A car accident can change everything in a moment. The injuries, the medical bills, the missed work, and an insurance company already working to limit what it pays you are a lot to carry while you are trying to heal.
Michigan makes it harder than most states. The no-fault system alone confuses most drivers. Add the 2019 reform that quietly reduced coverage for thousands of people, and the legal threshold you have to clear just to sue the person who hurt you, and you have a system most victims do not fully understand until they are already in the middle of a claim.
Hamo Law Firm has been fighting for Michigan car accident victims since 1981. The firm has stayed deliberately small so that every client works directly with George Hamo or Alex Hamo, not support staff or a case manager. That direct access, combined with over four decades of trial experience, is what sets the representation apart.
Common Types of Car Accidents in Michigan
Not all car accidents are the same. The type of collision directly affects the injuries involved, who may be liable, and how complex the legal claim becomes. Michigan roads see a wide range of crash types including:
- Rear-end collisions, one of the most common in Michigan, frequently causing whiplash and soft tissue injuries even at low speeds
- Head-on crashes, among the most deadly, often involving a driver who crossed the center line due to distraction, impairment, or fatigue
- T-bone and side-impact accidents, which typically occur at intersections and produce serious injuries to the head, neck, chest, and pelvis
- Hit and run accidents, where the fleeing driver complicates recovery but Michigan law still provides options through uninsured motorist coverage and the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan
- Multi-vehicle pileups, involving multiple liable parties and overlapping insurance policies that require thorough investigation to untangle
Regardless of how the crash happened, if another party's negligence caused your injuries, Michigan law gives you the right to pursue compensation.
Common Injuries in Michigan Car Accidents
Some injuries are obvious at the scene. Others do not surface until hours or days later, which is one of the most important reasons to get a full medical evaluation right away even when you feel relatively okay after a crash.
The most frequently seen injuries in Michigan car accident cases include traumatic brain injuries ranging from concussions to severe cognitive impairment, spinal cord injuries including herniated discs and nerve damage, whiplash and soft tissue injuries affecting the neck and back, broken bones, internal bleeding, and psychological injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Many of these conditions have long-term consequences that extend well beyond the initial treatment period.
Consistent medical documentation from the moment of the accident forward is what builds the foundation for a claim that reflects the true and full impact of your injuries, not just the bills from the first hospital visit.
How Michigan Car Accident Law Works
Michigan is a no-fault state. Your own auto insurance pays for your medical expenses and a portion of your lost wages through Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits, regardless of who caused the crash. The 2019 reform introduced tiered PIP coverage levels, and many drivers chose lower options to reduce their premiums without fully understanding the trade-off. If your medical costs exceed your chosen PIP limit in a serious accident, those additional expenses become your responsibility unless a third-party claim is available.
When You Can Sue the At-Fault Driver
Michigan law limits your ability to sue for pain and suffering. To file a third-party lawsuit against the at-fault driver, your injuries must meet a threshold known as serious impairment of body function, meaning they must affect your general ability to lead your normal life. Injuries that commonly qualify include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, severe fractures, nerve damage, and permanent disfigurement. Courts evaluate this case by case, and having an attorney assess whether your injuries meet the standard is an important early step.
Comparative Fault and Filing Deadlines
Michigan law reduces your compensation by your percentage of fault. If you are found more than 50 percent responsible for the crash, you cannot recover non-economic damages. Insurance companies routinely try to shift more fault onto injured victims to lower their payout, which is one of the clearest reasons having legal representation from the start matters.
On deadlines: Michigan law gives most car accident victims three years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. PIP benefit claims must be filed with your own insurer within one year. Claims involving government-owned vehicles carry notice requirements as short as six months. Missing any of these deadlines forfeits your right to compensation entirely, regardless of how strong the underlying case may be.
Who Can Be Held Liable
Liability in a Michigan car accident is not always limited to the driver who caused the crash. Depending on the circumstances, responsible parties can include:
- The at-fault driver, for negligent behavior such as distracted driving, drunk driving, or speeding
- Their employer, if the driver was working at the time of the crash
- A vehicle or parts manufacturer, if a defect such as faulty brakes, a tire failure, or a malfunctioning airbag contributed to the accident
- A government entity, if a dangerous road condition or inadequate signage played a role
- A bar or restaurant, if an overserved driver caused your injuries under Michigan's dram shop law
Each liable party is a separate source of compensation. Identifying all of them is one of the most important things an attorney does early in a case, before evidence disappears and legal deadlines pass.
What You Can Recover
Michigan law provides several avenues for compensation depending on the severity of your injuries and the coverage available. PIP benefits, available regardless of fault, cover reasonable and necessary medical expenses up to your selected coverage level, 85 percent of lost wages for up to three years, and replacement services for household tasks you can no longer perform.
