Michigan’s Most Common Causes of Personal Injury Lawsuits… and What to Do if You’re a Victim

As Michigan’s largest personal injury law firm, we’ve seen it all. People get hurt through no fault of their own in a wide variety of ways, ranging from motor vehicle accidents to medical malpractice incidents and dozens of other situations. In this article, we’ll touch upon some of the most common causes of personal injuries, and offer time-tested advice on how to effectively respond if you or someone you care about are hurt due to someone else’s negligence or bad actions Let’s start with the most typical reason behind all the injuries we encounter: motor vehicle incidents of various types.

1. Automobile Accidents – far and away the most frequent injury cases we see result from car crashes where one motorist is careless or irresponsible, causing others to suffer due to their bad driving. In 2023 (the last year for which we have complete statistics), there were nearly 288,000 crashes of various types across Michigan, so you can see why we count this as the number one cause of personal injuries statewide. 

2. Truck Accidents – those big rigs traveling Michigan’s highways are also behind a substantial share of motor vehicle accidents across the state; their sheer size and weight (at 80,000 pounds, a loaded semi is more than 20 times heavier than a typical passenger car!) make car vs. truck crashes some of the most deadly we encounter. 

3. Motorcycle Accidents – on the other end of the size spectrum from trucks are motorcycles, which are some of the smallest and most vulnerable vehicles on the road. Their light weight and lack of protection for riders make them accident magnets, and following the 2012 change in Michigan law permitting riders to drive without helmets, we’ve seen a rise in incidents involving tragic results such as traumatic brain injuries – even when the motorcyclist is entirely without fault for the crash.

4. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents – people innocently walking to and from work, couples taking an evening stroll, even little kids playing outside or walking to school, are always endangered due to the ever-present possibility of motor vehicle crashes. And, due to the relative size of people and cars, these accidents are quite often among the most traumatic. The same holds true for bicycle-related incidents, especially when motor vehicles are involved.

5. Wrongful Death – when someone is killed due to the negligence or malicious actions of another person, an irresponsible business, or some other careless organization, the consequences are tragic and can unfold over the course of many years for the innocent survivors, due to the possibility of lost income and loss of companionship among other impacts. While cases of this kind occur less frequently than motor vehicle crashes, they are certainly horrible and demand significant legal redress for those who have to live with what happened.

6. Work Accidents – employers have a duty to provide safe working conditions for their staff members, yet there are thousands of work-related injuries every year across the state. In 2023, for example, there were more than 78,000 work injuries and work-related illnesses reported in Michigan! While it’s true that Workers’ Compensation Insurance helps employees recover financially in such situations, sometimes injuries are so severe and employers are so negligent that it’s essential for us to step in and help victims be fairly compensated for their pain and suffering, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and other impacts of the injuries they’ve experienced.

7. Slip-and-Fall (a.k.a. Premises Liability) Incidents – when property owners or businesses fail to provide safe conditions for customers, visitors, or other people who are rightfully present on their premises, state law allows people who are injured to seek compensation for their injuries. Fortunately a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision offers a higher likelihood that victims who suffer from this type of negligence can be successful in court.

8. Medical Malpractice or Negligence – health care professionals have an enormous responsibility to provide appropriate care for their patients, and when they fail to do so, they should be held accountable. As we explained in a recent article, nurses, doctors, hospitals, and others who have a duty to care for patients but neglect that task can – and should – be held legally liable.

9. Product Liability Injuries – when a product is defective or poorly designed, and someone gets hurt as a result of those issues, the manufacturer bears a responsibility for the injuries that stem from their negligence. Some of the most egregious cases of this type involve defective medical devices, where products and equipment intended to help patients heal actually cause them to suffer worse injuries! In situations where large numbers of people are hurt in the same way, we can initiate a class action lawsuit; however, in circumstances where fewer people are affected, a personal injury lawsuit may be the best way to proceed.

10. Other Types of Injuries – while less frequent, there are a variety of other ways innocent Michiganders have been hurt over the past few months. Dog bites are one common cause of injuries, and Michigan is one of the top 10 states for this type of incident. Construction injuries fall into the work-related injury category, but have characteristics that often result in severe, debilitating harm to victims and require the testimony of coworkers and expert witnesses. Work-zone accidents on Michigan roads and highways also cause numerous injuries for workers doing their best to keep the rest of us safe by maintaining the roadways we all depend upon. Boat-related accidents are also not unusual in the Great Lakes State, where our inland lakes and larger waterways see their fair share of injuries.

What to Do in Any Situation Where You’re Hurt

The bottom line is that while these are some of the most common types of incidents we see in our legal practice, we’re never surprised when someone gets hurt through no fault of their own in some new or unusual way. If that happens to you, give us a call at 855-MIKE-WINS to describe the circumstances to a lawyer familiar with personal injury cases of all types. You’ll receive an impartial assessment of your case and an informed idea about the potential compensation you might be eligible to receive. And you won’t pay a penny thanks to our client-friendly contingency fee agreement, which means anything we earn by helping you get compensated comes only from court-approved settlements and never from your pocket! So please, don’t ever hesitate to get in touch. We’ll be happy to hear from you.