Michigan Personal Injury Lawyers

Name: Michigan
Brand: Big Auto Accident Attorneys

Michigan's no-fault auto insurance shapes car accident claims specifically, but personal injury here spans a much wider set of cases.

Injury Law That Extends Well Past the Highway

Michigan's no-fault insurance system tends to dominate the conversation around personal injury in the state, but it governs one category, car accidents, not the entire field. Falls, medical errors, defective products, and dog bites all move through Michigan's standard negligence rules without any no-fault threshold involved. Big Auto Accident Attorneys helps Michigan residents across this full range of claims, applying the specific rules that govern each type rather than treating every case as an auto matter.

The Range of Injury Cases We Handle

Michigan personal injury claims include car, truck, and motorcycle collisions, slip and fall incidents, premises liability, medical malpractice, injuries from defective products, dog bites, wrongful death, dram shop claims against a business that unlawfully served an intoxicated person who later caused harm, and injuries involving a state or local government entity. Only the vehicle-related category is subject to Michigan's no-fault threshold, described below. Every other type proceeds under ordinary negligence principles.

Michigan's No-Fault Threshold, and Where It Applies

Under MCL 500.3135, an injured driver or passenger can only sue the at-fault driver directly for pain and suffering if the injury meets a specific threshold: death, permanent serious disfigurement, or a serious impairment of a body function. This threshold has no bearing outside the auto context. A slip and fall or a medical malpractice claim proceeds under standard negligence rules regardless of injury severity.

How We Help Practice Areas

We handle serious injury cases nationwide. If you’ve been hurt, we can help.

Car Accidents

Hit-and-run, drunk driving, rear-end,  T-bone, and 15 more sub-types. The most common injury case in Phoenix.

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Motorcycle Accidents

Riders face bias from insurers and juries. We build cases that counter that bias and fight for full compensation.

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Truck Accidents

18-wheelers, semis, and commercial trucks cause catastrophic injuries. These cases require resources most firms don’t have.

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Rideshare Accidents

Uber and Lyft accidents involve complex insurance layers. We navigate the coverage maze so you don’t have to.

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Wrongful Death

When negligence takes a life, families deserve justice and financial security. We handle these cases with care and urgency.

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Commercial Vehicles

Delivery trucks, construction vehicles, and fleet accidents. Corporate defendants require aggressive legal strategy.

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Boating Accidents

Boating accidents involve unique maritime laws and liability rules. We navigate the complexities so you get the compensation you deserve.

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Dog Bites

Dog bites can mean serious injury, medical bills, and trauma. We hold negligent owners accountable so you can focus on healing.

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How Long You Have to File

Michigan's general statute of limitations, under MCL 600.5805, gives injured people three years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit, covering car accidents and most other personal injury claims alike. No-fault PIP benefits work on a separate, shorter clock. Under MCL 500.3145, you generally have one year from the date of an accident to notify your insurer, and recoverable benefits look back only one year from whenever the claim is filed, so delaying notification can cost you benefits even within the three-year window.

Claims Against a Government Entity in Michigan

Suing the State of Michigan or one of its agencies requires filing a written claim or notice of intention with the Court of Claims within six months of the incident under MCL 600.6431, far shorter than the standard three-year deadline. A separate rule applies to roadway defects specifically: MCL 691.1404 requires notice within 120 days. This deadline applies regardless of whether the underlying injury involved a vehicle, a fall on government property, or another type of harm. Details on filing procedures are available through the Michigan Court of Claims.

Don’t let an accident slow you down. Get your life back on track with Big Auto.

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Michigan's Modified Comparative Fault Rule

Michigan applies modified comparative fault under MCL 600.2959 across every personal injury category. You can recover compensation as long as you are found 50% or less at fault, with your award reduced by your own share of responsibility. Cross the 50% mark, and recovery is barred entirely. In the auto context specifically, an added wrinkle applies: fault above 50% combined with not wearing a seatbelt can reduce certain damages even further.

What to Do Right After You're Hurt

Get medical care and follow through with treatment, since gaps can undermine any type of injury claim. Document what happened and request any available official report, whether that's a police report, a store incident report, or medical records.

Photograph the scene, hazard, or vehicles involved. Collect contact information from witnesses. Keep every bill and record tied to your treatment. If your injury involved a vehicle, notify your own auto insurer promptly, since Michigan's one-year PIP notice rule starts running immediately.

Where Michigan Claims Get Complicated

Several issues show up repeatedly in Michigan cases: disputes over whether a vehicle injury meets the serious impairment threshold, the separate and much shorter notice deadlines for claims against the state or for roadway defects, disagreements over fault percentage under the modified comparative system across any case type, and multiple potentially liable parties in cases involving commercial vehicles or property owners. The auto threshold dispute is common, but it's specific to vehicle claims, not a factor in a fall or malpractice case.

How Big Auto Supports Clients in Michigan

We're not based in Michigan, but we regularly help clients across its full range of injury claims, not only its layered no-fault auto system. Our process starts by identifying the correct legal framework for your specific injury, then applies the matching filing deadline, whether that's the standard three-year rule, the one-year PIP notice window, or the shorter Court of Claims deadline. For current road condition information, the Michigan Department of Transportation publishes updates statewide.

Why Choose Big Auto Accident Attorneys?

Michigan's no-fault system gets most of the attention, but it only covers one type of injury claim. We evaluate every Michigan case against the framework that actually applies to it, whether that's the auto threshold, standard negligence, or a government notice deadline, so nothing gets treated as a car accident case when it isn't one. That work comes backed by a firm operating nationwide, with no upfront cost to you.

Contact Big Auto Accident Attorneys today to talk through your case in Michigan.

1 (844) BIG-AUTO

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Michigan?

Generally, three years from the date of injury under MCL 600.5805, covering car accidents and most other injury claims alike. However, claims under Michigan's No-Fault Act MCL 500.3145 to recover unpaid Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits must be filed within 1 year of the accident.

Does Michigan's no-fault threshold apply to every type of injury?

No. It applies specifically to car accidents. Falls, medical malpractice, product injuries, and dog bites proceed under standard negligence rules without that threshold.

What happens if I'm partly at fault for an injury?

Michigan's modified comparative fault rule lets you recover as long as you're 50% or less at fault, across any type of personal injury case.For Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits such as medical bills, wage loss and replacement services, fault is irrelevant.

Are claims against a government agency different in Michigan?

Yes. They generally require notice within six months for most claims, or 120 days for roadway defects, both far shorter than the standard three-year deadline.

Would Big Auto take on a case in Michigan?

We would, across the full range of injury types Michigan recognizes, not just vehicle accidents.

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