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Car Accidents
I Was Injured in an Auto Accident. Who's Going to Pay?
The laws in Michigan about who is responsible for paying for your losses after an auto accident are complicated. And answers you get from insurance agents and adjusters about your coverage and what they will pay can be confusing and frustrating. Here are some basics about Michigan's Auto No-Fault Laws and other factors that can affect recovering for losses you may have suffered after a serious auto accident.
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Michigan's No-Fault Insurance Law
In Michigan, every owner of a car must buy certain basic coverages in order to get a license plate for their vehicle. If you are in an auto accident, no-fault insurance pays for your medical and wage loss, and the damage done to other people's property ' no matter who caused the accident. Basic no-fault insurance does NOT pay for repairs to your vehicle. The only kinds of auto insurance that will pay for repairs to your car are Collision and Comprehensive Coverage.
Your basic No-Fault policy includes:
1. Personal Injury Protection or PIP
This is the part of your no-fault policy that will pay all of your medical costs if you are hurt in an accident. It will also pay up to 85% of the income you would have expected to earn if you had not been hurt, for up to 3 years. There is a limit to the amount paid for lost income and that limit is adjusted annually. PIP also entitles you to recover $20 per day to pay for replacement services that, because of your injury, you now have to pay someone else to do for you or your family like housework or yard maintenance. If you require personal care due to your injuries, the person who provides that care to you is eligible to be paid for their help, which can add up to tens of thousands of dollars. These services can be provided by a spouse, parent or other family member.
2. Property Protection
If your car does damage to other people's property, your no-fault policy will pay up to $1 million. It will also pay for damage your car does to another person's properly parked car.
3. Residual Liability Insurance ' Bodily Injury and Property Damage
This part of the no-fault policy pays up to certain amounts if you are sued as a result of an auto accident. The amounts covered by a basic no-fault policy vary based on certain situations.
These are the basic items covered by a Michigan No-Fault policy, and they may seem straightforward, but recovering what you are owed from your insurance company, or the insurance company of another driver who is at fault in an accident, can be anything but easy. quite complicated and require a knowledgeable and aggressive attorney.
So, Who Is Going to Pay' And How Much Do You Deserve'
Let an experienced Michigan injury attorney at Gordon & Pont, PC answer those questions. Every case is different, so we assess each one individually. We know what your rights are and we know Michigan insurance laws inside and out. We've been fighting for our clients for over 45 years and we've won millions of dollars for people just like you.
What to Do Next
If you've been injured in an accident and you're getting the run-around from your insurance company...
If you've been injured in an accident and the medical bills are piling up...
If you've been injured in an accident and don't know who to turn to for help...
If you've been injured in an accident and you're losing wages because you can't work...
CALL 1-800 LAW MICH
OR contact us at help@800lawmich.com
What to Do if You are in An Accident
No matter how careful you are behind the wheel of your car, accidents happen. So if you are in an accident, remembering to do a few simple things will help you avoid legal problems and could save a life. Here's what you should do at the scene of an accident, even it's just a fender-bender:
STOP. No matter whose fault it is.
HELP. If someone is injured, call 911 then give first aid if you know how.
CALL the police.
IDENTIFY the driver of the other vehicle. Write down the driver's name and address, and the name of their insurance company and their policy number, if possible. Write down their driver's license number and the license plate number on the vehicle. Also get the names and addresses of any passengers or other witnesses to the accident.
RECORD the important details of the accident. Your memory of the events won't be as clear later and in stressful situations it's easy to forget the little things that could protect your rights later. Make a note of the date, the time, the street you are on and nearest cross street. Draw simple diagram of the accident scene that shows the streets and the position of the vehicles. Use arrows to indicate the direction the vehicles were traveling. Then write down a brief description of how the accident happened. Use a camera or your cell phone to take pictures of the vehicles involved, including your own, and anything in the area that is important to your version of the accident. Look for skid marks, scraps on curbs or damage to street signs or buildings. No detail is too small to make a record of.
DON'T'
- admit anything
- sign anything
- leave the accident until everyone injured has been helped and the police have completed their investigation
CONTACT your insurance company to notify them of the accident. But you may want to talk to an attorney before discussing the accident with your insurance adjuster. At Gordon & Pont PC, we can ensure that all of the information you provide is presented in a way that will be most beneficial to you in all of your claims.
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