• Non-fatal injuries occur in one out of every six accidents in the U.S.
• Victims become disabled in one out of every ten accidents each year.
• Low-speed accidents can result in significant personal injury even though the property damage is minimal.
• Degenerative injuries can remain undetected or undiagnosed for months after an accident.
• One of the most serious types of auto accidents is rollover accidents and a large number of rollover accidents involve SUVs.
• Rollover accidents account for almost two of every ten auto accident fatalities, more than one third of pickup truck fatalities, and more than half of SUV accident deaths.
• Rollovers may be caused by road defects, poor tires, vehicle design flaws. If gross negligence can be established for any of these factors, a lawsuit is certainly justified.

What You Need to Know About Michigan Car Accident Law

• An uninsured owner of a vehicle involved in an accident cannot file a lawsuit against an at-fault driver and cannot seek First-Party benefits.
• A driver more than 50 percent at fault for an accident cannot file a claim against anyone else involved in the accident.
• Uninsured Motorist Coverage is a policy feature that allows recovery if the at-fault driver lacks insurance or, in the case of a hit-and-run accident, if the at-fault driver cannot be identified.
• Michigan law does place a limit on monthly No-Fault wage loss payments.
• Wage loss benefits collected as the result of an auto accident are not taxable under Michigan or federal law.
• A victim whose policy includes underinsured coverage may be eligible for underinsured benefits when the actual damages exceed the limits paid by the at-fault drivers’ insurance policy.
• If the other driver had been drinking before the accident the victim may be entitled to a Dramshop Claim which involves obtaining damages from a bartender or restaurant wait staff who improperly served alcohol to the at-fault driver. Examples are if a bartender serves a minor or serves alcohol to someone who is clearly intoxicated. This is important because the owner of a bar or restaurant often will have greater financial resources than an insured motorist.

What does ‘no-fault’ mean?

After a Michigan car accident there are always three potential sources of recovery. These are referred to as a first party claim, a third party claim, and a mini tort claim. Do not hesitate from filing a lawsuit because you live in a no-fault state, such as Michigan. If you were in an automobile accident in Michigan, you first receive benefits from your own no-fault insurance company regardless of fault. This is called the First-Party benefits.

Auto Accident Benefits

The benefits include 85 percent of your gross wages for the first three years after the accident, $20 a day for replacement services, home assistant care if necessary, payment of medical bills and prescription, etc. Replacement services involves reimbursement for money you paid for services, such as household chores, that you could have done by yourself if not for the accident. If a doctor affirms you were unable to perform these household services, than the insurance carrier may have to reimburse you up to $20 per day for up to three years. A Third-Party claim includes payments ordered by the courts to be paid for death, disfigurement, pain and suffering, or wage loss. The Third-Party judgment is obtained against the driver who caused the accident. To collect non-economic damages in Michigan against an at-fault driver, the victim must have died or suffered serious disfigurement or scarring or a serious impairment of a major bodily function. A Third-Party lawsuit must be filed within three years of the accident or the victim forfeits their right to seek damages. In Michigan, the First-Party No-Fault benefits that your insurance company may be liable for include: Wage loss; attendant care; medical bills for life; replacement services; mileage reimbursement; and Third-Party basics. As indicated, a victim may obtain 85 percent of their pay for up to three years if a doctor has determined the injuries obtained in the accident prevents the victim from working. Money obtained for wage loss reimbursement is tax-free. The law, however, imposes a maximum on how much an insurance company must pay to a victim in monthly wage loss payments.

Car Accident Benefits Require Legal and Medical Documentation

Michigan law does not guarantee pre-payment of medical bills for an accident so it is vital to get legal advice. Good records must be kept and bills saved. The insurance company may be required to provide medical coverage for the life of the victim if the treatment is related to injuries incurred in the accident. LegalGenius, PLLC attorneys fully understand the detail and small print in insurance policies and our attorneys will keep you fully informed. Serious injuries may require the victim to obtain medical care for a long period of time. In such a case, attendant care will be needed. The quality of care, the right to choose a care provider, and whether attendant care benefits must be paid may become issues between you and the insurance carrier. If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, Ask the Genius™ or call us at 1-800-209-4000 to review your case.

Auto Accident Benefits

In states without no-fault laws, recovery can only be made in an auto accident by proving that the accident was the fault of the other driver. Proof is essential. A good car accident lawyer knows the importance of identifying witnesses, interviewing police officers, and if necessary, retaining accident reconstruction experts. Once liability is established in an automobile accident case, the next step is to prove, explain, and quantify the seriousness of the personal injuries. A good Alabama car accident attorney will have extensive contacts in the medical community to assist their clients in documenting the seriousness of their injury. In many cases, it is necessary to use economists, medical experts, and even life care planners to fully document the extent of an accident victim’s injuries.

Even a seemingly simple car accident case can present legal complexities. In many cases, there are issues of insurance coverage. Even if the defendant driver has insurance coverage, it may not be adequate to cover all the injuries. In cases such as this, the best automobile accident attorneys know how to identify other sources of insurance coverage, including underinsured and uninsured policies, employer’s policies, umbrella policies, and, in some cases, even homeowner’s insurance. It is only by bringing all of these factors together–establishing the fault of the other driver, maximizing and proving the extent of the injuries, and ensuring that there are adequate proceeds to pay the settlement–that an accident injury victim can receive a full recovery.

The LegalGenius Law Firm of Alabama has extensive experience representing the victims of automobile accidents. They are not only Alabama car accident attorneys, they represent accident victims nationwide! LegalGenius’s Alabama car accident lawyers have access to the finest accident reconstruction experts, computer simulation experts, and automotive traffic safety experts. As personal injury lawyers, the firm has relationships with dozens of doctors, specialists, and other health care professionals to assist its clients.

