Three hospitalized after Ionia County head-on crash
Three people were hospitalized after a head-on crash early Sunday, including a driver who has life-threatening injuries.
The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded about 1:35 a.m. Nov. 1 to East Grand River Avenue near Doreen Drive in Portland Township.
A preliminary investigation indicated that a westbound 2007 GMC Sierra driven by a 20-year-old man collided with an eastbound 2002 Saturn Vue driven by a 28-year-old man.
The Saturn driver was flown by Aero Med to Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. The GMC driver suffered “serious injuries,” the sheriff’s office said, and was taken to University of Michigan Health-Sparrow in Lansing.
A 20-year-old woman riding in the GMC was taken to University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Ionia Hospital.
Emergency crews extricated people from both vehicles. East Grand River Avenue was closed for about two hours and reopened at 3:45 a.m.
Deputies suspect alcohol was a contributing factor. The crash remains under investigation.
How does suspected impaired driving affect a Michigan injury claim?
A criminal investigation doesn’t resolve an injured person’s civil claim, a distinction covered in Michigan Legal Center’s explanation of Michigan drunk driving crash claims. To recover compensation in a negligence case, the injured person must prove that the driver’s failure to use reasonable care caused the injuries. Suspected alcohol use alone doesn’t establish civil liability.
For pain and suffering claims, MCL 500.3135 requires death, permanent serious disfigurement or a serious impairment of body function. That injury threshold still applies when alcohol is involved. The law also reduces damages for a person’s share of fault and bars pain-and-suffering recovery when that person is more than 50% at fault.
Get help from Michigan Legal Center
Michigan Legal Center: the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates handles car accident and serious injury claims.
If you were injured in a crash involving suspected impaired driving, contact Michigan Legal Center to ask about your possible injury claim.
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 also provides information about Michigan car accident claims.