86-year-old Lowell man hospitalized after US-131 crash
An 86-year-old Lowell man was hospitalized Thursday after his pickup truck hit the back of a disabled semi-truck on US-131 in Grand Rapids.
Michigan State Police said the crash happened about 5:45 a.m. July 30 on southbound US-131, just south of the Martin Luther King Jr. Street entrance ramp.
The preliminary investigation found that the semi-truck had become disabled and was partially blocking the right lane when the pickup hit it from behind.
Emergency responders took the pickup driver to a local hospital. The 35-year-old Montague man driving the semi-truck was not injured, police said.
The crash caused significant morning traffic delays while the middle and right lanes were closed. The Michigan Department of Transportation reported that the Martin Luther King Jr. Street entrance ramp to southbound US-131 reopened at 8:05 a.m.
MSP said troopers were continuing the investigation when it issued its update.
Michigan no-fault benefits and injury claims after a rear-end crash
Michigan’s no-fault system separates personal protection insurance benefits from a fault-based injury claim. Under MCL 500.3105, personal protection insurance benefits may be payable for accidental bodily injury arising from the use of a motor vehicle without regard to fault.
MCL 500.3107 allows benefits for reasonable charges for reasonably necessary care, recovery or rehabilitation, subject to statutory exceptions, applicable policy limits and coverage rules. Michigan Legal Center’s guide to who pays medical bills after a Michigan car accident explains that the responsible insurer can depend on the injured person’s policy, household coverage and other facts.
A separate claim for pain and suffering depends on fault and the injury threshold in MCL 500.3135. The statute limits noneconomic damages to cases involving death, serious impairment of body function or permanent serious disfigurement. Whether any claim is available depends on the facts, insurance coverage and evidence. A crash report alone does not establish liability.
Get help from Michigan Legal Center
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If you were injured in a Michigan motor vehicle crash, Contact Michigan Legal Center to ask whether your matter falls within Michigan Legal Center’s practice areas.
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Learn more about Michigan car accident claims and Michigan truck accident claims.