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Our Kalamazoo personal injury lawyers help victims of accidents, medical malpractice, and other types of negligence.

Since 1969, Buckfire Law has achieved extraordinary results in cases throughout the State of Michigan. We can do the same for you.

Get Help from a Kalamazoo Car Accident Lawyer

You need an experienced Kalamazoo car accident lawyer to help you after a serious crash.

We will submit all of the forms to the insurance adjuster so you can recover your lost wages and get your medical bills paid. Our attorneys will help you with everything from start to finish.

We will also aggressively pursue compensation for your physical pain and suffering and emotional distress. The no-fault insurance laws are complex and confusing and you should not go without legal counsel.

We regularly win among the highest auto accident settlements every year.

We can help you after any type of motor vehicle accident, including those involving:

Public buses and private charter buses are a major cause of crashes in the area.

The largest bus services in Kalamazoo are Kalamazoo Metro Transit (Kmetro) and The Rapid. Greyhound buses also service the city and provide transportation to college and university students in the area.

Kalamazoo personal injury lawyers - Buckfire Law

Serious accidents occur in Kalamazoo on both city streets and on major highways. The major highways include:

  • I-94
  • US 131
  • M-96
  • M-343
  • A-45

According to the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit, the following 10 intersections were the most dangerous in Kalamazoo in 2017 in terms of total number of crashes and injuries reported:

Kalamazoo-Area Intersections Crashes Injuries
1. Drake Road at W K L Ave. 48 5
2. Drake Road at Stadium Dr. 46 4
3. Drake Road at W. Main St. 43 8
4. Howard St. at Stadium Dr. 42 4
5. Kilgore Road at Portage St. 38 15
6. Park St. at W. Kalamazoo Ave. 32 10
7. Westnedge Ave. at W. Kilgore Road 32 3
8. Westnedge Ave. at W. Michigan Ave. 29 6
9. Park Street at W. Walnut St. 27 11
10. Gull Road at Nazareth Road 26 11

Other Kalamazoo Personal Injury Cases We Handle

In addition to motor vehicle accident cases, we also specialize in:

Serious injuries also result from train accidents. Amtrak has a Kalamazoo Station and railroad trains travel through the city on a daily basis carrying travelers and cargo.

These crashes result in serious injuries and deaths to passengers, motorists, and pedestrians.

How Do I Know if it’s Medical Malpractice in Kalamazoo?

Bronson Methodist Hospital and Ascension Borgess Hospital are the two major hospitals in Kalamazoo. Both hospitals have emergency departments and offer a wide range of medical services.  The hospitals employ many doctors and surgeons in all areas of specialties.

While the hospitals provide excellent care to the community, there are occasions where medical mistakes cause harm or death a to a patient.

When this happens, the patient and family should investigate a medical malpractice case. These cases demand compensation for medical negligence.

There are many types of medical negligence. These include birth injuries resulting in cerebral palsy, surgery mistakes that result in injuries, and medication errors.

Cases also include birth injuries that cause cerebral palsy, shoulder dystocia, or brain damage to an otherwise healthy baby.

If you were the victim of medical negligence, call us today. Our experienced medical malpractice lawyers will get your records and review them with top physicians.

If you have a case, we will file a lawsuit for you demanding a settlement for the harm caused by medical malpractice.

Can I Sue a Kalamazoo Nursing Home?

If your loved one suffered an injury in a skilled nursing home or assisted living facility, you can sue for recoverable damages.

The most common reasons for suing a nursing home include:

Kalamazoo is home to several skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, including:

  • Medilodge of Westwood
  • Park Village Pines
  • The Fountains at Bronson Place
  • Friendship Village
  • Medilodge of Kalamazoo

Who Can I Sue for a Dog Bite in Kalamazoo?

Michigan has both statutes and common laws relating to dogs. Under the law, the owner or keeper of the dog is strictly liable to the victim for the injuries resulting from the bite.

Also, dogs must be properly leashed and restrained on both public and private property to prevent attacks to both guests and the general public.

In the county of Kalamazoo, nearly 300 dog attacks and bites were reported and investigated from Jan. 1, 2019 through Nov. 1, 2019, according to data compiled by Kalamazoo County Animal Services. Of the 271 reported bite victims, 60 were between the ages of 2-18.

Kalamazoo County personal injury lawyer chart - Buckfire Law

Year Less than 2 2-5 6-9 10-18 19-29 30-49 50-69 70-plus Animals Total
2019 7 8 28 24 40 71 31 14 48 271
2018 13 11 13 26 43 75 35 8 88 312
2017 7 17 16 32 43 53 53 12 77 310
2016 10 20 17 36 60 60 55 8 85 351
2015 7 22 25 36 63 71 51 10 88 373
2014 14 22 22 44 40 73 67 20 99 401

Frequent victims of attacks are children, senior citizens, mail carriers, and employees of FedEx, UPS, and other delivery services.

