Road safety rules are designed to control traffic and to ensure that vehicles do not collide against each other or go off the road. Ever since the invention of the automobile, the loss of life from auto accidents has been comparable to that caused by natural disasters.
According to the Auto Accident Law Center, a Michigan website, one person in the US dies in an automobile accident every 13 minutes, for an average or 40,000 deaths per year. The website also says that 6,909 deaths have occurred in Michigan alone for the period 1997 to 2001, 3 percent of the national total.
Auto accident laws are complex, as are the nature and cause of accidents. Auto accidents can be caused by direct collisions, roll-overs or vehicles going off the road. Some accidents involve bicycles or pedestrians. The above-mentioned causes are due to human faults and vehicle faults. Human faults include reckless driving or driving drunk. Vehicle faults can include the malfunctioning of any of the components.
The Michigan statutes mandate that those involved in accidents are compensated by the insurance company, no matter who is at fault. Hence, Michigan is a ‘no-fault’ state. The Michigan statutes states that ‘First party benefits’ are payable to anyone who suffers an injury arising out of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle, and assigns order of priority as to who will pay. Third party benefits are non-economic benefits sought for pain or suffering.
The complexity of the statutes means that you should hire a lawyer if you are involved in a Michigan personal injury case. Insurance companies will try to pay as little as possible, so it is wise to consult an attorney to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
