Lansing and Ingham County have their fair share of bad drivers and auto accidents. It is important to understand the basic rules and laws following a car accident. Michigan’s car accident law is complex. Our team of Lansing car accident lawyers has handled thousands of cases in mid-Michigan and understands what it takes to win your auto accident case.
Why Choose Lee Steinberg Law Firm, P.C. for This Case?
After sustaining a serious personal injury caused by a car accident, you need a law firm that specializes in car accidents, especially in the Lansing area.
- We focus only on personal injury law, and our clients are only the injured and their families.
- We understand the complexities of auto accident cases, the defenses insurance companies come up with, how to get Michigan no-fault benefits and how to get the most for your pain and suffering.
- We have 50 years of experience in helping clients in Lansing and surrounding communities get the money they deserve.
- We handle all Lansing car accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you do not pay anything until we win your case.
- Our Lansing car accident attorneys have been selected as Michigan “Super Lawyers” numerous times. This is because our attorneys and staff go the extra mile for our clients.
How Do I Get Compensation After a Lansing Car Accident?
There are two types of compensation for injuries from a car accident. The first is called “economic damages” and comprise of things like no-fault benefits or first-party PIP benefits, as explained below.
The other type of compensation is “non-economic” damages. These are the harms and losses that cannot be so easily quantified. They include things like physical pain and suffering, emotional pain and suffering, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, loss of society and loss of consortium.
Because Michigan is a no-fault state, getting compensation after a car accident is not so simple. Usually, two different insurance carriers are involved. One insurance company pays no-fault benefits, while another pays the pain and suffering.
A knowledgeable Lansing car accident lawyer can make sure you get everything you deserve and quickly get your life back on track.
What are No-Fault Benefits?
Michigan is a no-fault state. This means in Michigan, a person injured in a car accident can obtain first-party no-fault benefits, even if they cause the accident. Another name for no-fault benefits is personal injury protection or PIP.
These benefits are even available to individuals who do not have auto insurance or even own a car. In fact, all people injured in a car or truck accident in Michigan are entitled to no-fault benefits so long as they were not in an accident involving their own uninsured car.
So what kind of things do no-fault benefits include? First is the payment of medical bills that are related to the crash. These medical expenses can include hospital bills from Sparrow or McLaren, doctor bills, rehab, surgeries, medications and co-pays.
Another benefit is lost wages. Under MCL 500.3107(1)(b), the car insurance company must pay 85% of your gross wages for up to 3 years from the date of the accident. This is true even if you lose your job due to the crash.
A third benefit is replacement services. Under MCL 500.3107(1)(c), a friend or family member who is doing the household chores you can’t do because of your car accident injuries is entitled to receive $20 per day for this work. This benefit is also available for up to 3 years.
The Lansing car accident lawyers at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm have helped our clients recover hundreds of millions. We are always here to answer any questions you have about no-fault benefits and your car accident situation. Auto insurance companies don’t like paying no-fault benefits. We can make sure they pay what they are supposed to pay.
How Much Can I Sue After a Lansing Car Accident?
It depends on the severity of your injuries, whether additional medical treatment is needed, the insurance policies and the skill of your Lansing car accident lawyer.
Our Lasing car accident attorneys specialize in obtaining pain and suffering compensation when another driver is at-fault for causing the car wreck. Whether the accident occurs on I-96, US-27, I-69 or on a city street in Mason, Holt, DeWitt or Grand Ledge, individuals injured due to the negligence of another person can receive compensation for emotional distress, mental pain, and loss of society.
Under Michigan law, to obtain pain and suffering compensation from a car accident, you must prove a few different things. First, you have to demonstrate the at-fault driver was at least 50% for causing the accident. Next, you must demonstrate you were injured in the car wreck and those injuries were proximately caused by the car accident.
Last, under Michigan law you must demonstrate you have a threshold injury. Proving you have a threshold injury requires a legal expert to demonstrate to the insurance company, judge and jury the limitations, restrictions, and impairments caused by the accident and how they have affected your ability to lead a normal life.
Why Do I Need a Lawyer After a Lansing Car Accident?
Most of the time, a car accident in Lansing only involves minor damage and no injuries. However, if the crash is serious and an injury occurs, an experienced Lansing car accident lawyer is a good person to turn to make sure you do not get taken advantage of by the insurance company.
A knowledgeable car accident attorney can help you open a claim for first-party benefits as well as get money for your pain and suffering.
Insurance companies try to take advantage of individuals who are not experts and may not understand the claims process. They will often try and low ball a person to get them to settle cheap and fast. They will do this by promising to send a check immediately. But in return the injured person gives up all their rights and often gets pennies on the dollar.
It is important to consult with a great Lansing car accident lawyer who knows the tricks of the trade and how car insurance companies act. Just as importantly, you need a Lansing auto accident law firm that will consistently keep your updated on your case and has a history of obtaining large dollar settlements for clients.
