Being hit by a drunk driver in Grand Rapids can turn an ordinary drive down Division Avenue into the worst day of your life. As a Grand Rapids drunk driving accident lawyer at Christensen Law, we have stood beside injured people and grieving families across Kent County and the rest of Michigan since 1991.
We are here to listen to your story, protect you from the insurance company, and fight for every dollar you are owed. When a drunk driver has changed your family’s future, you deserve a legal team that treats you like a person, and not a claim number.
Our firm has recovered life-changing results for Michigan crash victims, and we do it with the compassion your situation demands. Call our Grand Rapids office 24 hours a day at (616) 512-0718 for a free, no-risk consultation.
CHRISTENSEN LAW HAS A 24 HOUR RAPID RESPONSE SERVICE
How Can a Grand Rapids Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Help You Recover?
A Grand Rapids drunk driving accident lawyer can protect your no-fault benefits, build a case against the impaired driver, and pursue every source of compensation available to you. That work matters most when the injuries are severe, and the bills begin arriving long before you can return to work.
From our office on Hall Street SW, we carry the full weight of your claim, so you can put your energy into healing. Our team investigates the crash, works with your doctors to document your injuries, and stands between you and the adjusters who want a recorded statement.
Firm founder David Christensen is a Michigan Hall of Fame trial attorney, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and holds AV Preeminent status through Martindale-Hubbell. A drunk driving case is a specific kind of Grand Rapids car accident claim, and it carries added layers that a routine claim does not.
We take on the hardest parts of the process for you, which include:
- Investigating the crash and preserving evidence, such as the police report and the OWI file
- Protecting and increasing the value of your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits
- Identifying every party who may share responsibility, including a bar or restaurant
- Handling all contact with the insurance company on your behalf
- Preparing your case for trial when a fair settlement is not offered
You never pay us anything up front, because we advance the costs of your case, and we only get paid when we win compensation for you.
We focus on the serious, life-altering claims that demand this level of attention, including car, truck, and motorcycle crashes caused by impaired drivers. When your recovery and your family’s stability are on the line, that focus makes a real difference.
Common Drunk Driving Crash Scenarios in Kent County
Drunk driving crashes in Kent County tend to follow a handful of dangerous patterns, and each one shapes how we build your case. Impaired drivers lose the judgment and reaction time that safe driving demands, so the collisions they cause are often high-speed and violent.
Certain crashes appear again and again in the impaired driving cases we handle, such as:
- Broadside, or “T-bone,” crashes, when a drunk driver runs a red light at a busy intersection like those along 28th Street or Division Avenue
- Head-on collisions, when an impaired driver drifts across the centerline of a two-lane road
- Wrong-way crashes on highways such as US-131, I-96, and the S-curve where I-196 bends through downtown
- Rear-end crashes at stoplights, when a driver never reacts in time to slow down
Each of these patterns can cause serious harm, from traumatic brain injury to spinal cord damage, and each one calls for fast investigation before the evidence is gone.
In our decades of handling these claims, we have learned that the first 48 hours matter more than almost anything else. Vehicle data, the driver’s blood-alcohol results, and any bar receipts can disappear quickly, so we move fast to preserve them. That early, hands-on investigation is often what separates a full recovery from a low offer.
Why Are Wrong-Way and Head-On Drunk Driving Crashes So Severe?
Wrong-way and head-on crashes are so severe because they combine the speed of both vehicles into a single, brutal impact. Impaired drivers are far more likely to enter a highway ramp the wrong way or drift into oncoming traffic. These are among the most demanding cases we handle, and they reward the careful investigation we bring to every claim.
How Does Michigan’s No-Fault Law Work After a Drunk Driving Crash?
After a drunk driving crash, Michigan’s No-Fault Law pays your medical bills and part of your wage loss first, no matter who caused the collision. These first-party benefits, called Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, come from your own auto policy, and they begin regardless of fault.
Your PIP benefits can cover reasonable medical care, a share of lost wages, and even attendant care, which is the day-to-day help you may need at home while you heal. Because a drunk driver caused your injuries, none of the blame falls on you, and your right to these benefits stays intact. We handle the paperwork and the deadlines, so a single missed form never costs you the care you need.
