Southfield Personal Injury Lawyers

Southfield is a vital part of the metro Detroit area. Located just fifteen miles northwest of downtown Detroit, the town is home to more than 77,000 residents. Southfield residents enjoy economic opportunities and an excellent quality of life within Michigan’s largest metropolitan area.

Several major international companies are headquartered in Southfield. The city also boasted one of the first shopping malls in the U.S., Northland Center, which is being redeveloped for residential and commercial use. Southfield’s public schools have received national recognition for student success, and the city includes over 780 acres of parks.

All these attributes make Southfield a vibrant place to live, but its residents and businesses must use due care to protect community members from foreseeable harm. Failing to exercise this care can lead to injury. In some cases, an injured person may be able to bring legal action against the responsible party to recover their damages.

Personal Injury Statistics in Michigan

Personal injury claims can arise from various causes. Everyday situations that lead to Michigan personal injury claims include:

• Traffic crashes. Traffic crashes are one of Michigan’s most common sources of personal injury claims. According to the Michigan State Police’s Statewide Traffic Crash Data report, 1,131 people died in Michigan traffic crashes, and 71,246 people were injured in 2021.
• Workplace injuries. Michigan recorded 86,700 work-related injuries in 2021. In 51,500 cases, workers needed at least one day away from work or restricted job duties while their injuries healed.
• Wrongful death. Many unintentional deaths form the basis of wrongful death claims. In 2021, Michigan recorded 61.8 unintentional deaths per 100,000 residents.

Michigan has systems other than filing a civil lawsuit to address many of these injury claims. Vehicle insurance carriers settle many auto accident claims since every Michigan driver must have auto insurance coverage. Workers’ compensation handles most on-the-job injuries.

Other types of injuries don’t have established compensation systems. For example, recovering damages for a slip-and-fall in a grocery store may require a lawsuit against the business and the property owner. Patients injured by medical negligence should also seek the assistance of an experienced personal injury lawyer; proving medical malpractice can be especially challenging.

Common Types of Personal Injuries

Because the circumstances of personal injury claims vary, many different types of injuries exist. In addition to physical harm, victims can experience mental, emotional, or psychological trauma, injuries that aren’t visible but are real and require treatment.

Common types of physical injuries that form the basis of Southfield personal injury cases include:

• Brain injuries, including concussions.
• Head, neck, and back injuries, including broken bones, herniated discs, whiplash or neck sprain, and muscle or nerve damage.
• Spinal cord injuries, including partial or total paralysis.
• Broken bones that may require surgery to correct and cause ongoing problems with pain and mobility.
• Crush injuries and amputations that may necessitate re-learning how to do daily activities in new ways.
• Scarring and disfigurement, including reconstructive surgeries.

Many other types of injury can result from another person’s or business’s negligence. If you’ve been injured and believe someone else may be at fault, you should speak to an experienced attorney to learn more about pursuing a personal injury claim.

Pursuing a Personal Injury Claim in Michigan

When one person or business causes injury to another person through negligence, recklessness, or intentional acts, the victim may be able to recover damages in a personal injury lawsuit. This type of civil action determines whether there is a legal basis to hold a party “at fault” for the claimed injuries and, if so, assign monetary damages to compensate the victim.

The most common type of personal injury claim is based on the legal theory of negligence. In this type of claim, the injured person must prove to the court that:

• Someone else (a person or company) had a duty to use reasonable care to prevent harm.
• That party breached or failed to meet its obligation.
• This failure both caused the injured person’s injuries and was a foreseeable cause of those injuries.
• The injured person suffered damages that a court can address (usually by awarding financial compensation).

Although you can file a personal injury lawsuit without a lawyer, hiring an experienced Southfield attorney can help you understand the process, pursue your claim effectively, and recover the full amount of compensation you deserve. Some types of personal injury cases, like claims for medical malpractice, must follow specialized procedural rules; if you do not comply fully and correctly, your case may be dismissed. Speaking to an experienced Southfield personal injury lawyer is essential to protect your rights and make a full recovery.

