Grand Rapids Car Accident Lawyers

Injuries from automotive collisions can be life-changing for not only vehicle occupants but also their families and any other people that may be dependent on those injured in the crash. Having an experienced Grand Rapids car accident lawyer on your side can help to ensure that your interests are protected—especially when medical bills, outpatient treatment costs, and other related expenses begin to mount.

At Jay Trucks and Associates, our Grand Rapids car accident lawyers have a successful track record of recovering compensation for motor vehicle accident victims including a $2,000,000 recovery for the victim of an auto accident who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a collision, a $500,000 recovery for a family business owner that suffered neck fractures in a crash and $240,000 recovery for a 24-year-old mother working two jobs that sustained head injuries and broken bones in a collision.

An initial consultation with a licensed Grand Rapids auto accident attorney at our firm is free of charge and there is no requirement for you to take legal action if you have a viable case. That means there is no risk to you for contacting us. If you hire us to represent you, we do not get paid unless we recover compensation for you.

Can I File a Car Accident Claim?

This is one of the first questions potential clients have when they contact our personal injury law firm and talk to one of our car accident lawyers. We need to review the circumstances of your accident, including how the other driver’s negligence may have been involved.

There are other questions we may need to consider to help us determine whether we may be able to help you:

• How badly were you injured?
• What did the doctor say when he or she treated you?
• Were there any witnesses?
• Did you take any pictures at the scene?
• What do you remember about the accident?

After we talk to you and review the details of your car crash, we can explain whether you may be eligible to seek compensation through an insurance claim, or in rare cases, a personal injury lawsuit.

We are here to answer your questions about the legal process.

What is My Car Accident Claim Worth?

This is a complex issue to consider because of all the factors that can come into play. We not only need to consider the potential cost of your medical bills, both now and in the future, but also the value of lost wages or income from missed time at work and the cost to repair your vehicle. Generally, a claim may have increased value with a more severe injury because the damages will also be more extensive.

Our Grand Rapids car accident lawyers may also be able to pursue compensation for physical pain and emotional suffering as well.

The available insurance coverage is another major factor in a claim’s overall value because most car accident cases are resolved through an insurance settlement. We can pursue compensation up to the limits of your insurance coverage and potentially the limits of the at-fault driver’s insurance coverage.

How Can Jay Trucks & Associates Car Accident Lawyers Help Me?

Many accident victims do not know all the steps involved in pursuing a car accident claim. They also do not know how to build a strong case or calculate the full value of their damages. These are just a few of the reasons why hiring an experienced attorney may be very important after a serious car crash.

For more than three decades, our car accident lawyers have been representing car accident victims in Michigan, recovering fair compensation to help them move forward with their lives.

When we take a case, we manage the legal process from start to finish on behalf of our clients. We have the team and the resources to comprehensively investigate an accident and build a case against a negligent driver. This often includes:

• Going to the scene to take pictures and gather evidence
• Seeking out and obtaining any video footage of the crash
• Interviewing witnesses to find out what they saw
• Using technology to reconstruct the accident scene, when necessary
• Taking steps to preserve evidence to prevent it from being damaged or destroyed

Our Grand Rapids auto accident lawyers are also prepared to deal with the insurance companies on your behalf. That means negotiating for maximum compensation and managing their requests for information, such as medical records and statements about the accident.

We have access to industry experts who may be able to help us validate your claim and prove the extent of your injuries and damages.

How Much Time do I Have to File a Claim?

Auto insurance companies usually have deadlines for filing claims, so it is important to get the process started right away. After an accident you can call our firm anytime to schedule a free consultation so we can get the process started, if we find you have a case and you want to proceed.

Michigan also has a statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit over an accident. The deadline is three years from the date of the injury, which means if you do not file within three years of the accident you may lose the right to do so.

There may be exceptions for your claim that lengthen or shorten the filing deadline. Claims against a government entity over a defective highway that contributed to a crash have a notice requirement—you need to give notice of your claim to the government entity within 120 days of suffering an injury.

When Can You File a Car Crash Lawsuit?

It is important to note you do not have an unlimited right to sue over a car accident injury. Michigan no-fault law prohibits you from filing a lawsuit after a car accident unless one or more of the following criteria apply to your accident:

• You sustained a serious injury or were permanently disfigured
• A loved one was killed in the crash
• The crash was caused by a non-resident driving a vehicle not registered in the state
• You were injured in a crash in another state
• The other driver is more than 50 percent at fault for damages to your car not covered by insurance – you can sue for up to $1,000

Have questions about when you can file a car accident lawsuit in Michigan? Call 989-254-6113.

Insurance Coverage for Michigan Crash Victims

Every driver in Michigan is required to purchase no-fault insurance benefits (personal injury protection (PIP)) to cover reasonable and necessary medical expenses in the event of a motor vehicle crash. Personal injury protection policies provide coverage no matter who is the negligent driver in the crash.

