Michigan Personal Injury Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced Michigan personal injury attorneys who understand the state’s 51% comparative fault bar, the unique no-fault auto regime (recently reformed), and the Michigan governmental immunity framework. Whether your injury happened in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Lansing, or on I-75 or I-94, we’ll match you with the right attorney — at no cost to get started.

Three years from the date of injury under M.C.L. § 600.5805. Wrongful death is also three years from death under § 600.5852. No-fault auto claims have their own 1-year-back and 1-year-from-payment rules for PIP under M.C.L. § 500.3145. Highway-defect claims against a government entity require notice within 120 days under § 691.1404.

Under M.C.L. § 600.2959, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, but if you are more than 50% at fault you cannot recover non-economic damages at all. Economic damages are reduced but not barred. Several liability under § 600.6304 means each defendant pays only its share.

Auto, truck, and motorcycle crashes (with no-fault PIP and the serious-impairment threshold); slip-and-falls (with Michigan’s “open and obvious” doctrine post-Kandil-Elsayed); dog bites (strict liability under M.C.L. § 287.351); defective products; medical malpractice; nursing home neglect; premises liability; negligent security; workplace third-party claims; recreational injuries; and wrongful death.

You look at your own PIP coverage (mandatory in Michigan), uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, homeowner’s or commercial policies, and any vicarious-liability defendants. Michigan’s no-fault PIP pays medical, wage, and replacement-services benefits regardless of fault, at the level you elected post-2019 reform.

Most settle, but Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb county juries return real verdicts when liability is clear. Defense insurers know which firms try cases.

Michigan’s Governmental Tort Liability Act provides strong immunity defenses, with limited exceptions (motor vehicles, highway defects, public buildings, proprietary functions, medical care). Highway-defect claims require notice within 120 days under § 691.1404 — one of the strictest deadlines in the country.

Michigan personal injury attorneys typically work on contingency under MRPC 1.5(d), with a one-third presumptive cap on most PI fees. Case expenses are typically advanced by the firm and deducted from the final recovery.

Why Do You Need a Personal Injury Attorney in Michigan?

Michigan applies modified comparative fault with a 51% bar under M.C.L. § 600.2959 — recovery is barred if your fault is greater than the combined fault of all defendants for economic damages, and bars non-economic damages entirely if you are more than 50% at fault. The standard PI SOL is three years under M.C.L. § 600.5805. Michigan’s no-fault auto system was substantially reformed in 2019 (PA 21) — drivers now choose PIP coverage levels, and tort recovery for pain and suffering requires meeting the serious-impairment-of-body-function threshold under M.C.L. § 500.3135. Michigan’s governmental tort liability framework (M.C.L. § 691.1401 et seq.) is one of the most defense-friendly in the country with strong immunity defenses.

When Do You Need a Personal Injury Attorney in Michigan?

Our network includes Michigan personal injury attorneys who handle every kind of case, including:

Types of Personal Injury Cases in Michigan

From the moment you connect with a Michigan personal injury attorney, they go to work protecting your claim. The most common case types we handle:

Treating the 51% bar as a complete bar — economic damages still recoverable

Missing the highway-defect 120-day notice under M.C.L. § 691.1404

Missing PIP application or 1-year-back rules under M.C.L. § 500.3145

Misclassifying medical malpractice cases — Notice of Intent and affidavit required

Giving a recorded statement to the defendant’s insurer without counsel

Settling before reaching maximum medical improvement and pricing future care

Treating the 51% bar as a complete bar — economic damages still recoverable

Missing the highway-defect 120-day notice under M.C.L. § 691.1404

Missing PIP application or 1-year-back rules under M.C.L. § 500.3145

Misclassifying medical malpractice cases — Notice of Intent and affidavit required

Giving a recorded statement to the defendant’s insurer without counsel

Settling before reaching maximum medical improvement and pricing future care

Common Michigan Personal Injury Mistakes

Even a small misstep can hurt your case. Here’s what to avoid:

How Much Do Michigan Personal Injury Attorneys Cost?

33%

Typical starting contingency fee — you pay nothing unless your attorney recovers compensation for you.

Personal injury attorneys in Michigan work on a contingency fee basis — MRPC 1.5(d) creates a one-third presumptive cap on most PI fees, though enhanced fees are possible with court approval. Case expenses are typically advanced by the firm and deducted from the final recovery.

What Can Your Michigan Personal Injury Compensation Include?

Economic Damages (Reduced by Fault)

Past and future medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and out-of-pocket costs — recoverable but reduced by plaintiff’s fault percentage. PIP pays first-party benefits regardless of fault.

Non-Economic Damages (51% Bar)

Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment — recoverable if plaintiff is 50% or less at fault, barred entirely above 50%. No cap in standard PI; medical malpractice cap applies under § 600.1483.

Punitive (Exemplary) Damages

Michigan allows exemplary damages (compensatory in nature) for willful, malicious, or wanton injury — but does not allow traditional punitive damages. A meaningful distinction in Michigan strategy.

Loss of Consortium

Recoverable by the uninjured spouse for loss of companionship, services, and society.

Wrongful Death

Recoverable under M.C.L. § 600.2922. Damages include conscious pain and suffering, loss of financial support, loss of society and companionship, and pecuniary loss. No cap in standard cases.

PIP / No-Fault Benefits

Michigan-specific: post-2019 reform PIP pays at the coverage tier elected (from $250K up to unlimited), regardless of fault, for medical, lost wages, and replacement services — coordinated with tort recovery for non-economic damages above the threshold.

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DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Michigan Personal Injury Attorneys

Why Do You Need a Personal Injury Attorney in Michigan?

When Do You Need a Personal Injury Attorney in Michigan?

Types of Personal Injury Cases in Michigan

Common Michigan Personal Injury Mistakes

How Much Do Michigan Personal Injury Attorneys Cost?

What Can Your Michigan Personal Injury Compensation Include?

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