Today Michigan has the worst automobile accident law in the country. But last week, Republican Senator Bruce Patterson, with the help of Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, took an important step to change that by moving a bill to the Michigan Senate floor to finally fix the terrible Kreiner v. Fisher case. For the past 4years, thousands of Michigan citizens who have been injured in car accidents have been denied the right to a jury trial and fair treatment in the courts. For example, as of June 16, 2008, 189 out of 208 Michigan citizens injured in automobile accidents have lost their case in the Michigan Court of Appeals, according to the Michigan Lawyers Weekly.

Truck accident lawyers have grown increasingly frustrated with this trend of unfit truck drivers coming to Michigan and causing serious crashes.  Why Michigan?  Dangerous truck drivers find work more easily here in comparison to other states.  There are no punitive damages for trucking companies who knowingly hire drivers with a negligent history.  However, there may be another source of additional compensation for victims and family members harmed by unfit Michigan truck drivers. 

An important theme from the No-Fault Law Institute Seminar this past week was to encourage Michigan trial lawyers to take on smaller cases against auto insurance companies when they deliberately refuse to pay out on small first-party auto claims that they are clearly obligated to pay.    If there are enough Michigan lawyers willing to take on these bad faith insurance companies over smaller cases, perhaps as a profession lawyers can start to make these insurance companies behave better and honor claims that should be paid.  And if you heed the following lesson from a fellow Michigan trial lawyer, you can make a decent living while protecting the public.

On Friday, June 6, 2008, Michigan Auto Law lawyers Steven Gursten and David Christensen will be speaking at the Michigan No-Fault Institute Seminar in Southfield, Michigan.   This seminar is presented through the Michigan Association for Justice, for lawyers who handle car accident injury cases, truck accident cases, and attendant care and other no fault first party cases stemming from motor vehicle accidents.
 
Steve will be performing a live closing argument demonstration in a sample motor vehicle accident case where the plaintiff has suffered a traumatic brain injury.   The defense will claim the car accident did not cause a brain injury and that the plaintiff is malingering. 
 
David will be lecturing and performing a live jury selection demonstration in a “PIP case” involving a claim for Michigan attendant care benefits.  Attendant care no-fault benefits are available under Michigan’s No-Fault laws for people who suffer severe or catastrophic injury from automobile accidents.
 
Finally, Steve will also be presenting this week at the Association of Interstate Truck Lawyers of America on May 30, 31 and June 1st in St. Louis, Missouri.  Steve and Larry Gursten are both on the Board of Governors, representing the State of Michigan, in the AITLA.  Steve is also the chair of the American Association for Justice Interstate Truck Litigation Group.  The seminar will cover important topics for lawyers throughout the United States who handle serious truck accident injury cases, including “expanding theories of liability” and “damages” in truck accident litigation.