If you’ve been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Grand Rapids, you may be facing mounting medical bills and wondering what to do if the medical benefits from your insurance policy or the personal injury protection (PIP) benefits from the vehicle that hit you aren’t enough. An experienced Grand Rapids motorcycle accident lawyer can help. With decades of experience, our personal injury law firm has helped injured riders recover the compensation they deserve.
In this Article
How Does Michigan’s No-Fault Law for Motor Vehicles Impact Riders?
Michigan is a no-fault state for motor vehicle accidents, but motorcycles are excluded as a motor vehicle under Michigan’s no-fault law. Instead of PIP, riders are required to purchase liability coverage of at least 50/100/10: $50,000 for a person who is hurt/killed in an accident; $100,000 for each accident if several people are hurt/killed; and $10,000 for property damage. Optional medical benefits can be added to a rider’s policy in increments of $5,000 of coverage. Motorcyclists without at least $20,000 of medical coverage are required to wear a helmet while riding.
Will I Get PIP Coverage If a Car Hits Me on My Motorcycle?
If a rider is injured in an accident with a motor vehicle, regardless of fault, the PIP of the other vehicle will pay for reasonable and necessary medical expenses up to the selected coverage amount (along with lost wages, attendant care, and some funeral and burial expenses).
According to Michigan law, if a rider is injured in a motorcycle crash with a motor vehicle, they are entitled to PIP medical benefits from the motor vehicle owner’s insurer. If the car or truck driver has no coverage, the motorcyclist can seek PIP benefits in this priority order from:
The driver of the motor vehicle
The motor vehicle insurer of the operator of the motorcycle
The motor vehicle insurer of the owner of the motorcycle
If there is no PIP coverage, riders are eligible for up to $250,000 in PIP benefits from the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan (MACP).
If injuries are severe—as they can be for motorcycle riders—seriously injured victims may be able to sue for additional damages, if the injured person is less than 50% at fault for the accident.
Do I Need a Lawyer in Michigan’s No-Fault System?
Motorcycle accidents often result in catastrophic injuries for the motorcyclist. In a no-fault insurance system like Michigan’s, if your motorcycle accident injuries are severe, you may be able to pursue compensation beyond the available PIP insurance or your own medical benefits. A Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer can help you determine if you have a valid motorcycle accident claim and which insurance companies’ policies may come into play.
Serious Injuries in Grand Rapids Motorcycle Accident Cases
MCL – Section 257.58c defines the types of injuries that qualify as a serious impairment of a body function and may be grounds for pursuing additional damages beyond no-fault insurance benefits. These may include:
Severe injuries like the loss or loss of use of limbs—hands, feet, fingers, or thumbs
Vision or hearing loss, as well as impairments to bodily functions
Conditions like comas lasting more than 3 days or measurable brain or mental impairments
Serious physical trauma—including visible disfigurement, skull fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and substantial bone fractures
Loss of organs or internal injuries—subdural hemorrhages or hematomas
Compensation for Seriously Injured Motorcycle Crash Victims
In a motorcycle accident lawsuit involving serious impairment of a body function, additional damages beyond those provided by a no-fault insurer may include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
How a Motorcycle Wreck Lawyer Can Help Maximize the Value of Your Case in Grand Rapids
How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Case in Grand Rapids?
Contact Our Grand Rapids Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Today
Our law firm offers motorcycle accident victims a free consultation with a Grand Rapids motorcycle accident lawyer to review their cases, outline courses of action, and answer their questions.
Get help from a Grand Rapids, MI motorcycle accident lawyer when you've been injured in a crash because of someone else's negligence.
$7.5 Million
Recovery for a construction worker injured when a support wall fell and struck him. (Highest award on record for a construction injury in DuPage County at the time).
$3.2 Million
Recovery for a construction worker injured when he fell in an uncovered foundation trench, ranking as the highest award on record for a construction injury in McHenry County at the time.
$3 Million
Recovery for the family of a man struck by a garbage truck that was making an illegal turn.
$2.2 Million
Recovery for a salesman injured in an automobile collision.
$2 Million
Recovery for a man struck by a speeding vehicle as he waited for the CTA bus.
$1.5 Million
Recovery for a truck driver that was struck by another car on the expressway while his vehicle was disabled.
$1.4 Million
Recovery for a computer programmer that slipped and fell in the washroom at work.
Recovery for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in a parking lot. At the time, this was the second-highest recovery on record in DuPage County for a similar injury.
$800,000
Recovered for a disputed wrongful death claim against a trucking company. The company denied they were involved in the collision.
$660,000
Recovery for a truck driver that was injured while unloading his trailer.
$550,000
Recovery for a person who slipped and fell in a grocery store.
$550,000
Recovery for a woman who injured her neck in a motor vehicle collision.
$500,000
Recovery for a pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle while standing on the sidewalk.
$460,000
Recovery for a truck driver that tripped and fell in the parking lot while making a delivery.
$450,000
Recovery for a dental assistant who slipped and fell at work on an unnatural accumulation of ice.
$425,000
Recovery for a union worker struck by a speeding vehicle.
$425,000
Recovery for a passenger in a vehicle struck by an inexperienced driver.
$415,000
Recovered for a woman that required neck surgery after aggravating an existing neck injury in a truck accident.
$400,000
Recovery for a lab technician injured while transporting equipment.
$370,000
Recovery for a construction worker injured on faulty equipment at a construction site.
$315,000
Recovery for a motorist struck by a falling utility pole.
$310,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$300,000
Recovery for a bicyclist struck by a vehicle.
$250,000
Recovery for a young woman struck by another vehicle.
$250,000
Recovered for a woman who sustained a partial finger amputation and other injuries in a rollover car accident. (Policy Limits)
$250,000
Recovered for a man injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$250,000
Recovered for a 60-year-old woman involved in a car accident. (Policy Limits)
$250,000
Recovered for a man hit by a semi-truck while operating a go-cart.
$240,000
Recovery for the injured party struck by another vehicle.
$235,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$235,000
Recovery for an inventory clerk injured when shelving toppled onto her.
$219,000
Recovery for a restaurant patron that slipped and fell in the bathroom.
$200,000
Recovered for an airline employee struck on the runway at O’Hare International Airport.
$190,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$175,000
Recovered for a child injured by fireworks at a fourth of July celebration.
$170,000
Recovered for a person injured when she slipped and fell exiting a major retail store.
$150,000
Recovered for a woman who fractured her leg when she was struck by a vehicle.
Latisha S.
Great service. They helped me get my money, and everyone was very pleasant even though the health insurance took a while. Everything was on point on Kryder’s side.
(312) 223-1700