A Flint woman was sentanced for her involvement in a Saginaw motorcycle accident on February 23, 2009.  Monica Pool, 21, was sentanced to pay a $720 fine and spend 5 years on probation, with the first year being under house arrest for drunk driving and causing an motorcycle accident on I-75 in Saginaw County during August 2006.  This accident caused the death of a passenger in the motorcycle, Jennifer Argenta.

Although many people are happy to see Monica Pool punished for her crime, some people are angry that her sentance did not include any jail time.  I am hopeful that this accident will serve to remind others of the terrible consequences of drinking and driving.

The sentance comes at the end of a criminal trial or criminal proceeding.  Completely separate from that is a civil lawsuit, in which the deceased accident victim’s family would seek private compensation for the death of the accident victim.  Michigan law allows only those who are very seriously injured to sue for wrongful death.

Motorcycle riders less seriously injured can file a claim for Michigan No Fault insurance when they are involved in an accident with a car.  No Fault insurance will pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and other benefits.  A No Fault survivor loss claim provides additional money for part of the funeral costs.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan motorcycle accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook” by visiting our law firm web site.  We will send it along with other important information.

For more information about Michigan motorcycle accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan Motorcycle accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

It has been my experience that motorcyclists are often the most careful drivers on the road.  Nonetheless, many drivers blame them if they are involved in accidents.  This is simply not right, since, very often, the drivers themselves are at fault for failing to keep an eye out for motorcycles.  Unfortunately, when car and truck drivers are negligent, it is usually the motorcyclists who pay the price.

Traffic accidents have a disproportionate effect on motorcyclists as compared to the rest of the driving population.  For every 100,000 registered vehicles, the fatality rate for motorcyclists was 3.6 times higher than the fatality rate for passenger car occupants.  And, based on figures from 1999, motorcyclists were about 18 times as likely to die in motor vehicle accidents as passenger car occupants.

The fact is, even when the motorcyclist is doing everything right, he or she is still at a significantly higher risk of injury or death than a passenger or driver in a car or truck.  Because of that, there are a variety of training and safety courses that use a classroom component and a driving/range component to teach motorcyclists how to handle less than ideal driving situations, including how to handle other drivers on the road.  More information about these courses can be found in the Training/Education Classes section of this website.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan motorcycle accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook” by calling our office.  We will send it along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan motorcycle accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan Motorcycle accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

A fatal motorcycle accident has resulted in the death of the motorcyclist.  Michael Boyd, of Ona, was killed during the early morning hours of February 13, 2009 when he was rear-ended by a car.  The car struck the motorcycle with enough force that Michael Boyd was thrown off the bike and eventually had to be airlifted to a hospital, where unfortunately medical efforts were not able to save him.  Neither the driver of the car nor a passenger in the car were hurt.  The police took a toxicology sample from the driver and are waiting on its results.

I am always saddened to hear about accidents like this one.  Unfortunately, when there is an accident involving a car and a motorcycle, the results are too often the same as in this accident: the motorcyclist killed or severely injured while the occupants of the car are fine.  Here, the tragedy is compounded because it is possible the driver of the car was drunk when this accident occurred.  I am very sorry for the Boyd family’s loss.

When an accident like this happens in Michigan, the motorcyclist’s family can usually make a number of claims.  First, because the accident involved a car, they can make a claim for Michigan No Fault survivor loss benefits.  Second, they may be able to sue the driver of the car.  Whether they can win this lawsuit will depend on who caused the accident.  Finally, when the driver of the car is drunk, the family may be able to sue the bar or restaurant that served the driver alcohol.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan motorcycle accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook” by clicking on the book’s title.  We will send it along with other important information.

For more information about Michigan motorcycle accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com. If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan Motorcycle accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

A Michigan wrongful death lawsuit asserts that a motorcycle accident victim was killed because of the negligence of an individual, business, or doctor/hospital. If this can be proven, the motorcycle accident victim’s family members are entitled to money damages resulting from the death. These damages include loss of earnings, loss of services, loss of society and companionship, and other types of damages.

A common example of a wrongful death lawsuit would be if a car driver was negligent in some way and caused an accident with a motorcycle in which the motorcyclist died.  So if a car switched lanes without looking and did not see the motorcycle right next to him, and then the motorcyclist died because of this accident, then the motorcyclist’s family could file a wrongful death lawsuit. 

The Michigan Wrongful Death Statute sets forth the specific types of damages available to the family members and the specific family members who can claim damages.

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Terrible news from the motorcross world was report.   Famed American racer Jeremy Lusk died in Costa Rica while trying to land a backflip in competition.  He landed on his back and suffered fatal injuries to his head and spinal cord.  He was only 24 years old.  He was a gold medal winner at the 2008 X Games and won several other medals in those games.