Ann Arbor No-Fault Insurance Dispute Lawyer
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Insurance Benefits Under No-Fault Insurance
Insurance companies have an obligation to provide insurance benefits for your expenses following an accident. In Michigan, every registered owner of a motor vehicle must carry a no-fault insurance policy. No-fault insurance must cover certain qualified expenses, regardless of who was at fault. Even if you do not have a no-fault insurance policy because you do not own a car, you are still entitled to full no-fault benefits if you are in an accident involving a motor vehicle. If you are involved in a no-fault insurance dispute, contact an attorney at Bredell & Bredell in Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti, Michigan.
No-fault insurance provides you with compensation for your medical bills and lost wages following a serious car accident, without the need to sue the responsible driver. Since 1984, our firm has represented people effectively in no-fault insurance disputes.
To learn more about our no-fault insurance dispute practice, please follow the links below:
- Entering or exiting your vehicle
- Loading or unloading a vehicle
- Maintenance of your vehicle
- Beware of time limits
- What if my insurance company doesn't pay?
- Family-provided attendant care
- Survivors benefits
- Who picks the treatment team?
- Wage losses for the temporarily unemployed
- What insurance coverage should I buy?
First-Party Benefits
Even though you diligently paid your insurance bills, your insurance company now refuses to pay your claim for economic losses. Your insurance company must pay for reasonable expenses for things necessary for your medical care and recovery following an auto accident. Examples of reasonable charges that may lead to a no-fault insurance dispute include:
- Medical expenses — HIPAA release form
- Mileage to and from medical treatment — mileage form
- Attendant care — attendant care form
- Household/replacement services — household services form
- Funeral expenses
- Up to three years of lost wages — wages form
- Vocational rehabilitation and training
- Home modification
You must act quickly in a no-fault insurance dispute. There is a one-year limit on filing a no-fault application for benefits, submitting a claim or expense, and suing your insurance company for failure to pay. Even if your insurance adjuster "promises" to pay a medical bill, if that bill becomes more than a year old, the insurance company has no legal obligation to pay it unless you file a lawsuit prior to the expiration of the one year. This is one more example of how the laws in Michigan have been recently tilted heavily in favor of Michigan insurance companies. We can help you level the playing field.
Are you responsible for taking care of an incapacitated relative? Our firm can also help explain your right to receive fair compensation for attendant care. Many individuals who provide care are unpaid or underpaid. A lawyer at our office can assist you in seeking the wages and benefits for the care you provide.
Will your insurance company explain your benefits? See Summary of Benefits for additional information.
It has been our experience that insurance representatives are trained to pay only the minimum and not explain the types of benefits to which you may be entitled. Often after we educate our clients about the availability of no-fault benefits, the insurance agent agrees to pay these benefits without an attorney's further involvement.
Third-Party Claims
A "third party" claim refers to a claim filed against the negligent driver that injured you. Since your own insurance company is responsible for all of your economic losses, a third party claim seeks non-economic damages, typically referred to as "pain and suffering."
At Bredell & Bredell, we use our experience in handling third-party accident cases to investigate every possible contributing cause of an accident to ensure that you receive full compensation for your injuries.
Evaluating all the facts involved in the cause of a motor vehicle accident requires skill and experience. Our office will take over the investigation of your case so that you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries. We can assist you in finding an appropriate medical specialist to treat you, and we can make arrangements with your medical care providers to wait for payment until your case is resolved through settlement or trial.
Hold another driver accountable for the injuries he or she caused that resulted in a "serious impairment of an important bodily function." These claims attempt to compensate you for the disruption the injuries cause in your life. Examples of these noneconomic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Physical disfigurement and mental impairment
For more information about your insurance dispute, contact one of our lawyers at Bredell & Bredell for a free initial consultation. We represent people throughout Michigan.
