Michigan Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Pedestrian Accident Attorney in Michigan, MI

A car accident can be devastating. However, pedestrians hit by cars often suffer severe or even deadly injuries. If you find yourself in such a situation, consulting an experienced Michigan pedestrian accident lawyer can help you navigate the complexities of your case and see that you receive the compensation you deserve.

No matter the situation, you need a lawyer who can get you the most favorable outcome. Experience, understanding, and empathy are critical for these kinds of cases. At Wigod & Falzon, we prioritize these qualities to see that you receive the strongest representation possible.

What Are the Main Causes of Pedestrian Accidents?

The NCHS estimated that over 9,000 pedestrians died in traffic accidents in 2023. Understanding the primary causes of pedestrian accidents is critical when you’re pursuing a legal claim. While it might seem obvious that the driver was at fault and therefore liable, digging into the root cause can help strengthen your pedestrian accident claim, especially when negligence is involved. Some of those common causes can include:

• Failure to yield at crosswalks
• Left or right turns across crosswalks
• Distracted driving, including phone use
• Speeding in downtown corridors or school zones
• Impaired driving
• Backing up in parking lots or driveways
• Nighttime or low-visibility crashes
• Passing a stopped vehicle that’s yielding to a pedestrian
• Unsafe lane changes near sidewalks or crosswalks
• Ignoring traffic signals or the right-of-way of pedestrians

Each of these behaviors can lead to serious injuries, and documenting every aspect of your crash is critical to a successful pedestrian accident claim. At Wigod & Falzon, our team leaves no stone unturned as we investigate the true cause to establish liability.

What to Do After You’ve Been Hit by a Car in Michigan

Being struck by a vehicle is a frightening experience, but knowing what steps you need to take immediately after can protect both your health and your legal rights. Acting quickly and carefully can make a big difference when pursuing a pedestrian accident claim, and some of the most important steps include:

• Get medical help right away. Even if your injuries seem minor, see a doctor as soon as possible. Proper medical documentation is essential for both your recovery and your claim.
• Preserve evidence. Take photos or videos of the scene, your injuries, your clothing, and your shoes. Note the exact location of the incident, the road conditions, and any other details that seem relevant.
• Collect the contact information of the driver and any witnesses. This includes names, numbers, insurance details, and license plate numbers. Witness accounts can be crucial to your case.
• Request the accident report number. Contact local law enforcement to obtain the official report. This report could be a key piece of evidence for your pedestrian accident claim.
• Avoid making recorded statements until you’ve spoken to a lawyer. Insurance adjusters could try to guide you toward making statements that could be held against you later on. Speak with our Michigan pedestrian accident attorneys before giving any formal statements.
• Start a symptom and impact log. Track your pain, medical symptoms, and work limitations daily for the first month. These kinds of detailed records can help demonstrate the full effect of your injuries in a pedestrian accident claim.

Taking these steps can significantly strengthen your case while making sure you’re protected both medically and legally. For guidance, support, and aggressive representation, the attorneys at Wigod & Falzon are ready to help you navigate Michigan’s pedestrian accident laws and secure the compensation you deserve.

Michigan’s No-Fault Law Explained

In Michigan, if a car injures a pedestrian, the pedestrian can receive no-fault insurance benefits under the no-fault law. These apply even if the driver doesn’t own the automobile or has an auto insurance policy.

To qualify for these benefits, you need to live in Michigan. If you live out of state, your car must be registered and insured in Michigan. For no-fault benefits, you can use your insurance or a family member’s insurance if you live with them. If neither applies, then you can get benefits through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.

PIP Benefits

These benefits can pay for your lifelong medical bills, lost earnings, care services, household help, and other key medical expenses.

Getting Michigan no-fault PIP benefits is difficult. The process has many potential issues, as insurers could dispute coverage details and doctor responsibilities, which frequently obstruct and delay payment of your benefits. Some key elements to consider when pursuing PIP benefits include:

• Dispute Over Coverage: It’s hard to deal with insurance companies that won’t give you the full benefits you need. Especially when you’re dealing with the physical and emotional effects of an injury.
• Medical Providers’ Role: Insurance companies may challenge the medical treatment you receive. They may also dispute the necessity of certain procedures or treatments.
• Choice of Medical Provider: In Michigan, you can choose your own medical provider for the treatment of your injuries. However, your insurance may require you to undergo an Insurance Medical Examination (IME) with a doctor of their choosing.
• No-Fault Rules: In Michigan, to claim compensation for pain and suffering, your injury needs to be severe enough. You can’t sue for just any injury; it must be serious enough to meet specific rules for more compensation. Your PIP attorney can guide you on meeting this threshold.

To prevent usual errors when making a claim, you need to know the claim rules and notify your insurance company quickly. Failure to do so can result in the loss of your right to benefits. Additionally, it’s important to keep detailed records of all medical treatment and expenses related to your injury.

Hire a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer: We Can Help You

An experienced attorney can help you get your medical bills and lost wages paid through Michigan‘s No-Fault insurance. Usually, these lawyers work on a ‘no successful case, no fee’ basis. This means you pay them from the money you receive from your injury case.

Simply put, when you hire a Michigan pedestrian accident attorney from Wigod & Falzon, no recovery = NO FEE.

This law is increasingly complex and can present many traps for inexperienced lawyers. It’s important for an injured pedestrian or bicyclist to immediately report the accident to the police. Then contact an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer.

Our Legal Team

Our experienced Michigan pedestrian accident lawyers can explain what benefits you’re entitled to and who can provide them. We can also assist you or your loved ones when it’s time to make the appropriate applications for those benefits and see that they are submitted within the allotted deadlines. It’s important to note that if you miss the deadline, you forfeit your right to recovery.

At Wigod & Falzon, our team is ready to investigate every aspect of your case, from driver behavior to environmental factors, to make sure your pedestrian accident claim reflects the full extent of your damages. With experience in pedestrian accident laws all across Michigan, we provide compassionate guidance and relentless advocacy to help you secure fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, if applicable.

Excellent Support. Elevated Experience. Strong Results.

At Wigod & Falzon, our attorneys have the knowledge, experience, and commitment so you feel confident in your pursuit of justice. We are here to support you every step of the way, and we work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve so you can move on with your life. Contact our legal team today for a consultation.

Call 248-243-4327 or Request Your Consultation