Fall is upon, which means Michigan deer season dangers are once again at the forefront of everyone’s mind. From Chronic Wasting Disease to what you should do if you’re in a vehicle-deer collision, West Michigan personal injury attorney, Tom Sinas, shares what you should know this deer season.
State of Chronic Wasting Disease in Michigan
Michigan’s deer population is still experiencing a rampant problem with what is known as Chronic Wasting disease, which is essentially a disease that eats a deer’s brain. Michigan DNR has come up with a few ways to try and curtail the disease and one of the ways in general is to eliminate baiting in the Lower Peninsula. Salt piles or urine lures or other methods people use to bait deer are generally out for deer hunting this year.
Michigan Deer Season Dangers – Auto Collisions
Most people don’t know this, but when you hit a deer with your car, Michigan law actually requires you to stop and report the deer-vehicle collision to law enforcement. You can technically be cited for not reporting the accident. Furthermore, safe driving this time of year is especially important. Many people try to swerve to avoid hitting a deer and that actually isn’t recommended since you could potentially swerve into another vehicle or oncoming traffic.
Insurance and Deer-Vehicle Collisions
In 2017 alone, we had more than 50,000 car-deer collisions in the state of Michigan. And just because your accident involved a deer instead of another vehicle doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to Michigan’s no-fault benefits. Make sure to contact your no-fault insurer and file a claim just like you would if you were in an accident with another car. If you’re in a crash involving a deer and another vehicle, you may be entitled to another type of claim on top of your no-fault benefits.
For more information, visit www.sinasdramis.com.
