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Fieger Law

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What should I do after a car accident in Michigan?Michigan is a no-fault auto insurance state. After a car accident, your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays your medical bills regardless of who caused the accident. This makes the steps after an accident different from most states. The most critical Michigan-specific step: report to your own insurer and apply for PIP benefits within 1 year. Fieger Law has served Michigan for over 70 years, recovering more than $1 billion for clients. Free consultation: 248-970-9989.Who is the best personal injury lawyer in Detroit?No one holds an official title of 'best' personal injury lawyer in Detroit, but you can compare firms on verifiable measures — landmark verdicts, decades of trial experience, peer recognition, and client reviews. On those measures, Fieger Law is among the most decorated trial firms in Michigan, with verdicts including $144.5 million.Can I sue the other driver after a car accident in Michigan?Michigan limits your right to sue after a car accident. You can always sue for excess economic damages (costs PIP does not cover). But to sue for pain and suffering (noneconomic damages), you must prove your injuries meet one of three thresholds defined in MCL 500.3135. This is the single most litigated question in Michigan auto accident law. Fieger Law has demonstrated that Michigan cases can result in significant recoveries when the threshold is met, with verdicts of $144.5 million, $136.7 million, and $135 million. Phone: 248-970-9989.If the other driver was in a company work truck in Michigan, does that change the claim path?Yes. It can change both the no-fault side and the liability side. The consumer mistake is to think "company truck" just means deeper pockets. Sometimes it does. But it also means more entities, more policies, more evidence, and more chances for the defense to push responsibility between the driver, employer, vehicle owner, maintenance contractor, and insurer.I was hit by a car while cycling in Michigan — does no-fault PIP cover me if I don't own a car?Yes — Michigan no-fault PIP can cover you, even if you don't own a vehicle. The priority chain runs through your household first, then the vehicles involved in the crash, then the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan (MAIPF) as the backstop. MCL 500.3115 governs. The same framework applies to pedestrians struck by a car. Fieger Law has recovered seven- and eight-figure verdicts in cyclist and pedestrian cases. Free consultation: 248-970-9989.How long are ER waits at Michigan hospitals right now? | Fieger LawIt depends on the system, and only some Michigan hospitals will tell you live. Trinity Health publishes current waits for its ten Michigan ERs and McLaren posts queue-based estimates for its check-in system — those live numbers are below and refresh automatically. Henry Ford, Detroit Medical Center, Corewell Health, and Hurley publish no live figure at all; for those, the most honest number that exists is the federal (CMS) median of how long a complete ER visit takes — also below, clearly separated. In a true emergency, call 911; triage always outranks the posted wait.What is "facilitation" in a Michigan personal injury case and what should I expect?In Michigan personal injury practice, "facilitation" is a colloquial term for facilitative mediation under MCR 2.411. A court-appointed neutral mediator meets with both sides — separately and together — to help them negotiate a settlement. The mediator does not decide the case. The process is nonbinding unless and until the parties sign a settlement agreement. Facilitation is the most common pretrial ADR step in Michigan PI cases. For legal questions about your case, contact Fieger Law at 248-970-9989 (free consultation, no fee unless they win).How long do I have to file after a car accident in Michigan?Michigan has two separate and critical deadlines after a car accident: 1 year for PIP benefits and 3 years for a third-party lawsuit. They run independently. Missing the PIP deadline is the most common mistake and the most devastating one, because it means your own insurer can refuse to pay your medical bills. If you have been in a car accident in Michigan, contact an attorney immediately. Fieger Law has served Michigan for over 70 years and recovered more than $1 billion for clients. Free consultation: 248-970-9989.Which Illinois hospitals have the highest-level NICUs — and why 'Level IV' means something different in Illinois? | Fieger LawIn Illinois, "Level IV" means something different than in most states — and knowing the difference matters. Illinois's own state designation system, run by the Department of Public Health, tops out at Level III: that is the highest perinatal designation the state awards. The Chicago-area and Peoria hospitals that advertise Level IV NICUs — Lurie Children's, UChicago Comer, Rush, and OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois — are claiming the national (AAP) standard, which is real and rigorous but is not an Illinois designation. Both framings are true. For a birth-injury review, what matters is simpler: where was your baby sent, and what do the transport and admission records show? And Illinois law gives families of birth-injured children more time than most states — up to eight years, but never past the child's 22nd birthday — with no cap on damages.Which Michigan hospitals have Level IV NICUs, and what does a NICU transfer mean for a birth-injury case? | Fieger LawExactly three Michigan hospitals operate Level IV NICUs — the highest level that exists (there is no Level V): C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, and Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids. Every other