Bay City is a charming waterfront town that sees its fair share of car accidents, like any other city in Michigan. Those accidents can have serious consequences, including costly medical expenses for injuries, property damage, physical pain and suffering, and emotional distress. If you or a loved one are injured in a crash, the Bay City car accident attorneys at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm will help.
We understand how frustrating and traumatizing a car accident can be. Our team of experienced Bay City car accident lawyers can handle complex legal matters for you and ensure you are awarded a fair settlement. We fight and win to get the compensation you deserve.
Our law firm handles car accidents across Bay County and has represented individuals in Pinconning, Auburn, Essexville, Kawkawlin, Bangor, and Monitor. We proudly represent our clients in Bay County Circuit Court and have obtained substantial settlements.
Winning Bay City Car Accident Lawyers for Over 50 Years
At The Lee Steinberg Law Firm, our Bay County car accident lawyers have over five decades of experience handling a wide range of car and truck accident cases.
- We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our Mid-Michigan car accident clients.
- Our attorneys are regularly selected to present at legal seminars across Michigan and are selected as Super Lawyers.
- Eric Steinberg served as President of the Michigan Association for Justice (MAJ), the umbrella organization for all Michigan personal injury lawyers.
- In the past three years, the Lee Steinberg Law Firm has settled numerous 7 figure cases, many for Mid-Michigan residents.
These are just some of the many car accident cases we can help you with:
Bay City Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are some of the worst and most devastating types of car accidents. Often, these accidents result in extensive car damage and leave victims severely injured. If you or a loved one are involved in a Michigan head-on collision, we can help you with your case. We’ll ensure the proper party is held accountable and help you recover all the money you deserve.
Bay City T-Bone Accidents
T-bone collisions, also known as side impact accidents, can be scary. In many situations, they happen when you least expect it, catching you off guard after a car has run a red light or a stop sign. If a person is sitting next to the area of impact, the injuries can be devastating and life changing. If you need help, one of our Michigan T-bone accident attorneys can assist you with your case.
Bay City Sideswipe Accidents
Sideswipe collisions are often overlooked due to the assumption that they are often minor accidents that produce little damage and minor injuries. However, sideswipe accidents can and do result in severe injuries and even fatalities, especially if the vehicles involved are traveling at higher speeds. If you need help with a Michigan sideswipe accident claim, our team of personal injury attorneys can assist you with your case.
What Car Accident Claims Can I Make After a Crash?
Besides a claim for the vehicle damages, there are primarily two types of car accident claims a person can file after being involved in a car accident:
1. First-Party Claims
First-party claims are also known as no-fault claims or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claims. A first-party claim is filed with your own car insurance company. This occurs even if your own vehicle was not involved in the crash.
Under Michigan car accident law, your insurance company is responsible for paying lost wages and medical expenses resulting from the crash. The medical expenses it pays depend on the amount of PIP coverage on the vehicle.
Because Michigan is a no-fault state, even a person who caused the crash can still get no-fault benefits from their car insurance company.
If an injured person does not have auto insurance, almost everyone is still eligible for PIP benefits, and it becomes a question of which insurance carrier is responsible. Call the Bay City car accident lawyers at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm to find out how to get medical bills paid, lost wages, and other benefits following a car wreck.
2. Third-Party Claims – Negligence Case
Third-party claims are filed against the at-fault party and their insurance company. They are also known as negligence cases. All drivers must carry liability insurance, which covers them if they cause an accident that results in someone else’s injuries.
In a third-party case, a person files a claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver for the pain and suffering they have caused. In these cases, the vehicle owner may also be included. If an injured person has medical bills and lost wages not covered by the no-fault PIP claim, they may also be included in the third-party case.
In both of these cases, you will need to provide sufficient evidence to prove your injuries. You will also need to show the injuries are related to the car crash. The Michigan no-fault law is not simple. That’s why you need a Bay City car accident law firm that specializing in Michigan car accident law.
Does My Health or Auto Insurance Pay the Medical Bills After a Car Accident?
Health insurance does cover medical expenses for injuries resulting from a car accident. This is especially true if you have coordinated your no-fault insurance with private health insurance. However, some insurance companies are starting to include car accident exclusions in their policies, so they might not cover your accident-related medical expenses.
In addition, government-sponsored health plans like Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare are always secondary to auto insurance.
- Coordinated no-fault benefits: If you have coordinated your no-fault car insurance with your health insurance, your health insurance will generally be the primary payer of your accident-related medical expenses. Your auto insurance would then step in as the secondary payer if the health insurance coverage has been exhausted or your health plan does not cover the medical services.
- Excess medical bills: Your health insurance will also cover your accident injury expenses if the bills exceed the amount of no-fault benefits coverage.
