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Michigan Accident Claims

Hurt in a Michigan Accident? Don't Let the Deadline Decide It.

There is a time limit on injury claims in Michigan, and the insurance company knows exactly when it runs out. Answer five questions and we will connect you, free, with an independent attorney licensed in Michigan.

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  • Limited

    Time to file most injury claims in Michigan. Miss it and the claim is gone

  • Shorter

    Government vehicle and public entity claims run on their own, tighter clock

  • Varies

    Coverage carried by the at-fault driver is often well below the real cost

  • Modified

    Michigan follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar

This page describes Michigan law in general terms only. It is not legal advice, deadlines and rules change, and exceptions apply. Confirm anything affecting your own claim with an attorney licensed in Michigan.

Michigan’s 2019 no-fault reform replaced automatic unlimited lifetime medical benefits with a choice of personal injury protection levels. Drivers now select a tier, and many chose a lower one to reduce their premium without fully understanding what it capped.

That choice matters most in exactly the situations where it is hardest to fix: catastrophic injury requiring long-term attendant care. The level you selected when you renewed your policy can be the ceiling on the care available to you afterwards.

Michigan allows a longer period for claims against an at-fault driver, but no-fault benefits have their own much shorter application deadline. Two clocks run simultaneously from the date of the crash, and people frequently notice only one of them.

What makes a Michigan claim different

To sue an at-fault driver for pain and suffering in Michigan you must generally meet the serious impairment of body function threshold. What the medical record shows in the early weeks largely determines whether that threshold is met, which is another reason early treatment matters here.

Michigan also has mini-tort, a limited claim of up to a set amount for vehicle damage not covered by insurance. It is small, frequently overlooked, and separate from the injury claim.

Winter driving is a structural factor rather than an occasional one. I-94, I-96 and US-23produce large chain-reaction collisions in snow and ice where fault is spread across many drivers, and Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County practice differs noticeably from the Upper Peninsula.

The three most expensive mistakes in a Michigan claim

Each one is common, and each one is avoidable.

1

Missing the one-year no-fault application deadline

The longer window applies to claims against the at-fault driver. No-fault benefits require an application far sooner. People focused on the longer deadline lose the benefit that was supposed to pay for their treatment.

2

Assuming your PIP level is still unlimited

Since the 2019 reform, it is whatever you selected at renewal. Many drivers took a lower tier to save money and only discover the cap when serious care is needed. It is worth knowing now rather than later.

3

Not documenting impairment early enough

Michigan’s serious impairment threshold is proven with medical evidence. Gaps in early treatment give the insurer room to argue the impairment was neither serious nor caused by the collision.

How it works in Michigan

Five questions from you. Everything after that is handled.

Free service · about 60 seconds · no obligation

  1. 1

    Check the clock

    One deadline for claims against the at-fault driver, and a far shorter one to apply for no-fault benefits. Both clocks start at the collision and they are not interchangeable.

  2. 2

    Match to a Michigan attorney

    We match you with an attorney licensed in Michigan who handles your collision type and know show the post-reform PIP tiers play out in practice.

  3. 3

    They deal with the insurer

    Your own no-fault insurer and the at-fault driver’s carrier both go through your attorney. Those are two different fights.

  4. 4

    Your claim is valued after treatment

    Valuation waits for the medical record, which is also what establishes serious impairment of body function.

  5. 5

    Fault is argued properly

    Fault is contested under a 51% bar, and available PIP coverage is identified early because it determines what care is actually funded.

  6. 6

    You pay nothing unless it recovers

    Most Michigan accident attorneys work on contingency. Our service is free to you throughout.

Attorneys across Michigan

We match you with someone licensed in Michigan who works your area.

DetroitGrand RapidsWarrenSterling HeightsAnn ArborLansingFlintDearbornLivoniaTroyWestlandKalamazoo

Not on the list? We cover the whole state, including rural counties where fewer firms compete.

Michigan accident claim questions

Michigan sets a firm deadline running from the date of the accident, and a separate, considerably shorter one where a government vehicle or public entity is involved. Both are strict, and missing either generally ends the claim no matter how strong it was. An attorney can confirm which applies to your situation before anything expires.

Michigan follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar. Your recovery is reduced by your share of the blame, and disappears entirely once you are more than 50% responsible. That threshold is exactly why the other side’s adjuster works so hard to establish your share early.

Michigan drivers now choose a level of personal injury protection rather than receiving unlimited lifetime medical benefits automatically. The tier you selected sets the ceiling on medical and attendant care benefits after a crash, which matters most in serious injury cases.

A limited claim against the at-fault driver for vehicle damage that your own insurance does not cover, capped at a set statutory amount. It is separate from an injury claim and often forgotten.

Possibly. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy may apply, including in hit-and-run cases where the driver was never identified. Many people do not realise they carry it.

Our service is free to you — attorneys pay us for the connection. Most Michigan accident attorneys work on contingency, so their fee comes from any recovery rather than from you upfront. Confirm the arrangement directly before signing anything.

Talk to a Michigan attorney before you sign anything

Free, about a minute, no obligation. We connect you with an independent attorney licensed in Michigan.

ClaimMVA Now is a free matching service, not a law firm.