Our top-rated Michigan car accident lawyers can help you if you were injured in an auto accident today or any time in the past. Choosing the best attorney for your case after a car accident in Michigan is your most important decision. It is the difference between winning a great settlement and receiving no settlement at all.
Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. is the smart choice for your case. Since 1969, our award-winning lawyers have represented accident injury victims with the highest degree of integrity and compassion. We have the experience, knowledge, and skill to win your case. We settle more than 97% of our car accident cases for the maximum amount of compensation before ever going to court. We will do the same for you.
What is Michigan No-Fault Insurance?
Michigan is a no-fault insurance state which means that every automobile is required by law to be covered by a no-fault insurance policy. This policy provides coverage and valuable benefits to anyone injured in an auto accident. These benefits, refererred to as Personl Injury Protection (or "PIP") benefits include payment of medical expenses, lost wages, attendant care services, household services, medical mileage, home modification, and other benefits.
Almost every person injured in a Michigan car accident, motorcycle accident, truck accident, bicycle accident, or pedestrian accident, is entitled to Michigan No-Fault insurance benefits, regardless of who was as fault for the accident. You may be entitled to these benefits even if you did not own a car or have your own auto no-fault insurance policy.
Can I Sue the At-Fault Driver for My Car Accident Injuries?
Yes. A person injured in an auto accident can also make a claim against the at-fault driver that caused the accident. This is called a negligence claim.
Under Michigan, negligence means the failure to use ordinary care. Ordinary care means the care a reasonably careful person would use or the failure to do something that a reasonably careful person would do, or the doing of something that a reasonably careful person would not do, under the circumstances. For auto accident cases, the most common types of negligence are operating the motor vehicle at an excessive speed, failing to stop at a red light, careless driving, hitting a vehicle from behind, texting while driving, drunk driving, and all other traffic violations that cause or contribute to the car accident.
Negligence claims, also called third party liability claims, are completely different than a claim for PIP benefits. Third party liability claims demand compensation for pain and suffering, disability, scars and disfigurements, and other non-economic type claims. Third party liability claims are made against the insurance company for the other driver and owner of the other vehicle. The insurance company typically pays the settlement.
What Should I Do After A Michigan Auto Accident?
There are several things that you should do immediately after a car accident, which include:
- Notify of the police of the accident, especially if they do not come to the accident scene.
- Provide the investigating officer with your drivers license, proof of insurance, & vehicle registration.
- Make sure there is a written police report made after the accident.
- Get the drivers license number and license plate number of the other vehicles in the crash.
- Take photographs on your phone of damage to your car and other vehicles.
- Get the names, telephone numbers, and addresses of all witnesses to the accident
- Report the accident to your own auto insurance company after the accident
- Request an Application for No-Fault Insurance Benefits from your insurance agent
- Contact our experienced attorneys to advise you on your rights and to begin pursuing your claims
Why Should I Call a Car Accident Lawyer Today?
If your motor vehicle accident was today or at anytime in the past, it is smart to call an experienced car accident lawyer now. There are strict time deadlines for filing insurance and personal injury claims. If you miss a deadline, your case will be destroyed forever and you will give up your rights to a settlement in the future.
Your insurance company might also be underpaying your no-fault benefits and you may not even know. If you are unsure about hiring a lawyer, you can call us to just learn more about your rights and the important time deadlines. There is absolutely no cost or obligation to speak with one of our experienced attorneys.
How Our Lawyers Help You After a Michigan Car Accident
The Michigan No-Fault Insurance laws are confusing. You need to know your rights after a Michigan car accident. When you choose us for your car accident case, we will:
- Get the accident report, witness statements, and full police investigation file
- Get all of your medical records, hospital records, and treatment records
- Deal directly with your auto insurance company adjuster for you
- Provide you with advice on your Mini-Tort property damage claim
- Submit all of your claims for medical bills, lost wages, and other no-fault insurance benefits
- Communicate with the insurance adjuster to make sure all benefits have been paid
- Determine the insurance policy limits for every possible insurer
- File a lawsuit against the negligent driver that caused your accident
- Sue the negligent driver, owner of the car, and insurance company for your pain and suffering compensation
- Negotiate with the insurance adjusters for you
- Get you the best car accident settlement for your pain and suffering as well as any additional compensation
Common Michigan Car Accident Injuries
There are close to 300,000 auto accidents in Michigan every year. Many of these result in serious injuries and death. Over 800 people died in fatal car accidents
in Michigan in 2014. Almost 5,000 accident victims suffered incapacitating injuries that required hospitalization and prevented them from work and normal activities.
