Clinton Township Personal Injury Lawyer

You need a Clinton Township personal injury lawyer if you were  injured due to another person’s negligence.  You should not have to cover your losses alone.

From missed time at work to emotional trauma, you deserve to receive compensation.  The injury attorneys at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. have won numerous awards in the legal field, including:

• The Best Lawyers in America
• Top Michigan Personal Injury Lawyer
• Multi-Million Dollars Advocates Forum
• U.S. News Best Law Firms
• The National Top 100 Trial Lawyers

Choosing the right legal team is essential, and a skilled attorney at our firm can discuss your legal options and help you decide what to do next.

We have rhelped our clients receive substantial settlements for their losses. We could work tirelessly to help you do the same.

When Should I Call a Lawyer After an Injury?

You need a lawyer if you or someone you love has suffered harm due to another person’s negligence in Clinton Township. It could be possible to settle a claim without an attorney’s help, however, it is not recommended.

Insurance companies will often try their best to undervalue your claim, or try to get you to admit fault. Because of this, it is crucial to proceed with extreme caution, and to seek the counsel of an experienced personal injury lawyer in Clinton Township.

How is Negligence Defined in Clinton Township?

Most injuries are the result of accidents. To prove fault, an injured claimant must prove that the other party was negligent.

This is done by establishing a duty of care that the defendant breached, causing injuries to the plaintiff. For example, every driver owes a duty to drive safely and not injure other motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, or other individuals. A duty of care applies to all personal injury claims, including:

• Dog bites
• Medical malpractice
• Nursing home abuse
• Defective products
• Premises liability
• Other personal injury claims

A skilled personal injury attorney in Clinton Township can work with a claimant to gather evidence and file a persuasive claim.

What is Comparative Fault in Personal Injury Claims?

Comparative fault is covered under Michigan Compiled Law §600.2959. A claimant who is partially at fault for their own injuries would have their recovery reduced to match their percentage of fault.

So, if a claimant is found to be 30 percent at fault, they might still be able to recover 70 percent of the awarded damages. However, some defendants and their insurance companies will attempt to shift blame onto a completely innocent claimant.

Because of this, anyone filing a personal injury claim will benefit from the counsel of a Clinton Township injury lawyer to better understand how comparative fault can impact their case.

Evaluating a Case with a Clinton Township Attorney

Some people believe that only medical bills can be reimbursed in a claim. Others are aware of the concept of “pain and suffering,” but are unsure how this might effect their case.

In reality, an at-fault defendant is responsible for making an injured plaintiff whole again. This includes:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Decreased earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Rehabilitation

An experienced Clinton Township lawyer can work with a claimant to examine the extent of their losses following a personal injury and demand full and fair compensation.

Help from a Clinton Township Car Accident Lawyer

Auto accidents are one of the most common sources of personal injury claims throughout the state of Michigan, and Clinton Township is no exception.

According to the Michigan State Police’s Traffic Crash Reporting System, Macomb County—of which Clinton Township is a part—saw almost 26,000 motor vehicle crashes in 2018.

While crashes on large highways often result in more severe damages, the majority of accidents in Clinton Township occur on smaller local roads. According to the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit, the most dangerous intersections in Clinton Township include:

• Hall Rd/M59 at Romeo Plank Rd
• Garfield RD at Hall Rd
• Cass Ave at S Groesbeck Hwy
• Metropolitan Pkwy at S Gratiot Ave
• 15 Mile Rd at Groesbeck Hwy
• 19 Mile Rd at Hayes Rd
• I 94 at Harper Ave E
• Hall Rd at Heydenreich Rd
• Cass Ave at Romeo Plank Rd
• Garfield Rd at Metropolitan Pkwy

In car crashes, truck wrecks, motorcycle accidents, and pedestrian injuries, establishing liability can be difficult. It is common for both parties to share some of the blame.

For commercial vehicles, such as trucks and buses, identifying the right defendant can also be difficult.

Depending on the circumstances, an employer could bear vicarious liability for their employee being negligent while operating a commercial vehicle on the job, or the employer could be directly liable for creating dangerous conditions for their employer to drive in.

Likewise, vehicle-related injuries to motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians can raise complicated questions about insurance liability and comparative fault.

Michigan is a no-fault car insurance state. This means that anyone injured in an auto wreck of any kind must seek compensation for economic damages through their own insurance before filing suit against a negligent third party.

Under the right circumstances, a qualified car accident attorney can help a Clinton Township resident pursue compensation for both economic and non-economic losses.

What is Considered Medical Malpractice in Clinton Township?

Medical professionals—including those at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in Clinton Township—are not immune to making careless mistakes. When these mistakes lead to avoidable injury to a patient, a medical provider can be held accountable for malpractice.

However, as a lawyer at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. can explain, there are unique conditions of medical malpractice lawsuits in Clinton Township and throughout Michigan.

Malpractice plaintiffs must meet several filing requirements for a case. No less than six months before filing, a plaintiff must provide a Notice of Intent to File Suit to every prospective defendant in their case.

