Four rescued from burning car on Southfield Freeway

Motorists pulled four people from a burning car after a crash on Halloween night.

The rescue happened on Southfield Freeway near Joy Road in Detroit on Oct. 31. One of the motorists said he was heading home with his family after helping organize a trunk-or-treat event in Highland Park.

He said others were helping a woman from the front seat when he stopped. He helped remove a passenger, then returned for another as the flames grew and the car began making popping sounds.

“I don’t want to just leave him,” the motorist said. He pulled the passenger away from the fire, then joined his fiancée and others in helping the injured. Two people told him they couldn’t move their legs, he said.

A Detroit Fire Rescue spokesperson said the first emergency medical services unit arrived 4 minutes and 21 seconds after the initial 911 call. Engine 55 arrived shortly afterward. The injured occupants were taken to Sinai-Grace Hospital.

Can passengers bring an injury claim against their own driver?

Yes, if their driver caused the crash, being a passenger doesn’t prevent someone from pursuing the driver of the car they were riding in.

For pain and suffering, Michigan’s injury threshold requires death, permanent serious disfigurement or serious impairment of body function. A serious impairment must be observable through actual symptoms or conditions, involve a body function important to the injured person and affect that person’s general ability to lead their normal life.

A separate no-fault claim can help pay for covered medical care and lost wages without proving another driver was at fault. Eligibility, available coverage and policy limits still matter. Michigan Legal Center’s explanation of passenger injury claims after a Michigan car accident discusses how these benefits differ from a claim against an at-fault driver.

Get help from Michigan Legal Center

Michigan Legal Center: the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates helps injured passengers with car accident claims and no-fault benefit disputes.

If you were injured in a Michigan car accident, Contact Michigan Legal Center to ask about your options.

There is no attorney fee unless money is recovered for you. Case costs and fee terms are governed by the written fee agreement.