Frequently Asked Questions
If you have sustained injuries in a car accident, dealing with the insurance adjuster on your own puts you at risk of not obtaining the compensation rightfully due to you. Our talented legal team led by Ron Applebaum and Erik Stone will handle everything on your behalf. We will fight for you to ensure you get the best settlement possible. Our attorneys will help you collect full compensation for your injuries or for the loss of a loved one. We will even communicate with physicians on your behalf and evaluate all of the damages you are entitled to as a result of your auto accident, motorcycle accident or truck accident. We will make sure you get what you are entitled to under the law. If we don’t recover anything, you don’t pay us anything.
Why should you hire an attorney after being in a car, truck or motorcycle accident?
After any serious auto accident, proper medical attention is the first priority. However, insurance companies will act fast to protect themselves or to make you a so-called “fair” settlement offer. If this has already happened, talk to our attorneys before signing anything regarding an auto insurance claim. In any event, hiring an attorney to begin investigating the auto accident and preserving evidence is the first step toward protecting your own rights.
What’s the first thing I should do after being in an accident?
Contact Applebaum & Stone PLC and we will assign an attorney to your case. The lawyer will meet with you and provide you with all of the information you need. There are time-sensitive matters to take care of regarding your auto accident claims and vehicle damage so do not delay. Ron Applebaum is personally involved with every client at Applebaum & Stone from the time of sign-up until settlement.
What benefits could I receive in my settlement?
You could be entitled to medical benefits, wage loss, replacement services (nursing services), mileage for medical appointments, and attendant care benefits.
Am I entitled to money for time I missed at my job?
You can receive money for the time you missed work from wage loss. Wage loss compensates you for your lost income, due to being unable to work because of personal injuries from a car accident. Wage loss is paid by your own No-Fault insurance company for up to the first three years after an auto accident. Based on the No-Fault wage loss formula, which is 85 percent of one’s gross income tax-free, the maximum amount for wage loss equates to an estimated annual income of $70,000. So another way of looking at wage loss is if you earn less than $70,000 per year, your income should be fully covered by No-Fault insurance wage loss benefits in the event of an auto accident. Wage loss is capped, however, and any wage loss above the maximum amount becomes the responsibility of the wrongdoer driver who may have caused the motor vehicle accident.
If the other driver in my auto accident didn’t have insurance can I still win a settlement?
If you have No-Fault insurance and the other driver involved does not have insurance, you are still entitled to No-Fault benefits. It doesn’t matter who was at fault.
What do I need to understand about the Michigan No-Fault law?
The Michigan no-fault system was adopted in 1978 to increase the level of benefits paid to injured persons, make sure such payments are made promptly, and reduce the proportion of premium dollars paid out for legal and administrative costs. A Michigan no-fault policy may provide unlimited medical and rehabilitation benefits. It may provide wage loss benefits for up to three years, and $20 per day for replacement services if you are injured in an auto accident, regardless of fault. In exchange for these benefits, Michigan motorists gave up the right to sue in auto accidents except when someone is killed or very seriously injured. Because of this, disputes over who was at fault in an accident will not hold up payment of medical bills. Michigan is unique in that damage to vehicles also falls under the no-fault system. Read more about Michigan No-Fault Law. Michigan law was changed in 2019 to provide coverage options.
Will my hospital and doctor bills get paid in my settlement?
The medical expense provision of the No-Fault act may provide reimbursement for all medical expenses you incur from your car accident. Dependent upon the type of insurance coverage involved, these may be coordinated benefits or full benefits. Coordinated benefits may pay all expenses not covered by your basic health insurance. Full benefits may pay all medical expenses incurred, even if those are paid by a health insurance provider. The medical expense provision may be a lifetime benefit.