Have you been injured in a motorcycle accident in Michigan? If so, you’re probably in pain, worried about extensive medical bills, and unsure of how you’ll make ends meet while you’re unable to work. The good news is that you’re likely entitled to compensation for these and other challenges you’re facing. The bad news is that the insurance company that owes you that compensation would rather give that money to its shareholders than to you.
That’s why you need the help of an experienced Detroit motorcycle accident attorney. At Atnip & Associates, PLLC, we understand the unique problems that injured motorcyclists have to contend with, and we want to help you get the money you need to overcome them. The attorneys with our Detroit injury law firm have 85 years of combined legal experience to put at your disposal, and we won’t rest in our pursuit of the justice you deserve.
Don’t let the insurance company tell you how much your injuries are worth. Let us tell them how much you need to rebuild your life. Contact Atnip & Associates, PLLC, for a free consultation with a motorcycle crash lawyer in Detroit.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Michigan
While many different factors can contribute to a motorcycle collision, the same handful of causes are behind many of the most serious accidents. Our Detroit law firm frequently represents motorcyclists who’ve been injured in accidents involving:
- Distracted Driving– Inattention is one of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents and is a factor in approximately 15 percent of all fatal and injury collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Distracted driving includes any activity that diverts a driver’s attention from the road, such as talking or texting on a phone, eating, conversing with people in the vehicle, or fiddling with the stereo.
- Speeding– Excessive speed is a factor in nearly a third of all fatal accidents, per the National Safety Council. Breaking the speed limit or driving too fast for conditions reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increases the severity of subsequent accidents.
- Driving Under the Influence– A study cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that over half of drivers treated for injuries at a representative sample of trauma centers had alcohol or drugs in their systems. These substances impair thinking, reasoning, and muscle coordination, all of which are essential in operating a vehicle safely.
- Inexperienced Drivers– Inexperienced drivers are not yet accustomed to sharing the road with motorcycles, leading to errors in judgment that cause accidents.
A Michigan motorcycle crash lawyer with Atnip & Associates, PLLC, can help you by:
- Thoroughly investigating the accident to determine the extent of your injuries and related losses
- Determining all of your sources of compensation, including both no-fault insurance coverage and third-party liability if someone else is to blame for your injuries
- Filing your claim with the relevant insurance company
- Arguing forcefully for the full amount of compensation you deserve
- Negotiating with the insurer for a fair settlement
- Taking the insurance company to court if it won’t give you the money it owes you
What’s more, we will not charge you anything upfront for our Detroit legal services. We know that money’s tight right now, and the last thing we want is to add to your financial burden. That’s why our Michigan personal injury attorneys work on contingency, which means we only collect a fee if we secure money for you first.
What Compensation Can I Claim?
Depending on a variety of circumstances, you could be owed compensation for many different accident-related losses. A Motorcycle accident lawyer in Detroit could help you pursue money to cover your:
- Medical Expenses– This includes costs for emergency treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, medication, physical therapy, and any future medical care related to the injuries sustained in the accident.
- Lost Wages and Earning Capacity– If your injuries have prevented you from working, you may be able to claim compensation for lost wages. Additionally, if your ability to work in the future has been compromised, you may also claim for loss of future earning capacity.
- Pain and Suffering– This includes compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress suffered as a result of the accident. Emotional distress can encompass anxiety, depression, loss of enjoyment of life, and other emotional traumas.
- Property Damage– This covers the cost of repairing or replacing your motorcycle and any other personal property that was damaged as a result of the accident.
- Loss of Consortium– If the accident has negatively impacted your relationship with your spouse, your spouse may be entitled to compensation for loss of consortium. This covers the loss of companionship, affection, and other marital benefits.
Contact a Michigan Motorcycle Injury Attorney Today
- Unsafe Left Turns– These accidents commonly occur when a vehicle making a left turn fails to notice an oncoming motorcycle or misjudges its speed, resulting in a collision.
- Defective Components– Sometimes, defective components like steering and braking systems fail in use, causing or contributing to accidents.
- Road Hazards– Motorcycles are particularly vulnerable to road hazards due to their small size and poor stability. Potholes, icy conditions, uneven road surfaces, debris, and other irregularities in the road can pose significant dangers to motorcyclists.
The Good News About Michigan’s No-Fault Insurance
The good news for motorcyclists injured in accidents with motor vehicles is that they are entitled to receive Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits to cover lifetime medical expenses and up to three years of lost wages and household services. All passenger vehicles registered in Michigan are required to carry PIP coverage, which, as of the 2020 insurance reforms, is available in the following limits:
Certain motorists can carry less PIP coverage, but they must meet specific conditions to purchase such policies.
If you were hurt in a motorcycle accident, PIP coverage could be available to you through the policy covering the vehicle that hit you, the driver who hit you, your own auto insurance policy, or the auto insurance policy covering the motorcycle’s owner, in that order.
If the driver who hit you is found to be at fault for the accident, they could owe you additional compensation to cover expenses in excess of those covered by no-fault insurance. Furthermore, if you suffered a “permanent serious disfigurement” or “serious impairment of body function,” you can also demand that they pay you for the pain and suffering you experienced. A Detroit motorbike collision lawyer can review your case and determine every available option for compensation.
The Bad News: The Insurance Company Is Not Your Friend
Unfortunately, being entitled to compensation and actually getting it are two different things. Insurance companies make their money by charging premiums and lose it by paying out claims. As such, they have a profit motive to maximize the former and minimize the latter, and they exercise it by seeking out loopholes, denying claims on technicalities, and pressuring accident victims to accept lowball settlement offers. You’ll need seasoned Detroit bike accident legal counsel to help you take on the insurance companies and their teams of lawyers.
Are you in need of experienced, dedicated motorbike collision legal representation? Then Atnip & Associates, PLLC, wants to hear from you. Our motor vehicle accident attorneys are prepared to help injured motorcyclists in Detroit and throughout the state, including the Upper Peninsula. We want to help you recover the compensation you need to move on with your life, and we won’t charge you a fee unless we succeed in that goal.
Contact us today to speak with a motorbike collision attorney and receive free Detroit legal counsel.
