Michigan Injury Lawyer Blog
Michigan Boat Crash Leads to Serious Injury
We often think of cars and other road vehicles as high-risk machines that should be operated safely at all times. But boats and other marine craft, even those used for recreation, can bring about accidents, injury, and even death when operated in an unsafe manner.
According to a recent article, a woman experienced serious leg injuries in an accident on Lake Michigan. The woman was on an inflatable raft when a large boat reversed and ran over the device, injuring the woman and another individual. Cell phone footage of the accident shows that she and the other person were sucked under the boat. The severity of the injuries necessitated the amputation of both of her feet. In the days after the amputation the woman expressed shock and difficulty adjusting, imploring boaters to use more caution on busy recreational lakes and waters.
Damages for Serious Injuries in Michigan
Just like careless drivers in car accidents, negligent boat operators can be held liable for a victim’s injuries in civil court. Boat operators who fail to use reasonable care in operating their boats or are under the influence of drugs and alcohol are likely to be found negligent by a jury, which means they may owe you for your economic and emotional damages. Injuries, particularly injuries that result in scarring and disfigurement, can be financially compensated for in court through both types of damages award. And when video footage of the accident is available, as in the recent accident, victims may be able to more easily prove the cause of their harms.
Recently, the Michigan Court of Appeals 
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, over 50 percent of U.S. traffic deaths happen when a driver crosses the center line or edge of a roadway. Crossing the center line can result in a head-on, or frontal, collision, which accounted for 58 percent of passenger vehicle deaths in 2020, according to reports from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute.
Not all Michigan crashes are accidents, and drunk driving incidents are a prime example of preventable crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every day, over 30 people in the nation die in a drunk-driving accident. Recent statistics indicate that nearly 11,700 people were killed in an alcohol-related traffic accident in 2020- a 14% increase from the previous reporting year.
Every day, there is a wide range of different vehicles being driven by individuals, including what are known as off-road vehicles. Off-Road Vehicles, or ORVs, are motor-driven recreational vehicles that are capable of cross-country travel and that are meant to be used off-road or on dirt roads. ORVs are not meant to be driven on paved roads or highways. These vehicles are capable of traveling on land, snow, ice, marsh, and other landscapes. ORVs include all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), motorcycles, utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), and other similar vehicles. ORVs can have different sizes depending on the type of vehicle. For example, ATVs can weigh more than 600 pounds, in addition to being able to reach speeds of 65 mph or more.
In action-packed movies and action-packed tv shows, it is not uncommon to see a scene involving speeding vehicles crashing into objects that result in the vehicle erupting into flames. When these types of crashes happen in the real world and involve a vehicle catching fire, these crashes can be especially devastating for those involved and even for those who witness the fiery crash. According to research conducted by the National Fire Protection Association, “an estimated 212,500 vehicle fires caused 560 civilian deaths, 1,500 civilian injuries; and $1.9 billion in direct property damage in the US during 2018.” The causes of vehicle crashes that involve fires are not always easily identifiable or immediately clear and take some time to be investigated properly.
Auto-pedestrian accidents in Michigan present a serious danger to commuters trying to navigate our cities on foot. The aging roadway infrastructure in our state often lacks adequate safety features to allow pedestrians to safely cross roads and highways. A pedestrian was recently killed when she was hit while attempting to cross the street in Detroit in May 2022. A recently published local news report discusses the accident and the consequences being faced by the driver of the vehicle involved.
Motorcyclists in Michigan should always wear protective gear and use as much caution as possible to avoid a collision. According to one study, motorcycle accidents are four times more likely to result in a serious injury or death when compared to automobile collisions. Even when motorcyclists do everything right and utilize the best precautions, tragic accidents can occur when other drivers are negligent. A local news article discusses a Michigan collision that resulted in the deaths of two bikers earlier this month.
Michigan roads can be dangerous under any conditions, with many drivers failing to pay enough attention to the road, speeding, following too closely, or operating their vehicles while impaired. Accidents that involve semi-trucks and other large vehicles are even more dangerous. Although truck drivers must be licensed and trained to safely operate their vehicles, the pressures and stress involved with hours of driving can lead to lapses in judgment. A local news report discusses a recent accident involving two semi-trucks and a car, which ended in tragedy.
Head on collisions are one of the most dangerous types of car accidents for several reasons. One of the reasons why head on collisions are so dangerous is that they often involve high speeds, as these accidents typically occur on undivided highways or other roads that have higher speed limits. Another reason why head on collisions often result in such serious injuries is that the impact in these accidents is direct, meaning a vehicle goes from traveling full speed to a complete stop in a split second. The results of a head on accident are often fatal, and even when motorists survive, they may suffer lifelong debilitating injuries.