When you have been involved in a semi truck accident or other commercial vehicle wreck, you need attorneys experienced with serious injury. Due to size disparities and the basic laws of physics, any collision between a commercial truck and a passenger car is likely to result in serious injuries and significant property damage. Our car accident attorneys have handled hundreds of trucking accident injury cases.

When the Alabama personal injury lawyers of the LegalGenius Law Firm of Alabama go to court, we mean business. We are backed up by an accomplished professional staff and private investigators, and we contract with a wide variety of unbiased medical professionals and expert consultants who work together to prepare persuasive case materials to explain even the most complex information to a jury.

If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, Ask the Genius™ or call us at 1-800-209-4000 to review your case.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

When a drive sits behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, he or she is accepting full responsibility for the safety of everyone else on the road. Accidents happen every minute of every day. When a driver’s careless behavior or actions lead to serious injury or death, the driver must be held responsible.

At LegalGenius, we have helped people who have been seriously injured in accidents seek justice and receive the compensation that they deserve. If you have suffered a serious or life-altering injury caused by a motor vehicle accident, call us today for a free consultation at (800) 209-4000. During your free consultation, our experienced attorneys will discuss your case and go over all the available options. We will work with insurance companies and other parties that are involved in your case to ensure that all needs are handled appropriately.

Personal Injury

Personal injury cases happen when people are inured by careless or intentional acts of others. They can also arise by products that are defected in some way. When someone is determined to be legally responsible for injuring someone else, they must be liable for the injury and may be made to pay the inured person for their damages. Compensation to the victim attempts to put the injured person back in the position that he or she was in before the injury.

At LegalGenius, our lawyers understand that your immediate goals after going through the pain and suffering of a personal injury are to make sure your medical bills are paid and covered, to make sure you do not suffer from lost wages and to ensure that your insurance company will pay for future treatment relating to your injury.

Our respected attorneys will evaluate your claim to the fullest extent, discuss the situation with you and go over all options available to you. We will work with the insurance companies and other parties involved to make sure all your needs are handled efficiently and effectively.

If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, Ask the Genius™ or call us at 1-800-209-4000 to review your case.

Time Limits on Indiana Personal Injury Lawsuits

Each state sets a limit on the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit in civil court after an injury. In Indiana this time limit (known as the “statute of limitations”) is two years. Usually, this two-year time limit starts running on the date of the accident. If you don’t get your lawsuit filed before the two-year time limit passes, you’re almost certain to lose your right to have the court hear your case, so it’s important to make note of and comply with the law. For injury claims against a city or county, you have 180 days to file a formal claim. For claims against a state government agency, you have 270 days to file a claim.

Comparative Fault in Indiana

Indiana has a “comparative fault” rule for cases in which an injured person is found to be partly at fault for the accident or incident that led to his or her injuries. This rule works to reduce or even eliminate damages, depending on the amount of fault that is assigned to the injured person.

Indiana’s comparative fault rule works like this: Suppose you’re driving a few miles per hour over the speed limit, when another car turns left right in front of you. Eventually, it’s determined that you share 20 percent of the fault for the accident, and the other driver bears 80 percent of the fault.
Under Indiana’s comparative fault rule, your damages award will be reduced by 20 percent, or the amount of fault assigned to you. If your total damages in this example were $10,000, you would be able to collect the total minus $2,000, or $8,000. As long as your share of fault is under 50 percent, you will be able to collect damages. But if you are found to be 50 percent or more at fault, you cannot collect from any other at-fault party.

Indiana Auto Insurance Laws

Indiana is a “fault” or “at-fault” state when it comes to auto accident claims. This means that a person injured in a car accident in Indiana has multiple options. He or she may choose to file a claim with their own insurance company, file a claim directly with another driver’s insurance company (known as a “third-party claim”), or go to court to prove fault and seek damages.

If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, Ask the Genius™ or call us at 1-800-209-4000 to review your case.

When you’re negotiating an insurance settlement, the threat of going to court can be a valuable bargaining chip, even if you never actually have to file a lawsuit. Whether to go to court first or contact insurance companies first is one thing to consider when deciding what to do after an Indiana auto accident.

Auto Accident Benefits

If you have been injured in an automobile, motorcycle or trucking accident due to the negligence of another driver in Ohio, you have the right to be fairly compensated for your injuries caused by that other driver’s negligence.  As an Ohio automobile accident victim, you are entitled to be compensated for your economic loss due to the accident, which includes your medical bills, lost time from work, and damage to your automobile and property, as well as any other loss that has cost you money, such as funeral and burial expenses in the case of death due to the automobile accident.  You are also entitled to be compensated for your non-economic loss, which includes your pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.  In addition, if you have been severely injured (i.e. loss of limb, paralysis, serious disfigurement, etc.) your spouse and children may be entitled to compensation for your injuries if they have suffered a loss of your services, companionship, love, affection, guidance, etc.

If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, Ask the Genius™ or call us at 1-800-209-4000 to review your case.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

 Here at LegalGenius, we understand how serious injuries can change a person’s life. If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident involving a car, boat, motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle or public transportation, it is important for you to receive expert legal advice.

At LegalGenius, we pride ourselves in successfully representing thousands of accident victims in and out of the courtroom. Over the years, we have earned the respect from insurance companies through the direct result of our expertise and reputation for fighting for our client’s rights. We want to work with you and your family to achieve the best results following a motor vehicle accident. We will do our best to ensure you can afford the enhancements to your world that will allow you to live your life as close to normal as possible. Let LegalGenius represent you today!

If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, Ask the Genius™ or call us at 1-800-209-4000 to review your case.