How the book portrays personal injury lawyers and why the problem of attorney solicitation of accident victims is getting worse

I just finished reading the latest John Grisham book, “The Litigators.”  Spoiler alert: if you intend to read this book, you may not want to continue reading this blog. Let’s just say that Grisham is very tough on personal injury lawyers.

Court rules that chiropractor was properly licensed to perform treatments rendered to Michigan auto accident victims

I like chiropractors. They fix people. The large studies show they are effective at “mechanical” traumatic injuries that occur after car accidents.

Insurance companies do not like chiropractors.  They come up with lots of ways to try to avoid paying chiropractors who treat Michigan auto accident victims.  Our own insurance lawyers are all too familiar with how certain Michigan auto insurance companies will seemingly stop at nothing to avoid having to pay chiropractors. A recent important case shows the depths to which No-Fault insurers will stoop to save a buck.

Our Michigan accident attorneys have a Detroit “First-Tier” ranking for excellence in plaintiffs auto accident and personal injury litigation

I’m excited to announce that Michigan Auto Law has again been named among the Best Law Firms in America and received a Detroit First-Tier ranking.

This is the second annual publication, and the analysis was done by U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers in America. The law firms and rankings can be found online at BestLawFirms.USNews.com Here’s Michigan Auto Law’s Best Law Firms summary.

The rankings will be featured in U.S.News & World Report’s Money issue and in the “Best Law Firms” standalone publication.

Law prohibits retaliation/discrimination against truckers who blow the whistle on trucking companies that are breaking safety laws

As a truck accident lawyer, I am frequently asked for help from good truck drivers.  Many of these truckers are pushed or pressured by their companies or the safety directors to break mandatory safety laws.

Sometimes this causes egregious violations of the FMCSRs, such as pushing these drivers to drive way past the hours of service requirements, or pressuring these drivers to skip pre-trip inspections so they can complete deliveries faster.

Video tip 8 for truck accident attorneys

Here’s the eighth of my series of 13 videos for truck accident lawyers. It’s from a past American Association for Justice truck accident lawyer seminar. This tip explains how a truck accident attorney can prove during the deposition that a trucker performed a negligent pre-trip inspection.

The takeaway: According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Rule 392.9 (one of the most violated truck regulations) a trucker must inspect all of the truck items and  cargo, unless it is a sealed load.  When a truck accident attorney goes through the truck driver log books, often that truck lawyer will find that the pre-trip inspection is either not being done, or it is being done incorrectly.

Michigan workers compensation lawyers says HB 5002 will cost innocent and injured workers thousands

Even though I’m a lawyer who helps people injured in auto accidents, many of my cases involve workers compensation. These people are  injured in the course and scope of their employment and are driving a car “on the job.”  Therefore, even though I would define myself (and the other 17 lawyers in my office) as Michigan auto accident lawyers, a very high number of my cases have a workers compensation component that require a workers compensation lawyer as well.

Former No-Fault insurance attorney writes of major mistake in the language of House Bill 4936 & Senate Bill 649 (formerly 293-294)

Today’s guest blog is written by Sanford Lakin. Sandy is retired now, but was considered one of Detroit’s preeminent plaintiff and defense attorneys.  Sandy is looking at House Bill 4936 and Senate Bill 649 as an experienced Michigan insurance attorney, and writes of a very dangerous trap for the public and for seriously injured auto accident victims in this state.

Michigan truck accident lawyer discusses Southfield, Michigan crash that killed five, caused by immigrant  driving truck the wrong way

There was a recent, very tragic auto accident death that serves as a vivid example of the importance of the FMCSR mandating that truck drivers to be able to read and speak English very well.

A 23-year-old man drove the wrong way on Northwestern Highway in Southfield with a blood-alcohol level more than three times Michigan’s legal limit. He collided with another vehicle, killing himself and four other men in the fiery crash.

Michigan Lawyers Weekly article on traumatic brain injury diagnosis with diffusion tensor imaging

Last week, I was on the front page of Michigan Lawyers Weekly in a very important story about traumatic brain injury diagnosis and imaging technology called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

The story was called Brain scan key for closed-head injury.

The topic, helping lawyers and juries understand the enormous challenges posed by many people who suffer brain injury, is critical. I’m glad the story was given this attention.

Video tip 7 for handling truck accident lawsuits

This is the seventh tip of my series of 13 videos for truck accident lawyers from an American Association for Justice truck accident attorneys conference. In this video, I was talking about different ways to show when a trucker was dangerously fatigued or ill when a serious truck accident occurred. This could be through deposition, or by inspecting the truck cab.

The takeaway from this tip is that there are certain questions truck accident lawyers can ask the truck driver during a deposition that will prove he was unfit when the truck accident occurred - that the driver was sick or overly tired when driving.