Any policy issued or renewed before July 1, 2020, provides unlimited coverage for medical expenses. Under this existing coverage, you are also eligible to receive reimbursement for up to 85 percent of wages you would have earned if you did not get hurt, for a maximum of three years. Additional compensation is available for household services (housekeeping tasks, yard work, etc.) if the victim needs to hire someone to perform these services during recovery.

However, any PIP policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2020, will have different levels of coverage, depending on what the auto insurance policyholder chooses. You can still choose the unlimited option for maximum protection or you may opt for lesser amounts that provide limits of $250,000 or $500,000 in coverage. Those covered by Medicare can choose to have no PIP health coverage, while those on Medicaid can choose a coverage limit of $50,000. You may also elect to go without PIP health benefits if you have qualified health coverage (coverage that does not exclude motor vehicle accident injuries).

You must file your no-fault insurance claim within one year of the date of the accident, otherwise, you may lose the opportunity to obtain any of these benefits.

Liability Insurance

If the other driver is found legally responsible for the accident, your Grand Rapids auto accident lawyer may be able to obtain coverage from the other driver’s liability insurance. For policies issued or renewed before July 1, 2020, the minimum coverage is:

• $20,000 per person
• $40,000 per accident
• $10,000 for property damage

For policies issued or renewed after July 1, 2020, minimum bodily injury increases to $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident.

What Happens When the Other Driver Lacks Insurance?

You may be able to obtain compensation from your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (usually $20,000 per person and $40,000 per crash). There are often requirements that must be met before you can file a claim for this kind of coverage, so it is important to discuss the situation with a qualified car accident lawyer.

How to Deal with Questions from Insurance Companies

Auto insurance companies handle claims all day long. They know accident victims are vulnerable—they may still be in shock from their auto accident, under the influence of pain medication, or unsure of their rights and what their personal injury claim may be worth.

Those are all reasons why insurance providers like to call injured victims soon after a car accident. When they call, their insurance adjuster may do one or more of the following:

• Offer a settlement, often far below the full value of your claim, which can only be properly calculated after treatment ends and the cost of lost wages and medical costs are factored in
• Request you to provide a recorded statement, claiming it will help speed the process along
• Ask a lot of questions designed to trick you into making damaging statements, such as comments that minimize the severity of your injuries or assign some amount of fault for the crash to you

If an auto insurance company calls, you can politely tell them to talk to your attorney. If you do answer questions, you should stick to the facts about the car accident. Avoid giving your opinions about anything. If you are not sure, you can refuse to answer. You should also avoid giving any recorded statements until consulting with your Grand Rapids car accident lawyer.

Insurance companies are looking for any way to pay out the least possible amount of compensation. Fortunately, you have the option of hiring an experienced attorney who knows how to protect the full value of your claim.

What Can I do After the Accident to Help My Car Accident Case?

There are many things accident victims can do to help their Grand Rapids auto accident lawyer build a solid personal injury case. However, the most important step you can take after an accident is to get to the hospital.

Our No. 1 concern at Jay Trucks & Associates is your health and safety. Once your injuries have been treated and stabilized, we can review whether you have a case and how much it may be worth.

If you are able after the accident, you can help us by collecting evidence at the accident scene. It can be very helpful for car accident victims to take pictures of both vehicles and the rest of the scene to give a better idea of what happened. Pictures of any visible injuries may also help link them to the crash, as insurance companies often try to dispute this connection.

If you see any witnesses, ask them about what they saw. If you get their permission, you can record the conversation on your smartphone. Make sure to ask for their name and other contact information so our car accident lawyers can reach out in the future.

Following the treatment plan recommended by doctors is also very important. It shows you are taking your car accident and your injuries seriously. If you stop treatment you could hurt the value of your claim.

Why Do Most Car Crashes Happen?

Auto accidents are often the result of another motorist’s negligence, such as driving while drunk or distracted. Other potential causes of a crash include:

• Speeding
• Reckless driving in bad weather
• Drowsy driving or falling asleep at the wheel
• Disobeying traffic laws and road signs
• Going the wrong way
• Following other vehicles too closely
• Not looking before making a turn or pulling out into the road

These forms of negligence can lead to many kinds of crashes, including:

• Head-on collisions
• Rear-end crashes
• Left-turn crashes
• Rollovers
• Sideswipes

Contact Our Grand Rapids Car Accident Attorneys Today

Your car accident injuries could affect you for a long time, which is why it is so important to pursue compensation if your car crash was caused by another’s negligence.

You want to hire a personal injury law firm with a history of results that puts your best interests first. At Jay Trucks and Associates, we have been representing accident victims for decades and have been able to recover more than $500 million in compensation on their behalf.

We are prepared to manage the legal process for you while keeping you informed every step of the way. The consultation is free and there are no attorney’s fees unless we obtain compensation for your claim.

Learn more about how our legal practice may be able to help during this trying time.