No one ever expects to be involved in an accident, yet it happens. According to reports from the Michigan State Police, Muskegon county recorded 4,673 vehicle crashes last year. These traffic collisions resulted in 1,114 injured victims and 19 fatalities. Do you know the sad part? The bulk of these car wrecks could have been avoided if drivers were more careful.
Unfortunately, the mistakes of other drivers can leave injured victims with a lifetime of trauma. The truth is, no matter how strong you are, life is never quite the same once you’ve been in a terrible car accident. And you should make the at-fault and reckless driver pay for your injuries and losses.
And although money may not be able to restore things to how they once were, it can provide some relief and help you get your life back on track. If you need help with recovering the maximum settlement amount possible, White Law PLLC’s car accident lawyers in Muskegon, MI can help you.
Financial Compensation You Can Get From a Muskegon Car Wreck Injury Claim
Michigan auto insurance laws require all drivers to carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance coverage. This allows injured victims to access one or more of the following benefits if they are ever involved in a car accident within the state:
Allowable Expense Benefits
This is, by far, one of the broadest benefits that injured car accident victims can claim in Michigan. This allows injured victims to receive compensation for the rest of their lives without any cap on the receivable damages. It covers lifetime medical treatment, nursing services or at-home care services, rehabilitation costs, and special transportation.
Work Loss Benefits
Car crashes can lead to work loss time. These benefits allow injured victims to recover compensation for any lost income while they were in recovery. Under the No-Fault Act, injured victims may be able to receive up to 85 percent of their gross pay for up to three years while they are recovering from their injuries.
However, there’s a monthly limit or cap to how much they can receive. So, for example, if the victim was earning $10,000 a month, their ideal gross pay would be a max of $8,500. But because of the state-imposed wage loss monthly limits, they would only be able to access a maximum of $6,615 per month for October 2022 to September 2023.
This no-fault wage loss monthly maximum is adjusted for inflation every October. So, what you receive during the 2022 to 2023 period may be less than what you’ll receive from Oct 2023 to September 2024.
Replacement Services Benefits
This allows injured victims to receive an allowance of $20 per day to cover household chores and home maintenance activities that they would have taken care of by themselves if they had not been in the crash. This is available for up to three years after the injuries sustained in the accident.
Survivor’s Loss Benefits
These benefits are only available to the dependents of a loved one who died in an auto crash here in Michigan. Surviving relatives can receive the same as the monthly maximum wage loss benefits. How much the relatives will receive depends on multiple factors such as the
- The deceased’s gross income before they passed on
- All benefits that are now lost because they died
- The value of economic activities they were engaged in before their passing
- Funeral and burial costs – benefits are limited to between $1,750 and $5,000
Victims and/or their relatives may also receive non-economic damages for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and a few others. The benefits that are available are quite broad and are best explained in detail by your experienced car accident attorney in Muskegon, MI.
Muskegon Car Accident Lawyer Near Me (517) 316-1195
Who Is Responsible for Your Car Wreck in Muskegon, MI?
Although Michigan is a no-fault insurance state, which means that victims can typically turn to their insurance providers for compensation if they sustain injuries in vehicle crashes. However, the reality is that the compensation provided by their insurance company may be insufficient. When this happens, you can file a claim with the at-fault party’s provider.
But before you file an injury claim with the defendant’s insurance company, it is imperative to prove that they were liable and responsible for the traffic collision and the ensuing injuries.
And to do that, you have to demonstrate that they were negligent on the road and that negligence led to your injuries. To establish negligence, you must prove that the following elements were present:
- Duty of care – They owed you an obligation of reasonable safety
- Breach of duty – That they acted in a manner that showed that they violated the obligation they had to you
- Causation – Their lack of care for their duty led to the car crash
- Damages – The auto wreck caused your injuries, damaged your property, and led to other expenses that you had no previous plans for
Because Michigan is a comparative negligence state, your claim might be affected by the degree to which you may have been at fault.
For instance, if a $150,000 settlement was awarded, but it’s determined that you were 20 percent liable for the car wreck, you’ll only receive $120,000 which is 80 percent of the total settlement amount
This is all complex and time-consuming, which is why it’s best to let experienced car accident lawyers in Muskegon handle the claims process for you.
For a free legal consultation with a car accidents lawyer serving Muskegon, call (517) 316-1195
Contact a Muskegon Car Accident Attorney
Auto crash injury claims require the expertise of car accident attorneys in Muskegon who understand the requirements of the case and know how to navigate the process of filing compensation claims and recovering benefits for injured victims.
At White Law PLLC, our car accident attorneys in Muskegon are dedicated to providing you with the best legal counsel, support, and representation that you need to win your case and get an adequate settlement.
Contact us today to discuss your car wreck case with a skilled Muskegon auto accident lawyer.
Call or text (517) 316-1195 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form