Why Injured Bay City Cyclists Trust Lee Steinberg Law Firm
The Saginaw River funnels Bay City's traffic onto a handful of bridge crossings, and a bridge is the worst place a bicycle can meet a car: lanes narrow, and there is nowhere to go sideways. For more than 50 years the Lee Steinberg Law Firm has fought for injured cyclists across Michigan and recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients.
Bay City offers scenic riding along its riverfront Riverwalk and busy routes like Center Avenue near the Saginaw River. When a driver crowds a cyclist on a Bay County road or bridge, our Bay City bicycle accident attorneys are ready to help.
The Lee Steinberg Law Firm has Bay City bicycle accident lawyers with outstanding results and awards:
- Our trial lawyers are routinely awarded the Super Lawyers designation, a peer-reviewed honors list of the best personal injury lawyers in Michigan.
- Founder, Lee Steinberg, is a nationally recognized trial lawyer, trying cases throughout the country, and has been a powerful voice in Michigan law since the 1970s.
- Co-President, Eric Steinberg, is a former past president of the Michigan Association for Justice, the umbrella organization for Michigan personal injury lawyers.
- We have been recognized by the national Trial Lawyers Association, a prestigious invitation-only organization that recognizes the nation’s top civil plaintiff lawyers.
No Fee Guarantee
We believe every injured cyclist deserves strong legal representation, no matter their financial situation.
We know a bad bicycle accident can feel overwhelming. You have questions and you need answers quickly. Our Bay City bicycle accident lawyers will help you understand your rights, the consultation is free and there are no upfront fees and costs. There is no obligation, and everything you share stays confidential. This is our promise.
Our Results
Our firm is dedicated to achieving results for our clients. We’re proud to share some recent results that show our commitment to securing large settlements for injured people. These settlements and results include:
- $5,750,000 Settlement where a hi-lo operator denied fault and attempted to blame our client, even though the collision occurred from the driver’s negligence. Our firm retained multiple experts to prove liability and used treating physicians to show future medical needs and long-term financial damages.
- $3,250,000 Settlement for our client following a slip-and-fall at a large big box store when the store failed to fix a leaking roof.
- $2,250,000 Settlement for our client who suffered permanent spinal cord injuries and a traumatic brain injury. They were struck by a turning vehicle while lawfully crossing an intersection on a bicycle. Although the driver first denied fault, our Michigan personal injury lawyers ran an independent investigation. They gathered witness statements and worked with medical and liability experts to prove negligence.
- $1,855,000 Settlement following a fatal crash on I-75 when a wheel detached from a pickup truck and trailer, striking our client’s vehicle. The defendant claimed the incident was unavoidable. But our firm hired accident reconstruction and metallurgy experts. They proved negligent inspection and maintenance.
Michigan No-Fault Benefits for Injured Cyclists
Riders around Bay County seldom know that Michigan's No-Fault system can pay benefits following a bicycle collision.
A rider injured by a motor vehicle can be entitled to No-Fault (PIP) benefits, and having no auto policy does not rule it out. These include:
- Medical expenses reimbursement, such as hospital bills and doctors’ bills
- Lost wages for up to 3 years
- Replacement services or payment for household chores
- Attendant care or nursing care provided by friends, family, or nursing professionals
- Out-of pocket expenses - payment for prescriptions, co-pays, medical mileage, and other medical expenses.
Which Auto Insurance Company Pays No-Fault Benefits?
There is a statutory ladder here. Michigan law sets an order of priority determining which auto insurance must pay no-fault benefits.
- If you have your own auto insurance, your own policy generally pays first, even though you were on a bike.
- If you do not have auto insurance, benefits come from a resident relative's auto insurance policy. Resident relatives include spouses, siblings, children, parents and other blood related relatives.
- If there is no insurance in the household, the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan (“MACP”) is responsible for paying up to $250,000 in no-fault benefits.
An application has to be filed before the MACP pays anything, which means completing an application correctly and in time. Contact the Bay City bicycle accident lawyers at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm and we will walk you through it.
What is the Deadline to Make a No-Fault Claim?
These claims carry a strict one-year deadline, and the rules can be confusing, so it helps to have an attorney identify the right insurer quickly. To recover pain and suffering, you generally have three (3) years to file a lawsuit against the proper defendants. However, there are special rules for government vehicles, minors and other special situations.
More on Michigan No-Fault benefits is set out separately, and our Bay City bicycle accident attorneys can carry the claims process for you.
Bay City Bike Accident Lawyers - Pain and Suffering Compensation
Pain and suffering covers the physical or mental distress a bicyclist experiences because of another driver's or company's negligence. It is the “non-economic” element of a claim, separate from economic losses like wage loss and medical bills. Examples include:
- Physical pain from the body, such as low back pain, neck pain, or a broken bone
- Headaches
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety and depression
- Grief as a result of the death of a loved one
- Limitations on activities and hobbies
Pain and suffering has a physical aspect and a mental aspect. The physical aspect is not restricted to the discomfort felt at the outset; it also takes in the pain the injured person will likely carry for years. In less serious cases the award reflects discomfort. In serious ones it reflects extreme suffering.
