Okemos Car Accident Lawyer

Experienced & Knowledgeable Legal Counsel in Okemos & Lansing, Michigan

Suffering an injury from a car accident can be extremely painful and emotionally overwhelming. You may be wondering how to obtain financial compensation to cover medical expenses, lost income, and even pain and suffering from your injury. On the other hand, you may receive a settlement offer from your insurer or the at-fault party that doesn’t fulfill your needs.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Lansing or Okemos, let our Okemos car accident attorney protect your rights and best interests through the legal process. Our legal team can investigate the accident, gather and assess evidence, negotiate with insurance adjusters, and help you maximize the award you deserve. Do not hesitate to let us help you make the best possible recovery from injury.

Our firm handles the following types of car accident cases:

• Rear-end collisions
• Head-on collisions
• Multi-vehicle accidents
• Single car accidents
• Vehicle rollovers
• Side-impact collisions

Michigan Car Accident Laws

Michigan is considered a “no-fault” car insurance state, which means your own “personal injury protection (PIP) coverage pays for your medical bills and other out-of-pocket losses (e.g. lost wages and property damage) as a result of a crash—up to the policy limits—no matter who is at fault. The minimum amounts for PIP coverage are $20,000 per individual, $40,000 per accident, and $10,000 for property damage per accident.

Unfortunately, you cannot recover noneconomic damages (e.g. pain and suffering) from a no-fault claim. However, if your injury was serious in nature (i.e. serious or permanent impairment of a body part or function or disfigurement) or if the at-fault driver is not a Michigan resident and not insured in the state, you may file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver to recover both economic and noneconomic damages.

Yet, if multiple parties share fault for a crash, Michigan follows a “comparative fault” rule, meaning the amount you can recover from a car accident is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if your total damages equal to $100,000 but you were found to be 15 percent responsible, your total award will be $85,000. If you end up being more than 50 percent to blame, you are prohibited from recovering noneconomic damages.

Who’s At Fault?

Settling the claims associated with a car accident can be difficult when all case facts are considered. One of the main points of concern is whether you live in a no-fault or comparative fault state. The state of Michigan is a no-fault insurance state which requires drivers and other accident victims to file claims with their own insurance company first, regardless of who is at fault.

What is No-Fault Insurance?

No-fault insurance is required for every car owner before you can even get license plates in the state of Michigan.

No-fault insurance is made up of three parts, including:

• Personal Injury Protection (PIP). This part of your insurance will cover all “reasonably necessary” medical expenses with no maximum limit. In addition, it will also cover up to 85% of the income you would have earned, if you had not been injured, for up to three years. If you are killed in the accident, then this income will go to your family.
• Property Protection (PPI). Under no-fault insurance, your insurance company will pay up to $1 million for any damage your car does to other people’s property, such as buildings.
• Residual Liability Insurance – Bodily Injury and Property Damage. This part of your insurance will protect you from being sued unless your accident fits under one of these exceptions:
  • If you cause an accident in which someone dies, is seriously injured or is permanently disfigured.
  • If you are involved in an accident in Michigan with someone who is not a resident and who is an occupant of a vehicle not registered in Michigan.
  • If you are involved in an accident in another state.
  • If you cause damages to another person’s car which are not covered by insurance.

No fault insurance will cover all of these damages, up until the specified limits, regardless of fault in the car accident.

Schedule a Free Consultation Today

Although you may file your claim with your own insurance company, remember that they are only looking out for its own best interests—not yours. Insurance adjusters will try their best to offer a low-ball settlement or deny your claim entirely. That is why having our Okemos car accident attorney on your side can ensure you get the most favorable settlement possible.