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You should reach out to a Muskegon personal injury lawyer if you have been injured due to another person’s negligent actions.  The Buckfire Law Firm specializes in cases involving all types of personal injuries, ranging from car accidents to medical malpractice.

A skilled attorney will  answer your questions and help you navigate the legal process as you pursue compensation.

Do I Need to Hire a Muskegon Personal Injury Attorney?

After suffering an injury, many people wonder whether they have a valid claim, and if they should call a personal injury lawyer.

If  your injuries are the result of another person’s careless actions, you should reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. Working with a knowledgeable and experienced Muskegon accident lawyer can be crucial to understanding your legal options — and to securing compensation for your losses.

Call Buckfire Law For Immediate Help

By reaching out to Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C., you are enlisting a personal injury law firm that has over 50 years of experience providing dedicated service to injured victims in Muskegon.

Since 1969, our firm has worked tirelessly to give the best legal assistance to each and every one of our clients. As a result, we have been granted numerous awards, including:

  • Top Michigan Personal Injury Lawyer
  • Best Attorneys in America
  • The Best Lawyers in America
  • The National Top 100 Trial Lawyers
  • S. News Best Law Firms
  • Multi-Million Dollars Advocates Forum

We take personal injury cases in Muskegon and throughout the State of Michigan.

Muskegon Personal Injury Claims We Take

At Buckfire Law, we handle a variety of Muskegon personal injury claims. These include, but are not limited to:

Choose a Top Muskegon Car Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle crash, you should reach out to a Muskegon car accident lawyer for help. Our car accident attorneys have experience handling a variety of auto accident claims, including:

Commuter cars are far from the only vehicles that get into car accidents on major roads, such as:

  • I-96
  • US 31
  • Bus US 31
  • M-46
  • M-120

Muskegon Personal Injury Lawyer - Car Accident Attorney

According to information collected by the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit, the most dangerous intersections in Muskegon are:

Muskegon Intersections Crashes Injuries
1. US 31 at Sherman Blvd 37 5
2. Apple Ave at US 31 32 3
3. Apple Ave at Getty St 27 12
4. US 31 at Marquette Ave 22 5
5. Henry St at Sherman Blvd 21 2
6. Seaway Dr at Sherman Blvd 18 5
7. Robert St at Sherman Blvd 17 14
8. Sherman Blvd at Sundolphin Rd 17 5
9. Getty St at Laketon Ave 17 4
10. Laketon Ave at US 31 17 4

Who is at Fault After a Car Accident in Muskegon?

Who is negligent for a Muskegon auto accident will depend on the circumstances of the case. For example, a drunk driver would likely be held liable for a crash.

However, if a commercial bus or truck driver had a history of DUIs and caused a crash while intoxicated, their employer can be held liable for negligent hiring practices.

Additionally, a company may be directly liable for an accident in some cases. If a tractor-trailer driver is fatigued because their employer forced them to violate federal driving time regulations, that employer may liable for a crash.

Comparative negligence is often a factor in accidents involving bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. Every individual has a duty to follow roadway rules and regulations. If they fail to do so, they could be deemed partially at fault.

Because each case is unique, hiring a skilled Muskegon car accident lawyer is crucial to determine who is at fault.

Should I Call for a Muskegon Dog Bite?

If a domesticated dog bites and injures someone else in Muskegon, the owner can be held strictly liable for damages. This is true even if their dog was not previously deemed dangerous under city ordinances.

If you or a loved one was injured after being bitten by a dog, it is critical to seek legal help. A dog bite lawyer in Muskegon can collect evidence on your behalf and work to pursue a claim for compensation.

Year Total Dog Bites & Attacks
2014 15
2015 15
2016 12
2017 14
2018 9
2019 14

Local Dog Owner Ordinances

The city code for Muskegon prohibits dog owners from letting any dog roam free off of a leash except when contained within their own property. However, additional rules apply to dogs designated as “dangerous animals.”

Muskegon Code of Ordinances §6-1 defines any dog with a violent temperament or propensity to bite other people or animals without being provoked—as well as any pit bull—as a “dangerous animal.” According to Muskegon CoO §6-15, owners of dangerous animals must adhere to all the following regulations:

  • Keep the dog on a leash and under their direct control at all times while outside its kennel
  • Keep the dog muzzled at all times while on a leash
  • Confine the dog in a secured and locked kennel or domicile at all times while not on a leash
  • Post signage outside their premises warning of their dangerous animal’s tendencies
  • Hold at least $50,000 worth of public liability insurance coverage
  • Own no more than one dangerous animal at a time

Filing a Lawsuit for Medical Malpractice

Under most circumstances, medical professionals at the Mercy and Hackley campuses of Mercy Health provide excellent care to every patient they see. Unfortunately, medical errors can and do occur in Muskegon hospitals and clinics, and they can sometimes have devastating consequences.