When a case is filed, they must also include an Affidavit of Merit, according to Michigan Compiled Laws §600.2169. This affidavit must be signed by another medical professional who is working in the same field as the defendant. It must also attest to the legitimacy of the plaintiff’s argument that the defendant breached their standard of care and caused them harm.

It is also important to note that Michigan state law enforces a cap on recoverable non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases. This cap increases with inflation every year, and also varies based on the severity of the plaintiff’s injuries.

Punitive damages cannot be awarded for malpractice in Michigan. A medical malpractice lawyer at our firm can help a potential claimant in Clinton Township determine if they have grounds for a valid claim against a negligent medical provider.

Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse in Clinton Township

Clinton Township contains many different nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other entities dedicated to caring for elderly people with complex medical needs. These include:

• Clinton-Aire Healthcare Center
• LakePointe
• Rose Senior Living Clinton Township
• Church of Christ Assisted Living
• Clinton Creek Assisted Living & Memory Care
• Oaktree Place Senior Living
• Preferred Care at Home of Macomb
• Our Place Senior Assisted Living

However, while most such facilities provide consistent and compassionate care, elder abuse can and does occur in Michigan nursing homes. Specifically, state law identifies three unique forms of maltreatment that can qualify as grounds for a nursing home abuse case:

• Abuse – threats to a resident’s physical, emotional, and/or psychological welfare
• Neglect – failure to provide care in accordance with a resident’s basic needs and rights
• Exploitation – taking advantage of a resident to deprive them of their personal property, financial assets, and/or dignity

Anyone who suspects abuse or neglect of a nursing home resident should contact one of the many oversight authorities for these kinds of issues in the State of Michigan.

This list includes the Department of Human Services and Adult Protective Services, the Michigan Protection and Advocacy Services, and several around-the-clock hotlines operated by the attorney general and other elements of the state government.

Once the immediate threat of abuse is addressed, a dedicated Clinton Township attorney at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. can help an affected individual or their loved ones pursue appropriate damages through a nursing home abuse lawsuit.

What are the Dog Bite Laws in Clinton Township?

Canine bites and attacks cause serious physical and psychological harm to victims. Because of this, Michigan is one of several states with a statute specifically addressing dog bite cases.

Michigan Compiled Laws §287.351 states that a person may file suit against a dog’s owner for injuries sustained from a bite. This can be done if they can show their injuries directly resulted from an attack.

They also must show that they were not trespassing on private property, or that they provoked the dog when the attacked occurred. Dog owners in Michigan are accountable under strict liability for bites. Other pet-related incidents, such as a dog knocking someone over, are handled by the standard negligence rule in Clinton Township.

The total number of dog attacks has gone down since 2014 in Clinton Township. However, there were still over 100 attacks in 2019 alone. The total number of dog bites and attacks include:

Various local regulations regarding the licensing, kenneling, and confiscation of animals apply to dog owners in Clinton Township.

For example, Section 6.1 of the Regulations Governing Animal Control in Macomb County, of which Clinton Township is a part, mandates that all dog owners keep their pet from running free. This must be done by keeping them on a leash at all times while off their property.

Section 6.3 allows the Chief Animal Control Officer for the County to designate any dog that has bitten someone as a public health hazard.  If deemed necessary, the dog can be removes  from the local community.

Depending on the circumstances, a violation of these local regulations can have a significant impact on liability in an animal attack case. A knowledgeable Clinton Township dog bite lawyer will help you determine how these rules could impact your case.

The Statute of Limitations in Clinton Township

According to Michigan Compiled Laws §600.5805, most personal injury claims must be filed within three years. This period is shortened to two years for medical malpractice.

Certain circumstances may postpone—or “toll”—the expiration of this deadline. For example, the statute of limitations for anyone injured under the age of 18 is one year from the day they turn 18, regardless of how old they were when the injury first occurred.

It is essential for anyone looking to pursue compensation to act quickly. A qualified attorney can go into further detail about how these deadlines may impact various types of personal injury cases in Clinton Township.

How a Clinton Township Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

If you were injured due to the negligence of a person, business, or entity, you might wish to pursue compensation by filing a civil lawsuit.

Even when your injuries are apparent, proving fault and calculating the extent of your losses is often complex and overwhelming. This is especially true as you recover from your injuries.

A Clinton Township personal injury lawyer at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. can help. By discussing your circumstances, a lawyer at our firm can hold the liable parties accountable for your injuries and demand fair compensation for your losses.

To schedule a consultation, call a legal professional today.  There are no legal fees unless you win a settlement!

Information About Clinton Township

Situated roughly 30 miles north of the city of Detroit, Clinton Township has nearly 100,000 residents who call Clinton Township home. The city different from many of its neighbors in that is has an equal mix of both blue- and white-collar employees.

The largest employers in Clinton Township include:

• Chippewa Valley Schools
• L’Anse Creuse Public Schools
• Macomb Intermediate School District

Clinton Township Legal Resources

• Police HQ
• Fire Department Station 4
• 41B District Court