Accident lawyer says No-Fault insurance benefits are the right choice for passengers, but injured Amtrak employees might want to pursue FELA

I was recently interviewed about the train that crashed with a semi-truck in Jackson, Michigan this week, and about what the various legal rights are for the injured people involved. Afterward, I wrote a quick blog to explain the unusual insurance loophole that exists in Michigan that will allow injured train accident victims to collect Michigan No-Fault insurance benefits — even though they were passengers on the Amtrak train when the crash occurred.

No-Fault attorneys and auto insurance group CPAN file lawsuit to get protected info about the MCCA  – in the ongoing effort to expose  No-Fault “reform”

CPAN, a coalition opposing Michigan No-Fault insurance “reform” has filed a lawsuit against the insurance industry association that handles medical bills for seriously injured auto accident victims, the MCCA.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with these two groups, CPAN is the Coalition Protecting Auto No-Fault. The MCCA is the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association. The MCCA currently provides lifetime benefits for people who sustain debilitating injuries in auto accidents after their medical treatment exceeds $500,000.

Michigan insurance lawyer says “balance billing” by doctors already paid by No-Fault not allowed

Last week, in one of my auto accident cases, my client told me she just received a bill from her own treating doctor. The doctor practices in a big office in Farmington Hills, Michigan and does see a number of auto accident injury victims, so I’m hoping this is a one-time problem with his billing company, and not something they are doing intentionally.

Accident victims are entitled to mileage reimbursement for traveling to and from medical  appointments

There is no PIP benefit that is so often overlooked as medical mileage.  Many people fail to submit it to their claims adjuster, and as such  - poof - hundreds or thousands of dollars in gas and mileage reimbursement vanishes and the accident victim is out of luck. That’s a shame, because medical mileage is such an easy and simple PIP benefit to recover.

What is medical mileage?

Michigan auto accident victims are entitled to medical mileage reimbursement under Michigan’s No-Fault Law for the miles they travel going to and from medical and treatment appointments.

When you cannot return to work, No-Fault wage loss benefits are a lifeline

You’ve been injured in a car accident, and for the moment you cannot return to work.  Panic sets in.  How do you pay the bills?  The mortgage?

Wage loss from your No-Fault insurance company provides an injured auto accident victim  a financial lifeline. It is one of your Michigan No-Fault insurance benefits.

Being injured in a car accident is bad enough. But being disabled from earning a living because of injuries suffered in a crash may be  the thing that pushes a victim and her family into financial ruin.  Michigan No-Fault wage loss was created nearly 40 years ago to stop that from happening.

Michigan No-Fault attorneys say for seriously injured auto accident victims, attendant care nursing services are essential

There is more confusion over what attendant care is then over any other Michigan personal injury protection (PIP) benefit. Many people think of attendant care as in-home nursing services. But the definition I’ve been using when explaining attendant care to my own clients for nearly 20 years is this: because of how serious the injuries are, an “attendant” is required to provide “care” for the accident victim… That’s why they call it  “attendant care.”

Michigan insurance lawyer discusses changes to the No-Fault Law and how they will affect people injured in car accidents

I wanted to write a special blog in honor of the end of 2011, to thank our clients and friends for coming to Michigan Auto Law for help. Our insurance lawyers truly appreciate your trust and confidence. Since we do not advertise to the public directly, referrals from valued clients remain our highest compliment.

Here’s an update about firm happenings in the past year:

Insurance attorney explains why the application for No-Fault benefits is the most important part of setting up a No-Fault claim

You do not need a lawyer to fill out an application for No-Fault benefits. But after helping hundreds of car accident injury victims with their benefits in Michigan, our insurance attorneys would like to share some helpful hints.

Today, we will be discussing the application for No-Fault benefits. And in the coming weeks, we will have blogs about each of your No-Fault benefits, so you understand exactly what you’re entitled to following a serious crash.

Attendant care lawyer says dollar value of No-Fault attendant care depends on factors such as rates charged by health care agencies

Seriously injured auto accident victims who require attendant care finally have a fighting chance to force Michigan’s No-Fault auto insurance companies to pay a more fair value for family-provided attendant care services.

In Hardrick v. Auto Club Insurance Association, et al., the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled the hourly attendant care rates that health care agencies charge their customers are relevant in determining the “reasonableness” of the hourly attendant care rate charged by a victim’s family member.

Little-known section of Michigan’s No-Fault insurance law gives retirees chance to save on premium by waiving wage loss benefits

As a Michigan No-Fault insurance lawyer who has represented hundreds of of auto accident injury victims and who fights for a living with insurance companies, I can say that there are rarely  many opportunities I see for drivers to actually lower their auto insurance premiums.

But here’s one tip:

Michigan drivers who are age 60 or older AND retired can get a reduction on their No-Fault insurance premiums by waiving their rights to No-Fault wage loss benefits.