Personal Injury Lawyers in Grand Rapids

Representing the Victims of Negligence

Accidents happen, and injuries can happen anywhere. Sometimes you hurt yourself because you trip over something you left on the floor, or are hurt because you don’t properly lift a heavy box. Unfortunately, injuries are sometimes caused by someone else’s negligence rather than your own forgetfulness, clumsiness, or misfortune. In these cases, you may be eligible to pursue compensation through a personal injury claim.

The Grand Rapids personal injury attorneys of Goodman Acker P.C. practice litigation in all areas of personal injury law. With over 150 years of experience and an award-winning legal team, our firm can help you understand your rights, represent your interests, and recover the compensation you deserve.

Call (248) 793-2010 or send us a message to get in touch with our legal team for a no-cost case evaluation.

What Qualifies as a Personal Injury Claim?

“Personal injury” is a legal term that can be defined as a case which involves harm to the body and/or emotional wellness of a person. In a personal injury claim, there is generally at least one plaintiff who pursues a case for recovering damages from at least one defendant. Personal injury cases are usually focused on the question of negligence. Through litigation, interested parties work to discover who is responsible for the injuries, calculate the extent of the damages, and compensate the victim for those damages.

Types of Personal Injury Cases

The definition of “personal injury” constitutes a wide variety of different situations. The main qualifications for personal injury are an injury and a negligent party — because the definition of personal injury is rather broad, there are a lot of circumstances that can be considered as eligible for a claim.

A person may be able to pursue a personal injury claim to recover damages following incidents such as:

• Car accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Bus accidents
• Truck accidents
• Birth injuries
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Dog bites
• Premises liability
• Product liability
• Spinal cord injury
• Wrongful death
• Medical malpractice
• Nursing home abuse
• Slip & fall accidents
• Traumatic brain injury

What are Damages?

“Damages” in a personal injury case include the financial expenses and non-economic harm that results from an injury. The majority of damages that result from a personal injury incident are medical expenses. Of course, there are other costs that can result from an injury that are not medical. Additionally, personal injury cases often take non-financial costs into account, such as pain and suffering and emotional distress. In some cases, an injury victim may be able to recover punitive damages which are meant to serve as a consequence of a defendant’s negligence. However, punitive damages are rare in personal injury claims.

When an injury is expected to last for an extended period of time, or contribute to long-term expenses, litigation attempts to project the total costs of the incident.

A person who is injured because of another person’s negligence, and files a personal injury claim, may be able to recover damages such as:

• Medical bills (including surgery, medication, rehabilitation, therapy, etc.)
• Property damages
• Transportation costs
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering

Who is Liable for Damages?

The people who are responsible for causing a personal injury incident can vary greatly. In vehicle accident cases, one of the drivers is usually at fault. It is possible — even in collision claims — that a manufacturer, municipality or government entity, or medical professional may be liable for damages. These examples are only some of the most common — as types of personal injury cases differ widely, there are a number of people who may be liable in a case.

Personal Injury Claims in Michigan

The terms of personal injury cases can vary across the country, as states and localities have different laws concerning negligence and claims. The MI personal injury statute of limitations is three years. Therefore, injury victims have three years from the date of an incident to file a personal injury claim.

Contact Us for a Free Consultation

At Goodman Acker P.C., our legal team is committed to helping people who have been harmed recover the compensation they deserve. We understand the specifics of different types of personal injury cases, and can apply our knowledge to your case. If you were injured because of another person’s negligence, contact us to learn about your rights.

Complete our contact form or call (248) 793-2010 to schedule a free consultation with our personal injury attorneys in Grand Rapids, MI.