Detroit has about 2,000 intersections alone, with thousands more in surrounding communities in Wayne County, Oakland County and Macomb County. Some are known to be more dangerous than others, but serious and even fatal car accidents can occur at any intersection. Precisely why drivers and motorcyclists on the road need to pay attention when approach an intersection. Drivers who violate the law must be held accountable when break the law.
Intersections are busy places that can be confusing, but your legal rights after an intersection wreck can be more complex. The insurance company will take advantage of any confusion to try to reduce or deny your claim. We fight back. The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, Attorneys at Law know how to sift through the facts and build a compelling case that the insurance companies will want to pay. Schedule your free consultation with a Michigan intersection accident lawyer today.
We know there are many ways something can go wrong at an intersection, but two of the most common ways a crash at an intersection occurs are disobeying traffic signal and failing to yield the right of way. People who run red lights, in a hurry accelerate to drive through yellow lights, or misidentify the color of traffic signals. This kind of unlawful behavior is a dangerous risk to all drivers using the intersection road. Similarly, failing to yield the right of way, especially when making a left turn in front of traffic or turning right on red, can cause devastating crashes.
Distracted driving is a growing serious problem these days at intersections because vehicles are usually at cruising speed, so the dynamics can change rapidly and even a momentary breakaway in attention can be disastrous. Too many motorists think it’s fine to take out their phones for a few moments while stopped at a red light as long as they put them away when the light turns green, but that is a recipe for disaster. Using the phone can causes cognitive distraction, which means the driver’s mind is still distracted even if their hands are on the wheel and their eyes are on the road. A drivers mental distraction can last for a minute or two, well after the car starts moving again.
Alcohol and drug use can also cause or contribute to intersection crashes. We are familiar with many substances that can influence or impair a drivers judgment, and this can be a problem when the driver has to make split-second decision or recognize that another driver has the right of way. Fatigue and falling asleep at the wheel can be incredibly dangerous at intersections for the same reason as drunk driving. Lastly, some drivers cause wrecks through utter stupid disregard, reckless, and aggressive driving behavior, especially if the driver fails to yield to an oncoming motorcycle or bicycle or turn right on red and hit a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
The primary problem with intersection accidents is that it’s often unclear who was at fault. It could your word against the other driver. Or witnesses may disagree on what color the light was or who had the right of way. Insurance company adjuster will take advantage of any inconsistency or confusion to cast doubt in the injured person’s mind. The adjuster may even try to convince you that the crash was all your fault. Many times, credibility will decide who is more believable.
The other problem is that the injuries sustained are often severe, especially when someone is T-boned (as the side of a car provides much less protection than the front or back) or the crash involves a biker, bicyclist, or pedestrian. Naturally, the more serious the injuries, the more costly the potential claim, which means the insurance company has an added financial incentive to reduce or deny the claim. To them, it’s not personal, just business as usual, but this won’t give you much comfort as an injured person who needs to rebuild their life.
We know how to overcome these challenges through thorough investigation. In cases like this, the case is like a puzzle. Our attorneys interview witnesses and cross-examine them to see if their stories make sense to get to the bottom of what really happened and why. We know experts, such as accident reconstructionist, who can help us tell that story. Ultimately, we need to build a case that will make the insurance company pay. We know Michigan law, we know the courts in Wayne County, Macomb County and Oakland County. We put our decades of knowledge to work for you to pursue full and fair compensation.
Getting compensation for an intersection accident takes time. You need to get medical treatment and find out the full nature extent of your injuries, and we need to prove a case for the full financial compensation you deserve. Depending on how difficult the insurance company decides to be, this may take a several months or drag on even longer. We can’t promise a quick resolution, but we can promise to work expeditiously in your best interest and keep you informed every step of the way.
We represent intersection accident victims on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay us nothing up front and nothing out of pocket. Our firm pays the expenses to process your case. If your case is resolved in your favor, our fee is a percentage of the money we recover for you. If we don’t win, we don’t get paid anything. No matter what your situation, you can afford a lawyer with nearly 30 years of experience. You can’t afford is to go it alone.
Get the legal representation you need to fight for the financial compensation you deserve. Contact us today at 248-352-2110 or toll free at 866-HIRE-JOE to discuss your legal options with an experienced intersection accident attorney.
Let us be your attorney and advocate. We promise there’s no cost and no obligation, we will do all of the work and provide you answers about your legal rights.