Representing Southfield Car Accident Injury Clients For 50 Years
The Lee Steinberg Law Firm and our team of Southfield car accident lawyers have been assisting Southfield residents and those injured in Southfield for decades. We obtain financial security for our clients and make sure they get the best medical care. We do this through a personal approach to each case, meeting with our clients, walking them through the process, and standing by ready to fight for their rights.
Your Southfield Car Accident Lawyers
While car accidents happen every day, no one ever expects one to happen to them. Getting hurt in a car accident is a traumatic experience that can cause you to feel alone and frightened.
That’s where our team of car accident attorneys in Southfield comes in. With over 50 years of experience fighting for Southfield, Michigan car accident injury victims, it is our mission to secure the compensation you need and deserve for your injuries.
Under the Michigan no-fault law, you have many rights and can get compensation. Whether you were injured in Southfield, Detroit, or any surrounding communities, our Southfield car accident lawyers will help you through the difficult time and remove the burden.
Step-By-Step Guide to Your Southfield Car Accident CaseÂ
If you happen to get involved in a car accident, it is important to remember and try to do the following.
1. Call 911 and the Police. It is essential law enforcement comes to the scene to complete a report. You should also get checked by an ENT or got a local hospital if you are injured.
2. Exchange Information. Get the names, addresses, numbers, and license plate information for everyone involved in the crash.
3. Take Pictures. Take pictures of the accident scene. This includes photos of the other vehicles, their license plates, and the other people involved in the collision.
4. Gather Evidence. Besides taking pictures, get the names of any witnesses if possible. Be sure to also obtain the insurance information from the other drivers involved in the wreck.
5. Consult an Attorney. Contact an experienced Southfield car accident lawyer who can clearly answer your questions. The person you are talking to should be an attorney and be able to explain the complexities of the Michigan no-fault law to you.
Why Is It Important to Hire Southfield Car Accident Lawyers with Experience?
Every case is different and every client is different. It is important to hire an attorney who knows the tactics insurance companies and their lawyers use to minimize your case. You also need an aggressive Southfield car accident lawyer who will fight for you every step of the way.
Our Southfield car accident lawyers have been litigating and winning cases in Michigan for decades. We hire the right experts, meet with treating doctors, prepare our clients for all phrases of their case, and do what it takes to win. And the results show. We have obtained hundreds of millions in settlements for our clients.
Why Choose the Lee Steinberg Law Firm?Â
We take the burden off you and your family. We are here to listen to you and help put the pieces back together.Â
After sustaining a serious personal injury caused by a negligent driver, you need a law firm that specializes in car accident cases.Â
- We focus only on personal injury law, and our clients are only the injured and their families.
- We understand the complexities of these cases, how witnesses and the police play a role in determining liability, the defenses insurance companies come up with, and how to get you first-party benefits under the Michigan no-fault law.
- We have 50 years of experience in helping clients in Southfield and metro Detroit to get the money they deserve.
- We handle all Southfield auto accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you do not pay anything until we win your case.
- Our Southfield 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.
Is Michigan a No-Fault State?Â
Yes. Michigan is a no-fault state. What this means is that even if you are at-fault for causing a crash, in almost all situations you are still entitled to receive benefits. These benefits include:
- The payment of medical expenses and doctor’s bills
- Lost wages
- Reimbursement of out-of-pocket costs, prescriptions, and medical equipment
- Payment to friends or family who help care for you due to the injuries
The amount of benefits you can receive depends on the amount of PIP, or personal injury protection, that covers the claim. Our Southfield car accident lawyers can help explain this in more detail if you, or someone you know, were injured in a car accident.
How Do I Get Pain and Suffering After a Southfield Car Crash?Â
When you are injured in a car accident, there is physical pain and suffering as well as emotional pain and suffering. This suffering can be in the form of anxiety, depression, or emotional distress.
However, to get compensation for your injuries, the injured party must prove a few things:
Negligence – the person who caused the crash must be at least 50% at-fault for causing the crash. This is called liability. In most cases, liability is not issue. For example, if a person is rear-ended by another car or t-boned at an intersection because the other vehicle ran a red light, liability is clear.
Injuries – the person has to prove they sustained a physical bodily injury. Mental injuries count too, but an actual physical injury is still required.
Causation – the injured person must prove the injuries were caused by the negligence of the at-fault driver. An aggravation of a pre-existing injury is part of many car accident cases and counts so long as the doctor relates the injury to the crash.
Threshold Injury – This is unique to Michigan. Under the law, the person injured in the crash must demonstrate they have a “threshold injury.” This does not mean a person has to have broken bones or a permanent injury. It only requires that there was a general change in the injured person’s life and that the person sustained an objective injury.
The Southfield car accident attorneys at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm can help explain what a threshold injury means. Give our office a call at 248-352-7777 or contact us at any time.
Common Injuries from a Southfield Car Accident
The type of injuries people sustain from a car wreck varies. So much of it depends on the speed of the collision, the force involved, the way the person was sitting, how fragile a person is due to prior medical problems or age, and a host of other reasons. But typically, the most common injuries from car accidents include:
- Broken bones, such as a broken leg and arm
- Broken hip or a fractured pelvis
- Knee and elbow injury
- Broken foot or ankle
- Low back pain
- Neck pain and whiplash
- Soft tissue injury
- Scarring and burns
- Traumatic brain injury or concussion
Common Causes of Auto Accidents
As you can imagine, distracted driving is a very common cause of car accidents in Michigan. Some of the most common forms of negligence leading to car accident injuries include:
- Texting while driving or using a cell phone
- Speeding
- Drinking and driving or driving under the influence of drugs
- Reckless driving
- Running a red light or yellow light
- Failing to yield
- Improper lane change
- Cutting off another driver
- T-bone accidents
What is the Statute of Limitation in Michigan for a Car Accident?
It depends on the type of case. In most situations, you have 3 years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit against the proper defendants. If you wait too long, then you may forever lose your right to obtain pain and suffering compensation from the auto accident.
However, the statute of limitations for unpaid first-party benefits can be as short as one year. If the car insurance company is not paying medical bills or lost wages, and the expenses are piling up, it is important to contact a really good Southfield car accident law firm to protect yourself.
How Long Does My Southfield Car Accident Case Take?
Every case is different, but it really depends on whether a lawsuit is required or not. Often, our law firm can get full policy limits following a car accident without having to file a lawsuit in court. In fact, we do this quite often. When this happens, sometimes cases can be resolved in a matter of a few months.
But if the insurance company is not playing fair, and is not offering enough money, then a lawsuit is necessary. If the crash occurs in Southfield, the lawsuit is filed in Oakland County Circuit Court. Although Oakland County tends to have a fast docket, lawsuits can often take a year or longer.
How Much Is My Car Accident Case Worth?Â
This is one of the first questions people ask us when they call our law firm. However, no two cases are the same, so it’s difficult to determine how much your case may be worth without first reviewing all of the details.
The value of your case depends on several factors. These include the severity of your injuries, the amount of medical treatment, work loss, medical bills, and the impact the injuries have had on your daily life. Call our office today to find out more information.
Contact a Winning Southfield Car Accident Lawyer
For almost 50 years, the Lee Steinberg Law Firm has helped people injured due to the negligence of another driver win their cases and get the monetary compensation they demand.
Our Southfield car accident lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions for our clients. We know how to get the most money after the severe and life-changing injuries caused by a Southfield car accident.
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.