Dearborn Car Accident Lawyers
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Michigan Personal Injury Lawyers Who Get Results
We are proud to have some of the best Michigan personal injury lawyers. Some of our recent results include.
for a man injured at a work site
for a woman injured at a major retailer
for a man injured by a semi-truck
for a woman killed in a car accident
for a man injured at a construction site
for a tenant injured at her rental complex
What Compensation Can I Get From a Dearborn Car Accident?
There are two main ways to get compensation for injuries following a Dearborn car accident.
The first is pain and suffering, or non-economic compensation. This usually comes from the insurance carrier for the negligent driver or owner.
The second means of compensation is through Michigan no-fault benefits. These benefits include economic losses, such as medical bills, lost wages, and other benefits.
Pain and Suffering for a Dearborn Car Accident
If another driver is negligent in causing a crash, such as by running a red light or making an illegal turn, the injured person can seek compensation for pain and suffering. This is also known as a negligence case, or third-party claim. Both the driver and the owner of the at-fault vehicle are liable for the harms and losses caused by the collision. These “non-economic damages” can include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of society and loss of companionship
- Depression and anxiety
- Loss of quality of life and
- Mental suffering
There is currently no cap to pain and suffering compensation, although the defendant’s insurance policy provides a ceiling in most cases. That is why it is important to purchase uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist insurance coverage.
Proof Needed to Get Pain and Suffering
To get pain and suffering compensation, the injured person needs to provide a few things: (1) the other person was at least 50% at-fault for causing the crash (negligence), (2) the person was injured, (3) the injuries were caused by the crash or the crash aggravated a pre-existing condition, (4) the injured person sustained a threshold injury.
Demonstrating a threshold injury requires medical documentation, proof of specific limitations or impairments, and an explanation of how the crash has impacted your life. An experienced Dearborn car accident lawyer should help you show the insurance company you sustained a threshold injury.
Michigan No-Fault Claims
Michigan is a no-fault state. This means you obtain medical benefits from a car insurance company for injuries caused by an accident, even if you are at-fault. These benefits are also available to those not injured while in a car, such as pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcycle riders.
The no-fault claims benefits available to individuals injured in a car accident include:
- Medical Expenses – this includes hospital bills, doctor’s bills, rehabilitation expenses, surgical bills, prescriptions, out-of-pocket costs, as well as other medical expenses that health insurance is not responsible for paying.
- Lost Wages – 85% of lost wages for up to 3 years from the date of the crash. This includes self-employed individuals and those paid under the table.
- Replacement Services – Family members or friends who complete household chores, such as laundry, cooking, and other household chores.
- Attendant Care – nursing care provided by friends, family, or nursing professionals.
- Out-of-Pocket – payment for prescriptions, co-pays, medical mileage, and other medical expenses.
Who Pays First-Party No-Fault Benefits?
This is an important question. An injured person must file a first-party claim against the correct auto insurance carrier. Failing to do so can result in the loss of all no-fault benefits.
There is an order of priority to determine which insurance carrier is responsible. The order is the following:
1. Your own auto insurance - if you have car insurance of your own, your own car insurance company is responsible for paying PIP benefits. This is true even if your vehicle or vehicles had nothing to do with the accident. If you are a named insured on the policy, your auto insurance must pay all first-party benefits.
2. The auto insurance company of a resident relative – this includes a spouse, sibling, child, parent, and possibly other relatives. Again, it doesn’t matter if their car had nothing to do with the crash. That insurance carrier must step up and pay all first-party benefits.
3. The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan (MACP) – If an injured person does not have auto insurance and does not live with a relative who has car insurance, then they MUST turn to the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan, or the MACP. The Michigan Automobile Insurance Placement Facility runs the MACP.
To receive benefits through the MACP, a claimant must fully complete the Application for Benefits. Usually, a police report or some proof of the accident must also be provided. The application is very detailed and asks for a lot of information. An experienced Dearborn car accident law firm is highly recommended to assist you in making this claim.
Under Michigan law, the car insurance carrier is responsible for paying certain benefits for injuries sustained in a crash. These benefits are supposed to be promptly paid, typically within 30 days of receiving proof.
How Much Time Do You Have to File a First-Party Claim?
Under Michigan law, specifically MCL 500.3145, a person must file a claim for no-fault benefits within one (1) year of the accident. The notice must be in writing, and the name and address of the claimant must be given. The notice must also indicate the name of the person injured and the time, place, and nature of the injury.
This rule is strict. If a person fails to give proper notice to the correct insurance carrier within one year, they forever lose the right to seek no-fault benefits.
The Most Common Injuries Following a Dearborn Car Accident
Depending on the speed of the vehicle and other factors, injuries from a car accident can cause catastrophic and life-changing injuries. Even a small sedan driving at a slow rate of speed can deliver a force powerful enough to cause serious personal injuries. Some of the common injuries following a car collision include:
Broken bones
Broken bones are common car accident injuries and can require physical therapy, surgery, and a long recovery time.
