Injured Victims Receive Important News from Michigan Injury Attorneys

Speeding Causes Injury and Death
May 20, 2011
In an effort to slow traffic down and keep the freeways safe this summer, the Detroit Police Department, along with other local departments, has issued a summer-long effort called “Operation Day-Life Savings.” The effort will be targeting five major freeways, including:  I-75, I-696, I-94, I-275, and M-10.

The following freeways will be targeted by police:

• Monday: Interstate 75
• Tuesday: Interstate 696 Reuther Freeway
• Wednesday: Interstate 94
• Thursday: Interstate 275
• Friday: M-10 Lodge Freeway

The tickets will range from $50 - $80, but could get more expensive by the end of the summer.

Speeding, risky lane changes and distracted driving remain a major problem causing accidents, injuries and death. If you or a loved one was injured in a Michigan Automobile Accident, call The Thurswell Law Firm toll-free 1.866.354.554 for a free consultation. We have recovered millions of dollars for accident victims and their families.

---

Michigan Driver’s Licenses and State IDs are Changing
Apr 11, 2011
Say goodbye to fake IDs. With new security features, the new Driver's Licenses and State IDs will be harder to tamper with and duplicate.

New features for the Driver's Licenses and State IDs include:

• New green striping that makes the card look light green.
• Michigan's Great Seal will be visible on the front when held under a black light.
• The cardholder's photo and birthday will be visible on the back when held under a black light.
• A tricolor image on the cards will appear and disappear when viewed from different angles.
• The word "Mich" will be perforated into the cards and visible when held up to a light.
• The back will get a new bar code.

The new IDs are valid for four years, and will be phased in through 2015. The prices for the IDs will stay the same: $25 for original licenses, $18 for renewal, and $10 for State IDs.

If you're involved in a Michigan car, truck, motorcycle, bus, bicycle or pedestrian accident, call the Best Personal Injury Attorneys at The Thurswell Law Firm. Call us toll-free 1.866.354.5544.

---

Michigan Woman Killed in Chicago, IL Car Crash
Apr 04, 2011
A Michigan woman was killed early on Sunday, March 27, 2011, in a single-vehicle wreck in Chicago's West Town neighborhood. The accident occurred at around 1:40 a.m.

Abigail Watson, 26, from Niles, MI, was driving her 2006 Audi west on West Grand Avenue when she veered into oncoming traffic and struck a light pole on Artesian Avenue.

Watson was later pronounced dead by the Cook County medical examiner's office. Watson had been living in Chicago for the several years leading up to the accident, but she hails from Michigan.

Police say that speed played a crucial role in Watson losing control of her car. However, they also say that it is too soon to determine whether or not alcohol or drugs were involved.

An investigation into the crash is still ongoing. Our sympathies go out to all of those who have been affected by this tragic accident.

---

Michigan Man Struck, Injured on I-96
Mar 31, 2011

A 51-year-old man was struck and injured on Interstate 96 in Michigan, just west of Inkster in Livonia, at around 8:40 a.m. on the morning of March 23, 2011.

The man, who had parked his 2001 Chevy Silverado pickup on the right shoulder of the freeway, popped open his truck's hood and stepped into the right lane of the highway.

Seeing the man, a tractor-trailer truck driver swerved around him and parked on the shoulder. He then saw the man walk out into the lane again, and an armored truck that also was trying to avoid him struck the man.

Several witnesses said they saw the man walk in front of the truck, which spun and screeched to a halt after striking him. The man was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.

Police, who are running an ongoing investigation into the accident, are not sure if the man's truck had mechanical problems or if he was trying to commit suicide. Parts of the I-96 freeway were closed after the crash.

---

One Dead, Two Injured in Fiery Michigan Car Wreck
Mar 31, 2011
A three-vehicle car wreck in Berkley, MI claimed the life of one, leaving two others injured. The crash occurred late Sunday near 12 Mile and Greenfield roads.

The accident happened when one car traveling westbound on 12 Mile Road veered into another car traveling westbound, pushing it across Greenfield road and into an eastbound vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle pushed by the first was killed after their car erupted in flames. The other two drivers were taken to William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, with injuries.

"I was driving by and, a couple blocks before this, I heard a... sound like a bang," a witness to the accident said. "As I got closer to the intersection, I saw a huge ball of fire."

The name of the driver killed in the accident is being verified through dental records. The names of the other two drivers are not being released yet by police, who are investigating the accident.

The intersection was closed for the night after the crash so police could investigate. They believe speed could have been a factor in the initial collision. Our sympathies go out to all of those who have been affected by the accident.

---

15-Year-Old Injured in Michigan Bike-Truck Accident
Mar 27, 2011
A Michigan boy was injured when he was struck by a pickup truck while riding his bicycle.

Devin Allbright, 15, of Howell, was riding his bike westbound in an eastbound lane of Grand River Avenue near Tahoe Boulevard at around 11 p.m. on Friday, March 18, 2011, when the accident happened.

Allbright was struck by 41-year-old Vincent Jones, of Howell. Friends say that Allbright may have been trying to recover an item that he had dropped when the two collided.

Allbright was taken to the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries. Grand River Avenue was closed for nearly four hours as a result of the crash.

Our thoughts are with all of those affected by this accident. Police say that they do not believe alcohol or excessive speeds were responsible for the crash.

---

I-94 Accident Kills One, Closes Interstate
Mar 26, 2011
A single-vehicle accident claimed the life of one Michigan driver on March 10, 2011. The wreck happened on I-94 in St. Clair Shores.

