Two women killed in U.S. 31 crash in Mason County
Two Bear Lake women died and three other people suffered serious injuries in a three-vehicle crash Friday.
The Mason County Sheriff's Office said the crash happened at 4:46 p.m. Oct. 23 at U.S. 31 and Sugar Grove Road in Sherman Township.
Sheila Gruber, 69, was driving a minivan with Meghan Evans, 28, as her passenger. Both women died at the scene.
Deputies said preliminary findings showed Gruber was driving west on Sugar Grove Road when she failed to stop at a stop sign. Her minivan hit a northbound motorcycle before a southbound pickup hit the minivan's passenger side.
The motorcyclist, a 57-year-old woman from Goshen, Indiana, was thrown from the motorcycle and seriously injured. The pickup's driver, a 67-year-old Schoolcraft man, and his passenger, a 75-year-old Kalamazoo man, also suffered serious injuries. All three were taken to Corewell Hospital in Ludington.
The sheriff's office is continuing to investigate the crash.
Who can bring a wrongful death claim in Michigan?
Michigan law requires a wrongful death lawsuit to be brought by the deceased person's personal representative, the person authorized to act for the estate. Under Michigan's wrongful death statute, the claim requires wrongful conduct that caused the death and would have allowed the person to recover damages if they'd survived.
Depending on the evidence, damages could include reasonable medical, hospital, funeral and burial expenses the estate owes, conscious pain and suffering between injury and death and eligible survivors' loss of financial support and companionship.
Families should coordinate estate authority with a review of filing deadlines before starting a lawsuit. Michigan Legal Center's explanation of Michigan wrongful death deadlines covers those related steps.
Get help from Michigan Legal Center
Michigan Legal Center: the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates handles fatal crash and serious injury claims throughout Michigan.
If you've lost a loved one in a Michigan crash, contact Michigan Legal Center to ask about a potential wrongful death claim.
There is no attorney fee unless money is recovered for you. Case costs and fee terms are governed by the written fee agreement.