The three pieces of a Michigan case value
A Michigan auto case is not a single number. It is the sum of three interlocking parts, each governed by a different set of rules:
- 1
PIP no-fault benefits. Paid by your own insurer, no matter who caused the crash.
- 2
Third-party bodily injury damages. Recovered from the at-fault driver's carrier — plus umbrella and UM/UIM — when injuries meet MCL 500.3135's threshold.
- 3
Property damage. Collision, mini-tort ($3,000 cap), and third-party property claims.
What PIP is worth
Under MCL 500.3107, PIP benefits cover reasonable and necessary expenses that arise from the crash. Categories include:
- Medical care. Emergency, inpatient, outpatient, surgical, rehabilitation, pharmacy — up to your PIP coverage cap (unlimited, $500K, $250K, or lower).
- Wage loss. 85% of gross wages for up to 3 years, subject to a monthly statewide maximum that is adjusted annually.
- Replacement services. Up to $20 per day for services you can no longer perform (housework, childcare, yard work), for up to 3 years.
- Attendant care. Home care — including family care — when medically necessary, subject to a 56-hour-per-week cap for family caregivers.
- Survivor's loss. Benefits to dependents of a person killed in the crash, for up to 3 years.
- Mileage. Reimbursement for transportation to medical appointments and pharmacies.
What a third-party claim is worth
Once your injuries meet the serious impairment of body function threshold in MCL 500.3135, the at-fault driver's carrier owes:
- Pain and suffering. Compensation for the physical and emotional impact of the injuries.
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring. Separately valued from other pain-and-suffering damages.
- Loss of enjoyment of life. Loss of activities, hobbies, and normal daily function.
- Excess medical and wage loss. Amounts above your PIP coverage cap and beyond 3 years of wage-loss eligibility.
- Loss of consortium. A spouse's separate claim for loss of companionship and services.
What actually moves the number
Injury severity and permanence
Cases with surgery, permanent impairment, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, or death regularly value in the seven and eight figures — subject to available coverage.
Objective imaging and medical findings
MRI, CT, EMG, and surgical findings give the case a foundation that survives IME attacks and drives valuations upward.
Wage loss and career impact
Missed work, career interruption, forced job change, or permanent disability produce large economic damages models — especially in higher-earning occupations.
Available insurance
Even a serious case has a ceiling equal to the collectible coverage. We identify primary, excess, umbrella, business auto, and UM/UIM policies — and stack them where legally permitted.
Liability strength
Clear liability (DUI, red light, rear-end) commands top-dollar offers. Comparative fault reduces recovery under MCL 500.3135 and MCL 600.2959.
Client credibility and jurisdiction
Sympathetic clients with consistent stories, treating physicians who testify well, and plaintiff-friendly counties push settlements higher.
Why "average settlement" numbers are misleading
Ads that quote an "average car accident settlement" mix minor whiplash cases with catastrophic-injury cases and lump them into a single average that describes almost no one. A candid valuation depends on your records, wages, injuries, and available insurance. Anyone who quotes a number before reading the file is guessing.
How liens and case costs affect what you take home
The number that matters is what lands in your bank account. From the gross recovery, subtract:
- Attorney fee. Up to 1/3 of the net under MCR 8.121.
- Case costs. Records, filing fees, experts, depositions.
- Medical liens. Medicare, Medicaid, ERISA plans, hospital liens — usually negotiable.
Serious lien negotiation is where a good lawyer earns their fee twice over: putting money back in your pocket that would otherwise go to lienholders.
Want an honest number for your case?
Call us. Once we see your medical records, your policy, and the at-fault driver's coverage, we can give you a candid range — and a plan to protect every dollar of it.