Millions of car accidents happen annually in the United States. While many accidents are just minor fender-benders with no injuries, others result in severe or fatal injuries. In most car accidents, one or more party was careless or reckless. If this can be proven, the injured party could receive compensation in a personal injury lawsuit.
However, if you were hurt in a car accident because of another party’s negligence, you should not attempt to settle the case on your own. As this article will illustrate, it is always to your benefit to hire an attorney for your car accident case. If you need legal representation after a car accident, the Detroit accident attorneys at Ravid & Associates can assist you.
Receiving The Most Compensation For Your Losses
In Michigan, you should always have a knowledgeable car accident lawyer representing you if there are injuries and significant property losses related to the accident. Having an experienced car accident attorney ensures that your settlement accurately reflects the total value of your claim, including your pain and suffering.
Insurance industry data shows why it is usually to the injured party’s benefit to have an attorney for their car accident case. Statistics show that the average car accident case may settle for up to four times as much when a personal injury attorney represents the victim. Of course, that is an average amount, and your attorney may get you more than that, depending on the circumstances of the case.
This data is why auto insurance companies usually contact a driver immediately if their client probably caused the accident. The insurance company knows it could cost them much more to settle the case if the injured party hires a lawyer. It also knows that the attorney could eventually file a lawsuit, which could cost the insurance company much more in the end.
Proving Liability
After a car accident, it is insufficient to say that the other person caused it and should pay for your damages. Liability must be proven in a car accident claim or lawsuit. Even if it appears that the other party was clearly wrong, proving liability can be more complex than it first appears.
There are accident cases where law enforcement and witnesses said that the other driver caused the crash, but proving they breached their duty of care is challenging. A car accident personal injury attorney has years of experience demonstrating the four elements of negligence:
- The other party owed you a duty of care. For example, if you were hit in an intersection by someone running a red light, the other driver owed you a duty of care to drive safely and obey traffic laws.
- The potentially liable driver breached their duty of care. In the above example, the other driver breached their duty when they ran the red light.
- You suffered injuries because of their breach of duty.
- You suffered financial and other losses related to your injuries.
Supporting The Car Accident Claim With Evidence
A Detroit auto accident claim is only as strong as your evidence. Your attorney will perform a complete investigation of the accident and collect evidence linking your injuries to the crash. Proof will be essential to prove the claim to the liable insurance company and in court if needed. Evidence that your attorney may collect could include:
- Cell phone photos and video
- Medical reports
- Witness statements
- Medical tests and scans
- Crash scene photos from red light cameras
- Video footage from businesses near the crash scene
- Law enforcement accident reports
In some accidents, an accident reconstruction expert must show how the crash happened and who caused it. Our Detroit auto accident attorneys at Ravid & Associates have reliable accident reconstruction professionals who will be highly helpful to your claim.
Explaining Options For A Settlement
In addition to collecting evidence and proving liability, a Detroit auto accident attorney will also help you understand your settlement options. Most car accident victims do not realize that most claims are settled before they reach a courtroom. So, there is a good chance the liable party or their insurance company will make at least one settlement offer.
Your attorney will explain any settlement offers on the table and whether you should accept it, make a counteroffer, or go to court. Ultimately, the decision is yours alone, but your attorney’s input on settlement offers is valuable advice.
Going To Court
Most auto accident cases are settled out of court, but not always. When the insurance company does not offer a fair settlement, filing a car accident lawsuit may be the only option. An experienced car accident attorney in Detroit at Ravid & Associates can file a lawsuit and advocate passionately for you in court.
Your attorney will present the accident evidence to the jury, call witnesses, and thoroughly argue why you deserve compensation. While the chances you will need to file suit are low, the possibility of a courtroom fight for compensation is a compelling reason to retain a tenacious Detroit auto accident attorney. One never knows when you will need to present the case to the jury to obtain the money you need for medical bills, lost earnings, and pain and suffering.
