Charlie Langton of Fox 2 Detroit sat down with car accident lawyer Lawrence Kay of Kajy Law to discuss car accidents and insurance coverage in Michigan. They covered the state’s no-fault insurance system, where regardless of fault, a person’s own insurance company pays for medical bills and lost wages for accident injuries. Lawrence emphasized the following:
- The importance of having adequate insurance coverage levels, particularly recommending unlimited Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage.
- That there are different coverage levels ranging from complete opt-out to unlimited coverage.
- Having insufficient coverage can leave someone personally liable for medical bills.
- Electing to have at least $500,000 in coverage for uninsured/underinsured motorists to help protect yourself against drivers with no or minimal insurance.
What Happens in a Rear-End Car Collision with No-Fault Insurance?
Charlie then posed a hypothetical situation to Lawrence involving rear-end car collision in snowy conditions here in Michigan. He explained that Michigan is a no-fault state, meaning regardless of who causes a car accident, each person’s own insurance company is responsible for paying their medical bills and lost wages through Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. Some additional things to consider about rear-end car crashes are:
- The most common cause of rear-end collision accidents is distracted driving.
- The rear driver in a rear-end collision is often found to be at-fault…but not always.
- You can likely sue if you suffered injuries or damages as a result of the accident.
How Much Car Insurance Coverage (PIP) Do I Need?
Lawrence shared that there are different levels of PIP coverage available that include:
- A complete opt-out (no coverage)
- $50,000
- $250,000
- $500,000
- Unlimited coverage
He strongly recommends unlimited coverage for drivers and illustrated a car accident injury case where a client with $250,000 in coverage was personally liable for the remaining medical bills of an injured driver after they were paralyzed in an accident and facing over $400,000 in hospital bills.
How Important Is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
The discussion then shifted to the importance of having uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Lawrence shared some staggering facts about this that include:
- Over a million Michigan drivers have no insurance coverage, making this type of protection crucial.
- Obtaining at least $500,000 in bodily injury coverage is important because it can help to protect against personal liability and prevents lawyers from pursuing personal assets if damages exceed policy limits.
Insurance and Car Accidents are Complex – Call Kajy Law for Help Today
It was acknowledged by both that car accidents and insurance for drivers are both complex. That’s why the team at Kajy Law has a dedicated car accident team in place to handle these matters for clients. To get help immediately with your car accident case or find out what your car accident case could be worth; please call 877-Kajy-Cares or contact us today.
