Being denied your claim after a car accident is terrifying, especially if you’re one of the unlucky Michigan residents who have suffered permanent injury from a catastrophic car crash. Michigan has long been known for its compassion in making sure that accident victims receive the compensation they need for medical costs and care. Until now.
The High Cost of Nothing
Even if you have the car insurance coverage you need in case of a car accident, your best may not be good enough. A new bill by Michigan lawmakers has been rushed through the legislature. The result: A cap on benefits for catastrophic accident victims. Their benefits would be cut, altered, and reassigned so the coverage they rely on to survive and maintain medical care would be negligible.
Instead of allowing a doctor to determine the current and ongoing medical treatment an auto accident victim needs, this responsibility will be in the hands of an insurance adjuster. Proposed changes include a cap on amounts paid at 150% of what Medicare covers. This may sound generous, but Medicare has severe limits on care and does not even offer some needed services. Struggling accident victims may find themselves limited to one caregiver or nurse.
If an insurance company challenges your claims, winning your case and getting the compensation you deserve could take months or years. All the while, the unlucky accident victims rack up debt tending to their healthcare needs.
Another big problem: The bill includes a provision that Michigan residents can never vote on this matter, which means you are at the mercy of legislators at one of the lowest points of your life.
Claiming the Michigan Victims’ Fund
A victims’ fund in Michigan was “created to protect the most vulnerable people in society,” according to Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. The small fee Michigan residents have paid per car has grown to about $20 billion. “But the legislators can’ get to it, the insurance companies can’t get to it, and it’s driving them crazy,” Patterson says. “And they’re doing anything they can to tear down that gate.”
The entity that controls the fund would be phased out and loopholes would be opened to allow insurance companies to refund themselves. The cover up for this bill comes through the promotion of lower auto insurance rates, bumping them down by $100 per car. Unfortunately, this perk is only good for two years and still leaves insurance companies with the tally of the victims’ fund in their possession.
Get the Compensation You Deserve After Your Car Accident
Insurance companies have a reputation for doing right by themselves and not by their policy holders and the victims of serious car accidents. If you are struggling to pay astronomical medical costs, trying to manage your health conditions or traumatic brain injury, and facing pushback from insurance companies, contact the Michigan auto accident lawyers at Thurswell Law to get the compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation by calling (248) 354-2222 today.
