Personal Injury Blog – Law Offices of Goodman Acker

It’s summertime, and the living is risky. Not to put a damper on everyone’s fun, but amidst all the outdoor adventure, backyard gatherings and family reunions, many warm weather accidents take place. The result can be premises liability injuries or even a death on someone else’s property, from lake drownings and gas grill burns to bicycling accidents and ATV crashes.

It’s not something most of us think about when we’re attending a barbecue, pool party or picnic, but summer  accidents happen when we least expect them.

The Detroit personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Goodman Acker, P.C. caution everyone to know their rights when they head out to events and celebrations this summer. If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, a boating accident or sustain any type of injury due to negligence, you should not hesitate to contact an experienced accident lawyer in Detroit.

A property owner has varying degrees of responsibility for the safety of individuals who enter his or her property depending upon the purpose of the visit. Because Michigan is what is called a “no-fault” state, it can be confusing to understand your rights if you are injured on someone else’s property. You may need to hire an experienced Michigan personal injury attorney to file a “Tort” claim premises liability lawsuit against the landowner’s property insurance, which would cover pain and suffering damages.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some of the most deadly summertime injuries occur during water activity accidents. Pool drownings, lake drownings and river drownings are at the top of the list, though age plays a part. The CDC’s report on unintentional drowning says people of different ages drown in different locations.

For example, most children ages 1-4 drown in a private home swimming pool. The percentage of drownings in lakes, rivers and oceans increases with age. More than half of fatal and nonfatal drownings among those 15 years and older occurred in natural water settings.

So before you jump off that giant river boulder into a swimming hole, before you take your kids to a pool party and before that family trip to a lakeside campground, have a talk about water safety. Summer accident injuries and fatalities happen every year, so be preventative—and know your rights.

The Law Offices of Goodman Acker knows that summertime fun can result in tragedy when we least expect it. If you or a loved one was injured in someone else’s home or you lost a relative due to a death on someone else’s land, we can fight for your rights. Call a Detroit, Michigan personal injury lawyer at 1-866-DONT-LOSE or complete our online contact form for a free consultation.

Goodman Acker, PC
17000 West Ten Mile Road
Second Floor
Southfield, MI 48075

We’ve all seen them—distracted drivers on the road in front of us, clearly with their eyes and minds on something other than driving. They slowly veer into other lanes or onto the shoulder of the road, they’re going dangerously slow or at racetrack speeds and they don’t seem to notice road workers or construction signs. They generally behave as if nobody else is on the road, until they’re involved in a distracted driver car accident, that is.

The list of driver distractions is almost endless. For anyone who’s been driving for more than a few years, nothing we see other drivers doing in the lane over is surprising anymore: putting on lipstick, fixing their hair, eating a burrito, studying a map, even changing clothes, shaving and reading the morning paper. It is even harder to fathom when we see other people in the car with them, since they are not only risking their own lives, they’re taking the chance of causing severe passenger injury as well.

Personal injury lawyers in the Detroit, Michigan, Goodman Acker, know that in addition to these low-tech, every day activities causing negligent drivers, the headlines are filled with reports of more high-tech causes. Texting while driving and using a cellphone while driving are the two top reasons we have distracted drivers on our roads. Technology is not just part of messaging while driving or talking on the phone while driving, however. These days operating a GPS unit while driving, using an iPod while driving or using an electronic book while driving are also being written up in car crash police reports.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration did a study in 2010 which revealed that there are many driver distractions that cause collisions, from applying make-up to playing with the radio to staring at accidents. In the study, driver distraction played a role in 11 percent of the fatal car accidents in the United States the previous year, which climbed to 30,797 in total.

So if you see a driver on the road near you who appears distracted in any way, give them a wide berth, and if you’re hit by a distracted driver, take action. You need to fight for your right to be safe when behind the wheel and the statistics on distracted driver auto collisions and distracted driver motorcycle accidents are rising by the day.

At Goodman Acker, we believe drivers should do one thing and one thing alone when they are behind the wheel, and that is drive safely, defensively and conscientiously.  If you or a loved one was involved in a distracted driver car crash, Detroit, Michigan personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Goodman Acker may be able to help you pursue compensation. Call us at 1-866-DON’T-LOSE or complete our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.

