Michigan Car Accident Repair & Damage Claims: Lawyers

My firm handles a significant number of Michigan car accident cases for accident injury victims.  Among the first questions asked by our clients is, “Who is going to pay for the repair and damages to my car?”  Obviously, a good question and a major concern.  The answer depends on a number of factors, including the type of insurance coverage purchased for the vehicle. 

Attorney Daniel L. Buckfire at my office authored “The Ultimate Michigan Car Accident Handbook” to explain all of the possible legal claims that accident victims can make in the State of Michigan.  One chapter in the book answers the most common questions about property damage and repair damage claims.  I have pasted that chapter below.  To request the entire book, just click here now or call my office at 1-800-606-1717 and I’ll send out it to you for free.

Car Repairs and Damage Claims

Who has to pay for the repairs and damage to my car? 

How much you will receive depends on whether you or the other driver was at fault and on what type of collision coverage you had on the car.  Your own car insurance pays for the repairs on your vehicle.

What types of collision coverage are there? 

There are three types of collision coverage for repairs to your car.  They are called Limited Collision Coverage, Standard Collision Coverage, and Broad Form Collision Coverage.

What if I did not buy collision coverage? 

If you did not buy collision coverage, you will have to pay for the repairs to your car even if you were not at fault in the accident.  You may be able to recover up to $500.00 from the other driver or his insurance company.   This is called a mini-tort claim.

What is a deductible? 

This it the amount that you agree to pay toward the cost of repairs before the insurance company steps in to pay the rest.

How much money out of my pocket will I have to pay for the repairs? 

This depends on which type of coverage you had at the time of the accident.. Once you have determined whether you have Limited Collision Coverage, Standard Collision Coverage, or Broad Form Collision Coverage, you need to determine who was at fault for the accident.  Call your car insurance agent for a further explanation of the type coverage on your vehicle..

Do I  have to pay for repairs and damages to another person’s car if I caused the accident? 

If you had insurance on your vehicle, the most you will have to pay is the deductible for the other car.  The maximum is $500.00.  If  the other car was not insured for collision coverage, the most you will have to pay is $500.00 even  if the damage costs much more to repair.  The amount you are required to pay is still based upon your percentage of fault in the accident.  Also, many times your insurance policy will cover the other driver’s deductible if you were at fault in the accident.

This sounds confusing.  How do I know how much I have to pay or my insurance company has to pay? 

Accident More than 50% Your Fault 

            Type of Coverage                                             Who Pays

Limited Collision Coverage                               Your insurance company pays nothing. You pay for all repairs.

Standard Collision Coverage                             Your insurance company pays

                                                                        but you must pay your deductible.

Broad Form Collision Coverage                        Your insurance company pays

                                                                        but you must pay your deductible.

Accident Less  than 50% Your Fault 

            Type of Coverage                                             Who Pays

Limited Collision Coverage                               Your insurance company pays but you must pay your deductible.

Standard Collision Coverage                             Your insurance company pays

                                                                        but you must pay your deductible.

Broad Form Collision Coverage                        Your insurance company pays

                                                                        and you do not have to  pay your deductible.

I recommend that you consult with a knowledgeable attorney to determine exactly what type of coverage you had and who has to pay for the repairs to your damaged car.

Related posts:

1. Michigan Pothole Damage to Your Car: How to Get Paid.
2. Wage Loss Claims Video: Michigan No-Fault Lawyers
3. Michigan No-Fault Medical Expenses: Michigan Car Accident Lawyers
4. Michigan Motorcycle Accident Insurance Benefits Lawyers: Detroit, Flint, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids
5. Michigan Uninsured Motorists Benefits: Michigan Car Accident Lawyers

If you would like more information about your legal rights after a Michigan injury accident, medical malpractice, wrongful death case, or other accident, you can order our FREE book, "The Ultimate Guide To Injury Cases In Michigan" by clicking on the book link. We will send it out immediately along with other important information.

For more information about Michigan injury and accident cases, visit our Michigan personal injury, car accident, and malpractice law website. If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan personal injury 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.

BUCKFIRE & BUCKFIRE, P.C. is a Michigan personal injury law firm and is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time of the posting of the article. The information contained in this article is from online news sources and any perceived misstatements should be attributed to those sources as we did not complete any investigation of the accident. If you believe that the information is inaccurate and would like it changed or would like this post completely removed from the site, please let us know and we will do our best to promptly accommodate your request. We are very sensitive to these requests.

If you were involved in this accident or a similar accident and have questions about your legal rights and options, it is important that you contact a reputable law firm. Please make sure that any Michigan law firm that you contact has significant experience in handling these types of accident and injury cases and has an excellent track record of successful settlements and jury verdicts. We also suggest that the attorney you contact provides you with a free initial consultation.