Meeting Critical Legal Deadlines
A car accident attorney’s understanding of critical legal deadlines is another significant reason to hire an attorney. Personal injury lawsuits must be filed within a specific time, and your attorney will be familiar with all relevant state and local laws.
In Michigan, you generally have three years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you miss the statute of limitations deadline, the case will probably be dismissed in court. For this reason, it is always best to report an accident with injuries as quickly as possible.
In A Car Accident? Contact Our Detroit Accident Attorney Today
Ravid & Associates has over 180 years of combined legal experience helping injured victims in Detroit. Our attorneys have helped thousands of local residents obtain compensation for their injuries after car accidents. If you are ready to pursue justice against the at-fault party, call one of our Detroit accident attorneys today at (248) 948-9696. We will work hard to maximize the compensation you receive so you can recover from the accident and move forward.
Hit-and-run suspect Steven Patrick Guzina made an appearance in court for a preliminary hearing of the crash that took the life of Myron Jarrett, a veteran Detroit police officer.
The accident took place last October 28 near Monica Street and Puritan Avenue. According to reports, Jarrett was assisting an investigation when an unknown van struck him and two other officers. Jarret sustained multiple injuries and was immediately rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The two other officers were fortunately not injured. Guzina, the driver of the van, left his stalled vehicle at the crash scene and escaped the scene by foot. He was later arrested at a bus stop near Grand River Avenue and Schaefer Highway.
The 54-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, driving under the influence causing death, driving under the influence causing serious bodily injury, hit and run, and reckless driving causing death and/or serious injuries.
We at Detroit Personal Injury Attorneys are deeply saddened by this tragic news. We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Myron Jarrett.
Fox 2 Detroit reported on March 12 that a 22-year-old man, who was driving a Chevrolet Impala at a high rate of speed, went over the median and struck a Ford Expedition head-on. The news report also stated that the Ford Expedition landed sideways along a fence of the Detroit City Airport after the collision. Due to the severe impact, the engine from one of the vehicles was flung to the other side of the street.
According to the police officers, the speed limit on Conner Street is 35mph, but some complaints revealed that it was often used for drag racing, an activity that has resulted in injuries and even some fatalities.
Three people – a 30-year-old woman, her 7-year-old son, and her 11-year-old daughter – were trapped inside the Expedition and were rescued by the witnesses. They were reported to be in temporary serious condition. The Chevy Impala driver was ejected from the vehicle and was said to be in critical condition due to severe head injuries.
If you have been involved in a car accident due to a reckless driver in Detroit, please speak with our personal injury lawyers at Detroit Personal Injury Attorneys. Call us today at (248) 948-9696.
According to a report by The Detroit News, a 21-year-old man was left injured after an accident involving a Detroit fire truck on February 12 at around 5:30 a.m. The authorities said that the incident occurred on the east side of Detroit, around Mount Elliot and Grand East Boulevard.
Detroit Police Officer Nicole Kirkwood revealed that the 21-year-old man, who was driving a white Chevrolet Monte Carlo, was traveling in the northbound lane of Mount Elliot when he ran a red light. His Monte Carlo crashed into the passenger side of the Detroit Fire Department truck, which was in emergency mode as it was on the way to respond to a reported fire.
The 21-year-old man was transported to a hospital where he is said to be in stable condition. No other injuries were reported.
If you have been hurt in an automobile accident in Detroit, discuss your case with our personal injury lawyers at Detroit Personal Injury Attorneys by calling our office now at (248) 948-9696. We can help you understand what legal options are available to you now.
On the afternoon of Monday, January 4, three people were killed following a six-vehicle crash around 3:30 p.m. in Livonia, according to a report from the Detroit Free Press.
According to the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s office, the accident occurred at Five Mile Road and Levan. Apparently, an 80-year-old defrocked priest from Livonia was driving westbound on the road when his vehicle veered out of his lane, crossed the median, and hit a vehicle coming from the opposite direction.
