Michigan Accident Laws

Overview

What if you end up in an auto accident in Michigan? You should know what are you supposed to do, whom to approach. Here is an article that can help you know the accident laws of Michigan better your rights and answer to your questions.

Whenever you approach a lawyer or an insurance agent they use complicated terms to make you understand. You would hear the terms “first-party” and “third-party”. These terms are perplexing and are short-forms for whether you are making a claim for medical benefits with your own insurance company (first party), or if you are making a claim for pain and suffering resulting from your injuries against the driver of another car (third party). If you want to get help after an auto accident it is best advised that you take the help of a professionally qualified lawyer who is well aware of the Michigan auto accident laws. It is common that the insurance companies avoid reimbursement for people who cause the accident and if they offer the funds are not adequate enough. Many insurance companies fail to inform their customers about the privileges they are entitled for under the Michigan no fault law. In such cases you can seek the help of a lawyer who is well versed with such laws.

After you have met with an accident

Suppose you have met with an accident that has caused injury or loss of property. Do not flee from the scene stay there till the police arrive and leave only when you are told to do so. If you run away from the spot it can result in criminal charges against you and driver's license penalty.

If the accident has injured anybody and you are aware of the first aid procedure then try and help out the person. Request people nearby to call the police and do not try to move the injured person. The person who is contacting the police should inform them that the accident has caused injuries and if possible should provide how many people have been injured so that there is adequate help that arrives.

In case of accident you should note down certain things like

Name, address, driver's license number, insurance information, and license plate number of the other driver Name, address, and telephone number of the witness Request the police officer's who is inspecting the traffic scene to supply you with a business card, with the incident number, so that you can acquire an accident report. Make a note of the place where the accident has occurred, the

road conditions, speed limits, traffic control devices, the weather, and the lighting. About how the accident has occurred like the direction of travel of the vehicles involved in the accident, and what the cars were doing at the time of the collision.

Please note that if there is a court case you may have to share these noted points with the party whom you are prosecuting or the person who is litigating you. Even if you think you are at fault, do not confess responsibility as there might be some factors that may have played in causing the accident and the other driver may be more at fault. Do not make statements to anybody present at the scene of the accident except the police. Don’t beat around the bush in front of the police tell them the particulars as exactly what happened and let them draw their own conclusions.

Get Medical Treatment

Under the Michigan No-Fault insurance law you are entitled to receive the necessary medical treatment that would be covered by the insurance policy. After the accident, get yourself examined by the doctor so that it can be ruled out the injuries were caused as a consequence of the accident. At times the insurance company may blame you that the injuries were caused because of any incident after the accident. The other party may also oppose you so it is better to get medical examination done.

Inform your doctor whether you are experiencing any memory loss or headache, blood or fluid in your ear, dizziness, tinnitis (ringing in the ears), disorientation, nausea, confusion, or any other unusual physical or mental feeling. Lots of people knock their heads, or go through brain injuries in car accidents, and don't realize that they are injured. Hence it is best to be in safe hands, by reporting your symptoms so that the physician can examine you for a probable concussion or brain injury.

There are separate rules for accidents involving heavy traffic vehicles like commercial trucks, semi tractor-trailers and eighteen-wheelers. These laws are made to lessen the risk of truck accidents by keeping trucks in good working order and keeping tired drivers off of the road. Seeing that collisions involving these extremely large vehicles have a much greater chance of causing serious injury, companies, which operate trucking fleets, know very well that violation of the safety rules can carry very serious consequences. A lawyer can help you evaluate whether rule violations contributed to a truck accident, and how that may affect liability.

If you are hurt in a car accident, please make it a point that you know your rights under Michigan's No Fault law. This would include your right to medical care, lost wages, and rehabilitative services under First Party No Fault law, and your right to take legal action against the other party for indemnity under Third Party No Fault law.