Our auto accident attorneys represent clients with all types pain and suffering injuries after a serious auto accident. These include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, back and neck injuries, knee injuries, shoulder injuries, scars, and all other serious injuries. In case involving a fatal car accident in Michigan , we will file a Michigan Wrongful Death claim on behalf of the family.
Factors that Determine Michigan Car Accident Settlements & Compensation
There are a number of factors that determine the amount of a Michigan car accident settlement. Every case and every injury victim is different, so there is not set formula to determine the right amount of the settlement. Accident victims can claim a personal injury settlement that include compensation for these types of damages:
- Pain & Suffering (at the time of the accident and going into the future)
- Fright & Shock
- Psychological Injuries (like PTSD & depression)
- Scars & Permanent Disfigurements
- Disability from Work & Activities
- Loss of Income & Wages (past, present, & future)
- Bystander Claims (witnessing a family member injured in an accident)
- Death (filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit)
Do I Need a Lawyer To Settle My Auto Injury Claim?
You do not need a lawyer to settle your own car accident claim, but you should be aware of many serious mistakes that you can make without an experienced attorney on your side. First, the insurance adjuster may not disclose all of the potential insurance policies or limits that might apply to your claim. You may also not know the real value of your case and this could result in you settling for substantially less money than you could receive otherwise.
Also, there are potential liens that you might be responsible for paying back out of your settlement that you do not know about but will have to pay back at a later date. Finally, you could be jeopardizing your no-fault insurance benefits by signing a Release when you settle your liability claim. This could have devastating consequences.
Insurance studies have shown that injury victims actually receive substantially larger settlements when they hire a lawyer for their case, even after paying the attorney fees. This is because insurance companies know that they cannot get "low ball" settlements with experienced attorneys who know and understand the value of an injury. One study showed that majority of accident victims who hired a lawyer believed that they received a much greater settlement than if they tried to settle their own case.
How do I Determine the Amount of my Accident Settlement?
There is no calculator or written schedule to determine the proper settlement amount for an auto accident case. Factors used to determine the amount of a settlement include the seriousness and permanency of the injuries and the effect of the injuries on the injured person's life. Other factors include the type of length of medical treatment, the amount of lost income, and the insurance policy coverage available for the accident, such as the policy limits for the negligent driver and whether other types of coverage, like uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist coverage existed at the time of the accident.
Our accident injury attorneys rely on our significant skill and experience to win our clients the highest possible settlements. We settle 97% of our cases for the maximum amount before ever going to court. Insurance companies and their lawyers know our reputation for winning cases at trial and expect to pay our clients higher settlements than they pay to other law firms. This is one reason why we routinely get our clients higher settlements than most Michigan law firms.
How Much Are Michigan Car Accident Settlements?
Our expert car accident lawyers have won top settlements and jury verdicts for our clients. Below are examples of auto injury cases handled by our law firm.
- $1,800,000 Settlement for a Lansing area woman who suffered a brain injury in an accident on I-96.
- $1,375,000 Settlement for a woman who suffered spinal cord injury in a Detroit car accident that caused paralysis.
- $1,000,000 Judgment against a negligent driver for hitting a bicyclist in a Detroit suburb.
- $ 900,000 Settlement in an Eaton County, Michigan wrongful death settlement
- $ 950,000 Settlement in St. Clair County for a woman who suffered serious injuries in a car accident.
- $ 700,000 Settlement for an I-94 auto accident near Ann Arbor
- $ 525,000 Settlement for a Detroit man who suffered a fractured pelvis from in a highway shoulder accident.
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