A St. Joseph County bus accident has left a 10-year old boy in critical condition.  The accident occurred on February 23, 2009 at the intersection of Colfax and Napier avenues in Benton Township.  The bus stopped to pick up three children.  Two of them got on the bus and the bus driver started to turn at the intersection.  At this point, the bus swung out and ran over the midsection of the third child.  He was taken to a local hospital and underwent surgery for a fractured pelvis and internal injuries.

I think this accident is terribly tragic, especially because the victim is so young.  I hope he pulls through and experiences a full recovery.

Because he had surgery, this child’s medical bills are likely to be very, very large.  Fortunately, he can submit a claim for Michigan No Fault insurance benefits through one of his parents’ car insurance policies or through the Michigan Assigned Claims Facility.  No Fault benefits will cover all reasonable and necessary medical expenses, including his hospital bills, the cost of the surgery, and follow-up treatment that was caused by the accident.

This child’s injuries sound very severe, so he may be able to file a lawsuit.  His parents should contact a lawyer to help them figure out what options they have.

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 Michigan State University car accident has resulted in a student drowning in the Red Cedar River.  The accident occurred on February 24, 2009 when the car jumped a guardrail and crashed into the river.  Jeremy Watson, 21, of East Lansing, drowned in the river, and his passenger, Shawn Wiltfong, 20, also of East Lansing, was rescued by an onlooker Ryan Kowalk.  It is not clear what caused the accident, but a flat tire may have been to blame.

This accident is a real tragedy, and I am very sorry this accident occurred.  I want to express my sympathies to Jeremy Watson’s family.

This accident involves the operation of a car, so it is still covered by Michigan’s No Fault Act.  This means Jeremy Watson’s family can file a No Fault survivor loss claim.  This will let them collect a portion of the funeral costs and payments for loss of financial support if Jeremy was working or seeking work at the time of his death as well as payments for loss of household services.

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 small child tragically died in a Flint car accident on February 23, 2009.  The accident occurred at the intersection of Nebraska and Franklin Avenues when the boy’s mother pulled up to a stop sign and started to turn left.  She was then hit broadside by an on-coming vehicle and her car burst into flames.  She tried twice to rescue her son and ultimately collapsed due to the heat and flames.

I feel absolutely terrible for this woman.  I want to express my extreme sadness at her loss.  I hope that she is able to recover from her burns.

A family member should submit a claim for No Fault insurance for this woman and her son.  The woman’s claim will pay for all of her medical expenses and will provide her with additional benefits while she heals.  For her son, a survivor loss claim will provide the family with a portion of the funeral costs.  The estate of the boy should file a lawsuit for wrongful death against the driver who caused this accident.  Even if this is his mother, the lawsuit would still be allowed since it would be paid for and defended by the mother’s insurance company.  If the family has any questions about this, they should contact a lawyer as soon as they can.

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.

I recently read an article about a possible Royal Oak dog bite ordinance.  The City Council has started hearings on a possible change to the city code to ban specific breeds of dogs such as pitbulls.  This type of ordinance is called a breed-specific law.  Breed-specific laws are one choice for a community that is looking to decrease the number of dog bites and dog attacks.  With a breed-specific law, pitbulls, Great Danes, huskies, and other large dogs are banned or at least more heavily regulated than smaller dogs.

The other alternative some communities have been using lately is to craft a dangerous animal ordinance.  These ordinances usually define an animal as dangerous if it bites or attacks a person.  Dangerous animals are then required to be fenced in or on a leash.  Sometimes, the owners of dangerous animals are required to have higher homeowners or renters insurance coverage, to ensure a person who is bit by their dog will be able to make a claim for the full extent of their injuries.

Whenever a city enacts a breed-specific law or a dangerous animal ordinance, it is good for the rest of the community.  When a dog bites a person, the injured person can sue the dog owner and under Michigan law they can usually collect from that person’s homeowners insurance or renters insurance.  Hopefully, by passing ordinances about dogs, dog-owners will take more steps to put their dogs on leashes and prevent the dog bites from occurring in the first place.

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

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

I recently read an article about treatment for the brain injury aphasia.  Aphasia is a brain injury affecting the areas of the brain responsible for language.  This often limits the ability of patients to speak or communicate normally without decreasing the intelligence of the patients.

Aphasia can occur as the result of mistreatment or misdiagnosis by a doctor or other health care provider.  This is especially common when a person has a stroke but it is not diagnosed correctly or it is not treated properly.  Aphasia can also occur as a result of a head injury that happens in a car accident, motorcycle accident, or other accident.

When a person suffers aphasia in these circumstances, they may be able to file a lawsuit against the person or company responsible for their brain injury.  As with any brain injury case, proving the extent of the injuries will be very difficult unless your lawyer understands the brain and knows the latest medical data on brain injuries and aphasia.

For more information about aphasia, including information about support groups, visit the article on our law firm’s website by clicking on the link.

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