Hit It!

Slow as much as you can but hit it!!!…rather than swerve.  I am referring to objects that suddenly appear in the road ahead of a driver.  This advice is often given in relation to deer darting out in front of an automobile.  Generally speaking, striking a 150 pound deer will cause much less damage and result in significantly less chance of a personal injury than veering or swerving, losing control and striking an object along the side of the road or rolling the vehicle.  (I am aware of one such incident where the driver managed to save the deer, but left the traveled portion of the road, struck a tree and broke her back in the subsequent collision.  She was off from work for more than a year.)

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Why Automobile Ownership is Important

Due to the hype about avoiding probate, many couples title their motor vehicles in both of their names.  For convenience, some couples title their vehicles in the name of the spouse who purchased them regardless of who regularly drives them.  Not paying close attention to how motor vehicles are owned can have devastating effects in Michigan.

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Back to School – What every college student and their parents should not only know about … but have!

Many parents will soon be sending one or more of their children to college and many of those children will be living in an apartment or rental house. Among the lengthy list of things to consider when your child is moving back to college is whether your child should purchase “renters’ insurance.”

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Till Death Do Us Part – But Do Not Drive My Car!

If you are married it is advised that you leave the title to the vehicle you drive solely in your name.  Quite often attorneys are asked to defend a husband and wife in a lawsuit over an automobile accident/lawsuit where the married couples’ joint assets are at risk.  This is because the husband and wife have placed both of their names on the title to a vehicle which is driven almost exclusively by only one of them.  When there is an accident involving personal injury or death both are sued as owners under Michigan’s Owner Liability Statute.  MCL 257.401 (1). The joint assets of the married couple would not be at risk in such a situation if the couple did not place both of their names on the title as owners.

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