Michigan is unique when it comes to the rules that they have in relation to their car insurance. It is a no-fault insurance state, which means that each party is automatically entitled to damages from their own insurance companies.
However, in serious car accidents, there may be damages that go beyond the no fault system. This means that a person who believes another driver was to blame for the accident needs to go through an additional claims process while following the modified comparative negligence rule.
What is the modified comparative negligence rule in Michigan?
The modified comparative negligence rule states that if it is determined that you were partially to blame for the accident, you are only allowed to claim damages if it is established that your negligence was less than another person’s negligence. Therefore, the person who was considered to be at most fault for the accident will not be able to claim additional damages that go beyond the original claims that he or she attained from their own insurance company as part of the no-fault insurance law.
What should I do if I become involved in a car accident in Michigan?
Like in any other state, after you become involved in a car accident, you should ensure that everybody at the scene is safe. After this has been established, it is necessary to collect contact details of the other driver(s) for future reference. You should take the name, address, driver’s license number, license plate and auto insurance information from all drivers involved.
You may also want to collect additional evidence that you will be able to reference in the future, such as witness information and photographs of the damage. After this has been done, you should notify your insurance company of the incident and proceed from there.
If you have been involved in a car accident in Michigan and want to know more about the claims process, it is important that you conduct further research into the modified comparative negligence rule.