Lawsuits demand money compensation payouts for dog attacks. The homeowner’s insurance company for the dog owner typically pays the settlement to the victim.

Our attorneys have won large settlements for dog bite victims and can do the same for you.

Kalamazoo County Animal Control Laws & Ordinances

Kalamazoo County has a dog bite ordinance to protect residents from vicious attacks.

According to the County of Kalamazoo’s Animal Control Enforcement Ordinance, an animal control officer “shall promptly investigate all animal bite cases involving human exposure and shall search out and attempt to discover the animal involved and shall either impound or quarantine it for examination for disease in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Ordinance, the County’s Rabies Control Ordinance and/or statutes of this state.”

Article V, Section 1. Any dog or other animal kept as a pet that shall bite a person, animal or livestock, or engage in contact (such as scratching with teeth that breaks the skin) with a person, animal or livestock that can result in the transmission of disease shall be securely confined by the owner thereof inside an appropriate building or enclosure for a minimum of ten (10) days following the biting of, or contact with, such person, animal or livestock. In the event that the owner of such animal shall fail to securely confine the animal for such period of time, the Animal Control Officer, of the Officer’s deputies or assistants, may take possession and custody of such animal, confine the animal at the Animal Shelter until the expiration of said ten (10) days period and upon satisfactory evidence that said animal is not suffering from rabies. Said animal shall be kept at the Animal Shelter at the expense of the owner thereof in the event that the person charged with the duty to securely confine said animal as aforesaid, has failed to do so. Any dog or other animal running loose after biting a person, animal or livestock, or which engaged in contact (such as scratching with teeth that breaks the skin) with a person, animal or livestock that could result in the transmission of disease, and whose owner can not be determined, shall be confined for a minimum period of ten (10) days at the Animal Shelter in accordance with the provisions of this section and thereafter disposed of in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, or such other regulations as are in effect at the Animal Shelter.

Article V, Section 2. Any other animal not kept as a pet, including wild animals but excepting poultry and livestock, which shall bite a human or animal, or engage in contact (Such as 7 scratching with teeth that breaks the skin) with a human or animal that can result in the transmission of disease, shall, if located, be confined for ten (10) days at the Animal Shelter or other suitable location. After the expiration of the ten (10) days and upon satisfactory evidence that said animal is not suffering from rabies, the animal shall be euthanized.

What is the Statute of Limitations for Kalamazoo Personal Injury Cases?

The statute of limitations to file a personal injury lawsuit in Michigan is based upon the case type.

Most general negligence and motor vehicle accident cases have a three-year deadline.

Medical negligence cases alleging medical malpractice or nursing home neglect have a two-year lawsuit time limit.

There are just a few exceptions to these rules.  Exceptions may apply to cases for wrongful death, lawsuits involving children, and cases based upon insurance contracts and no-fault laws.

It is important to call our attorneys immediately to determine if you have time left to file your case.  If you miss the deadline, your case will be lost forever.

Get the Best Kalamazoo Injury Lawyers

Put our Kalamazoo injury lawyers to work for you. We have a great track record of success and can achieve excellent results for you.

Contact us today so we can begin our investigation of your case.

We do not charge you any legal fees unless you win a settlement. We do not charge any money to get started, and we only get paid at the end of the case when you get the settlement check.

Information About the City of Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo is located in the southwest region of Michigan and serves as the county seat for Kalamazoo County.

The city is home to Western Michigan University, a large public university, as well as Kalamazoo College, a prestigious liberal arts school. Kalamazoo’s economy is anchored by the pharmaceutical and medical science industries. As of 2014, the city’s population was 75,922.

The following is a list of Kalamazoo’s leading employers:

  • Pfizer
  • Bronson Hospital
  • National City Bank
  • Western Michigan University
  • Borgess Health Alliance
  • Meijer, Inc.
  • Kalamazoo Public Schools
  • Portage Public Schools
  • Stryker Corporation
  • Kalamazoo Valley Community College

Kalamazoo Area Legal Resources

As a resource for our Kalamazoo personal injury clients, we are providing you with a list of important contacts for accidents and injuries in Kalamazoo. You can obtain reports and other information from these places.

If you choose us for your Kalamazoo personal injury attorneys to handle your case, we will get all of the information for you.

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Title: Wrongful Death
Free Consultation Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. – Michigan Personal Injury Lawyers 29000 Inkster Road Suite 150 Southfield MI 48034 (800) 606-1717

Client Description: I was pleasantly surprised with Buckfire & Buckfire P.C. Bob Lantzy represented me in a wrongful death lawsuit and, we ended up getting the maximum payout from the insurance company. Always prompt on returning phone calls, answering any questions I had, and getting me the largest settlement possible. I would recommend Bob at Buckfire & Buckfire P.C to anyone that has personal injury or wrongful death case. EXCELLENT JOB! My son and I thank you!

Rating: ★★★★★ 5 / 5 stars