The driver of the other vehicle was identified as a 67-year-old woman from Redford, and the passenger, her 88-year-old mother from Livonia, was pronounced dead at the scene. Both drivers of the two vehicles were taken to the hospital, but they both died later of their injuries.
The 67-year-old driver of the second vehicle was taking her mother back to an assisted living home in Livonia.
Several other vehicles were involved in the crash, and the authorities mentioned that some of the occupants sustained minor injuries.
On December 22, a two-vehicle accident occurred at around 1:00 in the morning at White Lake Township in Oakland County and left a 21-year-old man dead. According to a report by CBS Detroit, the crash occurred when the man was driving northbound on Bogie Lake Road and turned in front of a southbound vehicle, which was being driven by a 65-year-old man. Apparently, there was a sharp curve on Bogie Lake and Cedar Island Road where the accident took place.
Lieutenant Larry Sheldon stated that it is still unknown whether the 21-year-old male was trying to make a U-turn or just turning left, although there was no road to the left of the collision site.
The 65-year-old man sustained significant injuries and was in critical condition when he was brought to a local hospital. The 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. Speed, alcohol, and weather were not considered factors in the accident, and the case is still under police investigation.
The Detroit News reported on December 9 that a Michigan State Police Trooper was injured when a southbound 1995 GMC SUV drove through a flashing red light and struck the officer’s patrol car as it was traveling east at around 2:50 in the morning. The accident happened at the Fenkell intersection near St Mary’s in the west side of Detroit.
One police trooper inside the patrol car sustained injuries and was treated at a local hospital for back and neck pain, while another trooper did not sustain any injuries.
The driver of the SUV, identified as a 31-year-old man from Inkster, was also treated for injuries. According to an investigation, the Inkster man had four outstanding warrants and three current license suspensions. He was believed to be under the influence of drugs when the crash occurred. He has been arrested on the outstanding warrants and is being held while the collision is investigated further.
If you have been injured due to a negligent driver in Detroit, please consult with our car accident attorneys at Detroit Personal Injury Attorneys by calling us today at (248) 948-9696.
On the evening of November 28 at around 9:00 p.m., a man was killed after his car was struck by another vehicle on I-94. According to the authorities, the man pulled off the road onto the shoulder to change his flat tire. When he was done and waiting to safely merge back onto the highway, a second vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed struck him.
The official reports said that the victim’s car flipped over, and the driver was trapped inside; he was later pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers in his vehicle were able to get out of the car and were taken to the hospital for treatment of their critical injuries.
The second driver, whose identity has not been released, was uninjured in the collision. Authorities have charged him with operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious injuries and taken him into custody at Berrien County Jail.
A slow-moving collision involving a school bus and a sedan occurred at the intersection of Heyden and Sawyer at around 6:55 a.m. on Wednesday, January 22.
According to the Detroit Police, a school bus carrying 20 middle school students was driving along the intersection when it hit the back of a 2007 Chevrolet Impala. The driver of the bus, the students, and the three people inside the sedan were all unharmed after the incident. The police further stated that only minor damages were sustained by the vehicles involved.
Although no one was harmed and no major damages were incurred in this incident, this is not always the case. In fact, as we at Detroit Personal Injury Attorneys, know, many people in Detroit suffer serious harm in car accidents caused by other people. Call us at (248) 948-9696 if you’ve been involved in such a situation and want to explore your legal options.
An 18-year old female freshman from Western Michigan University was killed and her two passengers were injured after a car crash in western Michigan on October 13.
Emily Lauer, who recently graduated with honors from Paw Paw High School earlier this year, was speeding on an unpaved road and attempted to drive the 2000 Pontiac Grand Am to go over a small bridge while airborne. Lauer lost control of her vehicle, struck a tree, rolled over, and landed upside down.
Authorities found her pinned in the car and extricated her using the Jaws of Life. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her back seat passenger, an 18-year old male, sustained serious head and facial injuries. A 16 year old was injured while riding in the passenger seat. All three wore seat belts and authorities believe alcohol was not a factor in the accident.