Spinal cord injury
A severe injury to the spinal cord can cause paralysis, loss of muscle use, and loss of use of extremities.
Low back pain and lumbar herniation
Injury to the lower back can cause a disc tear between the vertebrae, leading to an impingement of the spinal cord. This can cause numbness and tingling down the hip and legs to the feet.
Neck pain
Neck injuries can create severe neck stiffness, pain in the shoulders, burning, and numbness in the arms and hands. Treatment of neck pain can be extensive, including physical therapy and a neck fusion.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) or closed head injury
Injuries to the head, like a concussion, can result in life-changing events. Symptoms include cognitive impairment, memory loss, migraine headaches, mood swings, and sensitivity to light and sound.
Torn ligaments
Tears to the ligaments and tendons can also result in surgery. Examples include a torn ACL, meniscus, Achilles Tendon, or ulnar nerve injury.
Facial injuries.
A broken jaw, broken nose, black eyes, and scarring are common injuries in a bad car accident.
Deep Resources and Aggressive Investigation Strategies
Building a successful car accident case requires more than simply collecting a police report and medical records. Insurance companies often invest substantial resources into defending claims and minimizing payouts. They may dispatch their own investigators to the scene, consult in-house medical experts, and utilize advanced technology to challenge your version of events.
To level the playing field, accident victims need car accident lawyers with the resources, experience, and litigation support to challenge powerful insurance carriers. The Dearborn car accident lawyers at Lee Steinberg Law Firm work with nationally recognized experts to strengthen our clients’ cases.
We also retain accident reconstruction experts, medical specialists, vocational rehabilitation consultants, economists, and life-care planners. These experts help us assess the true cause of the accident, the extent of your injuries, and the long-term impact on your quality of life and ability to work —all of which help us get our clients as much money as possible.
What Sets Us Apart
Our firm understands that no amount of money can replace a loved one. What we can do is pursue full justice on your family's behalf — with the experience, resources, and dedication that Michigan families have relied on for more than 50 years:
★ No Fee Until We Win
Your family pays nothing unless we win. We advance all litigation costs and fight without financial pressure on you.
★ Dedicated Legal Teams — Not Shared Staff
Your case receives a dedicated attorney and support team. We do not share staff — because wrongful death families deserve undivided attention.
★ Deep Resources to Fight the Defense
We retain accident reconstruction experts, medical causation specialists, and economic loss analysts to build the strongest possible case in Wayne County courts.
★ Trial-Ready Lawyers Who Go the Distance
We prepare every wrongful death case as if it will go before a jury. Our trial reputation gives families leverage that settlement-only firms simply cannot provide.
★ Award-Winning Recognition
Super Lawyers. National Trial Lawyers Association. Michigan Association for Justice leadership. Our firm has the credentials — and the results — to back it up.
Real World Example
In a recent Dearborn accident case, we retained a biomechanical engineer and accident reconstructionist to analyze vehicle damage and injury mechanisms. The expert’s testimony helped establish the severity and origin of our client’s injuries, overcoming the insurance company’s attempts to downplay their minor vehicle damage from the crash. This resulted in a substantial settlement that covered both immediate medical expenses and long-term rehabilitation costs.
Practical Tip:
If you’ve been in a car accident, try to document as much as possible at the scene—take photos or videos, gather witness contact information, and write down your own recollection of the events. This information can be crucial in strengthening your claim.
Trial-Ready Dearborn Car Accident Attorneys
Many personal injury firms focus primarily on settling cases. While settlement is often appropriate, insurance companies frequently offer significantly less compensation when they believe a law firm is unwilling to take a case to trial.
At Lee Steinberg Law Firm, every car accident claim is prepared as though it may ultimately be decided by a jury.
Our attorneys bring decades of courtroom experience to every case. We conduct extensive discovery, take depositions, retain respected experts, file motions when necessary, and develop persuasive trial strategies designed to prove fault and fully document the impact of our clients' injuries.
This trial-ready approach often creates leverage during settlement negotiations because insurance companies know we are prepared to litigate if they refuse to make a fair offer.
From filing a lawsuit through mediation, arbitration, and trial, our legal team stands by our clients every step of the way. We do not hand difficult cases off to other firms, and we do not hesitate to take negligent drivers and insurance companies to court when justice requires it.
Injured in a Dearborn Car Accident?
Dearborn Car Accident Lawyers Ready to Fight For You
When you or a family member has suffered injuries due to a driver’s negligence, it is essential to find the best representation. Let us use our years of experience and expertise to help you.
The attorneys at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm will meet and be with you throughout your case. We will fight for the monetary compensation you are entitled to by law.
Call us for a free consultation at 1-866-696-9146, or fill out a contact form today.