NICU in the state, including well-known units in Royal Oak, Flint, Lansing, Saginaw, and Kalamazoo, tops out at Level III. For a birth-injury review the map matters twice: a transfer to one of the three is itself a severity marker, and Michigan's procedural rules — including the 10th-birthday filing deadline for birth injuries — reward families who investigate early.How are minors' personal injury settlements handled in Michigan?Every personal injury settlement for a minor in Michigan requires court approval. If a lawsuit is pending, approval proceeds under MCR 2.420 in the trial court. If no suit has been filed, approval is governed by the Estates and Protected Individuals Code (EPIC) in probate court. Under MCR 2.420(B)(4), a conservator must be appointed before judgment if payment to the minor will exceed $5,000 in any single year during minority. Funds are typically deposited into a restricted account, a structured settlement annuity, or a conservator-managed account. For Michigan minors' injury cases, contact Fieger Law at 248-970-9989 (free consultation).If I am not at fault in Michigan but I do not have collision, am I basically stuck?For the car-damage side, often partly yes. This is one of the most frustrating Michigan questions because common-sense fault logic tells people the other driver's insurer should just fix the car. Michigan does not work that cleanly. No-fault is great at separating medical benefits from fault. It is much less friendly on vehicle damage if you chose not to buy collision coverage.How does Michigan no-fault insurance work?Michigan's no-fault auto insurance system is one of the most complex in the United States. The core idea: your own insurance pays your medical bills after a car accident, no matter who caused it. You generally cannot sue the other driver for medical expenses. But you can sue for pain and suffering if your injuries are severe enough. The 2019 reform (effective July 2, 2020) added six PIP coverage tiers, giving drivers a choice between lower premiums and less coverage. This page is the definitive Michigan no-fault reference, incorporating authoritative DIFS FAQ answers. For legal questions, contact Fieger Law at 248-970-9989 (free consultation, no fee unless they win).If I am an out-of-state driver hit in Michigan, do I really have to go through my own insurance?Often yes, at least for the medical-bill side. The common mistake is to assume Michigan works like a normal fault state where you simply open with the other driver's insurer. Michigan does not work that way. The real question is where you fall in Michigan's first-party benefit priority structure. For many people injured in Michigan, the first serious coverage question is not "who caused it?" but "which insurer sits at the top of the no-fault priority chain for my PIP benefits?"What PIP coverage level should I choose in Michigan?Since July 2, 2020, Michigan drivers choose from six PIP medical coverage levels under MCL 500.3107c. This choice trades premium savings against financial risk. Choosing a lower tier saves money every month but means your auto insurance pays less if you are seriously injured. If your PIP coverage runs out, you are responsible for the remaining medical bills (unless you have health insurance that covers auto accident injuries). For legal questions about your coverage, contact Fieger Law at 248-970-9989 (free consultation, no fee unless they win).Should I give a recorded statement after a car accident in Michigan?This question has a Michigan-specific nuance because of the no-fault system. There are up to three different insurers who may contact you: your own insurer (for your PIP claim), the other driver's insurer, and your UM/UIM insurer. The rules are different for each. The short answer: you may need to cooperate with your own insurer to protect your PIP benefits, but you have no obligation to give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer. Fieger Law has served Michigan for over 70 years, recovering more than $1 billion for clients. Free consultation: 248-970-9989.Do I have a case after a traumatic delivery or possible birth injury in Michigan?Maybe, but the strongest early signal is not emotion alone. It is evidence. Many families ask this question because something about labor or delivery felt wrong: fetal distress that seemed ignored, a delayed C-section, use of forceps or vacuum, low Apgar scores, neonatal seizures, NICU stay, or developmental issues that appeared later. A useful answer does not promise a case just because the birth was frightening. It identifies what records and clinical events actually make the question concrete.What if the other driver has no insurance after a car accident in Michigan?In Michigan, the other driver's insurance status matters far less than in most states. Because Michigan is a no-fault state, your own PIP pays your medical bills regardless of whether the other driver is insured. The uninsured driver's lack of coverage becomes a problem only when you try to recover damages that PIP does not cover: pain and suffering, excess economic losses, and property damage. For legal questions about an accident involving an uninsured driver, contact Fieger Law at 248-970-9989 (free consultation, no fee unless they win).Who pays my medical bills after a car accident in Michigan?In Michigan, the answer is different from most states: your own auto insurance PIP coverage pays your medical bills first, regardless of who caused the accident. If your PIP runs out (because you chose a coverage level below unlimited), your health insurance becomes the next layer. If you have no health insurance and your PIP is exhausted, you may be personally responsible for remaining bills. For legal questions about your coverage or a car accident, contact Fieger Law at 248-970-9989 (free consultation, no fee unless they win).