I read a tragic news report of an fatal Michigan truck accident that took the life of a popular Adrian, Michigan barber and seriously injured his wife.  Police report that James Jasmine and his wife, Karen Jasmine, were involved in an accident on U.S. 127 in Lansing last Friday afternoon when an oil tanker overturned and landed on their SUV.  Mr. Jasmine was killed and his wife suffered serious injuries and was taken to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing.  Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.

My sincerest sympathies go out to the Jasmine family and I wish a speedy recovery for Ms. Jasmine.

These unfortunate family tragedies in car and truck seem to be occurring with greater frequency.  It is important to learn the reasons for the accident and then take measures to reduce the likelihood of it happening again in the future.  My firm handles a number of these cases and we start our investigation of the accident immediately so that we can locate all witnesses and preserve physical evidence to prove our clients’ case. 

In many of these cases, the oil tanker company or other big trucking company will send their investigators out immediately to begin their “investigation.”  Essentially, they are trying to build a case against the victims of the accident and blame fault on the victims, with the hopes of avoiding a significant civil lawsuit.  Ms. Jasmine can file a claim against the trucking company for her own injuries and also for the loss of her husband, a claim that can be shared by other family members.  This is known as a Michigan Wrongful Death suit.  There are also claims that can be brought under the Michigan No-Fault Insurance laws for both victims.

For more information about these claims, please visit our website at www.BuckfireLaw.com or call us at (800) 606-1717.  You can also request a FREE copy of our Michigan Car Accident Book by clicking on the link.

A Saline motorcycle accident last week caused serious injuries to the 47 year old biker from Clinton.  The accident was allegedly caused when a 46 year old Clinton woman driving an SUV eastbound on Michigan Avenue near Dell Road.  She apparently attempted to pass another vehicle and struck the motorcyclist.  She was arrested for suspicion of drunk driving.

My firm frequently represents injured bikers in Michigan motorcycle accident cases.  Contrary to public belief, the overwhelming majority of these accidents are caused by negligent motorists and truck drivers, not by the injured bikers.  Under Michigan law, the injured biker can file both a Michigan No-Fault Insurance Claim for medical bills, lost wages, and other benefits.  The biker can also file a claim for personals injuries suffered in the accident against the negligent driver.

For more information, I suggest you request our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Car Accident Handbook,” or call us at (800) 606-1717.  Our law firm website, www.BuckfireLaw.com, is also a great source of information.

Some of the most tragic accidents my clients have ever called me about involve large trucks.  The reason these accidents are so bad is usually because of the truck’s extra size and weight when compared to a normal car.  Michigan truck accident lawyers must determine all of the potential causes of a truck accident.  One common cause is the improper loading of the truck. An improper truck load is typically one which the load is too heavy for the truck and trailer or one in which the loading is not properly balanced.  These both affect the truck driver’s ability to stop and control the truck, especially when it comes to applying the vehicle braking system.

Overloaded or improperly loaded trucks are at greater risk for truck rollovers, because unstable trucks do not handle turns or lane changes as well. A truck that turns too quickly is more likely to rollover if they truck is improperly weighted towards the direction of the turn.

There are federal and state trucking regulations that specify truck load weights and provide requirements for the proper loading of trucks. A complete and thorough investigation of the vehicle log, cargo weight, and other specifications is necessary to prove the causes for the accident.  Many times, it is the truck load along with driver fatigue and other factors that cause the accident.  Because the injuries caused by truck accident are typically catastrophic, it is important to hire an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible after the accident to begin the investigation.

At my personal injury law firm, the attorneys have the experience and knowledge about overloaded trucks to make sure your rights are defended.  To find out more, you can visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com   If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan truck accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

Michigan is a great place to visit whether you are coming to enjoy the Great Lakes in the summer, skiing in the winter, or just visiting friends or family any time.  Unfortunately, many times non-Michigan residents are involved in auto accidents when visiting Michigan, while either on business or while on vacation. 

A non-Michigan resident who is injured in a Michigan auto accident while in Michigan may be able to make a claim for Michigan no-fault insurance benefits, even if they live in a state that does not have no-fault insurance benefits and their own insurance policy does not provide for these benefits.   This is a tremendous benefit for the out-of-state resident because Michigan No-Fault insurance benefits pay for wages lost from work, medical expenses, and household chores.  Most incredible, there is no limit to the amount of medical expenses paid and these benefits last for your lifetime.  For a non-resident injured in a Michigan car accident to qualify for no-fault benefits, there are several factors to consider, including:

1.                   Whether the person was driving their own car, and if so, whether the person’s auto insurance company was certified in Michigan;

2.                   Whether the person was a pedestrian; and

3.                   Whether the person was a passenger in a Michigan registered vehicle, or was a passenger in a vehicle which had auto insurance that was certified in Michigan; 

In addition to receiving no-fault benefits, a non-Michigan resident injured in a Michigan car accident may be entitled to make a claim against the at-fault driver for other money damages, including for pain and suffering damages and disfigurement.  There are strict time limitations for filing these claims and it is important that you contact a Michigan car accident attorney immediately if you are a non-resident and were injured in a Michigan car accident. 

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Summer time in Michigan is a great time to get out of the house for some fun with family or friends.  Riding All Terrain Vehicles, or “ATV’s”, is more popular than ever.  In fact, Michigan is now fourth Michigan is fourth in the United States for ATV sales and registrations.  In 2004, Michigan had over 189,000 registered ATV’s.

The ATV, the all-terrain vehicle, is a highly versatile machine, whose popularity has increased at a rate of 22% per year in recent years.  Unfortunately, with this increased popularity comes significant safety concerns, and more ATV’s have meant more accidents.

As a Michigan ATV Accident Lawyer, I often see very serious and catastrophic injuries related to ATV accidents.  In fact, Michigan is ranked as the fourth highest in the nation for ATV crashes and deaths.  In 2002 alone, the Michigan State Police identified over 600 crashes and fifteen deaths involving ATV’s. Many of these, unfortunately, involve children under the age of six. 

To avoid injuries, it is very important that ATV riders get State Certified ATV training, which includes driving your ATV while under observation and instruction. All ATV operators under the age of sixteen are required to take a State approved training class, but most people are not aware of this requirement and do not get the training. 

The ATV handles differently than any other vehicle.  As such, it is very important that children not be permitted to ride the ATV without taking an ATV approved training class that includes, “hands on” driving practice and experience.  Information regarding these classes is available through the Michigan ATV Association website at www.Michiganatv.com. 

The laws for filing civil claims in ATV accident cases is unique and it is important to hire a lawyer with experience in these cases.  For more information, please visit our web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com or call me at (800) 606-1717.