Medical Expense Benefits are one of the benefits that are available to some injured motorcyclists in Michigan through their No Fault insurance policy. No Fault insurance benefits are available when a biker has been injured in an accident involving a car, truck, SUV, or other motor vehicle.

The Medical Expense Benefit is a very far-reaching benefit that obligates the No Fault insurance company to pay for all medical expenses that are reasonable and necessary in relation to the motorcycle accident. Medical expenses include all hospital bills, doctors bills, physical therapy, prescriptions, medical appliances (such as wheelchairs or braces), and any other medical expense.

Medical expenses can be unlimited in time and amount. This is a lifetime benefit, which means the insurance company will continue to pay for medical expenses until the accident victim fully recovers. If he or she never recovers, the insurance company can only cease paying for medical expenses when the victim dies. There is also no limit as to the amount of money the insurance company is required to pay. The only requirement is that the expenses be reasonable and necessary medical treatment in relation to the accident.

Since this benefit is so extensive, accident victims must be careful that they do not do anything to lose this benefit. One way that far too many lose their coverage is by failing to submit their claims in time. The No Fault Law contains strict deadlines after which the insurance company can deny coverage. Since most medical expenses are incurred immediately after the accident, insurance companies are eager to do this because it will let them save a lot of money.

Another way that people lose out on coverage is if they have coordinated medical coverage as well as separate health insurance. The coordinated policy provides that your health insurance company will pay all medical bills first and then the No Fault insurance company has pay the amounts that the health insurer does not cover, such as deductibles, co-pays, and any expense excluded by the health insurance policy. The health insurance may also limit the insured to doctors within an HMO.

An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can help you review your policy and ensure you submit all claims on time so you can get the full amount of benefits taht you are entitled to under the law. These laws are complex and confusing and only a Michigan motorcycle lawyer with experience should be handling your case.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan motorcycle accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook” by visiting our law firm web site. We will send it along with other important information.

For more information about Michigan motorcycle accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com. If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan Motorcycle accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

When a motorcyclist is involved in an accident with a car or truck, the consequences for him are much different than if the accident was a single vehicle accident.  A car or truck accident will put the accident under Michigan’s No Fault insurance regulatory scheme.  This gives the motorcyclist some significant monetary benefits, especially those who are severely injured.

Michigan’s No Fault law applies whenever a motorcyclist is injured in an accident involving a car or truck.  When the No Fault Law applies, the motorcycle accident victim can submit a claim to their No Fault insurance company.  This claim is called a First Party claim.  There are also situations in which another insurance company may be responsible for paying these benefits.  It is often difficult to determine which insurance company is liable for paying No-Fault insurance benefits and it is advisable to consult with a lawyer to assist you in pinning down the proper compnay.

First party claims, also called Personal Injury Protection claims, cover medical expenses, lost wages, household services, and other benefits.   These include hospital bills and bills for follow-up doctors appoints, physical therapy sessions, and any other medical treatment necessitated by the accident.  They also include payment to nurse case managers who assist injury victims with their medical treatment and recovery.

No-Fault Insurance benefits also include a portion of the accident victim’s wages if he or she has to miss work, payable for up to three years after the accident.  Household replacement services, which are payments for the cost of doing household chores, and attendant care benefits, which are payments for the cost of supervising an accident victim after they have been released from the hospital are also allowable No-Fault Insurance benefits.  All of these benefits can be collected through a policy of No Fault insurance.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan motorcycle accident and the Michigan No-Fault Insurance Laws, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook” by calling our law firm.  We will send it along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan motorcycle accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan Motorcycle accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

For Michigan motorcyclists, being involved in a motorcycle accident is a very serious challenge.  The number of motorcycle accidents in Michigan has been rising in recent years, and the laws governing motorcycles are complicated.  After being treated for any injuries and making a police report, the most important things an injured biker or family member can do is begin submitting claims to the insurance company and deciding whether to pursue a lawsuit.  It is important to do these things quickly since insurance companies have filing deadlines after which they can deny benefits and since lawsuits must be filed by the state’s statute of limitations. 

My law firms represents people who have been injured in motorcycle accidents, and I often meet people who are unsure of whether a lawyer can help them.  Here are answers to some common questions

