects
  • Poorly maintained roads
  • Poorly positioned objects like utility poles
  • Road maintenance or construction

In certain instances of accidents caused by a DUI, a bartender, restaurant owner, or social host may be held partially liable for damages if they served alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person.

Liability can be complicated, but our Michigan car accident attorneys have seen it all. We will work with accident reconstructionists and other experts to determine the exact cause of your accident and identify the party or parties responsible.

Insurance Coverage

Michigan car insurance law requires every owner of a vehicle to have a certain amount of liability insurance. Liability insurance provides compensation to another person should you cause an accident and are found to be liable to that person for damages. Conversely, this insurance covers your damages should you be the victim.

Liability insurance minimums required by state law are:

  • $20,000 for bodily injury or the death of one person in an accident
  • $40,000 for bodily injury or the death of two or more persons in one accident, not to exceed the per-person limits above
  • $10,000 for injury to or harm to property of others in one accident

When West Michigan Injury Lawyers, P.C. represents an individual who has been injured in an accident, one of the first things we do is investigate all applicable insurance coverage. This will ensure we get you the proper coverage and additional compensation you need.

Not only will we help you navigate the insurance claim with your insurance company, but we will also talk to the at-fault driver’s insurance agent on your behalf. You should never speak to the other driver’s insurance company on your own because they will twist whatever you say in order to build a case against you. If the liable motorists’ insurance company every contacts you, hang up and call us instead.

How We Can Help

When you are suffering from the injuries and trauma caused by a car accident, the last thing you want to do is deal with insurance companies and file legal paperwork. You have already been through enough and deserve time to rest and recover without also dealing with the stress of how you’re going to pay for your medical bills and vehicle repairs.

This is where we come in. Your car accident was not your fault so you should never feel as though you are being punished for it. We will handle the legal side of your case and act as a trusted advisor throughout, providing you the assistance and peace of mind you need during this difficult time.

We won’t relent until you have received the fair and just compensation you deserve. If you have been injured in a car accident, let us take care of the legal side of things while you concentrate on your recovery.