A routine moped ride in a Michigan city turned tragic when our client encountered a treacherous, unrepaired section of roadway. The pavement, severely deteriorated from years of neglect and damaging freeze-thaw cycles, caused him to lose control and crash violently. The fall left him with debilitating injuries, including fractured ribs, a dangerous closed head injury, and widespread soft tissue damage to his neck, back, and shoulders.
Suing a government entity in Michigan presents significant legal challenges due to governmental immunity. However, our firm understood the nuances of the law and the exceptions that apply. Our investigation focused on proving the city was aware of the hazard but failed to act. By obtaining the city’s internal inspection and maintenance records, we uncovered definitive proof. The documents revealed the municipality had “constructive knowledge” of the road defect, meaning they knew—or should have known—about the long-standing, dangerous condition and failed in their duty to keep the road in reasonable repair.
Armed with this evidence, our attorneys aggressively litigated the case, arguing that the city’s inaction constituted a clear breach of its statutory duty. Faced with their own records confirming their negligence, the municipality agreed to a settlement. We secured $750,000 to compensate our client for the immense past, present, and future pain and suffering caused by their failure to maintain a safe road.