Personal Injury Law in Lansing, MI

Were you hurt due to another’s negligence in Lansing? If so, it may have far-reaching consequences such as a loss of wages or extensive medical treatment. Personal injury law allows an injured person to get damages if the responsible person acted recklessly. A personal injury attorney in Lansing, MI can help navigate the lawsuit to make sure you receive all of the compensation you deserve.

What Is Personal Injury Law?

Personal injury law in Lansing relates to the legal process of getting compensation for an injury caused by someone else’s negligent behavior. These cases involve one party, the plaintiff, trying to seek financial compensation for expenses incurred and money lost as a result of the defendant’s reckless behavior. These cases involve both parties’ insurance companies and may even settle before proceeding to litigation.

Examples of Personal Injury Claims in Lansing, MI

Some personal injury claims are more common than others. However, almost any incident that ends with a physical or mental injury could qualify, depending on the circumstances.

A few of the most common personal injury claims are:

  • Car Accidents
  • Slip and Fall
  • Dog Bites
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Workplace Accidents
  • Burn Injuries

Most Common Injuries in Lansing 

According to the Office of Safety Highway Planning, there were 9,451 motor vehicle incidents in Ingham County in 2019. October and November had the highest number of these reports, which unfortunately included 5 fatalities. Lansing and the surrounding area had 1,406 sideswipe collisions and 2,511 rear-endings in one year alone. No matter where you live, the chances are good that you know someone who may have needed a personal injury lawyer recently.

Steps in a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Lansing, MI

Once you determine that you wish to proceed forward with a personal injury action in Michigan

A lawsuit begins when a complaint is filed with the court and served on the defendant. The complaint alleges your assertion as the plaintiff that the defendant’s negligent behavior resulted in damage to your body or mental state. As the process proceeds forward, you may have to go through depositions, independent medical evaluations and document production. This discovery process is lengthy and ends in either settlement or a court appearance.

If your case is strong enough, it’s unlikely that it will go to trial in Lansing. An overwhelming majority of personal injury lawsuits settle outside of a courtroom. If mediation fails, the next step requires a judge and jury to have the final word. Attorneys for both sides present their findings from the discovery process and plead their client’s case to the best of their abilities. Civil trials that require expert testimony or other complexities could drag on for years.

Michigan Personal Injury Settlement

With most personal injury cases, insurance companies and injured parties prefer settlement negotiations rather than going to court for a trial. You may wonder how much you should seek in your settlement and factors that impact the final amount.

According to the National Law Review, you can’t calculate the amount you’ll receive in damages for a personal injury suit in Lansing. However, you can consider the degrees to which courts have held people accountable. Consider the following circumstances typically found in these types of torts:

  • The severity of injury or illness suffered
  • Post-traumatic stress symptoms
  • Scar tissue or other disfigurements
  • Change in quality of life after an incident

If the other party has insurance, the insurance company likely wants to settle out of court to avoid leaving the final settlement decision to a jury. Settlements benefit injured parties as much as they do insurance companies. This is because accepting a settlement means you receive compensation sooner rather than later. Also, by going to court in MI, that means you risk not receiving any compensation at all.

Damage Awards in Michigan

If your Michigan personal injury lawsuit goes before a judge or jury, your legal team will be ready with a request for damages. In personal injury cases, there are three types of damage awards a court may order the defendant to pay to compensate you for the damage he or she inflicted.

Special compensatory damages reimburse you for things such as lost income, medical bills and insurance deductibles. You submit receipts proving these losses.

General compensatory damages are subjective. If you receive special compensatory damages, you may also collect general damages. If your injury was particularly painful, you might request that the judge order the defendant compensate you for the pain and anguish.

Punitive damages are the most rarely awarded and are up to the court. The judge or jury may determine that the defendant’s negligence was particularly heinous and the resulting injury to you was equally horrific. 

There is no cap on damages for most personal injury cases adjudicated in Lansing. Exceptions do exist for medical malpractice or product liability cases.

Statute of Limitations in Lansing, MI Personal Injury Law?

The injured party may have a set amount of time to file suit for a personal injury case. State law establishes statutes of limitation. Commonly, the plaintiff’s injury or discovery of the injury begins the statute of limitations. However, the latter factor is trickier, as the plaintiff will have to prove when the injury was first realized.

Lansing residents who experience a personal injury have up to 3 years to file a lawsuit. Failure to start proceedings in the 54-A District Court within this time may result in forfeiting your right to compensation.

We recommend you speak with a personal injury lawyer for this matter. Don’t wait too long and miss out on receiving the compensation you deserve for your injury. 

Work With an Experienced Lansing, MI Lawyer

Pursue a personal injury claim in Lansing against the responsible person if you are dealing with an injury caused by someone else. One of our experienced lawyers can help you navigate your personal injury claim. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Michigan state lines.

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!

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