Rochester Hills Car Accident & Injury Lawyer

While some Rochester Hills accidents are unavoidable, many others are caused by negligence. If you or a loved one suffered harm due to the careless or reckless behavior of another person, business, or entity, you have legal rights.

To best understand these rights, it is critical to reach out to a Rochester Hills personal injury attorney for help.

What Types of Personal Injury Cases Does Buckfire Law Accept?

At Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C., our attorneys handle all types of personal injury claims in Rochester Hills. These include;

• Medical neglect
• Fatal accidents
• Auto accidents – including car, truck, motorcycle, and bus crashes
• Bicycle wrecks
• Faulty or defective products
• Police misconduct
• Recreational and sports accidents
• Nursing home neglect and abuse
• Slip and fall injuries and other premises liability claims
• Dog attacks

No matter the circumstances of your injuries, our award-winning attorneys can work to pursue full and fair compensation.

When Should I Call a Personal Injury Attorney?

If you or a loved one were injured due to another person’s negligence, you might feel as though you have no legal recourse. However, by working with a Rochester Hills personal injury lawyer, you will better understand your legal options and decide if filing a civil lawsuit is right for you.

The legal team a Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. will file a claim on your behalf, so  you can focus on your recovery.

What Damages Can I Recover After an Injury in Rochester Hills?

After someone suffers an injury in Rochester Hills, there are multiple types of damages that can be recovered. These damages can be both economic and non-economic, also known as pain and suffering.

These include:

• Medical expenses,
• Lost wages,
• Physical pain,
• Emotional anguish,
• Loss of companionship,
• Loss of enjoyment of life, and
• Costs of permanent disabilities.

The Statute of Limitations for Injury Claims

Usually, the deadline for filing a personal injury claim in Rochester Hills and throughout Michigan is three years. According to MCL §600.5805(2), a person who does not file suit within three years of when they were injured can lose their right to recover compensation.

However, this statute of limitations does not apply to all cases. For example, medical malpractice cases are subject to a two-year statutory deadline, under MCL §600.5805(4), as are nursing home abuse claims.

Likewise, various exceptional circumstances may allow for a longer filing period. For instance, if someone in Michigan is injured prior to their 18^th birthday, the statutory deadline for any case they wanted to file would be one year after the day they turned 18 or the usual three-year period, whichever is longer.

Medical Malpractice Claims in Rochester Hills

Many Rochester Hills residents depend on local hospitals and healthcare facilities to provide them with quality care.

Places like Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital, Beaumont Medical Center – Rochester Hills, and WellPointe serve thousands of patients every year, and most return to work and daily life better off for it.

Unfortunately, medical negligence is an ever-present threat in Rochester Hills and throughout Michigan.

The most common justifications for medical malpractice cases include, but are not limited to:

• Misdiagnosis of a medical condition
• Failure to diagnose
• Failure to read test results correctly and treat a patient accordingly
• Mistakes made during surgery or childbirth
• Prescription drug errors

For a case to be valid, victims of malpractice must meet requirements that do not apply to other personal injury cases. These include formally notifying everyone they intend to file suit against and getting an affidavit of merit signed by a medical professional.

A medical malpractice attorney in Rochester Hills can help make sure these prerequisites are met.

Rochester Hills Car Accident Statistics

As part of Oakland County, Rochester Hills unfortunately sees more car accidents than the average county in Michigan. According to Michigan State Police data, Oakland County had more car accidents in 2018 than all but one other county—40,814 in total, with over 7,600 resulting in an injury or fatality.

Rochester Hills car accident injuries can happen on any type of road, from slow residential streets to major highways. Major roadways in Rochester Hills where frequent auto accidents occur include:

• Dutton Road
• South Boulevard
• Dequindre Road
• Adams Road
• M-150

Additional information reported by the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit, the most dangerous intersections in Rochester Hills include:

Get the Best Rochester Hills Car Accident Lawyer

If you suffered a serious injury after a car crash or other auto accident, a Rochester Hills car accident lawyer at Buckfire Law will file suit directly against a negligent driver. We handle all types of motor vehicle crash claims, including:

• Drunk driving accidents, including lawsuits against drunk drivers and bars;
• Bicycle crashes for adults and children hit while riding their bikes;
• Pedestrian injuries if you were hit by a car, truck or bus;
• Truck wrecks for semi-truck accidents;
• Motorcycle accidents for both bikers and passengers.

Seeking Compensation After a Bus Crash

The RideSMART system that provides service to the greater Detroit metropolitan area also provides service to, from, and around Rochester Hills. Rochester Community Schools oversee bus transportation for public school students in the area.