- Medicare and Medicaid: In general, Medicare and Medicaid do not cover auto accident-related treatment. Instead, the no-fault carrier is always primary. That is why opening a PIP claim quickly after a crash is important. Some doctors and specialists won’t see you without a PIP claim number because they know Medicare and Medicaid won’t pay.
In many cases, whether your medical bills are covered after a car accident will depend on the amount of PIP medical coverage you have. With Michigan allowing PIP choice, many individuals now have a cap on the amount of PIP coverage they get from the auto insurance carrier. After that cap is met, personal health insurance will have to kick in and pay, which can be frustrating. Most health plans have coverage limitations/exclusions for specific services or treatments for car accident injuries. In contrast, auto insurance does not have these limitations.
How Do I Prove the Car Accident Was Caused by a Distracted Driver?
Michigan distracted driving accidents are all too common. There are many ways that a driver can become distracted, but some of the most common distracted driving accidents today are caused by cell phone use while driving.
Though Michigan has a statute that applies to distracted driving and texting, it does not ban cell phone use while driving altogether. There are still many accidents in the state that result from driving while using a cell phone.
Other common causes of distracted driving include:
- Paying attention to passengers while driving
- Eating or drinking while driving
- Grooming in the mirror while driving
- Dealing with kids or pets in the car while driving
- Adjusting the GPS or radio while driving
- Reaching for objects in the car while driving
So, how can you prove that another driver’s distraction caused the accident?
Well, it’s not easy, but it is achievable with the help of an attorney. A skilled Bay City car accident lawyer will take the necessary depositions, talk to witnesses, and obtain information from law enforcement to prove that the other driver was distracted and negligent in causing the collision.
Other evidence you can obtain with the help of your lawyer to prove distracted driving can include:
- A police report
- Eyewitness testimonies
- Phone records
- Video or surveillance footage
- Photos from the accident
How Do I Calculate Pain and Suffering After a Bay City Car Accident?
While some injuries a person suffers after a car accident are easily calculable, others, like pain and suffering, are not. For example, damages such as medical bills and lost income have obvious monetary value, which makes it easy to determine how much a victim should be compensated.
But pain and suffering is an emotional and physical experience that lacks monetary value. Still, victims deserve to be compensated for the suffering that they have had to endure as a result of the accident. This also includes future pain and suffering. Because it lacks a monetary value, however, it can be more difficult to calculate.
As the victim, one of the best ways you can prove the extent of your pain and suffering to increase your chances of being awarded a higher-value settlement is to keep a journal that keeps track of the changes to your everyday life. This can include writing down how much pain you are in, what activities you are limited from doing or cannot do at all, and how your pain and injuries are affecting your emotional state.
Once you have provided evidence of your situation, two ways are commonly used to calculate damages for pain and suffering:
- Adding monetary damages and multiplying by a number: Your monetary damages are medical bills, property damage costs, attorney fees, etc. These will be added and multiplied by a number between 1 and 5. This number is determined based on the seriousness of your injuries, recovery expectations, and how much pain you are in.
- Per diem calculation: An amount will be determined based on your level of pain and suffering. That amount will be designated as a daily fee, and you will be paid that daily rate until you have experienced a full recovery.
Who’s At Fault for a Car Accident When it Rains or Snows?
Michigan and the Bay City area are no strangers to bad weather. However, when weather-related accidents occur, it can be more challenging to determine who is ultimately at fault.
In most cases, accidents cannot be blamed on bad weather. In Michigan, drivers must operate their vehicles with due care and caution based on weather. If the roads are slippery due to snow or ice, you would be expected to drive more slowly than usual. A driver must also allow more space for the vehicle in front of them.
Michigan is a no-fault state, so no matter who is at Fault for a weather-related car accident, you can still file a first-party claim with car insurance to recover compensation. In addition to obtaining PIP benefits, you can also get money for pain and suffering, anxiety, and emotional distress if the other driver is at fault.
How Can a Bay City Car Accident Lawyer Help Me?
In many cases, if you want a full and fair settlement after a Bay City car accident, you will need to work with an attorney. An experienced car accident lawyer can help you:
- Investigate the accident
- Obtain evidence
- Demonstrate what happened
- Handle communications with the other parties involved
- Help you calculate damages
- Protect your rights and represent you in court if necessary
- Guide you throughout the entire process
- Negotiate a fair settlement
Top Rated Car Accident Lawyers in Bay City, MI
For over 50 years, The Lee Steinberg Law Firm has helped injured victims win their cases to collect the compensation they need and deserve. We care about the health and well-being of our clients. The results of a car accident in Michigan can be traumatic—let us help you get the compensation you need to recover and move on as comfortably as possible.
Please call our Bay City attorneys at 1-800-LEE-FREE (1-866-696-9146) or fill out the Free Case Evaluation Form so we can answer any questions you may have about your accident. You pay nothing until we settle your Bay City car accident case.