Posts by svertel@secrestwardle.com
Court Dismisses Slip-and-Fall Suit: Restaurant Not Liable for Parking Lot “Black Ice”
Who Invited Them? An Invitation by the Land Possessor is a Prerequisite to Invitee Status
The Michigan Court of Appeals in Alexis v Cerroni, an unpublished opinion issued on February 11, 2026 (Docket No. 373117), clarified that in the context of premises liability law in Michigan, for a claimant to be considered an invitee, the claimant must show that they were invited on the defendant land possessor’s property by the defendant…
Read MorePigs Get Fat but Hogs Get Slaughtered … or a Vague Denial is No Insurer’s Friend
To give Defendant some credit, here, this letter was sent in August 2022. There was no way for Defendant to know that Plaintiffs were going to renovate nearly their whole home and claim it as losses relating to the burst pipe. However, that makes it even more critical for denial of coverage letters to be…
Read MoreIn Historic First, Court of Appeals OKs Stacked Coverage for Motorcyclists
For the first time, the Court of Appeals allowed an injured motorcyclist—or a provider claiming payment for that motorcyclist’s medical care—to proceed to a lower-priority insurer once a higher-priority insurer’s policy was exhausted. Unlike car drivers, motorcyclists do not collect from their own insurers by default. Instead, when injured in an accident involving a motor…
Read MoreI Saw the Sign! A Conspicuous Warning is Sufficient
The Michigan Court of Appeals in Lam v Meijer Inc. affirmed summary disposition for Defendant Meijer, effectively disposing of the claims. The case arose due to a slip and fall in the store’s bottle-return area, where the Plaintiff slipped in a puddle on the floor. The Court of Appeals found that there was no error…
Read MoreSecrest Wardle MI PIP Monthly – February 2026 Update
Amber R. Davenport Recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business as a 2026 Notable Women in Law
The Goose is Loose: Michigan Court of Appeals Revives Premises Liability Suit and Provides a Pathway to Liability in Goose Attack Case
Negligence claims arising out of injuries from animals run into the common law doctrines of ferae naturae and domitae naturae. These doctrines may bar a plaintiff’s ability to seek relief. The ferae naturae doctrine is a bar to liability for injuries suffered from wild animals where the defendant has not exercised dominion, control or possession…
Read MoreSecrest Wardle MI PIP Monthly – January 2026 Update
Secrest Wardle Employees Share the Magic of Christmas
Secrest Wardle once again partnered with the Troy Police Department’s Blue Sleigh initiative and adopted two local families, so the families can wake up to gifts on Christmas morning. Employees took wish list tags off our Christmas tree to purchase items for the families. Once gifts were bought, employees gathered to wrap the presents and…
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