If an accident occurs that involves a bus operated by a public municipality or a private company, it can be possible to file a civi lawsuit against them. State law expressly names motor vehicle accidents as one of the few situations where municipal immunity from civil fault does not apply.

However, filing suit against a big company or government agency can be difficult for an injured victim. As a result, working with a dedicated bus accident lawyer in Rochester Hills can be critical to pursuing justice.

Should I Call a Lawyer for Nursing Home Neglect in Rochester Hills?

Most nursing homes and assisted living facilities try to provide quality care to every resident. Unfortunately, neglect and abuse still happen. If you suspect your loved one has suffered mistreatment while in a nursing facility, a nursing home abuse lawyer in Rochester Hills can help.

Whether physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, or financial in nature, no amount of mistreatment should be tolerated in any care facility.

An attorney at our firm could help anyone in Rochester Hills who suspects they or their loved one has fallen victim to nursing home abuse. Reach out to law enforcement and legal counsel as soon as possible if you suspect abuse or neglect at any of these facilities:

• American House The Village
• WellBridge Of Rochester Hills
• Medilodge of Rochester Hills
• Pomeroy Living
• Bellbrook
• Anthology of Rochester Hills
• Parents Changing Spaces
• Sunrise of Rochester
• Waltonwood Main

What are the Dog Bite Laws in Rochester Hills?

Personal injury cases stemming from dog bites have their own rules in Michigan, including Rochester Hills. Instead of having to prove legal negligence, a person injured by a dog bite in Rochester Hills may hold the dog’s owner strictly liable for damages, according to MCL §287.351.

“Strict liability” in this context means that a dog owner would be responsible for any harm their dog causes by biting someone else. This is true under virtually all circumstances. Strict liability applies even if a dog’s owner had no idea their dog might be aggressive towards other people or animals.

There are only three circumstances in which strict liability for a dog-related injury would not apply:

• The injured person was trespassing on the dog owner’s property when they were attacked
• The injured person provoked the dog into attacking them
• The dog injured the person filing suit through some action other than a bite

Local Dog Bite Ordinances in Rochester Hills

There is a specific code of ordinances for dog ownership in Rochester Hills. Rochester Hills Code of Ordinances §14-42 through §14-44, prohibit dog owners from allowing any of the following behaviors from their dog:

• Disturbing the peace by barking or making other noises
• Running at large
• Destroying or habitually trespassing on another person’s property

Rochester Hills Code of Ordinances §14-45 prohibits dog owners from allowing any vicious dog to be in a public place while unrestrained. §14-47 prohibits any dog owner in Rochester Hills from allowing their dog to attack another person or animal.

If a dog does bite someone, the owner must immediately inform law enforcement. The police would then quarantine the dog either on the owner’s property or in a pound for two weeks and have the dog examined for rabies.

Under §14-48, law enforcement has the authority to a dog dangerous based on the sworn complaint of a police officer and a subsequent district court ruling. Under §14-49 through §14-51, dogs declared to be dangerous must be registered with the city and properly confined at all times, and owners must notify law enforcement immediately if their dog gets loose, bites another person animal, is sold, is relocated, or dies.

If a dangerous dog bites someone else in Rochester Hills, §14-52 allows law enforcement to charge the dog’s owner with a misdemeanor offense. Failure to adhere to any city ordinance regarding the registration and confinement of a dangerous dog is also a misdemeanor offense.

Seeking Help from Buckfire Law

If you or a loved one was injured in any type of accident, from a car accident to a medical error, the experienced lawyers at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. are here to help.

For over 50 years, we have worked to pursue justice and fair compensation on behalf of our clients. As a result, we have won countless awards, including:

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

Reach Out to a Rochester Hills Personal Injury Attorney Today

If your injuries were due to another person’s negligence, you have legal options. Call a Rochester Hills personal injury lawyer today to discuss your rights.

At Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. we work tirelessly to pursue full and fair compensation for our clients. To learn more, schedule a free consultation today.

Information About Rochester Hills

Rochester Hills has about 73,000 residents, most of whom work in manufacturing and health care assistance. Rochester Community Schools and Oakland University are also major employers in the area.

Rochester Hills is the focal point of many fun attractions, some of which include the Yates Cider Mill and historic Stoney Creek Village. Rochester Hills also has many great outdoor parks and hiking trails for visitors and residents to enjoy.

Rochester Hills Legal Resources

• Rochester Hills Police Department
  • Request a Police Record
• Rochester Hills Fire Department
  • Request Fire Report Records
• Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital
  • Request Medical Records
• Beaumont Medical Center
  • Request Medical Records
• Oakland County Animal Control Department
  • View Dog Bite Reports
• Oakland County Medical Examiner
  • Request Autopsy Reports
• Oakland County Health Division
  • Report a Public Health Emergency