Tim Yousif has been helping and representing individuals who have become disabled or injured since 2002. With offices in Macomb, Wayne, and Kent counties we have represented individuals throughout the State of Michigan.
No matter how good a driver you are, car accidents can happen – often through no fault of your own. And when they do, and especially if you have been injured, that’s when you need to contact an experienced and knowledgeable car accident attorney.
That is especially true in Michigan, where the State mandated laws and insurance requirements can become complicated.
Michigan is a “No-Fault” state, which basically means that when there is a car accident, both parties involved in a car accident are required to file claims against their own insurance companies, regardless of who was actually at fault, rather than filing a claim against the other driver’s insurance company. That is even the case if your car gets rear-ended.
The point is that Michigan’s No Fault law allows both party’s to claim insurance benefits in respect of costs and losses sustained as a result of the accident. These are:
However, accessing the benefits you are due can be extremely confusing, and Michigan state law imposes strict guidelines and time limits that, if not met, may prohibit you from obtaining the relief to which you are entitled.
Although Michigan’s headline time limits for notification and filing sound simple enough (a 1 year time limit for a No-Fault claim, and a 3 year limit for filing a claim against a negligent driver’s insurance company for pain and suffering you may have occurred), the law is complicated by certain exceptions and issues such as when an accident involves a public bus, or an uninsured out of state driver, or you were involved in an accident while in another state, or resulted in a worker’s compensation claim, or might run up against Michigan’s personal injury threshold law.
Moreover, many individual auto insurance policies either fail to spell out your rights under Michigan law, or else impose their own separate policy-driven notification stipulations. For example, some individual policies have far more restrictive notification time limits in the event of certain special circumstances, for example hit-and-run accidents, or accidents involving uninsured drivers.
All of which is why, if you have been in an auto accident that resulted in injury, you need to speak with a car accident attorney.
At TJY Law, we are very familiar with not just your rights under the law but, more importantly, the way auto insurance companies consider and evaluate car accidents.
According to the insurance industry’s own research reports, claims made with the involvement of an experienced car accident attorney settled for on average around FOUR TIMES HIGHER than claims that did not have an attorney involved.
Always remember, insurance adjusters work for the insurance company. The adjuster’s interests are in obtaining as economical and as swift a settlement to your claim as possible. However, where injury is concerned, an overly swift settlement may well not be in your best interests. Often, sometimes even months after the event, there is a need for further medical treatment. Or possibly long-term treatment of what may be a permanent injury that was not noticed, or diagnosed, immediately after the accident.
That is why it is important not to cash a settlement check or to sign a release, and to contact a car accident attorney if your insurance company wants you to settle or sign a release. Once you settle or sign, you have no further rights to any benefits or payments.
In addition, you should also contact us if:
At TJY Law we will:
If you are injured and/or unable to work, of course finances are tight. That is why we offer free consultations, and why we do not charge any upfront fees.
At TJY Law, we understand the process. We know the system, and we know how best to present your case. We are dedicated to your success.
Contact TJY Law today at 844-773-7427.
Tim Yousif has been helping and representing individuals who have become disabled or injured since 2002. With offices in Macomb, Wayne, and Kent counties we have represented individuals throughout the State of Michigan.
