Game day should end with a score you're happy or grumpy about, not a trip to the emergency room. Michigan's tailgating tradition is a great one, and the problem is never the gathering itself. The problem is the one driver who got behind the wheel impaired or staring at a phone.
If this happens to you, a few steps can protect both your health and your claim:
- Call 911 and ask for a police report, even if the crash happened in a parking lot.
- Get medical care right away. Head and back injuries often hide for hours.
- Take photos of the vehicle, the scene, and your injuries before things are cleaned up.
- Collect names and numbers from witnesses. Fellow fans tend to scatter quickly after a game.
- Avoid recorded statements to the other driver's insurer until you've talked with an attorney.
Michigan's hands-free law makes it illegal to hold or use a phone while driving, which can help prove fault. If a bar, restaurant, or licensed vendor served a visibly intoxicated driver, Michigan's dram shop law may allow a claim against that business too. That claim requires written notice within 120 days after you hire an attorney, so the clock matters.