Goodman Acker, PC
17000 West Ten Mile Road
Second Floor
Southfield, MI 48075

Pedestrian accidents happen fast in Michigan. In 2010, a total of 129 pedestrians died in auto accidents and 2,113 pedestrians were injured, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. The vast majority of accidents happen while pedestrians are crossing at an intersection. Sometimes, distracted drivers hit pedestrians. Other times, it’s the pedestrians who are distracted. A startling new study highlights the link between pedestrian accidents and texting.

Have you been injured in a pedestrian accident in Michigan? Injured by a distracted driver in Detroit? You need an experienced Michigan personal injury attorney driven to succeed. You need the Law Offices of Goodman Acker. A determined Detroit personal injury lawyer at our law firm is ready to meet with you to carefully review the details of your case. Allow us to help you determine the best course of action. Pedestrian injury accidents can be complicated. Knowing what to do can be confusing. Put your trust in a Detroit MI personal injury lawyer who puts people first. Contact the Law Offices of Goodman Acker.

Here’s a sobering statistic. If you’re texting while crossing the street, you’re four times more likely to be hit by a car than someone who’s not texting. Specifically, you have a 25 percent chance of being hit by a vehicle while crossing the street if you’re texting. If you are not texting, you have a 6 percent chance of being struck by a car, according to scientific study conducted by the Youth Safety Laboratory at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Injuries sustained in a pedestrian injury accident can take weeks or months or even years to recover from. You might need to stay in a hospital for an extended period of time. You might require extensive physical therapy. Insurance companies should cover such expenses. Sometimes, they don’t. Often, they do everything they can to avoid paying you what they rightfully owe you.

Don’t let insurance companies push you around. Fight back! Contact a tough Detroit law firm who will give you the upper hand. Contact the Law Offices of Goodman Acker. We’re on your side.

What would you do if you were injured while riding in a car with a drunk driver? How would you pay your medical bills? Who’s responsible? What are the laws in Michigan regarding your right to be compensated for your injuries?

Passengers often sustain injuries in car accidents. On average, 9,668 people die each year in accidents while riding in a vehicle. And often, drunk drivers cause these accidents. In Michigan, drunk drivers killed 331 people in 2008. That’s 34 percent of all fatalities.

What does all this mean if you were injured while a passenger in a drunk driving accident? Any time passengers sustain injuries in a car accident, passengers almost always have a personal injury claim against one of the drivers.

Another important factor to consider is who supplied the alcohol to the driver. If a bar or liquor store knowingly sold alcohol to the driver in an intoxicated state, you may be able to pursue a case against the bar or liquor store.

Liability laws vary from state to state. Liability laws vary from state to state. Michigan is a “no fault” insurance state. That means your insurance company pays your medical bills after an accident regardless of who’s at fault. But getting your insurance company to cooperate can sometimes be a challenge.

Drunk driving accidents are complicated. Knowing what to do can be difficult. You need an experienced legal team in your corner. You need someone who thoroughly understands the law. You deserve justice. You need the Law Offices of Goodman Acker.

Our knowledgeable attorneys at Goodman Acker have years of experience defending clients seriously injured in drunk driving accidents in Michigan. Our lawyers tenaciously investigate every case and work tirelessly to obtain the full compensation you deserve for your accident.

We understand how traumatic drunk driving accidents can be. We can help. Contact Goodman Acker today. We’re on your side.

Attention Zimmer knee implant recipients. Are you in pain? Does your replacement knee still not feel right months or even years later? You’re not alone. And the agony is over. We can help.

A group of orthopedic surgeons recently presented data detailing an extremely high number of problems with Zimmer knee implants. In March 2010, three prominent orthopedic surgeons reported the following data at a conference of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons:

• 9 percent of patients examined after 2 years needed additional surgery.
• 36 percent of the Zimmer knee replacements showed signs of loosening after two years.

Such figures are much higher than normal. The company disagrees. Zimmer claims the doctors did the surgeries wrong.

Confused? Scared? You should not have to suffer. You can get help. You need the Law Offices of Goodman Acker.

Based in Michigan, the lawyers at Goodman Acker have been helping victims of medical malpractice for years. Your problem might seem clear cut. You might question why you even need a lawyer to resolve your case. You probably have medical insurance. They’ll take care of everything, you think.