What Do I Need for a Medical Malpractice Case in Muskegon?

There are several requirements for lawsuits based on Muskegon medical malpractice that do not apply to other personal injury cases.

Prospective plaintiffs must provide a Notice of Intent to File to every defendant they want to hold liable. This must be filed at least 182 days before actually filing their case.

When filed, a medical malpractice case must also include an affidavit of merit, showing that the case is valid. This affidavit must be produced and signed by a medical professional in the same field and with roughly the same experience and certifications as the defendant(s), according to MCL §600.2169.

There are also a few restrictions that apply to medical malpractice cases. For example, the statute of limitations for malpractice cases establishes a limit of two years for a plaintiff or their Muskegon personal injury attorney to file suit, less than the three years provided for many other types of cases.

Furthermore, there are caps on non-economic damages in malpractice cases that change every year with inflation. As a result, reaching out to a medical malpractice lawyer in Muskegon can be critical to successfully filing a claim.

Assistance with a Muskegon Nursing Home Neglect Lawsuit

Various nursing homes and adult foster care facilities call Muskegon home, including:

  • Sanctuary at McAuley
  • Sanctuary at the Park
  • SKLD
  • Hume Home of Muskegon
  • The Cove at Lake Woods
  • Sanctuary at the Oaks

If a resident of any of these facilities experiences mistreatment of any kind, they—or a family member working on their behalf—may be able to file suit for damages against an individual staff member or the facility as a whole.

Michigan state law defines three forms of mistreatment a nursing home resident may experience. These are:

  • Abuse – harm caused to a resident’s health or welfare by another person
  • Neglect – failure by a staff member to provide for a resident’s basic needs, such as nutrition, shelter, personal hygiene, and medical care
  • Exploitation – deliberate and fraudulent mishandling of a resident’s finances, property, or personal information

Any of these may be grounds for a civil case in Muskegon.

Before filing a lawsuit with the help of a Muskegon nursing home abuse lawyer, however, it is important to ensure that an abused, neglected, or exploited resident is removed from their dangerous situation. Various hotlines are available for residents to report nursing home maltreatment:

  • Bureau of Health Services: 1-800-882-6006
  • Michigan Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc: 1-800-288-5923
  • Attorney General’s Office: 1-800-242-2873

Is There a Time Limit for a Muskegon Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Michigan state law allows those injured due to the negligence of another party to file a personal injury lawsuit and request compensation. However, state law also limits the amount of time an injured victim has to file a claim.

Under MCL §600.5805, most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within three years. However, this deadline differs for certain claims. For example, nursing home neglect and medical malpractice both have two-year deadlines.

Once this deadline passes, an injured victim may be barred from pursuing compensation. As a result, it can be crucial to contact an experienced Muskegon personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Consult a Dedicated Muskegon Personal Injury Attorney

Some people may hesitate to contact an attorney after suffering a personal injury or losing a loved one to negligence. However, the compensation you can recover in a personal injury lawsuit is a form of justice for your losses.

Contact a Muskegon personal injury lawyer today to see if your case qualifies for a settlement. Our award winning personal injury law firm will  handle your case on our contingent fee agreement. Simply put, this means that there are no legal fees unless you receive a settlement.

To learn more, call Buckfire Law today.

Information About Muskegon

Muskegon is located on the shore of Lake Michigan in the western part of the lower peninsula. It is located within Muskegon County, in the southwest corner of Muskegon Township. As of the 2010 census, the city’s population was 38,401. Muskegon is the largest city on the eastern shores of Lake Michigan.

Major employers of Muskegon residents include:

  • Mercy Health
  • Arconic Power & Propulsion
  • County of Muskegon
  • ADAC Automotive
  • Meijer Inc.
  • E. Aviation
  • Chassix
  • Wesco
  • Structural Concepts
  • Walmart

Muskegon Legal Resources

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Client Review
Title: Dog Bite
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 attacked by a dog, broke my wrist and was off work for almost 6 months but since the dog did not bite me I didn't think I had a case. My wife encouraged me to contact Buckfire law firm. They listened, really listened to me and took my case. We were able to get a very good settlement that helped me recoup all my loses. Best case scenario is don't get hurt but if you do I'd call Buckfire law.

Rating: ★★★★★ 5 / 5 stars