Grand Rapids Car Accident Lawyer

Yes, you should ALWAYS file a police report after a car accident in Grand Rapids. Here’s why:

1. To back up your personal injury claim: When you file a personal injury claim, you will need as much evidence as possible to help you recover the compensation you need. Not only will you have medical bills after an accident, but you will also need to be compensated for lost wages while you recover, your emotional distress, out-of-pocket expenses, and overall pain and suffering. A police report serves as substantial, reliable evidence that the accident did happen and that you were a victim, thus making you eligible to file a claim for your injuries and other damages.
2. To support your car insurance claim: If your car was damaged in the accident, you would also need to file a claim to be compensated for the cost of repairs. However most insurance companies won’t provide this compensation if there isn’t a police report that proves your car was damaged in the accident.
3. To protect yourself from lawsuits: Even if the accident was minor and all parties involved agree that it’s not a big deal and to avoid getting the police involved, you never know what might happen later. The other person could decide to file a lawsuit against you and make false claims about what happened. Without a police report, there is nothing to show that you are not responsible for what happened. So, no matter the situation, you should always call the police to avoid a potential lawsuit.
4. To make an uninured motorist claim: In cases involving a hit-and-run crash, or an accident caused by a driver with no insurance, a person can turn to their own insurance company for pain and suffering compensation. These cases are called uninsured motorist (UM) claims. One of the requirements of filing a UM claim is making a police report. In fact, most insurance companies require a police report be made within 24 hours of a hit-and-run accident.

When you file an accident claim, there are standard economic and non-economic damages for which you can receive compensation. This includes items like medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and pain & suffering. However, there are often other out-of-pocket expenses related to the accident depending on your individual situation. In Michigan, this is referred to as household replacement services and attendant care.

Household replacement services are the out-of-pocket expenses you agree to pay a person for the household chores you cannot do because of your injuries. Under Michigan law, a friend or family member can receive $20 per day for replacing the household chores you cannot complete.

Attendant care is another out-of-pocket expense. Attendant care is more personal care following a Kent County car crash. These items include driving, helping with hygiene, bathing, changing bandages and other personal care. The attendant care provider can get paid hourly. Friends and family are eligible to provide attendant care services. It does not have to be a licensed medical professional.

A good rule of thumb after any car accident is to avoid posting anything about the accident on social media. Social media posting is a modern-day example of the classic “anything you say or do can be used against you.”

Posting on social media can hurt your accident claim because insurance companies and defense lawyers for the other party will look for anything they can to deny claims. So anything you post is fair game. Ifsomething is taken out of context, it could be used against you.

No matter how innocent you think a photo or video may be, it could be used to claim that you are faking the accident, malingering, or trying to commit insurance fraud. Defense attorneys may also try to look for things that could be used to claim that you are at fault instead of their client.

Accepting the insurance company’s first settlement offer is generally never a good idea. In most cases, insurance companies offer quick settlements in an effort to get out of paying the victim the full settlement they deserve.

They will likely try to make you feel like it’s a good offer, like you aren’t going to get anything better, but this is almost always untrue. They may also try to make it seem like things could get messy and complicated or drawn out if you don’t accept the first offer. But all of these are tactics to get out of paying you what you are actually owed.

Insurance companies know that if you work with a lawyer and decline their first offer, you are likely going to be able to prove that you deserve a higher settlement. They don’t want that to happen. So they will do whatever it takes to get you to accept their first offer.

In any case, you should first consult with an experienced personal injury attorney. They can review your case and offer you guidance. If they think you can get a better offer, they will tell you so and do what they can to help you win the settlement you deserve.

Michigan has what is called the No-Fault Act, which was created to allow anyone injured in a car accident to be covered in case of injury, including injured children. However, children are not capable of filing a claim on their own. Instead, a parent or legal guardian can file on behalf of their injured child.

However, which insurance carrier will pay the claim and how it will be handled will depend on the individual situation. For example, things can get complicated if the parents are divorced and have shared custody. In most cases, the parent that has the child the majority of the time is the one who will be eligible to file the claim.

Just like adults, children are also eligible for pain and suffering compensation following an auto accident. A Grand Rapids auto accident attorney can walk you through the process and get your child the money he or she deserves.  

Case Summary – Wrongful Death:

A family from Muskegon retained our law firm after their child was tragically killed in a multi-car accident. The drivers involved in the accident were all pointing the fingers at each other for causing the wreck. With the use of experts and a thorough investigation, our law firm obtained a large settlement for the girl’s family.

It’s also important to note that the parent or guardian that files the claim is not allowed to keep all of the settlement money for themself. You will only have access to what is needed to pay for the needs of the child. Anything that is leftover will be required to be put away into a special account that will be released to the child when they reach at least 18 years-old.

In the majority of left-turn car accidents in Grand Rapids, the person making the left turn is at fault. This is because cars making left turns generally do not have the right-of-way and must yield to oncoming traffic, pedestrians, or cyclists.

However, there are cases where the person making the left turn might not be at fault, primarily when there is a left-turn signal given. But this can also depend on the color of the signal.

If the turn signal is green, then you have the right of way. If the signal is flashing yellow, you must first stop and yield to oncoming traffic, but you may turn once the road is clear. If the turn signal is solid yellow, you must slow down and prepare to stop. Driving through a yellow light could result in a ticket if you cause an accident.

So, if you have the green turn signal and you hit someone, it is likely because they were the one running a red light or proceeding when they were not supposed to. But if you hit someone when you turned left and did not have the green turn signal, then you will most likely be at fault.

Of course, knowing who had the right of way after the accident occurred can pose a challenge. You might claim you had a green signal, while the other person might claim they had the signal to go. This is where working with a lawyer and gathering evidence can be beneficial.

Lawyers for car accident claims will protect your rights and help you prove exactly what happened to ensure the right party is held accountable. They will investigate the photos or videos from the scene of the accident, collect witness statements, examine police reports, review surveillance footage that might be available, and speak with other drivers involved to get as much information as they can to support your case. 

While anyone can file a claim on their own, it is generally not advised as you are more likely to make mistakes and errors that could negatively affect your claim. Without a lawyer, your claim could get denied, or you could be awarded a settlement that is much less than you deserve.

So, why should you hire a Grand Rapids lawyer for your car accident case?

1. Lawyers have in-depth knowledge of the legal system that can benefit your case.
2. They can thoroughly evaluate and work with experts to build up your claim.
3. They can handle communication and negotiations with the other parties involved for you.
4. They can negotiate a fair settlement without needing to go to court.
5. They can protect your rights and offer you fair representation if a lawsuit is necessary.