Think again. Insurance companies often stand in your way at every turn. Many insurance companies do everything they can to make sure you don’t receive the money you rightfully deserve. They don’t frighten us. We’re familiar with their scare tactics. We know how to take on big insurance companies.

Don’t suffer in silence because of a medical mistake. Take action. Contact Goodman Acker today. We’re ready to take on your Zimmer knee case.

Dedicated. Experienced. Driven – Goodman Acker. Fighting for justice for you.



Falling asleep at the wheel while driving can have deadly consequences – and it’s far more common than you may think. Each year, more than 100,000 car accidents nationwide occur due to driver fatigue. That’s one accident every five minutes every day. Sleeping driver accidents result in 71,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities on average each year nationwide.

Who’s driving while asleep at the wheel? Most people probably think long-distance truck drivers do so the most. And it is true the Federal Highway Safety Administration has designated driver fatigue as the number one priority for truck safety. But it’s not just tired truck drivers causing accidents. More than 60 percent of adult drivers have admitted driving while feeling drowsy within the past year. Even more shocking, 37 percent or 108 million drivers have confessed to actually falling asleep at the wheel. And of those who have fallen asleep at the wheel, 13 percent revealed they have done so at least once a month.

Driving while tired might seem innocent. But drivers who choose to drive when they know they’re tired put everyone at risk on the road. That’s why Michigan includes driver fatigue under the state’s reckless driving statute.

Have you been injured by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel? Confused about what to do after an accident? Navigating through all the paperwork and red tape after a serious accident can be extremely difficult. You might think insurance companies will take care of everything. But insurance companies often are not looking out for your best interests.

You need someone with experience dealing with serious accidents and unresponsive insurance companies. You need someone who will tenaciously work to pursue the justice you deserve. You need the Law Offices of Goodman Acker.

Our knowledgeable, professional attorneys have years of experience handling accidents involving drivers asleep at the wheel throughout Michigan. Don’t let someone else’s reckless behavior ruin your life. Take action. Contact Goodman Acker today. We mean business.

We trust our schools. We rely on them to protect our children. We expect them to keep them safe.

But accidents happen, often when we least expect them. Sometimes in the classroom. Other times coming or going to school. This year, an 11-year-old Detroit, Michigan girl was killed in an accident while riding on a school bus.

People especially need to be aware of children walking to school. Sometimes, children get distracted or caught up in the excitement of seeing a friend and unexpectedly dart out into a street. That’s when pedestrian accidents happen.

Sadly, a staggering number of pedestrians injured and killed are under 15 years old. In 2008, pedestrians sustained 69,000 injuries and 4,378 deaths in accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Those statistics include 15,000 injured and 316 killed under 15 years old.

The statistics are even more startling for bicycle injuries and deaths for children. Cyclists under 14 years old account for 24 percent of all bicycle-related deaths and 50 percent of all bicycle-related injuries.

Why so many accidents? Sometimes, children don’t pay attention while walking to their bus stop, riding a bike or walking to school. Other times, it’s the driver doing something besides driving. Texting while driving, talking on a cell phone, fiddling with the radio – all of these activities distract drivers and put us all at risk.

Accidents happen. Everyone feels sorry. But actions have consequences. Don’t let someone else’s irresponsible behavior ruin your family’s lives. You need a team you can trust to fight for your rights. You need the Law Offices of Goodman Acker.

Serving clients throughout Michigan, Goodman Acker has years of experience defending families traumatized by accidents involving school children. We know how precious your children are to you. An accident can instantly change your lives. Let us do everything in our power to right any wrongs done to your children.

Don’t be a victim. Take action. Contact Goodman Acker. We’re on your side.

Motorcycles have never been more popular. In 1998, there were 3.8 million motorcycles on the road. By 2008, that number had skyrocketed to 7.7 million motorcycles. Sadly, the number of fatal motorcycle accidents has more than doubled during the same time period. In 1998, motorcycle accidents killed 2,294 people and injured more than 49,000 nationwide. In 2008, 5,290 died and more than 96,000 people were injured in motorcycle accidents.

The sharp rise in the number of motorcycle accidents has been linked to the dramatic increase in the number of inexperienced riders on the road. But there may be another reason for this increase. During the same time period, many states relaxed their motorcycle helmet laws.

