Here's the part nobody explains clearly, and it costs people real money. Under Michigan law, PIP benefits are not retroactive beyond one year. That means if you wait too long to submit a bill or claim for a medical expense, lost wages, or attendant care, you could lose the right to be reimbursed for that expense entirely, even if the underlying claim is otherwise valid.
- Each medical bill and each lost-wage period has its own one-year clock, not one single deadline for the whole claim.
- This is separate from, and much shorter than, Michigan's three-year deadline to file a lawsuit.
- Falling behind on paperwork, even innocently, can permanently close the door on getting reimbursed for that specific loss.
This rule quietly punishes people who are just trying to heal and don't know it exists. Staying on top of it is exactly the kind of thing we handle so you don't have to think about it while you're recovering.