PIP coverage in Michigan changed in 2020, and drivers now choose from several levels of medical coverage. The level you selected can affect the care available to you, which is one more reason to have someone review your policy closely. We help you understand exactly what your coverage provides.
There is a second path to compensation, and it is the one that holds the drunk driver accountable. To bring a third-party lawsuit for pain and suffering, your injury must meet Michigan’s serious impairment threshold, which means an objectively documented injury that changes your ability to live your normal life.
Michigan also follows a modified comparative fault rule, so you can still recover even if you were partly at fault, as long as you were not more than 50% responsible. The rules that govern Michigan drunk driving accident claims are detailed, and small mistakes can quietly reduce what you receive. A drunk driver rarely escapes civil responsibility, and we know how to pursue both paths at the same time.
What Compensation Can a Drunk Driving Victim Recover After a Grand Rapids Crash?
A drunk driving victim in Grand Rapids can recover both economic and noneconomic damages, from medical bills to the loss of a life that feels the same as before. The exact recovery depends on the severity of your injuries, and on the coverage available.
Depending on your case, compensation may include:
- Past and future medical care, from the emergency room to long-term rehabilitation
- Lost wages and a reduced ability to earn a living going forward
- Attendant care and home modifications after a catastrophic injury
- Pain, suffering, and the loss of the activities you love
We work closely with you and your doctors to account for every current and future need, so nothing important is left off the table.
Catastrophic injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and severe burns, can require care for the rest of a person’s life. We build claims that look years down the road, and not just at today’s bills, because a drunk driver’s choice should not leave your family paying for it. That long view is part of how we pursue full and fair value.
Holding the Drunk Driver and the Bar Accountable Through Dram Shop Liability
In many Grand Rapids cases, the drunk driver is not the only party who should answer for your injuries. Michigan’s Dram Shop Act lets an injured person bring a claim against a bar, restaurant, or store that served alcohol to someone who was already visibly intoxicated.
Suing a drunk driver in Kent County often begins with the driver, but the search for accountability does not stop there. If a licensed establishment kept serving a person who was clearly drunk, that business may share responsibility for the harm that followed. Proving it takes work, including pulling receipts, credit card records, and security video before they are erased.
A Grand Rapids dram shop liability claim comes with strict rules that protect a drunk driving victim only when they are followed. You must give the establishment written notice within 120 days of hiring an attorney, and the intoxicated driver must be named and kept in the case until it ends. There is also a two-year deadline to file this kind of claim, so early action protects your rights.
Social gatherings can raise related questions, though Michigan treats a private social host differently from a licensed business. In most situations, the law reaches bars, restaurants, and stores, rather than a neighbor who hosted a party. We look at where the driver was drinking before the crash to find every responsible party.
A criminal charge for operating while intoxicated, known as OWI, is separate from your civil case, and a conviction is not required for you to recover. Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the deadliest choices on the road, and it claims thousands of lives across the country every year.
By holding both the driver and any negligent server accountable, we can reach every insurance policy that may help fund your recovery.
I recommend all of my friends and family to Christensen Law. The attorneys and staff there are amazing and really care about their clients where you're treated with care and not...
Jason Waddell
Excellent! From the 1st interaction with Christensen Law it was a positive, wonderful experience! Dustin, Samantha and the entire staff, had...
Susan Schroeder
Christensen Law’s attorneys are filled with compassion and knowledge They took amazing care of my uncle after his accident. I would recommend then to anyone injured in an auto...
Steve Huber
The team at Christensen Law impressed me with their vast knowledge and experience in handling... They were well-versed in the intricacies of the law and provided me with clear explanations of my rights and legal...
Shana Goodrich
It is with extreme gratitude and positive emotions that I write about my relationship with... I presented to them a situation that was quite scary and financially overwhelming. David and his kind staff listened to...
Wendy Henn
If it wasn't for Christensen Law, I don't know where I would be today. Thanks to Dave, Stephanie, and Michelle for getting me through this hard time. I didn't know what to do, I...
Tim Taylor
My name is Erin, my experience with Christensen Law was Overwhelming… But in the very... Christianson Law stepped in after my motorcycle accident when another firm had dropped the ball—and they completely and very quickly...