Helmets drastically reduce the likelihood of dying in a motorcycle accident. Riders wearing helmets are 37 percent less likely to die in a crash than riders without helmets, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That’s why many states still require motorcyclists to wear helmets. In Michigan, all motorcyclists are required by law to wear helmets at all times.

Unfortunately, accidents happen. In Michigan, a total of 121 motorcyclists died in accidents in 2008.  Just recently, a Detroit police officer riding a motorcycle was critically injured when her motorcycle collided with a postal truck.

What would you do if you were injured in a motorcycle accident? Who would you call? Who would you trust? You need someone in your corner that will fight for your rights. You need someone who will work tirelessly to make sure you’re fully compensated for your injuries. You need the Law Offices of Goodman Acker.

Goodman Acker has years of experience defending the rights of motorcycle accident victims in Michigan. We understand the law and know how to get the most for our clients. We also realize insurance companies often try to blame motorcyclists for causing the accident, even if it wasn’t their fault.

Don’t leave your future to chance. Take action. Contact Goodman Acker today. We’re on your side.

A big part of a police officer’s job is to respond to auto accidents and create a report about what happened, including details about injuries. A Michigan police officer’s report may mention whether a driver violated traffic rules, such as speeding, or was issued a citation. The report may be used as evidence of negligence, carelessness or recklessness by the other driver. Ultimately, these facts can be very helpful if the other driver is sued for damages arising out of the accident.

If you are involved in a car accident, it may be in your best interest to have a police officer at the scene as soon as possible to create an official report. Notifying the police is one of the important steps people need to take after being involved in an accident.

Crash reports are available from the police department of the city or town in which your accident occurred. For example, if you were in a Detroit accident, you can order a report from the City of Detroit’s web site.

If a negligent driver causes a seemingly minor accident, you may be tempted to not involve the police. This is a risky move, because you may be unaware at the time of the accident of an injury that may be felt days later, or of property damage to your vehicle that may prove to be extremely costly.

Car accidents involving injury or property damage can have a significant impact on the lives of people in Michigan. Don’t risk affecting your rights by failing to contact police who can document any negligence.

It’s also important to contact an experienced attorney who can use the police report and other tools to investigate your case and pursue the justice you deserve. At some time after the accident, an insurance company adjuster may approach you and try to convince you that you were partially or completely at fault. A police report can prove to be vital evidence supporting your claim.

At the Law Offices of Goodman Acker P.C., serving Detroit, the Tri-County area of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and all of Michigan, we aggressively fight for clients who sustained serious injuries or property damage in car accidents. Contact our office today for a free and confidential consultation. Tell them you mean business!

Drowning a leading cause of death for children in Michigan and nationwide

Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children. Each year, more than 800 children under 14 years old die drowning nationwide, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health. Suddenly, without warning, a child can be struggling for their life in a lake or pool. Just recently, a 12-year-old Oak Park, Michigan girl drowned in a swimming pool. Even a bathtub can instantly become a deadly place. That’s sadly what happened this summer in Mt. Morris Township, where a 2-year-old Michigan boy drowned in a bathtub.

Some children survive nearly drowning, but the damage they suffer can be severe and change their lives forever. Being submerged under water for just four to six minutes can often result in permanent brain damage. Other children may be left in a vegetative state for life as a result of drowning.

Sometimes, children drown accidently. Other times, other people’s reckless behavior results in your child’s death or serious injury. Maybe someone was drunk and left your child unattended near water. Maybe someone’s swimming pool was not properly fenced in. Maybe someone forgot to put a life preserver on your child while they were riding in a boat. Accidents happen. Be prepared.

Every parent dreads living through such a horrific experience. We all imagine we will share our entire lives with our children. Losing them in such a traumatic way can be shattering. Knowing what to do next can be baffling. We can help. We’re the Law Offices of Goodman Acker.

Serving Detroit and other communities throughout Michigan, Goodman Acker has years of experience fighting for families victimized by a child drowning. We understand how overwhelming such an experience can be for everyone. Let us handle the difficult details and tackle the tough problems facing you. When you choose us, you get a law firm dedicated to vigorously fighting for the compensation you demand and the justice you deserve.

Don’t let a child drowning ruin your family’s lives. Take action. Contact Goodman Acker today. We’re on your side.