• Can I file a lawsuit against an errant and negligent driver if I get involved in a motorcycle crash, and my vehicle is not insured, though I own it? – Michigan law permits you to file a lawsuit against this negligent driver.  Many people think they cannot because under the Michigan No Fault Act, the driver of an uninsured car cannot sue a negligent driver.  Michigan law treats motorcyclists differently from car drivers in this respect. So, even if your bike was not insured, you could still file a lawsuit.
• I have often heard about the term Uninsured Motorist Coverage. What does it mean? – When the accident is caused by a driver who does not have insurance or by a hit and run driver, whose identity is unknown and there is no information available regarding his insurance coverage, Michigan law allows you to recover cost of damages from your own insurance policy if you have uninsured motorist coverage. This means that it makes sense to carry uninsured coverage, to receive protection from your insurance policy, in case you get involved in situations like these.  Read more about Uninsured Motorist Coverage.
• What is the difference between uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage? – Both types of insurance are very important to add to your policy.  Uninsured motorist coverage covers you when the negligent driver has no insurance or when his or her identify is unknown.  Underinsured motorist coverage fills in the difference between the costs of your injuries and the maximum amount covered by the negligent driver’s insurance policy when he or she does in fact have insurance.  Read more about Underinsured Motorist Coverage.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan motorcycle accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook” by calling our office.  We will send it along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan motorcycle accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan Motorcycle accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

While riding a motorcycle is both fun and challenging, sometimes things on the road do not work out the way you had planned. You might have taken all the safety precautions possible for a safe journey but stupid mistakes made by a careless driver on the road may result in an unfortunate accident. Motorcycle accidents can be serious. Not only are the medical bills high, but you might also have to miss work causing you to lose wages, become dependent on others even for accomplishing simple household chores and suffer enormous pain and discomfort lasting a lifetime.

Statistics of motorcycle accidents in the US say that nearly 40000 people are injured in motorcycle accidents every year. In Michigan alone, there were 120 casualties and 2660 motorcycle crash injuries reported in 2005. These numbers are likely higher for 2006, 2007, and 2008 since the number of motorcycle accidents in this state have been on the rise.

With these figures as the backdrop, you should know about your rights and obligations in the event of you or a family member getting involved in a motorcycle accident in Michigan. One of the most important things you need to remember is to contact a Michigan lawyer who specializes in motorcycle accident claims. This is critical if you wish to get the maximum benefits from the authorities. You simply cannot trust your insurance company to give you all the benefits you deserve.  

Someone who is injured in a motorcycle accident may be unsure if they need a lawyer.  They almost certainly do.  There are many intricacies of Michigan law that even a lawyer unfamiliar with motorcycle accidents may not be able to answer.   For instance, let’s say you were involved in a motorcycle crash and your bike was not insured. Can you still file a lawsuit against the driver who hit you? The answer is, yes, since under Michigan law, motorcyclists are treated differently than people who drive uninsured cars.

How about Michigan No-Fault Insurance benefits if you are a biker and injured in a Michigan motorcycle accident?  This depends on a number of factors, including ownership of the bike, the type of insurance on the bike, and the facts surrounding the accident.  Many lawyers not familiar with the complex Michigan No-Fault Insurance laws may overlook these important benefits.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan motorcycle accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook” by calling our firm.  We will send it along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan motorcycle accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan Motorcycle accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

On our blog site, we have several discussions about the different types of motorcycle insurance coverages that are available to bikers and that should be purchased. If your insurance company does not offer the recommended coverage, I suggest that you contact another company and switch to a company that does offer them. Below is a list of auto insurance companies in Michigan and most of them write coverage for motorcycles.

Allstate

Allstate Property & Casualty

American Insurance

American International Insurance (AIG)

American International South (AIG)

AMEX Assurance

Amica Mutual

Auto Club

Auto-Owners

Bristol West Preferred

Cincinnati Insurance

Citizens Insurance Company of America

Citizens Insurance Company of Midwest

Dairyland Insurance

Emcasco Insurance

Employers Mutual Casualty

Encompass Property & Casualty

Esurance Insurance

Farm Bureau General

Farm Bureau Mutual

Farmers Insurance Exchange

Federal Insurance

Frankenmuth Mutual

Fremont Insurance

GEICO Indemnity

Grange Insurance of Michigan

Great Lakes Casualty

Great Northern

Harleysville Lake States

Hartford Casualty

Hartford of the Midwest

Hastings Mutual

Home-Owners Insurance

Horace Mann

IDS Property & Casualty

Integon National Insurance

Liberty Mutual Fire

Merchants Mutual

Mercury National

Metropolitan Direct Property & Casualty

Metropolitan General

Metropolitan Property & Casualty

Michigan Insurance Company

Michigan Millers Mutual

Nationwide Mutual Fire

New Hampshire Ind. (AIG)

Pacific Indemnity (Chubb)

Pioneer State Mutual

Progressive Marathon

Progressive Michigan Insurance

Safeco Insurance Company of Illinois

Secura Insurance A Mutual Company

Standard Fire (Travelers)

State Auto Mutual

State Farm Mutual Auto

Titan

Tokio Marine

Unitrin Direct Property & Casualty

Vigilant Insurance (Chubb)

West American

Westfield

Most insurance companies will give you a quote over the phone or even online. For more information on these issues, call us at (800) 606-1717 and we’ll send you our Michigan Motorcycle Insurance Report for Free. We are also happy to review your current insurance policy declaration page at no charge to make sure that you have the proper coverage.