TLDR: There are many slimy lawyers, particularly in the personal injury space. Michigan Auto Law is one of the few class-acts. These lawyers recognize that you are going through the worst moments of your life and advise what’s best for YOU vs what will put more money in their wallet.
In the 5+ years which I worked with the team, I could not be more pleased with my attorney Chris Hunter, or his support, Eileen Kelly and Jordan Barkley. They have truly become like family. My case lasted 5 years due to the significant injuries requiring time to stabilize/diagnose; then, COVID started and the courts shut down for much of two years. Chris was nothing but prompt pushing the case along.
When first injured, I searched online for the best law firm. With minimal digging, the choice was clear with Michigan Auto Law because of their reviews and the legitimacy of their website/advertisements. While many other practices appeared slimy from the start, even in reviews, Michigan Auto Law had an immediate upstanding appearance. It is clear they target a certain caliber of client with genuine meat to their case vs seeking misinformed clients who the lawyer can puppet their words (and life) into whatever they wish to make money. It’s unfortunate that those in a lawsuit need to be careful with the appearance of everything they do. There are a lot of lawyers who would have urged me to stay out of work far longer than I did in an effort to “milk” the case. Even with my doctors advising me to stay out, Chris fully supported my decision to return for my own mental state and chance to regain normalcy in my life. He cared about my quality of life and NEVER insinuated I should hold back on living just for the risk of appearing better off than I was. He recognized I was in a terrible place and needed any joy I could grab.
Likewise, many lawyers ask clients to milk the extent of injuries. I NEVER felt the slightest pressure from Chris to speak louder or more critically of my injuries. Never once did Chris encourage me to go to one of “his” doctors for hope of a diagnosis which leaned more severe than those by my selected doctors. I was proactive in researching my own care and so I did not need recommendations, but should I have wanted this, I am confident that he would have only named doctors to take the most action in improving my conditions. I received a settlement for my case. The amount was not life-changing nor did it “make-up” for all the suffering I had endured, but it did cover some adjustments needed in my life due to the accident so I am glad that I pursued. My case was complicated (multiple vehicles, multiple faults, none with sufficient liability coverages). My injuries were largely “invisible” (brain injury, PTSD, back pain, etc.). Chris was thorough in identifying insurance company spins and provided solid evidence to the contrary.
The unfair truth is that if you’re not missing a limb or out of work the rest of your life, it’s unlikely you will get millions of dollars for “pain”. The guidance provided by Michigan Auto Law all around was invaluable and another reason I am glad I pursued the case. I do not believe another company would have provided so much support through my recovery, which was chaotic balancing bills, insurance, doctors, work leave, etc.; all of which were firsts for me. Overall, my experience with this company was superb. From “on-boarding” to closure, I was impressed with the level of professionalism everyone, even secretaries answering the phones, had with me.
Beyond their professionalism, they are people. Chris would routinely call me, evenings and weekends, when he was aware that I may be distressed in any way (i.e. insurance denying medical benefits, difficult medical diagnosis, general stress about suit, etc.). He made it his top priority to help me through this difficult time, all while exemplifying a top-notch attorney whose years of experience are clear by all the tricks he employed to hold insurance companies.
Courtney Tamaro, Riverview, MI