Kentwood

Injury Lawyers Representing Kentwood Residents

With a population of about 50,000 residents, Kentwood is a city known for its hiking opportunities, including the Paul Henry Rail Trail, the Plaster Creek Trail, and the Saddleback Trail. The city is also home to a number of churches as well as the Kent District Library. As with other cities of this size, avoidable accidents can happen when people visit attractions or go about their daily routines. If you or a loved one has been hurt because someone else acted negligently, you may be able to recover compensation. At the Neumann Law Group, a knowledgeable Kentwood injury attorney can help you try to hold an at-fault party accountable for harming you.

Seeking Compensation After an Accident

Victims who have been involved in a car or truck accident, a slip and fall, an incident of medical malpractice or nursing home negligence, an encounter with a dangerous or flawed product, or an accident on the job may have legal rights to assert. Some of the economic and non-economic damages that may be available include medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost income and benefits, pain and suffering, property damage, and more. Before these damages can be obtained, negligence must be established.

The legal doctrine of negligence is meant to hold at-fault parties responsible for foreseeable harm that they cause. Broadly speaking, negligence is the failure to use reasonable care in one’s course of conduct. Reasonable care refers to the level of caution that an ordinary person would use in the same situation. As a result, what is defined as reasonable will depend heavily on the facts of each individual case. However, there are some circumstances in which a behavior is clearly unreasonable, such as when a person or entity breaks the law. For example, a truck driver would be deemed negligent if he or she violates hours of service regulations and falls asleep behind the wheel, crashing, into a car and injuring the occupants. A reasonable commercial driver would not violate federal or state rules governing the industry.

It is important to note that in some cases you may also be able to recover damages from a negligent individual’s employer under the theory of vicarious liability. This holds an employer accountable for the negligence of an employee as long as the employee was acting within the scope of employment at the time of the accident. In the situation of the drowsy truck driver for instance, the trucking company may be liable for the driver’s actions if the driver was performing a job for the company when the crash happened.

In the event of an auto accident where the other driver either flees the scene or does not have valid insurance coverage to accept liability for an accident, you may be entitled to seek compensation from your own insurance company. Michigan does not require drivers to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to drive on the state roads, however we highly recommend all drivers obtain such coverage with a policy limit of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident to ensure you are covered in the event of a hit-and-run or other accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. Having such coverage will allow you to pursue a claim against your own insurance company for both economic and non-economic damages related to an auto accident.

Consult a Knowledgeable Injury Attorney in the Kentwood Area

If you have been hurt in an accident that was not entirely your fault, we can help you pursue the compensation that you deserve for your harm. At the Neumann Law Group, our Kentwood injury lawyers can diligently advocate for your legal rights at each step of the process. Attorney Kelly Neumann has been a recipient of many legal awards, including the Lawyers Weekly Rising Star Award of 2014. She often recovers settlements and verdicts in the millions of dollars for her clients. We also can represent people in our communities served who are seeking a criminal defense attorney or guidance in matters involving estate planning, family law, real estate, collections, or mediation. You can contact us online or call us toll-free at (800) 525-6386 to set up a free consultation.