Port Huron Car Accident Lawyers

Car Accident Attorneys in Port Huron

Proving that Perseverance and 150+ Years of Experience Yield Exceptional Results

Not a day in Port Huron goes by when an auto accident does not cause injury to a person. Fortunately, most injured parties recover. Also, fortunately, Michigan is a no-fault insurance state intended to help you get the money you need to recover without delays brought on by an at-fault party’s auto insurance company.

The problem with Michigan’s no-fault policy, however, is this: Injured parties think that whatever their own insurance company provides is all that they can obtain in the form of compensation. They do not argue. And they do not argue because they fear not getting anything at all. Auto insurance companies find sneaky ways to deny coverage all the time in Michigan. Innocent injured parties are at a loss about what to do.

At Goodman Acker, these things bother us. We know what insurance companies do to maintain their profit margins. We also know first-hand how devastating it is on our community members in Port Huron.

Your time, however, is limited. To take charge of your case and make sure you get what you deserve, contact us at 248-286-8100. Our team of highly skilled car accident lawyers in Port Huron wants to know about your case, and we want to know about it in your own language. So, do not let not speaking English stop you from calling us. Car accident attorney Ronita Bahri represents clients in Port Huron. She was born in Iraq and speaks Aramaic, Arabic, and English fluently.

But there is more. We don’t just tell you why our clients appreciate us — we let you see for yourself:

• We are routinely featured by newsgroups, like Fox 2 News and Local 4 Detroit.
• We are building our family of completely satisfied clients.
• We have won millions of dollars for our clients.
• We have 150+ years of combined legal experience.
• We have a success rate of 99% for cases we conclude.
• We are available 24/7 for client emergencies.
• We offer free initial consultations to get you started.

Understanding Auto Accident Insurance Claims in Michigan

Michigan’s auto insurance policy is part of the no-fault law. Every driver must purchase their own auto insurance coverage. The purpose is to ensure that if you are in an auto accident, you get compensation hassle-free. Michigan, after all, has one of the highest percentages of uninsured motorists in the country, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III), so this type of policy, on the face of it, is a good one.

This policy, however, was recently changed, effective July 2020. Drivers can now choose whether they want unlimited Personal Injury Protection (PIP) — which was required before this new rule — or whether they want to cap their coverage. If the driver chooses the cap, the minimum coverage limits are:

• $50,000 if enrolled in Medicaid
• $250,000 for bodily injury to one person in any one accident
• $500,000 for bodily injury to 2 or more people in any 1 accident.

What does this mean for St. Clair County drivers? It means if you are in a serious accident, your insurance policy may not cover all of your injury-related expenses because you may now not have sufficient coverage. This is bad news for someone who didn’t cause a car accident but was seriously hurt in it.

There is another catch to the no-fault policy: if your own auto insurance does not cover the full costs of your injury, you can sue the at-fault party. It means you now have a hassle on your hands to get the at-fault party to cover the remainder of your losses.

But you do not have to do it yourself. We are prepared and have the experience, insight, and resources to negotiate with any auto insurance company. We are not afraid to take it as far as we must to get you maximum compensation. So, call us today at 248-286-8100 to learn more.

What a Port Huron Car Accident Lawyer Can Recover for You

Not just any Port Huron car accident attorney, but an experienced Port Huron lawyer from Goodman Acker can help you recover maximum compensation for your injuries and additional damages stemming from them.

In a first-party claim – the claim you bring against your own auto insurance company — your no-fault benefits include:

• Medical expenses (emergency room visits, follow-up care, rehabilitation, etc.)
• Mileage (e.g., transportation to and from doctor appointments)
• Attendant (nursing) care
• Replacement services or domestic assistance
• Wage loss (past and future but only up to three years).

In a third-party claim – the claim you bring against the at-fault party – you are entitled to:

• Excess economic damages, which are past, present, and future expenses not covered by your PIP benefits
• Non-economic damages, which include pain and suffering.

Rest assured, with Goodman Acker, if you have a car accident claim and want to move forward with it, we will put forth all our resources and efforts to help you recover full and fair compensation. As knowledgeable truck accident attorneys and motorcycle accident attorneys, we handle these cases, too.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Port Huron

Safety is always the priority after a car accident in Port Huron. Follow these basic steps to prevent further harm and protect your rights:

1. Seek medical attention. If anyone is hurt, either in your car or elsewhere, call 911 immediately.
2. Gather information. Share contact and insurance information with any other driver involved in the accident.
3. Gather evidence. Take pictures and video of the vehicles, road conditions, weather conditions, traffic, bystanders who may be witnesses, and anything else to document the scene adequately.
4. Notify insurance. You should inform your insurance company as soon as you can — but stick to the facts.
5. Contact a car accident lawyer in Port Huron. Even if it is to make sure you know your rights and pursue the legal option best for you, it is important to speak to an experienced Port Huron car accident attorney.

