If you are the victim, then you need to get a car accident attorney or a personal injury lawyer. These professionals can help you with the paperwork and making claims for the losses and overall impact of the accident.
Full Answer
After a car accident, always remember:
When to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
Why Do You Need To Hire A Lawyer After A Car Accident?
In short, it’s important to have a lawyer if your car accident is in any way complex. These are the types of complex accidents where you should hire a lawyer: The other driver was drunk, on drugs, or distracted by texting/phone use. Injuries involve broken bones or fractures. Your medical bills are more than $5,000.
Every car accident has a different set of circumstances, but all of them will inevitably leave the victims of an accident with the nagging question of whether or not they should hire an attorney to oversee insurance claims. The answer to this question lies in the circumstances of the accident, but the answer is usually a resounding YES.
Whiplash is probably the most common injury that people suffer in motor vehicle collisions. It’s an acceleration-deceleration injury. That force rapidly throws a victim’s head forward and then backward. It results in muscles, tendons, ligaments and other anatomical structures being strained, sprained, fractured or otherwise damaged.
The unexpected happens all the time, and you never know when you might require the help of an attorney to sort through a situation.
To prove another driver is to blame for a motor vehicle accident, the plaintiff must prove to the satisfaction of a court that:
If there are no injuries or they are minor, you may think you don’t need a lawyer in a no-fault accident case. It’s a common misconception that all you have to do is file a claim with your auto insurance company. Then under Michigan’s no-fault insurance laws, medical bills and attendant allowance are paid out.
If there was some damage to the other driver’s car, they may pursue the at-fault driver through Michigan mini-tort. This is a fairly inexpensive way of settling small disputes. MCL 500.3135 (3) (c) (e) provides that damages to motor vehicles may be recovered up to a limit of $3,000.
Under the no-fault insurance law, the accident victim gives up their right to sue the at-fault-driver in return for insurance benefits decided upon by the state. However, the accident victim may be able to sue you for non-economic damages if they have suffered serious injuries in certain circumstances.
In certain circumstances, the other driver may sue the at-fault driver for excess economic loss compensation. This compensation would cover past, present, and future expenses not covered by PIP benefits through the no-fault insurance law.
Michigan’s law surrounding car accidents is complex and has many factual and procedural traps for the unwary. You should seek legal advice as soon after the accident as possible so that a lawyer well-versed in this practice area can help protect your rights.