An unidentified driver was heading westbound on I-94 in St. Clair Shores around 1 a.m., just north of East Eight Mile Road, when the individual missed a sharp curve and veered off the road.

The driver's car struck a tree next to the Interstate at high speeds. The vehicle split into two parts, and it burst into flames afterwards. The driver was killed instantly in the accident.

Police have not yet determined the cause of the violent wreck. Fog in the area may have played a role, but they have not determined if the driver was also drinking or distracted at the time.

The Interstate was closed over night as a result of the crash. Our sympathies go out to all of those affected by the accident.

---

Michigan Man Dead After Late-Night Crash
Mar 25, 2011
A Green Oak Township man was killed in a car accident last week when he lost control of his vehicle driving late at night. Two others were injured in the crash.

23-year-old Bryan McClure was driving his 2002 Pontiac Sunfire southbound on Superior Drive in Green Oak Township around 2:30 am when he lost control of the vehicle.

McClure's Sunfire skidded out of control and smashed into a telephone pole. A witness said that the car was traveling at a high speed.

McClure was killed in the wreck. His two passengers, a 20-year-old Green Oak Township man and an 18-year-old New Hudson man, were injured in the crash.

The New Hudson man was taken to the University of Michigan Ann Arbor hospital in serious condition. The Green Oak man was admitted to an area hospital and his condition is unknown at the time of this writing.

Our sympathies go out to all of those who have been affected by this frightening accident.

---

Expectant Mother Loses Child in Michigan Rear-End Crash
Feb 28, 2011
A rear-end collision injured five yesterday, resulting in the death of an unborn child. The accident occurred around 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, February 23, 2011.

A 2004 GMC Yukon driven by 17-year-old Meghan Makranyi, of Lewiston, MI, crashed into the back of a 1998 Chevy Venture minivan being driven by 60-year-old Sarita Oaks, of Fairview, MI.

Oaks was driving six other people to medical appointments in Gaylord. Five people were injured, including a 4-month-old baby and two pregnant women. All injured parties were taken to Ostego Memorial Hospital.

Both pregnant women underwent emergency C-sections. One of the mothers lost her child during the procedure, while the other child, who survived the procedure, was taken to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City for treatment.

Police are still investigating the crash, even though no citations have yet been issued. Police say that only the driver and front-seat passenger of the minivan were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, which contributed to the severity of the other occupants' injuries.

---

Michigan Woman Dies in Tractor-Trailer Wreck, Three Others Injured
Feb 27, 2011
A Michigan woman was killed in a tractor-trailer wreck in southern Michigan on Sunday, February 20, 2011, at around 5:45 p.m.

Jacob Wayne Jones, 28, of Hudson, FL, was driving eastbound on Armstrong Road in Lapeer County in snowy conditions, when he missed a stop sign and was hit broadside in an intersection by a tractor-trailer truck.

A passenger in Jones's car, 27-year-old Rachel Maria Diaz of Memphis, MI, was killed in the crash. Diaz's 5-year-old son and 9-year-old nephew were also in the car. They were taken to a nearby hospital with Jones for non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the tractor-trailer truck, 57-year-old David Rasmussen of Elkton, was not injured. Our sympathies go out to all of those involved in this fatal wreck, and we urge all of our readers to drive cautiously in bad winter conditions.

---

Paramedic Seriously Injured by Hit-and-Run Driver
Feb 24, 2011
An emergency medical technician (EMT) was struck and nearly killed by a hit-and-run driver last week while working on an accident scene in Detroit.

Paramedic Mike Kotulak, 58, was checking people involved in an accident for injuries on the Lodge Freeway near Outer Drive, when a gray van crashed through the accident scene.

The van, which was not identified, hit one of the vehicles involved in the original wreck, pushing Kotulak into the freeway. His partner, Rob Kirkland, was able to pull Kotulak out of harm's way, but not before he was hit by at least one car.

Kotulak was transported to the Henry Ford Hospital, suffering numerous broken bones in his face and legs, six fractured ribs, and two fractured vertebrae. Luckily, however, he survived what could have been a fatal wreck.

The Detroit Police Department is still searching for the driver of the gray van. Anyone with information should call the Detroit Police or Crime Stoppers at (800) SPEAK UP.

---

Drunk Driver Caused Michigan Wreck
Feb 22, 2011
The driver that caused an accident in Burton, MI this week was intoxicated at the time, according to officials. The wreck sent four people to the hospital.

The 25-year-old driver of a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, whose name has not yet been released, was driving in the middle lane of north Saginaw after 9:30 p.m. on Friday, February 11, 2011, when he swerved and crashed into a gas station sign on the other side of the road.

Two passengers were trapped in the back of the car for 20 minutes before being freed, and four in total were taken to the Hurley Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Police say that the driver will be taken to jail after completing medical treatment. "I don't know what he was thinking, if he decided he needed gas or what," said Burton Police Officer Tony Greenway. "Actually he wasn't thinking because he was drunk."

---

Michigan City Settles Sidewalk Slip-and-Fall Claim
Feb 23, 2011
The city of Royal Oak, MI has settled a slip-and-fall case with a woman who broke her foot after tripping on a residential sidewalk while carrying her infant granddaughter.

Margaret Malinasky, 79, of Royal Oak, claims that she tripped on a raised portion of sidewalk in July 2007 while carrying her granddaughter. She broke two toes in the accident, and displaced four others.

Malinasky claimed that Royal Oak was negligent in maintaining the sidewalk, which posed an obvious danger. The city initially claimed governmental immunity.

Malinasky was originally awarded $83,000 by a case evaluation panel, but took the settlement of over $49,000 on appeal.