Erin Magee
I hired this law firm after being hit by a drunk driver in my of... They were communicative, compassionate, made the process easy for me to understand. I was able to effectively receive a size-able...
Wren Bell
From the moment I spoke with Dustin, I felt like I was in good hands He, Samantha, and the entire staff at Christensen Law treated me like family, demonstrating kindness, expertise, and a genuine interest...
Janelle Garza
I am extremely pleased with the experience I had with this law firm, and their... The Christensen Law firm, compassionate approach to my injuries. Their attentive listening, and thorough understanding are truly commendable I highly...
Mr. Douglas
I was in difficult time in my life, it’s a great to know I have... Whole team of Christensen law is amazing and wonderful from start to finish. They often contact me to see how...
Amandeep Sohal
I had an excellent experience working with Christensen Law on my settlement case. From start to finish, the entire team was professional, compassionate, and dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome for me....
Gjon Ivezaj
Why Grand Rapids Drunk Driving Victims Choose Christensen Law
Grand Rapids drunk driving victims choose Christensen Law because we pair a trial-tested record with the personal care of a firm that treats clients like family. We are not a high-volume settlement mill, and we will never push you toward a quick, low offer.
Our results show what focused advocacy can do. Christensen Law has secured landmark recoveries, including a $17.8 million motor vehicle accident verdict and a $9.5 million motorcycle accident verdict, along with a client review rating of 4.9 to 5.0 across our offices.
Managing Partner Sarah Stempky-Kime, a recognized Leader in the Law and an ABOTA member, describes our approach simply. In her view, the client is the most important part of any case, so we let the treatment team tell the medical story, while the at-fault side answers for its own conduct.
When you work with us, you can count on:
- A team that listens first and keeps you informed at every step
- Free consultations 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- No fees unless and until we win your case
That promise sits at the heart of our Listen Protect Win philosophy, and it is why families across West Michigan trust us. Call (616) 512-0718 to speak with our Grand Rapids team today.
FAQs: Grand Rapids Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
Below are answers to questions we hear often from people injured by drunk drivers in Grand Rapids and the rest of Kent County.
In most Michigan drunk driving cases, you have three years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. No-fault PIP benefits and dram shop claims run on shorter, separate clocks, and some deadlines are as short as a year or 120 days. Because these dates vary, and can be easy to miss, it is wise to talk with a lawyer soon after the crash.
You may still have a path to compensation even when the drunk driver has no coverage, or too little of it. Your own policy’s uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can step in to help pay for your injuries in that situation. We review every policy in your household to find coverage you may not know you have.
Yes, passengers hurt by an impaired driver generally have the same rights as anyone else on the road. Your injuries were not your fault, and you can seek PIP benefits and, when the threshold is met, a claim against the driver. Riding with someone who later turned out to be drunk does not erase your right to care and accountability.
Most drunk driving injury cases settle before trial, but we prepare each one as if a jury will decide it. That readiness often persuades the insurance company to offer a fair amount, rather than face us in a courtroom. If a fair settlement never comes, we are fully prepared to try your case.
Hiring our firm costs you nothing up front, because we work on a contingency fee. That means we advance the costs of building your case, and we collect a fee only if we recover money for you. Your first consultation is always free, so there is no risk in learning where you stand.
There is no single number, because the value of a claim depends on the severity of your injuries, your future medical needs, your lost income, and the insurance available. A case involving a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury will look very different from one involving a full recovery. Understanding how Michigan’s No-Fault system shapes your benefits is an important first step, and we are glad to walk you through it.
When a drunk driver takes a life, Michigan law allows the family to bring a wrongful death claim through the loved one’s estate. This is never about money for its own sake. It is about justice, and about securing the resources your family needs to carry forward after an unthinkable loss.
Talk With a Grand Rapids Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Today
A drunk driver made a choice that changed your life, and now you deserve a team that will fight for your future. At Christensen Law, we are ready to listen to your story, protect you from the insurance company, and pursue the full justice you and your family are owed.
Call our Grand Rapids office 24 hours a day at (616) 512-0718 for a free, no-risk consultation. Serving all of Michigan, from the D to the UP.
From the D to the UP | Proven Expertise | Powerful Results