What Documentation Do I Need to Prove Pain and Suffering?
Proof is what an adjuster responds to. To support your personal injury claim, assemble the following records:
- Photos of the accident and your subsequent injuries
- Medical reports and medical records
- Any medical bills and receipts
- Lists and receipts for prescriptions/medications
- Proof of lost wages
- Log of treatment undergone, both physical and psychological
- Journal or a pain log
- List of missed activities, hobbies, and important life events.
- Written evaluations from your therapist or mental health professional
A competent Bay City bicycle accident lawyer will, as a minimum, gather their client's medical records and bills, photographs of the injuries, before-and-after photographs, prescription records, over-the-counter drug receipts and wage loss information. How thoroughly a pain and suffering claim is documented is frequently the difference between a full award and a disappointing one.
Accounts from friends, family and colleagues carry considerable weight. They knew you before the crash and can describe exactly what changed afterwards. That testimony is frequently the strongest material in a pain and suffering case.
Common Causes of Bay City Bicycle Accidents
Most bicycle crashes come down to a driver failing in some ordinary duty. In and around Bay City, where riders are funnelled toward narrow bridge crossings, the recurring causes are:
- Turning vehicles crossing a rider's path at a bridge approach
- Parked drivers opening a door into a passing cyclist
- Texting and other phone use at the wheel
- Running a red light on a bridge approach
- Squeezing past a rider where a bridge or lane narrows
- Drivers who fail to yield joining or leaving a bridge route
- Broken pavement, potholes and debris on riverfront routes
Drivers are obliged to keep their eyes moving across the road. Distraction is the main reason they fail to see riders, and on a bridge approach, a driver who will not wait ten seconds leaves a cyclist with no escape route at all.
Deep Resources and Aggressive Investigation
Winning a serious bicycle accident claim takes far more than filing paperwork. Insurance companies often try to blame the cyclist, and overcoming that requires attorneys with real resources and determination.
The Bay City bicycle accident lawyers at Lee Steinberg Law Firm have the resources and resolve to fight and win your case. We bring in top experts from around the country to prove liability, connect injuries to the crash, and show the true impact the collision had on our client’s life. Insurance companies know we prepare every case aggressively and leave no stone unturned.
Our team begins preserving evidence right away, including witness statements, traffic-camera and surveillance footage, vehicle data, and documentation showing how the driver's negligence caused the collision. We then take this evidence and develop it into a story that demonstrates to the insurance company and the negligent individuals why our client is entitled to a large settlement.
Trial-Ready Bay City Bicycle Accident Attorneys
Many firms focus on quick settlements. At Lee Steinberg Law Firm, we prepare every Bay City bicycle accident case as though it will be decided by a jury.
Our attorneys bring decades of courtroom experience and are ready to litigate aggressively when an insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation. We conduct thorough discovery, take depositions, retain credible experts, and build persuasive cases that prove the driver's fault and demonstrate the real impact of our clients' injuries.
Insurance companies know which firms are willing to go to trial. Our reputation for preparation and courtroom advocacy often creates valuable leverage during settlement negotiations.
Client-Centered Representation
At our firm, clients are treated with the care and respect they deserve. Our Bay City bicycle accident lawyers are supported by a dedicated team that maintains regular contact and keeps clients informed at every stage of the case. This approach allows us to respond quickly to client needs while staying focused on achieving the strongest possible result.
Proven Results for Injured Michigan Cyclists
Our firm has recovered substantial settlements and verdicts for injured cyclists and other accident victims throughout Michigan, including cases involving traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, permanent disabilities, and wrongful death.
While every case is different and past results do not guarantee future outcomes, our track record reflects our commitment to holding negligent drivers accountable and pursuing maximum compensation for injured cyclists.
You can review our recent results to see examples of what our firm has recovered for injured Michiganders.
If you or a loved one was hit while cycling in Bay City or anywhere in Bay County, our legal team is ready to help.
Experienced Trial Representation for Bicycle Accident Victims
The Lee Steinberg Law Firm brings decades of real courtroom experience to every auto accident case we handle. Unlike firms that focus solely on quick settlements, our attorneys are seasoned trial lawyers who prepare every car accident claim as if it will be presented to a jury. That preparation includes aggressive discovery, motion practice, expert retention, and trial strategy designed to clearly demonstrate fault, prove the full extent of our client’s injuries, and expose insurance company tactics.
Insurance carriers know which firms are willing and able to take cases to verdict—and they know the Lee Steinberg Law Firm has a long history of doing exactly that when fair compensation is refused.