Car Accidents FAQs

Our Resourceful St. Clair County Car Accident Attorney Answers Your Questions

Every year, car crashes kill or seriously injure millions of Americans. These millions of victims have millions of questions. Below, we have answered some of the more common questions we hear. If you have more questions or need clarification, please reach out to us at 248-286-8100 and schedule a free initial consultation.

What Is a Fair Settlement for My Port Huron Car Accident Case? 

Before we discuss what a fair settlement is, we should discuss what it is not. The settlement offers that insurance adjusters make to victims without a Port Huron car accident attorney are almost never fair.

Glossy TV commercials imply that insurance companies are concerned about the welfare of car crashes and other injury victims. That is simply not true. Like most other businesses, insurance companies only care about their profit margins. The more money they pay in claims, the lower their profits are. So, an initial settlement offer is almost always a “lowball” offer, even if the adjuster claims the offer is fair.

Additionally, initial settlement offers are only based on fault for the accident. The at-fault driver is not necessarily liable for damages. Fault is like a halftime score. Liability, which is based on all the facts and all applicable legal doctrines, is like a final score. Only the final score matters.

A fair settlement offer is based on the amount of medical bills, the victim’s emotional distress, and a few other factors.

The medical bills in a car crash claim often exceed $50,000. Lost wages and property damage could be even more. We work hard to ensure that victims do not have to cover these losses out of their own pockets.

To determine pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment in life, and other non-economic damages, most Port Huron car accident lawyers multiply the economic losses by two, three, or four, depending on the facts of the case and a few other factors.

These other factors include the victim’s motivation to settle, the insurance company’s motivation to settle, and all the evidence in the case.

This figure is the claim’s settlement value. Much like a new car’s sticker price, a car crash claim’s settlement value is the starting point for settlement negotiations.

How Quickly Will I Receive Compensation for My Car Accident? 

Once again, this answer varies considerably in different cases.

If all issues in the case are perfectly clear, insurance companies usually have a legal duty to make good-faith settlement offers within a few weeks. However, there are usually questions about liability and/or damages.

Liability issues often involve legal defenses, such as comparative fault. This defense shifts the blame for the accident from the tortfeasor (negligent driver) to the victim. Damage disputes usually involve different perspectives. Insurance adjusters are quick to approve the cheapest medical treatment and vehicle repair or replacement options. They are less inclined to approve what is reasonably necessary for these areas.

Therefore, to put pressure on the insurance company and jumpstart settlement negotiations, a Port Huron car accident lawyer often files legal paperwork. The litigation process is usually long, frustrating, and productive.

Most St. Clair County judges appoint mediators in contested cases. A mediator, who is usually an unaffiliated Port Huron car crash lawyer, ensures that both sides negotiate in good faith. As a result, civil mediation is about 90 percent successful in car accident claims.

Why Should I Work with a Port Huron Car Accident Attorney at Goodman Acker?

Quite simply, attorneys increase the amount of compensation victims receive. That is because attorneys are good litigators and good negotiators. They know how to build cases, and they know how to successfully resolve these claims out of court. As a result, 80 percent of the settlement money in car accident cases goes to victims that have lawyers.

The St. Clair County car accident lawyers at Goodman Acker are ready, willing, and able to gith for you. We do not back down from serious car accident cases involving spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and other catastrophic injuries. We handle these tough cases with the same determination and resolve as we do all our other personal injury cases.

Do I Still Have a Case If I Was Partially at Fault for My St. Clair County Car Accident? 

Yes, you can receive compensation even when partially at fault. Michigan follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you are found not to have contributed more than 50% to the accident, you can recover, but compensation will be reduced accordingly. If you are found to have been more than 50% or more at fault, you will be barred from recovering compensation.

Will I Always Be Able to Obtain Compensation After an Accident?

Not every car accident in Port Huron will result in a successful compensation claim. In the first place, you must have monetary damages. This means you must have paid for something, like property repairs or medical treatment. If there’s not a scratch on your car or on your person, you likely won’t have a claim to make.

Further, if you are more than 50% or completely at fault for the car accident, you will not be eligible for compensation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Port Huron Car Accident Claim?

Time really is critical. For a first-party claim, you have one year. For a third-party claim, you have three years. The latter is a significant difference. In either case, time will go by fast. If you miss the deadline to file a car accident claim, you won’t be compensated.

Contact a Smart, Resourceful Port Huron Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you need a car accident attorney in St. Clair County, contact our team online or at 248-286-8100. One of our staff members will schedule a risk-free, no-obligation consultation where you will be able to sit down and discuss your case with one of our injury and car accident attorneys. If we decide you have a claim to make, we can get started on your recovery immediately.

With a success rate of 99% of cases we conclude, we are confident we can help you too.

LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN

Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]