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Car Accident and Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help

Legally Reviewed and Edited by: Terry Cochran

Data from the Center for Disease Control shows that 28% of all car accident deaths involved a driver who was impaired by alcohol. CDC data also shows that each day, 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.

It is very important to know what steps to take after being injured by a drunk driver so that you and your Michigan car accident lawyer at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. can work together to fight for the compensation and justice you deserve.

1. Call the police

After a drunk driver hits you if you can pick up a phone, it is essential to call the police. Calling the police means you are guaranteeing documentation of the accident. This can be key when attempting to file either an insurance claim or a lawsuit against the drunk driver who caused the accident.

When the police officers arrive, they will want to know specifics and exact details about how the accident took place. As best you can, provide them with accurate details of what happened before, during, and after the accident.

2. Collect information

Collect information

Make a conscious effort to collect as much information as possible from the scene of the accident. This includes contact and insurance information for the at-fault driver, any information of people who could serve as potential witnesses, and photographs of the scene of the accident as well as photos of any visible injuries you may have sustained. Your car accident attorney may need this information.

If the driver is still visibly intoxicated and you do not feel comfortable approaching them, ask the police to obtain their information once they arrive. Additionally, make sure to ask the police for the claim number of their accident report so you can request a copy of it when it becomes available.

3. Understand Michigan no-fault laws

You may be able to file a claim against the drunk driver that injured you to recover compensation for the pain and suffering the accident caused you. These benefits can be collected from the insurer of the at-fault driver, or from the driver personally. They are collectible in addition to any no-fault PIP benefits you may be entitled to already from your own insurance company.

Michigan no-fault laws allow you certain benefits no matter who may be at fault in a vehicle accident, but this does not mean you cannot file a negligence claim against the driver who injured you to recover any non-economic damages (also referred to as pain and suffering). Additionally, you may be entitled to file a claim for damages of “excess economic loss,” which can include compensation for lost wages extending beyond the three-year collectible wage loss window that PIP benefits provided.

4. Hire a lawyer

Working to prove the negligence of a drunk driver and win compensation for the injuries you sustained in a drunk driving accident can be difficult and confusing, so it is important to make sure you have strong legal counsel on your side.

Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. have an expert team of car accident and personal injury lawyers like Eileen Kroll who is a registered nurse and a trial attorney and can help you navigate the legal system and work through your case.

There are many different steps required to prove negligence such as working with an insurance adjuster and paying medical bills if you are injured. A car accident lawyer at our law firm knows the best ways to help you win your case.

Call our team today at 866-MICH-LAW to schedule an appointment before you hire an attorney. We offer a free case evaluation at your initial consult. Our law firm works on a contingency basis so we never charge a fee unless a recovery is made.

Disclaimer : The information provided is general and not for legal advice. The blogs are not intended to provide legal counsel and no attorney-client relationship is created nor intended.

Ms. Barry is studying Communications at the University of Pennsylvania. She has won multiple awards both for her persuasive and creative writing and has written extensively on the topics of medical malpractice law, personal and birth injury law, product liability law. When she's not researching and writing about these topics, she edits a literary magazine and tutors students at Penn's writing center.

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