Posted by rozeklawoffice on August 21, 2010 under General | 
My friend and fellow trial lawyer Steve Gursten of Michigan recently contacted me regarding a significant change in Michigan personal injury law. In the August 1, 2010, Michigan Supreme Court case of McCormick v. Carrier the court restored the rights of those who sustained serious injury in Michigan car accidents. The recent case overturned a prior 2004 Michigan Supreme Court decision that prevented hundreds if not thousands of seriously injured Michigan auto accident victims from pursuing a claim for the full extent of their harms and losses, specifically pain and suffering claims. The new decision redefines what is to be considered a “serious impairment of body function.” The old law only allowed claims for the most devastating of injuries. Michigan was long considered one of the worst places to be injured in an auto accident because the old law violated the civil rights of auto accident victims, except in most severe of injury cases.
For a detailed analysis of the decision see McCormick v. Carrier and its effect on Michigan auto law requirements.
Follow this link for a detailed explanation of Michigan Auto Accident Law.
If you or a loved one have been injured in Michigan, I strongly suggest you contact Attorney Gursten to determine whether you have a claim.
Posted by rozeklawoffice on August 8, 2010 under Safe Driving Tips |
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has announced that seatbelt use has resulted in decline of traffic deaths in Wisconsin. The numbers are in and July of 2010 was tied for the second least deadly July since World War II. July of 2010 tied with July of 1946 with 49 deaths on Wisconsin roadways. The same month last year, July of 2009, resulted in the lowest number of fatalities, with 46 deaths.
While the number of fatalities may seem high for such a small state population-wise, but one gains a much better perspective by looking at the two highest fatality months in Wisconsin traffic death history. In both July of 1966 and July of 1971, 140 people died as a result of Wisconsin traffic crashes.
The number of Wisconsin traffic fatalities are also down as a whole for the year of 2010. So far, through July 31, there have been 303 deaths attributable to traffic crashes in Wisconsin. The five year average of traffic fatalities from January 1 – July 31 is 375.
Wisconsin car accidents resulted in the largest percentage of fatalities. Wisconsin motorcycle accidents were a distant second at 62 deaths of motorcycle drivers and passengers in the first seven months of 2010. There were also 24 fatalities involving Wisconsin pedestrian accidents and 4 fatalities resulting from Wisconsin bicycle accidents.
A Wisconsin Department of Transportation spokesman attributed this decrease in Wisconsin traffic fatalities to seatbelt usage among Wisconsin residents. The use of seatbelts by Wisconsin drivers has reached an all-time high of 79 percent. However, that is still lower than the national average of 84 percent and significantly lower than our neighboring states, all of which are over 90 percent.
While these statistics may seem to offer little benefit to the friends and family members that have already lost loved ones as a result of Wisconsin traffic crashes, the DOT numbers do show hope for the future reduction in the number of traffic fatalities through the proper use of seatbelts. We urge friends and family members to get the word out in their community about the importance of proper seatbelt use. Letters to the editor of their local paper, speeches to civic groups and local high schools and even just speaking with other loved ones, Wisconsin should strive to increase our relatively low 79 percent rate of seatbelt usage.
