Michigan Injury Lawyer Blog
Determining Fault After a Michigan Chain-Reaction Accident
As the name implies, multi-vehicle accidents occur when more than two vehicles are involved in a collision. Chain-reaction refers to the manner in which many multi-vehicle accidents begin. Michigan chain-reaction accidents usually start with one collision whose force causes other vehicles to slam into one another. These accidents frequently occur in areas where vehicles are close to each other, such as densely occupied highways, narrow roads, or traffic stops. After a Michigan chain-reaction accident, establishing fault and liability presents many challenges to injury victims, as it can be hard to determine the exact course of events that lead to the accident. Further, in some cases, more than one party may be responsible for the accident.
In many cases, the driver who caused the initial crash in a chain-reaction accident may be responsible. However, there may be many contributing acts of negligence that could have led to the accident. Complete and adequate recovery often requires the injury victim or their loved one to establish each at-fault party’s negligence. Some contributing factors that may impose liability on a party are drivers who fail to use their brake lights or signals, drivers who were following too closely or were speeding, and distracted or fatigued drivers. Further, in some cases, a governmental agency may bear responsibility if the accident involved improper traffic signs or dangerous road obstacles. While most cases involve negligence, there are some limited situations where a natural hazard or inclement weather event started the chain of the events.
Chain-reaction accidents tend to result in serious injuries and property damage. For instance, local news reports described a disturbing Michigan five-vehicle chain-reaction accident. A preliminary investigation revealed that a car was blocking the left lane of a major highway after an accident. State Troopers stated that the driver of the first crash was fatally struck by another vehicle as he was exiting his car. While law enforcement responded to the initial crash, a second call came in regarding a rollover accident on the same highway. The five-car incident resulted in one motorist’s death.
Losing a loved one is often one of the most painful things that one has to experience in life. Knowing that your loved one’s life was cut short, however, because of another person’s recklessness or lack of care is even worse. When a preventable accident causes the death of a loved one, those who are responsible must be held accountable—and you may have grounds to do so through a wrongful death claim.
Car accidents frequently occur in the most unexpected ways and can yield devastating results. When an accident results in the death of a loved one and was potentially caused by negligence or wrongdoing of another driver, those who are responsible must be held accountable. In Michigan, you may be eligible for compensation through a wrongful death claim if you lost a loved one in a Michigan car accident.
There have been many technological advancements in the motor vehicle industry, especially those involving self-driving vehicles. Autonomous vehicles, such as the self-driving Tesla, presents consumers with economic shifts and industrial changes. Although there are positive environmental and societal impacts of the state’s early adoption of these innovations, these vehicles pose many dangers to Michigan motorists. Those who suffer injuries in a Michigan accident involving a self-driving vehicle should consult an attorney to address their right to recovery.
Michigan recently underwent drastic changes to its 
Medications are meant to bring relief and peace of mind, but when your treatment begins to attack unrelated areas of your body, that peace of mind can be compromised. In June 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (‘FDA’) issued a Labeling Change related to the prescription drug Elmiron used for a bladder condition. This label change gave warning that Elmiron can cause issues with eyesight. Although there has been no recall, users were advised to get regular eye exams and stop using it if they notice problems with their vision.
Motor vehicle accidents (“MVAs”) are extremely dangerous. An average mid-sized sedan weighs about one-and-a-half tons. Even when moving at relatively low rate of speed, the force of a one-ton collision is enormous. A head on collision is far worse. If a vehicle going 47 mph strikes another vehicle traveling 64 mph, the collision is of a similar magnitude to a vehicle traveling at 111 mph ramming into a concrete barrier. Modern safety features have dramatically reduced the risk of injury in a MVA, but there is little technological innovation can do to offset the impact of a high-speed head-on collision.
About one in three working age adults has a criminal record—about the same number of Americans that have a four-year college degree. Employers put great emphasis on both factors, and the absence of one or existence of the other can severely impede the ability to find gainful employment. Michigan has just passed a package of bills called “Clean Slate.” Under Clean Slate, a vast number of convictions will be removed from the public registry.
On October 6, 2020, Meijer announced a recall of whole cantaloupe and cut cantaloupe fruit trays and bowls sold between September 26, 3030, and October 5, 2020. The recall was necessary because Michigan inspectors detected salmonella, a type of bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, in the produce. The recall affects Meijer stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin according to the company’s press release. Neumann Law Group is aware that at least one potential instance of illness is being investigated; however, there could be many more potential injuries
On May 3, 2020, Harbor Freight Tools, a discount tool and equipment retailer headquartered in Calabasas, California, issued a recall of over 1.2 million jack stands. Jack stands are a device placed under a vehicle—or other large piece of equipment— to keep it in an elevated position after it is lifted using a jack. The recall warned that the ‘pawl,’ a circular saw blade shaped piece of metal that is part of the assembly which ratchets the jack into place, was flawed, causing inconsistency in the engagement of the ratchet teeth. The ratchet teeth could disengage, dropping the load to the ground.