Recent Blog Posts in March 2010

A recent case ruling determined that Michigan employers do not have to pay workers' compensation benefits for employees' non-work related injuries or ailments.

The case, Blankenship-King v. K-Mart Corp, centers around a K-Mart employee who claims her employer should be held liable for the injuries she sustained when she fainted at work. The employee claims she called her supervisor to relieve her when she began to feel sick, but the supervisor failed to ask about her illness, find her a place to sit down, or offer to escort her somewhere where she could rest. As the employee was walking to the break room, she fainted, shattering her teeth and cracking her chin.

The employee claims that her supervisor's lack of response contributed to her fall, and therefore felt the employer should cover the cost of the dental work needed to fix her broken teeth. However, the Michigan Workers' Compensation Appellate Commission ruled that the employer was not liable for paying workers' compensation benefits for the following reasons:

• Employers usually aren't held accountable for providing benefits for a fall unless the fall occurs because of a dangerous or hazardous condition on the premises.
• The escort that the employee asked for would have had to have been "of a certain size, have sufficient strength, and have quick enough reflexes to catch a fainting employee."
• It couldn't be established that the outcome would have been different had the employee been escorted to the break room or the nearest chair.

Have You Suffered an Injury At Work?

A Detroit personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of Freedman & Freedman can provide you with the experienced and dedicated representation needed to pursue a workers' compensation claim following an accident or injury at your job. If you have suffered an injury while at work, let us help you pursue a workers' compensation claim so you can recover the financial resources you need for your medical bills and daily/monthly expenses while you are out of work. While not all injuries are covered under the workers' compensation system, as made evident by this case, many injuries are. Let a workplace accident lawyer at our firm assist you in recovering the compensation you need and deserve!

Contact Freedman & Freedman today at (888) 252-8582 to schedule a consultation!

A lawsuit has been filed in Oakland County Circuit Court by a man who claims he suffered full-body injuries in a 2007 motorcycle accident.

Named as defendants in the lawsuit are Fanchon Stinger and her ex-boyfriend, Rayford Jackson. The victim, David Sugg, contends Stinger and Jackson are liable for the accident that left him with injuries to head, neck, back, arms, legs, and body, and exacerbated a pre-existing condition. Sugg is also claiming he suffered from shock and mental distress as well.

The lawsuit alleges that the accident occurred when Jackson lost control of Stinger’s Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, causing him to careen violently and strike Sugg’s motorcycle. As a result, Sugg was forced to fall onto the ground at highway speed. Although Jackson was the one driving the Ferrari, Sugg included Stinger in the lawsuit since she is the owner of the vehicle.

The amount of damages Sugg is seeking has not yet been disclosed.

A Lenawee County Circuit Court judge has rejected an attorney’s request to dismiss an auto accident lawsuit against his client.   

Mario Lawrence Parker was sued by his neighbor, Chad Fox, following an accident that left Fox with spinal cord injuries. Fox was a passenger in Parker’s replica Ford GT40 sports car when, driving at a high rate of speed, Parker lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a utility pole.  

After the accident Fox sued Parker for damages. But the attorney representing Parker argued that the case should be thrown out. He claims Fox was able to return to work within three weeks, and that his injuries only interfered with his ability to pay golf and softball. He also argued that Fox’s injuries did not impair an important bodily function, nor did they compromise his general ability to lead a normal life.

But Fox’s attorney fired back, saying that Fox’s injuries did warrant a trial.

“In this case, the plaintiff’s ability to have a social life away from work has certainly been taken away from him. You can see here that we’re not looking at a minor bump or bruise for a short period of time,” said the attorney.

The case will now be tried before a jury to determine whether or not Parker is liable for paying damages.

A catastrophic injury is considered any type of physical injury that leaves the victim disfigured, disabled, debilitated, or with a significantly lower quality of life. Catastrophic injuries can be life-threatening, and typically require extensive medical care and rehabilitation. If you are suffering from a catastrophic injury, you should speak with a personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of Freedman & Freedman about your legal rights. If the circumstances that led to your injury were caused by the negligent or reckless conduct of another, you could stand to be compensated for your pain and suffering, medical expenses, emotional trauma, lost wages, and overall decreased enjoyment of life.

Two people were injured after a fire truck collided with a Ford Taurus.

The accident occurred last month when an unidentified 64-year-old driver failed in his attempts to yield the right-of-way to an oncoming fire truck. The driver was traveling on the southbound side of Dexter Pinckney Road when he lost control of his vehicle and careened into the northbound side of the street, where he was hit by the fire truck.

The driver of the Ford and one firefighter were injured in the accident. Emergency medical services transported the injured parties to a local hospital where they were treated for their injuries. The driver was listed in stable condition and the firefighter was treated for minor injuries.

The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office is still conducting an accident investigation, but so far no legal action has been taken.