When a third-party claim is available, additional economic losses become recoverable: medical costs beyond your PIP limits, full lost wages and loss of future earning capacity, property damage, and ongoing rehabilitation expenses. Victims who meet the serious impairment threshold can also pursue non-economic damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases involving a fatality, Michigan law allows surviving family members to pursue a wrongful death claim covering funeral expenses, the financial support the deceased would have provided, and the loss of their companionship and guidance.
Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Michigan
What you do in the hours immediately after a crash directly affects the strength of your claim. Call 911 even if the damage looks minor, because a police report creates an official record that becomes essential for your insurance claim and any potential lawsuit. Get a medical evaluation right away even if you feel okay. Symptoms from whiplash, concussions, and internal injuries can take hours or days to appear, and a gap between the accident and your first medical visit gives insurers a reason to question the seriousness of your injuries.
Document everything at the scene before vehicles are moved. Photograph the vehicles, the damage, road conditions, skid marks, and any visible injuries. Collect the names, contact information, and insurance details of every driver involved, and get contact information from any witnesses present. Avoid any statements about fault, even a casual apology, and do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver's insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Their adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that minimize or deny claims, and anything you say can be used against you later.
How Hamo Law Firm Handles Car Accident Cases
From the moment you contact us, we move quickly. Evidence in car accident cases disappears fast: dashcam footage gets overwritten, witnesses move on, and physical evidence at the scene is cleared within days. Getting an attorney involved early protects the foundation of your claim before any of that happens.
Our team gathers police reports, medical records, witness statements, and available surveillance footage. When the facts require it, we work with accident reconstruction specialists and independent medical experts to build a complete and credible picture of what happened and what it has cost you. We handle all communications with insurance companies from day one so you are never in a position where a poorly worded statement is used against you.
Most of our cases come to us through referrals from former clients and fellow attorneys. That is not something a firm earns by settling quickly for whatever the insurer first offers. It comes from preparing every file as if it is going to trial and not backing down until the outcome reflects what the client actually deserves.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Michigan?
For a personal injury lawsuit, Michigan law gives you three years from the date of the crash. PIP benefit claims must be filed with your own insurer within one year. Claims involving government vehicles can have notice deadlines as short as six months. The sooner you have an attorney involved, the better protected every avenue of recovery will be.
What if my PIP benefits run out before my treatment is finished?
If your injuries meet Michigan's serious impairment threshold, a third-party claim against the at-fault driver may cover medical costs that exceed your PIP limits. An attorney can evaluate whether that path is available and identify any other applicable sources of coverage based on the specific facts of your case.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partly at fault?
Yes, as long as you are not more than 50 percent responsible under Michigan's comparative fault rule. Your total recovery is reduced in proportion to your share of fault. Insurance companies routinely try to inflate that percentage to reduce their payout, which is why having legal representation from the start matters.
What if I was a passenger in the accident?
Passengers can file a PIP claim through the vehicle owner's insurance policy. If your injuries meet the serious impairment threshold, you may also have a third-party claim against the at-fault driver. As a passenger you are generally not considered at fault, which puts you in a strong legal position from the outset.
What if the at-fault driver was uninsured?
Your own uninsured motorist coverage may apply. If you do not carry it, the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan may provide a path to PIP benefits. An attorney can identify every available option based on your specific policy and the circumstances of the crash.
How much does it cost to hire Hamo Law Firm?
Nothing upfront. The firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning no attorney fees unless compensation is recovered for you. Your first consultation is completely free and handled directly by an attorney.
Ready to Talk to a Michigan Car Accident Lawyer?
For over 40 years, Hamo Law Firm has stood beside Michigan car accident victims against some of the largest insurance companies in the state. The firm has stayed deliberately small because George Hamo and Alex Hamo believe the person whose life has been turned upside down by a crash deserves to work directly with the attorneys fighting for them, not be passed through a system.
The sooner you have an experienced attorney reviewing your case, the better your position on evidence, deadlines, and the full value of your claim. You do not have to figure this out alone.
Call Hamo Law Firm today at 810-234-3667 for a free case review. No upfront costs, no obligation, and no attorney fee unless we win.
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Contact Hamo Law Firm
Hamo Law Firm
614 S. Grand Traverse Street
Flint, Michigan 48502
Phone: 810-234-3667
Fax: 810-234-9057
Email: ahamo@hamolaw.com
Website: www.hamolaw.com
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this content does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Hamo Law Firm. Every case is unique, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. If you have been injured in a car accident in Michigan, please contact Hamo Law Firm directly to discuss the specific facts of your situation with a qualified Michigan personal injury attorney.