A Pontiac hit and run car accident has lead to injuries and an arrest.  The accident occurred on December 8, 2008 near the intersection of North Perry and Robinwood streets in Pontiac.   The person hit, who may have been a pedestrian, suffered two broken legs, a broken pelvis, and head trauma.  He is in critical condition at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. 

The driver was apprehended after leaving the scene because a large crowd of people had surrounded a vehicle matching the description outside of Newman Lane Apartments.  A man came out of the building and said he hit the victim after the victim jumped in front of his car.  He was arrested and is being held pending charges for fleeing the scene of an accident, drunken driving, and being caught driving with a suspended license for a fourth time.

I am deeply sorry to have read about this accident.  The victim’s injuries are very serious and I hope he is able to pull through and recover fully.

The first thing to do in an accident like this is to separate the criminal charges which the driver will have to face from the legal issues facing the accident victim.  Criminal charges seek to punish illegal actions through fines or jail time.  A criminal trial is a public action, brought by the prosecutor on behalf of “the people.”  The goal of criminal law is to punish, not compensate the victim.

For compensation, the accident victim should file a claim for Michigan No Fault insurance benefits.  No Fault insurance will pay for all of his medical expenses, including the hospital bills from his current visit and all reasonable and necessary follow-up treatment which is caused by this accident.  No Fault insurance will also pay for a portion of his lost wages for up to three years and for household replacement services and attendant care, among other benefits.

Michigan law allows people who have been very seriously injured in a car accident to file a lawsuit to seek additional compensation.  For example, a lawsuit might seek payments for decreased wages or earnings for longer than the three year period paid by the No Fault insurance.  Or it might seek damages for pain and suffering.  Since this accident victim’s injuries are very severe, this is something he should strongly consider.  A lawyer can help go over the pros and cons with him, but the decision to sue is one he has to make.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan car accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Car Accident Handbook” by clicking on the book link.  We will send it out immediately along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan car accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan car 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.

A Jackson truck accident on I-94 has resulted in the death of one man and injuries for another.  Geza Andrew Simko, 90, of Allen Park was killed and his son, Gilbert R. Simko, was injured when their van entered a construction zone on I-94 between Dearing and Parma roads.  Their van was in the process of slowing down when a tractor trailer truck hit their vehicle and pushed it forward into a pickup truck.  Jackson police are still investigating the accident.

I feel very bad about this accident.  It is always hard for a family when an accident takes a life, but when two people in a family are affected by it, it seems even worse.  I hope that Gilbert Simko is able to recover completely.

My law firm regularly represents people injured and killed in car accidents, including truck accidents.  The first step anytime there is a car accident is submitting a claim for Michigan No Fault insurance benefits.  Both Geza Simko and Gilbert Simko are eligible for No Fault benefits, which will cover a portion of Geza’s funeral and will cover Gilbert’s medical expenses.  Gilbert can also receive a portion of wages lost if he has to miss work because of the accident.  Furthermore, other benefits may be available to him depending on the severity of his injuries.  I would encourage anyone involved in a car accident to submit a No Fault claim quickly so that the medical bills can get paid without damaging one’s credit.

The second step in an accident is to evaluate legal options and decide whether to pursue a lawsuit.  In an accident like this one, Geza Simko’s estate (usually administered by a family member) has a wrongful death lawsuit against the truck driver and his trucking company.  Gilbert Simko may also have a lawsuit depending on the severity of his injuries.  Both lawsuits would offer them the chance to collect damages in excess of those allowed by the Michigan No Fault Act.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan car accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Car Accident Handbook” by clicking on the book link.  We will send it out immediately along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan car accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan car 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.

An Allen Park Pedestrian§ has been killed in a car accident.  The pedestrian, believed to be 16 years old, was near Allen and Reeck roads when he was struck by a car.  He was taken to Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn where he later died.

This is an extremely tragic accident, especially since the pedestrian was so young.  I am very sorry for this boy’s family.

Many people do not realize that Michigan No Fault benefits are available to assist this family in a terrible time like this.  Even though the boy was probably too young to have his own No Fault insurance policy and even though he was not in a car, the family can still make a survivor loss claim to get all of his medical expenses paid for and a portion of his funeral costs paid for as well.  The reason this is the case is because Michigan No Fault insurance is available to all insured drivers and everyone who lives in the same house as them.  Therefore as long as one person this boy lived with, such as one of his parents, has a No Fault insurance policy, he will be covered under that policy.  Moreover, No Fault insurance covers all accidents involving motor vehicles, but the insurance policies do not require the injured or deceased person to be in a motor vehicle himself.  Therefore since this accident involved a car, the boy can still get No Fault insurance benefits even though he was a pedestrian at the time.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan car accident, you can order our FREE book, ““The Ultimate Michigan Car Accident Handbook” by clicking on the book link.  We will send it out immediately along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan car accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com   If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan car 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.

We represent individuals injured in Michigan car accidents. These include cases for auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, truck accidents, moped accidents, pedestrian accidents, bus accidents, and hit and run accidents. Cases often also include all terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents, off road vehicles, and even snowmobile accidents.

It is often important to hire a Michigan car accident lawyer for your case shortly after your accident. To see why this is often necessary, you can watch this video interview with attorney Daniel L. Buckfire right now.

As part of any Michigan car accident case or any Michigan auto insurance claim, it is necessary to obtain the police traffic accident report. Our firm routinely obtains these for our clients who have been injured in an auto accident.

These are available to you by simply contacting the police agency and requesting the report. There is usually a small fee for the report. For an accident that occurred in Allegan County, you should request the traffic crash report at the following location:

Allegan County Police Department
112 Walnut St.
Allegan, MI 49010
269-673-0500

If your accident was investigated by the Michigan State Police, you need to request the report directly from that agency. You can download the Michigan State Police form here that you must complete and submit to obtain the Michigan State Police report. .

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan car accident, you can order our FREE book, ““The Ultimate Michigan Car Accident Handbook” by clicking on the book link. We will send it out immediately along with other important information.

For more information about Michigan car accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan car 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.

We represent individuals injured in Michigan Motorcycle accidents. These include cases for auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, truck accidents, moped accidents, pedestrian accidents, bus accidents, and hit and run accidents. Cases often also include all terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents, off road vehicles, and even snowmobile accidents.

It is often important to hire a Michigan Motorcycle accident lawyer for your case shortly after your accident. To see why this is often necessary, you can watch this video interview with attorney Daniel L. Buckfire right now.

As part of any Michigan Motorcycle accident case or any Michigan auto insurance claim, it is necessary to obtain the police traffic accident report. Our firm routinely obtains these for our clients who have been injured in an auto accident.

These are available to you by simply contacting the police agency and requesting the report. There is usually a small fee for the report. For an accident that occurred in Allen Park, you should request the traffic crash report at the following location:

Allen Park Police Department
16850 Southfield Road
Allen Park, MI 48101
(313)-386-7800

If your accident was investigated by the Michigan State Police, you need to request the report directly from that agency. You can download the Michigan State Police form here that you must complete and submit to obtain the Michigan State Police report. .

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan Motorcycle accident, you can order our FREE book, ““The Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook” by clicking on the book link. We will send it out immediately along with other important information.

For more information about Michigan Motorcycle accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan Motorcycle 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.