Proving that Perseverance and 150+ Years of Experience Yield Exceptional Results
Not a day in Macomb Township goes without a car accident. Victims may wind up with serious injuries that leave them traumatized and unsure of what to do as they face mounting medical bills, time off work, and a great deal of uncertainty about their future.
If you or a family member has been injured or someone has died in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence or fault, you may be entitled to compensation through insurance or a lawsuit. However, Michigan personal injury laws are complicated, and insurance companies have high-powered lawyers on their side who will attempt to get you to settle for the lowest amount possible. Injured parties are often afraid to argue or make mistakes and wind up accepting a settlement for less than their case is worth.
Fortunately, you don’t have to fight for your rights alone. At Goodman Acker, for a combined 150+ years, we have helped our community members throughout the Macomb Township metropolitan area get fair compensation for their injuries. We have a 99 percent success rate to show for it.
Our skilled and experienced car injury attorneys in Macomb Township, Michigan, know how to hold the at-fault parties accountable. While money can’t fix everything or replace a loved one who died in an accident, a successful lawsuit can alleviate your financial worries and provide resources for your family’s future needs.
We are available to answer any questions you may have and advise you on your case. We offer free consultations, which give us a chance to provide guidance on your individual situation. Contact us today at 248-286-8100 to learn more about our services and how we can help you.
Why Choose Our Car Accident Attorneys in Macomb Township?
There are important differences in law firms, and you should do some research before retaining any lawyer to see if they are right for you. Here are some reasons why we think Goodman Acker is your best choice:
- We have 150+ years of combined legal experience.
- We get results. We have a success rate of 99% for cases we conclude.
- We are routinely featured by newsgroups, like Fox 2 News and Local 4 Detroit.
- We are available 24/7 for client emergencies.
- We have won millions of dollars for our clients.
- We offer free initial consultations to get you started.
- We treat our clients like family, and their testimonials reflect that.
In addition, for those of you who feel most comfortable speaking Arabic, attorney Ronita Bahri is available to all our clients. Born in Iraq, she fluently speaks Aramaic, Arabic, and English. We also pride ourselves on being available when you need us and offer access to a representative 24/7 for client emergencies.
Call today at 248-286-8100.
Macomb Township Car Accident Attorney Explains Auto Accident Insurance Claims in Michigan
Michigan has a no-fault law regarding auto insurance. 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 policy, on the face of it, is a good one.
As of July 2020, drivers can now choose whether they want unlimited Personal Injury Protection (PIP) 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 1 person in any 1 accident
- $500,000 for bodily injury to 2 or more people in any 1 accident.
This means that if you are in a serious accident, your insurance policy may not be sufficient to cover all of your injury-related expenses. In addition, if your own auto insurance doesn’t cover the full costs of your injury, you now have to sue the at-fault party to cover the remainder of your losses. And their insurance company is bound to try to deny your claim or get you to settle for as little as possible.
This is bad news for someone who didn’t cause a car accident but was seriously hurt in it, but the good news is that you do not have to fight for compensation on your own. Our Macomb Township car accident lawyers have the experience, insight, and resources to negotiate with any auto insurance company. We know what insurance companies do to maintain their profit margins, and we are fully prepared to take your case to court if necessary to get you maximum compensation.
With a 99% success rate, our car accident lawyers in Macomb Township fight hard for you.
What Our Macomb Township Car Accident Lawyers Can Recover for You
An experienced Macomb Township 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 through a car accident lawsuit — our attorneys may be able to win additional compensation, including:
Excess economic damages, which are past, present, and future expenses not covered by your PIP benefits.
Noneconomic damages for damages that don’t have a specific monetary value, but negatively impact your life, such as:
- pain and suffering
- emotional distress
- loss of consortium and enjoyment of life
- disability.
Punitive damages, which may be awarded in rare cases to punish a defendant who acted in an especially reckless or egregious manner and to deter such behaviors in the future.
There are times when there may be multiple parties who contributed to the accident. Our attorneys would look to identify them all, as they all may have insurance and assets that can go toward a settlement.
