We may call them car accidents, but the truth is that in most cases when passenger cars, trucks, or SUVs collide, one of the drivers was at fault. Crashes are almost always the result of a driver not paying adequate attention to the road or violating traffic rules. No matter how careful you are when driving, you face the risk of other negligent drivers on the road every time you get in the car.
In 2024, there were more than 288,000 crashes on Michigan roads. About 20,000 of those crashes occurred in Kent County, which is the county in Michigan with the fourth highest number of crashes. Statewide, these crashes resulted in more than 1,000 people losing their lives and more than 70,000 people being injured in 2024.
Michigan has a no-fault system of car insurance. This means that in most cases, drivers and passengers who are in a crash are entitled to recover certain economic benefits from their own car insurance company or under the policy of a relative who lives with them, regardless of who was at fault for the collision. These benefits, often called Personal Injury Protection (PIP) or first-party benefits, include payment of some or all of your medical bills, wage loss for up to three years if you cannot work, and compensation for those who help take care of you at home or do household tasks that you cannot perform due to your injuries. If your insurance company does not promptly pay these benefits following a crash, it may be necessary to bring a lawsuit against it.
Although our law is called a no-fault system, that does not mean it never matters who caused the crash. If a person is seriously injured, disfigured, or killed in a car crash, a lawsuit can be brought against the driver who was at fault. This suit allows the injured person or their family to seek non-economic damages for pain and suffering and any monetary damages that were not covered by their no-fault insurer.
Michigan’s no-fault insurance system limits when you can file a lawsuit after a car accident. Most claims start with your own no-fault insurance coverage, which pays for medical bills, lost income, and other necessary expenses regardless of who caused the crash.
If your injuries meet the state’s “threshold injury” requirement, you could have grounds to take legal action against the at-fault driver. Claimants meet this threshold only if the crash injuries caused serious impairment of a body function, significant disfigurement, or death. The default minimum for bodily injury liability coverage is $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident.
You can also file a lawsuit against an at-fault driver to recover costs that exceed your no-fault coverage limits, such as unpaid medical bills or long-term income losses. In these cases, you must show that the other driver’s negligence caused the crash and that your losses go beyond what your insurance covers. Michigan law imposes strict deadlines on personal injury lawsuits, so swift action is essential after a crash. The sooner you contact a car accident lawyer, the more time they have to collect evidence and strengthen your case.
The types and amounts of compensation you can pursue after a Michigan car accident depend on whether you file a no-fault insurance claim or have grounds for a claim against an at-fault driver.
A no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) claim covers your own expenses through your insurance company, regardless of who caused the crash. With this type of claim, you could recover compensation for:
To schedule a free, no-obligation evaluation of your case with one of our experienced car crash attorneys, please contact us online or call us. We handle all car crash cases on a contingency basis, which means you do not have to pay for our services unless we recover money for you.
Under Michigan’s no-fault law (MCL 500.3135), you can only sue an at-fault driver for pain and suffering if your injuries meet the “threshold injury” standard — meaning the injury is objectively manifested, affects an important body function, and affects your general ability to live your normal life. There’s no minimum time requirement, and courts compare your life before and after the crash on a case-by-case basis. If you’re not sure whether your Grand Rapids car accident meets this threshold, a free case review with our attorneys can help you find out.
Civil cases seeking more than $25,000 in Kent County, including most serious car accident claims, are filed in the 17th Circuit Court at 180 Ottawa Ave NW in downtown Grand Rapids — just blocks from our office near Rosa Parks Circle. Most cases settle before trial, but we prepare every Grand Rapids car accident case as if it may need to go before a judge.
