Insurance lawyer offers advice on redemptions of future No-Fault insurance benefits

Here’s my short answer on what to do when insurance companies start talking settlement on your No-Fault futures — especially if you have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury, or a disc injury such as a herniated disc that may require future back surgery or neck surgery — DON’T DO IT!

Here’s the long answer: Michigan No-Fault (PIP) insurance allows unlimited, lifetime medical care and treatment for personal injury caused by auto accidents (note this may change later this year with pending legislation).  Auto insurers don’t like to keep claims open, so claims adjusters will often offer you a future “lump sum” settlement amount to buy out and close out your insurance claim.

Organization providing rehab services to 25,000 Michigan residents suffering from TBI, spinal cord and car accident injuries gives call to action

The Hope Network of Grand Rapids, Michigan is steadfastly opposed to lawmakers’ attempts to dismantle Michigan’s No-Fault insurance system. The Hope Network provides rehabilitation services to people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury.

It currently serves about 25,000 people throughout Michigan and was founded in 1963.

In recent postings to its website, Hope Network makes a compelling, fact-based case for why so-called No-Fault “reform” is disastrous for Michigan drivers and taxpayers — and for the medical professionals who care for seriously injured car accident victims.

Under proposed  Michigan No-Fault “reform” law, payments to doctors and hospitals treating auto accident victims would be capped

This is my fourth blog about the dangerous effects that the proposed HB 4936 will have on the Michigan No-Fault law, and in turn how this is going to hurt  all Michigan drivers and the several thousand residents who are seriously injured every year in auto accidents.

Today I want to talk about fee schedules, and how this bill will hurt doctors and hospitals who provide medical care and treatment to auto accident victims, as HB 4936 will likely serve as the framework for future No-Fault “reform” legislation in this state.

Attendant care attorney explains how catastrophically injured auto accident victims could have limited home nursing services, reduced quality of care

Today I’m discussing how HB 4936 will reduce Michigan attendant care insurance benefits.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term “attendant care,” as an attendant care attorney for almost 20 years, I like to explain it as follows: When an auto accident victim is injured so badly that he can’t take care of his most basic needs, like eating, using the bathroom, bathing and getting dressed, the victim’s No-Fault insurance company will pay a nurse or someone in the family to help. That service is called attendant care. Some people also refer to this as nursing care services.

No economic loss claims or No-Fault PIP benefits for innocent Michigan motorcycle accident victims, discriminatory insurance protection and higher prices for motorcycle owners, and mandatory 35 percent at fault

Hidden in the new No-Fault “reform” bill  HB 4936 is a very nasty surprise for motorcycle owners. HB 4936 would devastate Michigan motorcyclist legal rights.

As a Michigan lawyer, I write often about motorcycle safety and the issue of motorcycle helmets. And even though I’m a strong proponent of helmets, HB 4936 goes far beyond this and is extraordinarily punitive to motorcycle operators who will choose not to wear a helmet (I already assume the Michigan helmet law will be overturned this year or early next - as does, ominously, this legislation).

The new proposed No-Fault “reform”  only makes insurance companies richer

Yesterday, I discussed how HB 4936, recently proposed by Republican state Rep. Pete Lund, would likely serve as the framework for any future No-Fault “reform” legislation.

This proposed legislation has no safeguards to lower auto insurance premiums, even though it takes away valuable No-Fault PIP protections from Michigan citizens.

Comment: How many times have we been lied to in this state by auto insurance companies who have promised vast savings in return for savaging our No-Fault protections and benefits?

Michigan insurance attorneys break down consequences of this No-Fault “reform” proposal

HB 4936 was recently proposed by Republican state Rep. Pete Lund. This bill, or whatever builds on HB 4936, will make seismic changes to Michigan’s auto No-Fault insurance laws.  Even if HB 4936 does not become law, insurance lawyers see this bill as likely serving as the framework for future No-Fault “reform” legislation.

Here’s my first synopsis in a series of blogs on the new  HB 4936 bill.  Today I will discuss how the bill  will affect Michigan drivers, car accident victims, order of No-Fault priorities, what happens to people injured in accidents driving an employer’s vehicle, and strangely, why the new bill absolves auto insurance agents who have made mistakes causing harm to their own customers.

Proposed changes of Michigan’s No-Fault law will eliminate thousands of jobs, increase costs, and deprive 800 car accident victims of necessary medical care every year

The giant boondoggle to the state’s auto insurance companies, disguised as “PIP Choice” has been obvious to many insurance lawyers and consumer protection groups from the beginning.  But a recent Anderson study shows just how costly and harmful  No Fault ‘reform’ actually is.

Entitled “Impact of Proposed ‘PIP Choice’ Law in Michigan,” the study, which was commissioned by the Coalition Protecting Auto No-Fault (CPAN), reaches four  fact-based conclusions about what will happen if the Legislature enacts the proposed insurance company wish-list of  Michigan’s No-Fault insurance laws:

Michigan auto accident law firm awards sweepstakes winner $1,032 to buy No- Fault insurance for one year as part of its distracted driving awareness campaign

I’m happy to announce that our distracted driving awareness campaign ended yesterday and that Jasmin Prewitt of Flint, Michigan is the winner. Jasmin was one of more than 1,300 people  who participated in our three-week safety campaign on our Facebook page.

As a lawyer who focuses on helping people injured in car accidents and truck accidents around Michigan, I’ve watched as more and more preventable injuries have occurred because of texting in recent years. We created the video below on distracted driving to raise awareness, and ask our friends to make a pledge not to text when driving:

Michigan State Medical Society pulls no punches in its opposition to Senate Bills 0293 and 0294

The Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) definitely does not like  the idea of dismantling Michigan’s No-Fault auto insurance system — and has now  joined the growing chorus of opposition to No-Fault “reform,” such as PIP “choice.”

This is starting to get interesting. Hopefully Michigan residents won’t get completely steamrolled by the auto insurance lobbyists in this giant giveaway to the state’s insurance companies after all.