The Michigan Motorcycle Accident Lawyers at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. are pleased to announced their NEW Michigan Motorcycle Accident Blog is now live and ready for you to read.  Bookmark the site at www.MichiganMotorcycleAccidentBlog.com.

On their new blog, the expert Michigan Motorcycle Accident Lawyers will be posting information on the following topics:

• Getting a motorcycle endorsement on your Michigan driver’s license
• Training and safety courses
• Insurance information
• Helmet law information
• Accident statistics
• Types of injuries
• Profiles of motorcycle accidents
• Resources for wrongful death lawsuits

Visit www.MichiganMotorcycleAccidentBlog.com now to read more.

I recently read a sad story about a soldier who was not diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury until three years after his injury happened.  The story raises two important issues: first, that doctors need more training to recognize and deal with traumatic brain injuries, and second, that the effects of a traumatic brain injury are not always immediately apparent, which means accident victims should promptly seek medical treatment.

His injury occurred when a roadside bomb went off in Iraq near his vehicle.  He lost consciousness for a brief amount of time, but was otherwise unhurt.  In fact, he reported walking away from the accident with little more than a stinging headache.  He thought he was fine and he appeared uninjured.

According to the story, by the time he was diagnosed, almost three years later, he had lost his job, was in deep financial trouble, and put a huge amount of strain on his marriage.  He reported hallucinating and panic attacks.

One of the leading causes of brain injuries in civilian life is being involved in a car accident.  Like the soldier, people injured in car accidents may not immediately begin exhibiting symptoms of brain injury, but unfortunately these symptoms may develop slowly and persist for years at a time.

Because No Fault insurance will pay for all reasonable and necessary medical expenses, it is always advisable to seek medical treatment immediately after a car accident.  Inform the paramedics and doctors immediately if you or another accident victim lost consciousness for any period of time following a car accident.

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.

While riding a motorcycle is both fun and challenging, sometimes things on the road do not work out the way you had planned. You might have taken all the safety precautions possible for a safe journey but stupid mistakes made by a careless driver on the road may result in an unfortunate accident. Motorcycle accidents can be serious. Not only are the medical bills high, but you might also have to miss work causing you to lose wages, become dependent on others even for accomplishing simple household chores and suffer enormous pain and discomfort lasting a lifetime.

Statistics of motorcycle accidents in the US say that nearly 40000 people are injured in motorcycle accidents every year. In Michigan alone, there were 120 casualties and 2660 motorcycle crash injuries reported in 2005. These numbers are likely higher for 2006, 2007, and 2008 since the number of motorcycle accidents in this state have been on the rise.

With these figures as the backdrop, you should know about your rights and obligations in the event of you or a family member getting involved in a motorcycle accident in Michigan. One of the most important things you need to remember is to contact a Michigan lawyer who specializes in motorcycle accident claims. This is critical if you wish to get the maximum benefits from the authorities. You simply cannot trust your insurance company to give you all the benefits you deserve.  

Someone who is injured in a motorcycle accident may be unsure if they need a lawyer.  They almost certainly do.  There are many intricacies of Michigan law that even a lawyer unfamiliar with motorcycle accidents may not be able to answer.   For instance, let’s say you were involved in a motorcycle crash and your bike was not insured. Can you still file a lawsuit against the driver who hit you? The answer is, yes, since under Michigan law, motorcyclists are treated differently than people who drive uninsured cars.

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 calling our law firm.  We will send it 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.

In Michigan, people hear about road accidents every day. But if you look at the statistics, you will quickly realize why it is so important to follow all safety recommendations.

· Motorcycles were involved in 1.2 percent of all traffic crashes in Michigan in 2007, but 8.2% of fatal crashes involved a motorcycle and 2.7% of accidents with a non-fatal injury involved a motorcycle.
· Injuries were proportionately more severe to motorcyclists than to persons in Motor vehicles.
· The 2007 mortality rate for motorcyclists was 15.68 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

No one wants to be in a traffic accident, but nonetheless accidents occur for a variety of reasons, including poor weather conditions, ignorant or drunk driving, bad roads, and more. Regardless of why an accident happens, it is important to be aware of your rights. This is especially true when an accident involves another car, truck, or other motor vehicle.

Your rights and obligations vary from one State to another, but if you are a Michigan resident, the law is on your side. In fact, if you have to be involved in an accident, there is practically no better place to be than in Michigan. For example, when a motorcycle is involved in an accident with a car or truck, the motorcyclist can receive No Fault insurance benefits even though the Michigan No Fault Act does not normally allow motorcyclist to qualify for No Fault benefits!

When you or someone you know is involved in an accident, the first thing an accident victim should do is to speak with a lawyer. An experienced Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer can help accident victims understand their rights and get every dollar they deserve from their insurance company and the other drivers involved.

Motorcycle safety is an important goal for riders, insurance companies, and law enforcement agencies alike.  Law enforcement and regulatory agencies track accident statistics to analyze the causes of accidents so they can be prevented in the future.  Whatever anyone thinks of a particular traffic regulation, virtually everyone can agree that roads need to be safer for motorcyclists so they can enjoy their ride. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) annual report on Fatal Single Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes noted some disturbing trends.

• Over a ten year period, more riders age 40 and over are dieing in accidents
• More motorcyclist fatalities are occurring on rural roads
• High Blood Alcohol Contact (BAC) levels are a major problem among motorcycle operators who are involved in accidents
• Half of the fatalities reported are related to negotiating a curve prior to a crash
• Over 80% of fatalities occur off the roadway
• Undivided roadways account for a majority of fatalities
• Almost two-thirds of fatalities were associated with speeding
• Almost 60% of motorcyclist fatalities occur at night
• Collision with a fixed object is a significant factor in over 50% of fatal accidents
• Breaking and steering maneuvers possibly contribute for almost 25% of fatal accidents
• Helmet use among fatally injured motorcyclists remains below 50%
• Almost one-third of fatally injured motorcycle operators did not have a motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s license

The consequences of these findings are significant but they affect the individual biker in various ways.  An individual motorcyclist can do little to encourage greater use of divided highways, but these findings may be used in future traffic studies.   There are, however, important things a motorcyclist can learn from these statistics.   

First, motorcyclists should use caution while negotiating curves, breaking, and engaging in complicated steering maneuvers.   

Second, motorcyclists may wish to use extra caution when biking at night or on rural roads.   

Third, motorcyclists should carefully monitor their consumption of alcohol and never drink and drive.   

Fourth, motorcyclists should educate themselves on Michigan’s helmet law and make an informed decision on their use of helmets and other safety measures, that is based on Michigan’s helmet law and well-reasoned arguments put forth by motorcyclist organizations, such as ABATE of Michigan.   

Finally, motorcyclists should maintain and enhance their knowledge of Michigan’s motorcycle licensing and registration laws as well as know their insurance options to make sure they have the proper coverage in case they are involved in a motorcycle accident.  The content on this website and my Motorcycle Lawyer Blog www.michiganmotorcyclelawyerblog.com is a great place to start. 

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 calling our law firm.  We will send it along with other important information.   

For more information about Michigan motorcycle accident cases, visit our law firm web site at http://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.