A Michigan motorcycle accident creates serious and sudden problems for you and your family. While motorcycles make up a small fraction of vehicles on Michigan roads, they’re involved in a disproportionate number of serious injury crashes.
Pursuing a claim in Michigan brings its own set of rules that are very different for motorcyclists, and riders who represent themselves often face an uphill battle. Dealing with an insurance company on your own adds layers of difficulty to an already hard situation.
Navigating Michigan's complex no-fault laws, proving the other driver's fault, and calculating future expenses is a heavy burden to carry while you’re trying to heal from your injuries. An experienced Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer from Kajy Law Firm can manage this entire process for you and provide Michigan motorcycle accident information.
First: If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Michigan, contact Kajy Law Firm online or at (248)-702-6641 to learn how we can help.
Why Choose Kajy Law Firm for Your Michigan Motorcycle Accident Claim
After a serious motorcycle crash, you need a team that not only understands Michigan law but also recognizes the unique challenges riders face. At Kajy Law Firm, we’re committed to providing clear answers and strong representation for injured motorcyclists and their families throughout Michigan.
Our History of Success
With over 150 years of combined experience, our Michigan motorcycle accident lawyers are ready to help you seek compensation for your losses. With over $100 million recovered and 5,000 cases won, we’re ready to put our experience to work for you.
We Simplify the No-Fault System
Michigan's no-fault insurance system is notoriously complex, and it works differently for motorcycles than it does for cars. We take the time to explain your options in simple, everyday language. We can determine which insurance policies are responsible for paying medical bills and lost wages. Our job is to lift that confusion from your shoulders so you can focus on your health.
Client-Focused Approach
We believe that your physical and emotional well-being comes first. Our team manages every aspect of your legal claim, from collecting police reports to speaking with insurance adjusters. This comprehensive approach lets you focus your energy on your medical treatments and getting your life back.
Let Kajy Law Firm handle the legal fight while you concentrate on healing. Contact us via our online form or call us at (248) 290-8549 to schedule a free consultation about your case.
What To Do After a Motorcycle Crash in Michigan
The steps you take immediately following a motorcycle accident can significantly impact the success of your personal injury claim in motorcycle accidents. Even if you've already sought necessary medical attention, acting quickly to gather and preserve information is essential.
Key evidence can be lost or forgotten over time, and Michigan has strict deadlines for filing lawsuits and notices against certain parties.
Protect your right to seek compensation by following these important steps now:
- Follow Through With All Medical Care: Continue to see your doctors, specialists, and physical therapists. Your medical records are the core evidence of your injury and will be used to calculate your damages. Failing to attend appointments can be used by the insurance company to argue that your injuries are not serious.
- Document Everything: Write down everything you remember about the accident while it is still fresh in your mind: the location, time, road conditions, and what the other driver was doing. Keep a pain journal documenting your daily symptoms, limitations, and how the injury affects your life.
- Preserve Your Motorcycle and Gear: Don’t repair, sell, or destroy your damaged motorcycle, helmet, or protective gear. These items may contain crucial physical evidence about the crash, and an investigator may need to examine them.
- Gather Accident-Related Documents: Collect and organize all documents related to the crash, including the police report, all medical bills, receipts for expenses (like prescriptions or transportation), and any correspondence you've received about the accident.
- Don’t Speak to the Other Driver's Insurer: An adjuster for the at-fault driver is not on your side. They will try to get you to make a recorded statement or accept a fast, low-ball settlement. Direct all communication from the other party's insurer to your attorney.
- Consult a Michigan Motorcycle Accident Attorney: Our lawyers know Michigan's no-fault and personal injury laws and can advise you on your legal options. Our team can identify all liable parties and handle all communication with the insurance companies.
Understanding Michigan’s Complex No-Fault Laws for Motorcyclists
Michigan’s no-fault insurance law is a source of constant confusion for people injured in auto accidents. For motorcyclists, the rules are even more complicated and have important differences. Understanding these differences is essential to getting the benefits you need to pay for your medical care and cover your lost wages.
The main purpose of the no-fault system is to provide quick payment for medical costs and other economic losses, no matter who caused the crash. However, the order of who pays for a motorcyclist's care follows a different set of rules.
An experienced Michigan motorcycle accident attorney can trace the proper order of payment and make sure the correct insurance company is held accountable. This avoids delays and denials that can put your financial health at risk.
Are Motorcyclists Covered by No-Fault Benefits?
Yes, motorcyclists injured in a crash with a motor vehicle in Michigan are generally able to receive no-fault benefits. These benefits are also known as Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and cover important costs that come up right after a crash.
The main challenge is figuring out which insurance company is supposed to pay these benefits. Unlike a car driver who turns to their own auto policy, a motorcyclist must look to other sources first. Your lawyer can quickly identify the correct insurer based on the specifics of your accident.
Who Pays for Medical Bills and Lost Wages?
Figuring out who pays for your bills after a Michigan motorcycle accident is the most pressing yet confusing concern for many riders dealing with common motorcycle accident injuries. The law sets up a specific order of priority.
Here’s how an injured rider seeks PIP benefits, in order:
Here is the order the law sets for motorcyclists seeking PIP benefits:
- The Motor Vehicle Owner’s Insurer: You first seek no-fault benefits from the insurance company that covers the motor vehicle's owner or registrant.
- The Motor Vehicle Driver’s Insurer: You must next file a claim for no-fault benefits with the insurance company of the driver of the motor vehicle involved in the crash.
- The Motorcycle Owner’s Insurer: If no policy is still available, you then turn to the insurer of the motorcycle's owner.
