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Steven M. Gursten

Steven Gursten of Michigan Auto Law has been selected a Michigan Lawyer of the Year and has been voted consistently among the top 50 attorneys in Michigan (out of over 65,000 lawyers) by Super Lawyers. Steven Gursten is the current President of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Distracted Driving Litigation Group. He is a past-President of the Belli Society, the AAJ Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, the AAJ Truck Accident Litigation Group, and the Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers Association. He has also been selected annually since 2018 as a JD Supra Readers’ Choice Award winner – Top Author in the Insurance category for his writing on Michigan’s auto No-Fault laws and insurance litigation. Steven Gursten speaks throughout the country every year, teaching lawyers on such subjects as trial advocacy, traumatic brain injury, truck accident litigation, and on maximizing auto accident settlements. Auto accident attorney Steven Gursten of Michigan Auto Law has recovered the largest ever auto and truck accident settlement of any Michigan lawyer or law firm. He has also received the top reported auto accident and truck accident settlements and jury verdicts in Michigan over multiple years, according to Michigan Lawyers Weekly and Verdict Reporter.

Interesting Fact:

When he was 28, Steven became the youngest attorney in Michigan history to receive a million-dollar jury verdict. The case was in Oakland County, and the insurance company, Allstate, was only offering $10,000 to settle.

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Education


Fordham University School of Law, New York, NY

University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI
Phi Beta Kappa, highest academic distinction

What the Newspapers Say


Michigan Lawyers Weekly has written several articles about Steven Gursten. Here are some highlights:

“Gursten is clearly doing something right. Perhaps it’s that his firm is the largest in the state specializing in serious car and truck accident cases. Perhaps it’s the fact that he’s willing to take difficult cases to trial and continues to receive spectacular results. Perhaps it’s the fact that he practices law with honesty and integrity. More likely, it’s all of these things.”

“Outstanding in his field. One of Michigan’s foremost experts on No‐Fault litigation.”

In addition, Steve has recently been quoted as an attorney expert in several national publications. Here’s what they had to say about Steve:

“For 20 years, taking on truck companies” — CBS News, April 2016

“… Michigan attorney specializing in severe trucking accident cases” — The Wall Street Journal, October 2016

Visit our news page for more articles featuring Steven and Michigan Auto Law.

‹ Swipe left or right to view more ›

Honors and Awards

“Go To Lawyer” for Negligence Law, Michigan Lawyers Weekly

Hall of Fame Award – American Association for Justice Trucking Litigation Group

Lawyer of the Year, Michigan Lawyers Weekly

Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers listing

Best Lawyers in America – annually since 2008, Best Lawyers listing

Top 10 Attorney Award for the state of Michigan, National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys

Top 100 Trial Lawyer, American Trial Lawyers

America’s Most Honored Lawyers – Top 1% by The American Registry

Martindale-Hubbell AV-Rating, highest rating for legal ability and ethics

Michigan Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers listing

Top 50 Lawyers in the State of Michigan, Super Lawyers

AVVO Top-Rated Lawyer – Superb Attorney Rating

Readers’ Choice Award winner – Top Author, JD Supra

Best Lawyers, Crain’s Detroit Business

Best Lawyer/Best Law Firm, U.S. News & World Report

Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, DBusiness Magazine

Personal Injury Law Firm of the Year in Michigan, Lawyer Network Annual Awards

Million Dollar Advocates Forum, member

Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell

Leader in the Law, Michigan Lawyers Weekly

Top 100 Litigation Lawyer, American Society of Legal Advocates

Lawyer of the Year – Personal Injury, Corporate LiveWire

American Board of Trial Advocates – “Who’s who of trial lawyers nationwide”

The Trucking Trial Lawyers Association – Top 10

Melvin M. Belli Society Mel Award

Listed as one of the Top 3 Personal Injury Lawyers in Detroit, MI by Three Best Rated®

Memberships and Affiliations

Steven is an active leader in many legal organizations, including:

 

American Association for Justice: the nation’s largest association of advocates serving the needs of personal injury victims, with more than 50,000 lawyer members

President – Distracted Driving Litigation Group, American Association for Justice

Past-President – Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association for Justice

Past-President – Trucking Litigation Group, American Association for Justice


Melvin M. Belli Society
Past-President
The Melvin M. Belli Society is a legal group of the best injury lawyers in the country that presents hard-hitting, practical seminars featuring lawyers who are experts in the courtroom and discussing innovative trial skills.

State of Michigan Model Civil Jury Instructions
Subcommittee Member
Steven advises on the most effective jury instructions regarding Michigan No-Fault and the auto accident law for the State of Michigan.

Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America
Board of Governors, Representing State of Michigan
The APITLA is a national association of committed truck accident lawyers who have joined to help eliminate unsafe and illegal interstate trucking practices.

