Motorcyclist dies after hitting power line in Ionia County
A motorcyclist died after hitting a power line hanging across a road and being thrown from his motorcycle.
Deputies with the Ionia County Sheriff's Office responded at 11:57 a.m. Sept. 29 to West David Highway and Runner Court in Berlin Township.
Investigators found that a landscaping company had been trimming trees in the area. A tree fell onto power lines, leaving them draped across the road. The rider was heading east when he hit one of the lines.
He was taken to Corewell Health in Grand Rapids and later died from his injuries.
The crash remains under investigation.
Michigan contractor liability for tree work near roads
A contractor doing tree work near a road must use reasonable care to avoid harm to motorists. To recover damages, an injured person must prove that the contractor owed a legal duty, failed to meet it and caused the person's injuries and losses.
In Loweke v. Ann Arbor Ceiling & Partition Co., the Michigan Supreme Court decided a work contract does not eliminate separate duties of care owed to people outside the contract. A road user therefore does not need to have hired the contractor to pursue a claim based on an independent duty.
Tree-cutting records, photos of the work area and the timing of warnings can help show how a hazard developed and whether reasonable precautions were taken. Michigan Legal Center's explanation of motorcycle crashes caused by road hazards discusses claims involving contractors or businesses that create dangerous road conditions.
Get help from Michigan Legal Center
Michigan Legal Center: the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates handles motorcycle accident and wrongful death claims.
If a loved one died after a motorcycle crash involving a roadway hazard, contact Michigan Legal Center to ask whether Michigan Legal Center can help with the matter.
There is no attorney fee unless money is recovered for you. Case costs and fee terms are governed by the written fee agreement.
Michigan Legal Center's explanation of Michigan wrongful death deadlines covers filing time limits and estate appointment issues.