Amounts of Damage Awards
Damage awards can vary widely, from several thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the individual circumstances of the case. Factors that are considered include:
- the circumstances of the accident and degree of fault
- the severity and permanence of your injuries
- the amount of property damage and the costs you incur
- the availability of insurance and assets of the defendants
- the individual judge and jury involved
- how well your attorney can negotiate a settlement or litigate your case.
At Goodman Acker, we know from experience what to look for and what to seek in terms of compensation, and then we put all our effort into obtaining the maximum compensation possible.
Macomb Township Car Accident Attorney Must Prove Negligence
To win your case, your Macomb Township car injury lawyer must prove that another party or parties, the defendants in the case, were negligent or at fault for causing the injuries you received. Proving negligence legally means showing the following elements:
- Duty: The defendant owed you a duty of care not to cause harm – the duty to drive carefully and follow the rules of the road, for example.
- Breach: The defendant breached this duty by actions or failure to act – such as by driving drunk and failing to stop at a red light.
- Cause: This breach caused your injuries.
- Damage: You suffered damages that can be monetarily quantified.
In order to prove negligence, we will investigate your case thoroughly, gathering evidence from the accident scene, photos and videos, police reports, and hospital and medical records. We will interview witnesses and first responders. If necessary, we will utilize experts in accident reconstruction to testify as to how the accident happened and who was at fault, as well as experts to testify how your injuries negatively impact your life.
Car Accident Attorneys in Macomb Township Answer FAQs
After an accident, it’s natural to be confused and have questions and concerns. These are best answered at your free consultation, but to get started, here are some answers to some of the most common questions we receive.
Time really is critical: if you miss the deadline to file a car accident claim, you won’t be compensated. For a first-party claim, you have one year to file. For a third-party claim, you have three years. In either case, time will go by fast, so call our Macomb Township attorneys as soon as possible.
If you did something that contributed to the accident, you may still be able to get a settlement, since Michigan considers comparative negligence. According to the law (Section 600.2959), compensation for economic damages is available if you are over 50% at fault for an accident, but it will be reduced according to your degree of fault. For example, if you are determined to be 10% at fault and the award is for $100,000, you would receive $90,000. However, compensation for non-economic damages is not available for people who are over 50% at fault.
The good news is that it doesn’t cost anything up front. At Goodman Acker, we work on a contingency basis, which means we take on all costs and expenses of your case, and you pay nothing unless and until we win. Fees and costs are then taken out of the settlement award. You have nothing to lose, so call us today to get started.
How soon you receive compensation depends largely on whether you pursue only a first -party claim or also file a third-party claim. Third-party claims can take much longer. Cases that settle through negotiation take less time than those that have to go to court.
Timing will also depend on the severity of your injury and the time it takes for you to reach maximum medical improvement. If you require extensive care over a long period of time, it will take longer to negotiate and calculate the full worth of your claim.
Our Macomb Township car accident lawyers at Goodman Acker have the experience, skills, and commitment necessary to win cases that secure maximum compensation for our clients. We never look to settle for an auto insurer’s alleged best offer, but we are always working to obtain more of what you should receive.
Call Our Macomb Township Personal Injury Lawyer for Help
At Goodman Acker, our compassionate car accident personal injury attorneys understand the difficulties you face after a vehicle accident. We don’t back down from the serious cases involving spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injury, and other catastrophic injuries. We handle these tough cases with the same determination and resolve as we do all our other personal injury cases.
When you have us on your side, we will handle all investigations, negotiations, and legal hurdles and requirements so you can concentrate on your recovery. With more than 150+ years of experience leading our way, you can expect exceptional representation for your personal injury case.
We make it easy and stress-free to begin your personal injury claim right now. Call us today at 248-286-8100 to get started while evidence is fresh and witnesses can be found.
When you choose Goodman Acker, it’s a good decision.
Goodman Acker does not have an office in Macomb Township, but we proudly provide representation to injured claimants throughout the state of Michigan from our Detroit and Grand Rapids offices.
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 ]
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