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.

Under Michigan’s No-Fault law, No-Fault must pay PIP benefits to Amtrak passengers injured today in train-truck crash

The Amtrak train passengers who were injured  this morning in a crash in Jackson, Michigan, are entitled to collect No-Fault benefits, even though they were not in a car or truck.

Under Michigan’s No-Fault law, if a person is injured in an accident that involves a “motor vehicle,” the person is entitled to receive Michigan No-Fault PIP benefits to pay for the person’s accident-related medical expenses, lost wages, replacement services, attendant care services, medical mileage and any home or vehicle modifications.

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.

No-Fault lawyer explains that Michigan PIP benefits pay for a ‘replacement’ to perform tasks and chores that an auto accident victim would have performed

An injured Michigan resident who is hurt in an auto accident may not be able to perform normal household chores and tasks, such as shoveling snow. But Michigan No-Fault PIP “replacement services” benefits make it possible for an accident victim’s normal household duties to still get done. It is an important Michigan No-Fault benefit (also referred to as Michigan PIP), that many people know nothing about.

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.