Michigan Car Accident Attorneys — Maximum Compensation for Your Injuries
Why You Need an Attorney After a Michigan Car Accident
Michigan's no-fault insurance system is among the most complex in the country. When you are involved in a car accident, you are navigating a web of deadlines, coverage limits, threshold requirements for pain and suffering claims, and aggressive insurance adjusters — all while trying to recover from your injuries.
At SMDA, our car accident attorneys step in and handle every aspect of your claim, from the initial insurance filings to full litigation if necessary. We have decades of experience with Michigan's auto insurance laws and we know how to maximize the compensation our clients receive.
Common Causes of Michigan Car Accidents
Distracted Driving
Phones, navigation systems, food, and passengers compete for drivers' attention. Distracted driving has become the leading cause of serious crashes in the state, and our attorneys know how to document and prove this in court.
Drunk and Drugged Driving
Impaired drivers cause preventable tragedies every day. When an impaired driver injures you or kills someone you love, you deserve aggressive representation to hold them fully accountable.
Speeding and Reckless Driving
Excessive speed reduces reaction time and dramatically increases the severity of collisions. We reconstruct these accidents using expert witnesses and physical evidence to prove liability.
Weather and Road Conditions
Michigan winters create dangerous roads. When government agencies fail to maintain roads properly, or when a driver fails to adjust for conditions, there may be additional avenues for compensation.
The Michigan No-Fault System Explained
Michigan's no-fault law means your own insurer covers your medical expenses and a portion of your lost wages regardless of fault — but that does not mean you are fully protected. The 2019 reforms created tiered Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage levels, new reimbursement rate caps for medical providers, and complex rules about which insurer pays.
If you chose a lower PIP level, you may face significant out-of-pocket costs for catastrophic injuries. Beyond PIP, if your injuries are serious enough to meet Michigan's threshold for a third-party claim, you may also be entitled to sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering. Our attorneys analyze your coverage, the at-fault party's insurance, and every potential source of recovery to build the strongest possible claim.
Steps to Take After a Car Accident
- 1
Get Medical Help
Call 911 and get medical attention immediately, even if you feel fine — some injuries take days to manifest.
- 2
Document the Scene
Photos of damage, road conditions, license plates, and witness contact information will be invaluable later.
- 3
Stay Silent to Insurers
Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company before consulting an attorney.
- 4
File Your No-Fault Claim
File your no-fault claim with your own insurer within one year of the accident — Michigan's deadline is strict.
- 5
Call SMDA
Once you are safe and stable, call us. We will take it from here and protect every right you have.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Car Accident?
Through Michigan's no-fault system and potential third-party claims, car accident victims may be entitled to compensation for all past and future medical expenses, wage loss benefits, replacement services (help with household tasks you can no longer perform), and — where the threshold is met — pain and suffering, disfigurement, and emotional trauma.
In cases involving drunk drivers or egregious misconduct, additional damages may be available. Our attorneys leave no stone unturned in identifying every form of compensation available to you.
Michigan's Growing Distracted Driving Crisis
Each year, tens of thousands of Michigan crashes are attributed to distracted driving. The proliferation of smartphones has made this problem exponentially worse. When our attorneys take a distracted driving case, we pursue cell phone records, vehicle data recorders, surveillance footage, and eyewitness testimony to prove what the driver was doing in the moments before impact.
Proving distraction is complex — but it is what separates a modest settlement from the compensation you truly deserve. We invest the resources needed to make that case in court.
Stories From the Road
A Macomb County driver was rear-ended by a distracted commuter who initially denied phone use. SMDA subpoenaed the cellular records, proved the texting, and resolved the case for a multiple of the original offer.
A multi-vehicle pile-up on I-94 left our client with serious spinal injuries. After two years of litigation, SMDA secured a recovery that funded ongoing care and replaced lost lifetime earnings.
A young driver was struck by an uninsured motorist. Many firms told her there was nothing to recover. SMDA pursued her uninsured motorist coverage and PIP benefits to a successful resolution.