Michigan Association for Justice
Automobile Accident No‐Fault Committee, Past Co‐Chair
The Michigan Association for Justice is the state’s largest organization of trial lawyers and consumer advocates representing the needs of injured accident victims.

Sarah Jane Brain Project
Traumatic Brain Injury Legal Committee, Advisor
The Sarah Jane Brain Project is a group of brain injury lawyers, doctors, professors and lawmakers dedicated to preventing and treating pediatric traumatic brain injury.

Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers Association
Past President
The MVTLA is a professional and trade association of trial attorneys throughout the country who represent injury victims and consumer plaintiffs in claims involving motor vehicle injuries

TAOS Injury Lawyers
Member
The TAOS Injury Lawyers is an invite only group of preeminent trial attorneys from around the nation.

Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys
Board of Regents
The Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys is a national group of renowned plaintiff’s lawyers who are dedicated to helping families affected by serious truck and bus accidents throughout the U.S.

Truck Accident Attorneys Roundtable
Founding member
TAAR is an association of expert truck accident attorneys dedicated to making our roads safer and protecting truck accident victims.

Notable Michigan Personal Injury Cases

Steven Gursten recovers some of the highest reported settlements and jury verdicts every year, including the top-reported auto accident or truck accident jury verdict and the highest auto accident and truck accident settlement in Michigan over multiple years, according to Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Below are some of his notable verdicts and settlements:


John Doe v. A trucking company
Confidential as to parties injuries and insurers
$34 million settlement, truck accident. The defense’s “final offer” before trial was $14 million. The case settled for $34 million in trial.

Jane Doe v. XYZ Company
Confidential as to parties and insurers
$10.5 Million Truck Accident Settlement

Norris v. Atsalis Brothers Painting
Macomb County, Michigan
$9 million settlement, car accident/truck accident. Client had been offered $1 million and told to take it by his previous lawyer before he sought Steve out for a second opinion.

Doe v. ABC Corporation
Confidential as to parties and insurers
$8.5 Million Wrongful Death Truck Accident Settlement

John Doe v. Confidential
Oakland County, Michigan
$7 million wrongful death auto accident settlement – $3 million in personal assets contribution over the insurance policy limits

Estate of John Doe v. Confidential, Out of State Trucking Death Case
Confidential as to parties injuries and insurers
$6.2 million wrongful death truck accident settlement. The defense made a $400,000 “final” offer to previous attorney before he asked me to take over case for trial.

Broeren v. Bates
Macomb County, Michigan
$5.65 million jury verdict on $600,000 offer, auto accident

Fini-Ross v. General Motors Corporation
Oakland County, Michigan
$4.2 million jury verdict on $100,000 defense offer, auto accident

Nunez v. Utica Transit Mix and Supply
Macomb County, Michigan
$3.9 million settlement, truck accident

Barnes v. Cassens Transport Company
Wayne County, Michigan
$3.6 million award on $300,000 defense offer, truck accident

John Doe v. Confidential
Confidential as to parties and insurers
$3.5 million tire off case causing significant TBI

John Doe v. Confidential, Out of State Truck Accident Case
Confidential as to parties, injuries and insurers
$3.5 million settlement, truck accident

Fairley v. Schiber Truck
Jackson County, Michigan
$3.5 million verdict on $1 million defense offer, truck accident

Estate of Michael Shekoski v. Allied Excavation
Macomb County, Michigan
$2.5 million verdict on $250,000 defense offer, wrongful death truck accident

Lloyd v. First Choice Trucking
U.S. District Court, Michigan
$2.5 million jury verdict on $250,000 defense offer, truck accident

Truck Accident Verdict
Oakland County, Michigan
$2 million verdict on $250,000 defense offer, truck accident

Jane Doe and Jayne Doe v. XYZ Company
Confidential as to parties and insurers
$2 Million Truck Accident Settlement

John Doe v. XYZ Trucking Company 
Confidential as to parties and insurers
$1.95 Million Wrongful Death Truck Accident Settlement
Michigan Auto Law lawyers doubled the total settlement for the widow and her children after being brought into the case by another Michigan personal injury law firm that does extensive advertising to try to find more insurance coverage where the referring law firm was initially told there was only $1 million dollars in insurance coverage.

John Doe v. Confidential
Confidential as to parties and insurers
$1.75 Million Truck Accident Settlement

In Re Estate of Jane Doe, deceased
Confidential as to parties and insurers
$1.25 Million Wrongful Death Car Accident Settlement

Clouse v. Hughes
Oakland County, Michigan
$1.1 million jury verdict on $10,000 defense offer, auto accident

Publications

Handling Automobile Accident Cases, West Publications

State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section Quarterly

Free books:

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