Ingham County Car Accident Statistics
Not surprisingly, the most municipality with the most car accidents in Ingham County was Lansing. However, other cities and towns also had many crashes at intersections or on the roadway. Holt, Meridian Twp., Mason, and East Lansing all had multiple crashes resulting in injuries in 2022. In 2022, Ingham County had:
- 2,913 crashes and 704 injuries
- 105 alcohol related crashes resulting in 60 injuries
- 188 distracted drivers, 58 injuries
- 15 bicycle, 10 injuries
- 18 pedestrian, 14 injuries
- 38 motorcycle, 28 injuries
- 113 truck/bus, 31 injuries
- 27 work zone, 8 injuries
What are Common Reasons for Car Crashes in Ingham County
Car accidents can be minor or lead to serious injuries. In urban and rural areas like Ingham County, they can occur for several different reasons. Some of the most prevalent reasons for a car crash include:
- Failing to pay attention – distracted driving is the number one reason for auto accidents. When people are on their cell phones, texting and driving, playing with the radio, they take their eyes off the road which can lead to a dangerous accident
- Running a red light – running a red at an intersection can create high impact collisions with terrible injuries
- Running a stop sign – can also cause high speed collisions
- Speeding – this is another one of the major reasons for car accidents in Lansing
- Making an illegal U-turn – when a driver turns at a place on the road where other
- Drinking and driving – alcohol plays a major role in car accident-related fatalities
- Texting while driving – distracted driving due to cell phone use continues to be on the rise
How Do I Prove Liability in a Lansing Car Accident Injury Case?
The key to getting compensation for pain and suffering is to ensure your attorney proves the other driver was negligent for the crash. The police report that is made after the accident is important but is not admissible evidence. In fact, even a ticket is inadmissible hearsay.
Therefore, it takes a thorough investigation by an experienced Lansing car accident lawyer to ensure fault is placed on the other driver. This is done by interviewing witnesses, hiring accident reconstruction experts, taking the deposition of the police officers who responded to the crash, and the depositions of the other drivers and witnesses.
In many crashes, proving liability is not difficult. A person who rear-ends the car in front of them at a red light is negligent for not stopping in time. However, sometimes crashes are not so clear cut. This is particularly true when both drivers are turning at the same time or a car is changing lanes.
In these situations, an aggressive Lansing car accident law firm can make the different between proving liability and winning your case, or getting nothing.
The winning lawyers at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm are aggressive and investigate liability as soon as possible. We hire accident reconstructionist and other experts to show a judge and jury why the other driver was at-fault.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lansing Car Accident Lawyer?
Our personal injury lawyers always take on cases on a contingent fee basis. This means you do not pay legal fees or even costs until we win your case. Our firm pays all the upfront costs necessary to win, which can include obtaining medical records, hiring experts, investigators, court fees and other costs.
When we are successful in obtaining a settlement or verdict, the legal fee is one-third (1/3) of the amount including costs. If for we reason we are not successful obtaining money, you do not owe us anything, ever. At the Lee Steinberg Law Firm, this means you will pay nothing only if we win your case and you get paid.
Why Do I Need A Lawyer if the Lansing Car Accident Wasn’t My Fault?
Insurance companies love communicating and dealing with individuals who have not hired a lawyer or consulted with an attorney. The insurance adjuster will take recorded statements and use tactics to minimize their exposure and lower the value of your case. They are often aggressive about trying to get people to settle very early, before the full extent of a person’s injuries are known.
Hiring the best Lansing car accident lawyers can prevent this from happening. Your team of lawyers and legal professionals will protect you and ensure you receive all the first-party benefits and pain and suffering compensation you deserve.
Hiring an attorney also allows you the peace of mind to just focus on getting healthy and your life back on track.
Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Lansing
There are several dangerous roads and intersections in Lansing and East Lansing. Because of the high congestion that occurs on many of these roadways due to people working in and around the city, car accidents often occur. The following is a list of some of the most accident-prone intersections:
- Abbot Road and Saginaw Street
- Coolidge Road and Lake Lansing Road
- Grand River Avenue and S Hagadorn Road
- Grand River Avenue and Howard Street
- Grand River Avenue at US 127
- Jolly Road and S Cedar Street
- Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard and W. Holmes Road
- US 127/I-496 at Trowbridge Road
- South Cedar Street at Business 96
- Saginaw Street and North Homer Street
- Saginaw Street at North Clippert Street
Injured in a Crash? Contact a Winning Lansing Car Accident Lawyer
For almost 50 years, the Lee Steinberg Law Firm has helped people injured in auto accident win their cases and get the monetary compensation they deserve. Our Lansing car accident attorneys have recovered hundreds of millions for our clients. We understand what our clients are going through. We know how to get the most money after the severe and life-changing injuries caused by a negligent driver.
Call us at 1-800-LEE-FREE for a free consultation or fill out a contact form today. We never charge anything until we win your case.
