Another reason why Farm Bureau wins our 2010 Insurance Company Skunk Award

In my last blog, I discussed how difficult it is to get Farm Bureau adjusters to give permission to accept tendered underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) policy limits for their own customers who have been seriously injured in car accidents. In other words, how hard it is to just get the additional protection that these people paid for from this insurance company!

No-Fault insurance lawyer warns car accident victims about Farm Bureau insurance company

Farm Bureau is at it again. I’ve written about this insurance company before. Despite their nice commercials, I personally see Farm Bureau treating their own customers the worst out of all the automobile insurance companies that I personally deal with as a lawyer representing victims of car accidents and truck accidents.

Again, the latest incident involves Farm Bureau finding new ways to avoid their obligation to their customers. Insurance companies like Farm Bureau get paid every year in insurance premiums by their customers, but as soon as their help is needed, they often look for ways to avoid meeting their legal, contractual obligations.

Michigan Auto Law partner gets insurance policy limits and medical benefits for auto accident victim with head, neck and back injuries

I’d like to congratulate my fellow partner David E. Christensen for yet another trial win. Dave’s Washtenaw County car accident case was against our client’s insurance company, USAA, as well as the at-fault driver.

The accident occurred on Ecorse Road in Ypsilanti, when the at-fault driver pulled out from a side-street and crashed into our client. Our client sustained serious personal injuries including herniated discs in his neck and lower back that both required surgery, and a closed-head injury.

Personal injury attorney says NO – It’s the bloated and unregulated insurance industry profits

I recently received a reader inquiry regarding my blog, A New Dawn for Car Accident Victims? The blog covered the Michigan Supreme Court’s motion for reconsideration in McCormick v. Carrier, a Flint auto accident case that could restore common sense and fairness to Michigan’s broken auto accident law, Kreiner v. Fischer. The reader, Kristen, believed that Michigan’s auto insurance coverage contributes to soaring insurance rates. The truth is quite the contrary. Below is the note from Kristen and my response.

Safety Tips for Teenage Drivers During National Youth Traffic Safety Month

With springtime comes proms, graduations and the end of the school year. This can become a distracting and dangerous time for young drivers. They’re already at a much higher risk of causing a car accident due to inexperience and poor driving judgment. And they’re statistically far more likely to become seriously injured in the warm weather months ahead.

According to the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, the top five “hazardous actions” contributing to fatal automobile crashes involving teen drivers are:

1. Speeding,

2. Careless/negligent driving,

Traffic safety tips for avoiding car accidents

Given the fast pace of today’s society, it’s understandable if you feel overwhelmed at times with the challenge of keeping your children safe.

May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month. Our car accident attorneys believe that awareness and education are the keys to protecting your family.

With warm weather coming and the school year ending, I’d like to give you some information you can use to avoid auto accidents from occurring when your children get behind the wheel. Unfortunately, the summer months are when car accidents skyrocket for young adults.

Robert Raitt discusses top settlements for a pain and suffering after an auto accident and David Christensen covers how to win slip and fall premises liability cases

Two auto accident attorneys from Michigan Auto Law educated personal injury lawyers from throughout the state during the Michigan Association for Justice (formerly the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association) 65th Annual Convention and Rapid Fire Seminar this past Friday in Dearborn.

After 35 years in Southfield, auto accident law firm moves to fully-renovated office building in Farmington Hills

Michigan Auto Law, also known as Gursten, Koltonow, Gursten, Christensen & Raitt, PC,  has moved its Southfield  headquarters at 26555 Evergreen Road, Travelers Tower, to a new location. The car accident law firm’s new home as of today is a 22,500 square-foot office building at 30101 Northwestern Highway, in Farmington Hills.

We’ve moved because after more than 50 years and three generations of personal injury attorneys, we remain a growing and thriving law firm. For example, during the past 15 years, when Michigan has seen some of the harshest tort reform law in the nation, Michigan Auto Law has tripled in size, expanding from six to 19 lawyers.

Insurance attorney advises on why primary medical No-Fault can protect drivers

As a personal injury attorney handling insurance and No-Fault litigation, I read a lot of insurance policies.  I continually see many situations where it’s beneficial for people to use medical benefits from their auto insurance. Another term for this is primary medical PIP (personal injury protection benefits).  Even though it may be a little more expensive, the positives far outweigh the slightly higher costs.

Here are a few examples of when people are better off with primary medical PIP insurance benefits:

Insurance attorney explains primary versus coordinated medical No-Fault benefits for car accident victims in Michigan

As an attorney who handles Michigan No-Fault insurance lawsuits, I speak with hundreds of auto accident victims a year, many who are confused about their insurance policies and benefits. A lot of my clients ask why they have to pay a medical deductible after a car accident, or a medical deductible that is more than $300.

The Michigan No-Fault law can be complicated and difficult to understand. This is what I tell my clients in efforts to help them: