Accidents happen. In most instances, people do not know what they would do in case of an accident. This is one of the primary reasons why fleeing from the scene of the accident should not be your first response in case of an accident.
Michigan is a no-fault State. The fault does not need to be proved by the individual for the insurance policy to consider paying out. Hence, there is no reason for one to run.
So, what happens if you run away from the scene of an accident in the State of Michigan? Some laws and rules would apply.
Laws that Apply
Different laws apply in case you left the scene of an accident in Michigan is the following:
- Section 257.618 of the Michigan Vehicle Code provides that hit-and-run accidents involving property or vehicle damage can result in a misdemeanor charge. This is considered a criminal offense in Michigan giving rise to possible criminal penalties. The penalties include up to 90 days in jail, up to $100 in fines, and potential driver’s license suspension.
- Section 257.617a of the Michigan Vehicle Code also provides that leaving the scene of an accident that caused injury to another person is also a criminal offense. This could result in a misdemeanor charge, with possible criminal penalties including up to one year in prison, up to $1,000 in fines, and potential driver’s license suspension.
- Section 257.617 of the Michigan Vehicle Code also provides that hit-and-run accidents involving severe bodily injury or death will result in felony criminal charges. The criminal penalties of this act include a penalty of up to 5 years in prison and potential fines of as much as $5,000, or 15 years in prison, and up to $10,000 in fines if you were at fault in the accident.
What Should You Do In Case Of An Accident?
In case of an accident, there are some things that you need to do. The number one is documentation. Let us reiterate the tips that we give our clients.
- Keep a record of all of your doctor’s visits in all of the expenses that you have had to treat your injury. This would include your receipts for your medications, the orders for laboratory services coming from your doctor, the treatments that you need to get, and all other medical documents that come after the crash.
- Make sure that you have a file of all of the services that you had to get and the amount that you were charged. Even if you had already come from the no-fault insurance company and your insurance or HMO provider for your hospital visit you still need to keep a good record of all of the services that you had to get due to the crash in Michigan.
- Some individuals also keep a diary of the daily life that they have to deal with after sustaining the injury, the pain that day experienced, and all of the emotional turmoil that was caused by the injury of the crash. We often recommend that our clients either take a photo of their injuries and keep a record of it for taking videos every day of how it affected their daily life.
One very important thing that our clients should know is that they always need to attend all of the medical appointments that have been set by the doctors. Insurance adjusters would take missed medical appointments against the person because if you need the medical appointments and you are asking for compensation from the at-fault driver then you wouldn’t miss it in the first place.
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The consultation is free for the first time because we understand that you need to at least have that guidance coming from a reputable law firm and lawyer to assess your case. If you have a personal injury case and you need a lawyer to handle it you can always contact our law firm and we can talk about your situation and the best way that we can handle it, especially in terms of the expenses.
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Disclaimer
The article that you have read is based on general applications of the law. It is not legal advice and it is not to be construed as any legal consultation with the firm. No client-attorney relationship is created when you read the articles we have provided.
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