- The Motorcycle Operator’s Insurer: The next in line is the insurer of the motorcycle operator, if they’re covered under a no-fault auto policy as a named insured or resident relative.
- The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan: Lastly, you can apply for benefits through the MACP. This state-created plan assigns an insurer to your claim.
A Michigan motorcycle accident attorney at Kajy Law Firm can guide you through this confusing maze.
The Role of Your Own Health Insurance
Your personal health insurance can also play a role, but it’s not the primary payer for accident-related injuries under the no-fault law. No-fault benefits are supposed to cover your medical costs first.
Navigating the payment process between these different insurance types adds another layer of work that our team can handle for you. Your focus should be on recovery, not on fighting with insurance administrators about who pays which bill.
Compensation You Can Pursue After a Michigan Motorcycle Accident
When another driver's carelessness causes you harm, the law allows you to pursue payment for all of your losses. Your economic damages have a clear price tag, like medical bills and lost paychecks. Non-economic damages cover the non-physical harm the accident has caused, such as pain and the way the injuries have changed your daily life.
To get payment for non-economic harm like pain and suffering in Michigan, you must show that you suffered a threshold injury. Under the law, this means proving one of three things: a serious impairment of body function, permanent serious disfigurement, or death.
For motorcycle riders, who often suffer severe road rash, scarring, and disfigurement, more than one of these categories may apply. Our lawyers gather the medical evidence and personal stories needed to show the full impact of your injuries. We work to build a case that paints a complete picture of your life before and after the Michigan motorcycle accident.
Common damages include:
- Medical Expenses: Your claim may seek compensation for all hospital stays, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, and any future care needs related to your injuries.
- Lost Income: You may pursue payment for the wages you lost while unable to work and any reduction in your ability to earn an income in the future.
- Pain and Suffering: This compensation addresses the physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life caused by the accident and your injuries.
- Other Non-Economic Losses: You may be able to recover compensation for scarring, disfigurement, or permanent disability.
Some of these losses, like medical expenses and lost wages, may be partially covered through no-fault PIP benefits. Others, like pain and suffering, can only be recovered through a third-party lawsuit against the negligent driver.
A Michigan motorcycle accident attorney at Kajy Law Firm can help you understand which claims apply to your situation and pursue the full compensation you deserve.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Wrecks in Michigan
Michigan motorcycle riders face unique risks every time they head out on the road, which can lead to a motorcycle accident claim. From the packed city streets of Detroit to the fast-moving highways like the I-75 and I-94 corridors, a rider must always be on high alert. Unfortunately, even the most careful and defensive riders cannot always avoid a collision when a car or truck driver makes a careless mistake.
Most of these crashes aren’t really "accidents" at all but are the direct result of a specific driving error. A moment of distraction or a poor judgment call by a driver in a passenger car can have life-altering results for an unprotected motorcyclist.
Many of these collisions stem from a few common driver errors:
- Unsafe Lane Changes: A driver fails to check their blind spot before merging and moves directly into the motorcyclist's lane of travel.
- Left-Turn Accidents: A car turns left at an intersection directly into the path of an oncoming motorcycle that the driver claims they "did not see."
- Rear-End Collisions: A motorist follows a motorcycle too closely on a busy road and cannot stop in time when the rider slows down.
- Opening Car Doors: A person in a parked car on a city street opens their door into traffic without looking, creating a sudden and unavoidable hazard for a rider.
FAQ for Michigan Motorcycle Accidents
What Is the First Thing I Should Do if I Am in a Michigan Motorcycle Accident?
Seek medical attention right away, even if you think you’re not seriously hurt. Some serious injuries may not show symptoms for hours or even days. Getting a medical evaluation creates an important record of your physical condition right after the crash. Next, contact an attorney to learn about your legal rights before you speak with any insurance companies.
How Is Fault Determined in a Motorcycle Crash in Michigan?
Fault is determined by looking at the evidence to see which party failed to use reasonable care. Evidence can include the police report, photos of the scene and vehicles, witness statements, and any available video footage. In some cases, accident reconstruction experts can help explain how the crash occurred by analyzing physical evidence such as skid marks and vehicle damage.
Your Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer gathers all available evidence to build a strong case that proves the other driver’s fault.
Can I Still Have a Case if I Wasn’t Wearing a Helmet?
Yes, you can still have a case even if you weren’t wearing a helmet. Michigan law changed in 2012 to allow riders over 21 to ride without a helmet if they meet certain insurance and licensing requirements. While not wearing a helmet may affect the extent of your head injuries, it doesn’t prevent you from holding an at-fault driver responsible for causing the crash itself.
Does Michigan's No-Fault Law Apply to My Motorcycle?
Michigan’s No-Fault Law applies, but in a very different way than it does for cars. While you’re eligible for no-fault benefits to cover medical bills and lost wages after a crash with a motor vehicle, the source of those benefits follows a special order of priority.
One of our Michigan motorcycle crash attorneys can analyze the specifics of your accident to identify the correct insurance company responsible for paying your benefits.
Who Pays To Repair My Motorcycle After a Crash?
Michigan's no-fault law doesn’t pay for damage to your motorcycle. To get your bike repaired, you must have purchased collision coverage for it. The other option is to file a mini-tort claim against the at-fault driver's insurance to recover a limited amount for vehicle damage. Your lawyer can explain which options apply in your situation.
Let's Talk About Your Case
Michigan’s legal system can be confusing, but an experienced lawyer from Kajy Law Firm can guide you every step of the way. We’ll handle the complexities of your claim so that you can put all your energy into your recovery.
We’re ready to listen to your story and explain how we can help. Your consultation is free, and there is no obligation to hire us. Contact our team today through our online form or call us at (248)-702-6641 to start the conversation.