On Tuesday, I spoke at a Plymouth seminar on Michigan no-fault law for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE). My topic, “Locating and Effectively Dealing with Experts on Direct- and Cross-Examination in First- and Third-Party Litigation,” was vital for Michigan plaintiff lawyers and defense attorneys alike, who must overcome jurors that are skeptical of expert witnesses.
As co-chair of the Michigan Association for Justice (formerly Michigan Trial Lawyers Association) Automobile Accident No-Fault Committee and a seasoned personal injury lawyer, I’ve seen first-hand that most juries do not like experts. The problem with lawyers is that we can find an expert for almost any topic, and we often do. Therefore, we need to really think about our cases and specifically, how an expert should be used to persuade and satisfy our burden of proof. My message was that expert witnesses can be used to win cases.
This was the seventh year I’ve spoken at the ICLE no-fault seminar. It was a great opportunity to review the latest changes to the Michigan no-fault law, cutting-edge trial techniques and possible pitfalls. With more than 300 participants, the seminar was touted to provide expert guidance from Michigan’s leading no-fault practitioners.
Here are some other topics that were discussed throughout the day:
o No-Fault Benefits, Setoffs and Priorities Update
o First-Party Litigation Update
o Property Damage Claims, Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Update
o Out-of-State No-Fault Coverage
o Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association Update
o Defending No-Fault First-Party Section 3148 Attorney Fee Claims
o New Challenges and Issues in First-Party Provider Litigation
o Subrogation and Reimbursement Claims by ERISA Welfare Benefit Plans and Others
o Third-Party Issues: The Discovery Rule and Defense of Third-Party Claims
o Michigan Threshold Update
Michigan no-fault law is an enormous body of ever-changing, extremely sophisticated rules. For more information on Michigan no-fault law, visit our Southfield-based law firm’s No-Fault Law Resource Center.
To our attorney readers: If you have any thoughts or tips on Michigan no-fault law, please give us feedback by making a comment. And to our valued readers who may have recently been in a car accident and are looking for advice on Michigan no-fault insurance, please contact the lawyers of Michigan Auto Law. We have the expertise, experience and resources to point you in the right direction and protect your rights.
– This post was written by Steve Gursten, managing partner of Michigan Auto Law. Visit Steve Gursten’s LinkedIn profile.
Michigan Auto Law exclusively handles car accident, truck accident and motorcycle accident cases throughout the entire state of Michigan. We have offices in Farmington Hills, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Sterling Heights.
Related information:
Michigan Personal Injury Lawyer Video: No-Fault Benefit Overview