Examples of Michigan Personal Injury Claims

Many circumstances can lead to personal injuries. Personal injury lawsuits often arise from situations such as:

• Auto, bicycle, and pedestrian crashes. Under Michigan’s no-fault car insurance law, injured drivers and passengers usually recover compensation for medical bills, lost income, and other out-of-pocket losses from their own personal injury protection (PIP) car insurance coverage after a crash, regardless of who might have been at fault. However, it may be possible to file a claim against the at-fault driver in some situations. If your insurance company refuses to fulfill its obligations, you may also have a claim against your insurance carrier.
• Slip and fall injuries. Slip and fall injuries are among the top causes of serious injury for older people and young children, but a slip, trip, or fall can injure anyone at any age. Common serious fall injuries include broken bones, head injuries, torn ligaments or tendons, and nerve damage.
• Dog bites. In 2021, the U.S. Postal Service included Michigan in its list of the top ten most dangerous states for postal workers facing dog attacks. Postal workers and others can suffer severe injuries and require ongoing treatment for wounds and scars. Michigan’s “strict liability” dog bite rule holds owners accountable for the harm their dog causes, even if the dog has never injured anyone before.
• Medical malpractice. Medical malpractice occurs when a medical provider’s failure to meet the standard of care when treating a patient leads to an injury. Medical errors like failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis, failure to treat, surgical mistakes, and medication errors can all cause serious harm.
• Product liability. Sometimes, a defect in a product’s design or manufacture causes injuries. Manufacturers and designers must make their products reasonably safe for their intended use or warn users about risks that can’t be removed (like the danger of being cut by a saw blade). When companies fail to meet these duties, they may be held liable for the resulting injuries.

Multiple types of personal injury claims can arise from one occurrence. For example, imagine a delivery driver struck by another vehicle running a red light. The delivery driver was wearing a seatbelt, but a hidden defect caused the seatbelt to fail, causing more severe injuries to the driver. This case might lead to claims for workers’ compensation coverage, auto insurance coverage, a lawsuit based on negligence against the driver who ran the red light, and a product liability case against the seatbelt designer or manufacturer.

An experienced Southfield personal injury lawyer can help you identify who may be responsible for your injuries under the law, gather the necessary evidence to prove your case and recover the compensation you deserve.

What To Expect in a Southfield Personal Injury Case

Every personal injury claim is unique. However, the same basic rules cover all personal injury claims, which can give you a general sense of what to expect in your case. An experienced personal injury lawyer can provide more insight after evaluating the facts of your situation.

Time Limits

A statute of limitations limits how long you have to file a claim in court after you are injured. In Michigan, you generally have three years from the date you were injured to file a lawsuit. Medical malpractice claims typically must be filed within two years. Additional time to file a medical malpractice case is allowed in cases of death or when the existence of a claim was not discovered until less than six months before the two-year anniversary of the date of the malpractice.

Even if you suspect your deadline has passed, talk to a lawyer. As stated, these limitation periods have some exceptions, one of which may apply to your situation. An experienced attorney can help you explore all the options available for compensation.

Compensation

In a Michigan personal injury lawsuit, an injured person asks the court to award them compensation for the losses they sustained related to the injury. Many Michigan personal injury cases include claims for:

• Repayment of medical expenses and costs.
• Compensation for lost wages for time out of work.
• Payment for damaged property, such as the cost to repair a vehicle or its value, if declared a total loss.
• Compensation for pain and suffering.
• Compensation for the loss of activities you can no longer participate in because of your injuries.

Compensation for other losses may also be available, depending on the facts of your case. Your attorney can help you determine the best strategy and set expectations for your unique situation.

Choosing an Experienced Southfield Personal Injury Lawyer

If you were injured by the negligence of another person or business, your life may be radically disrupted. You may struggle with serious medical issues, pain, emotional trauma, and turmoil. You may worry about whether you’ll ever fully recover and get back to “normal.” You may be concerned about how to pay a mountain of medical bills and support your family, especially if your injuries have reduced your ability to work.

You’re not alone – we can help. Talk to an experienced Southfield personal injury lawyer to discuss your options. An attorney can help you choose the best path forward for you and your family and guide you on the road to recovery.

The Sommers Schwartz, P.C., team is available to schedule a free, confidential consultation. Contact us today.