Steven M. Gursten’s Answers

Since your question is from Grand Rapids, I am presuming you have Michigan no fault insurance. If so, then your son is still likely covered under our law. There is an order of priorities for insurer on who is required to pay. If your son was living with you, and only has very occasional use of your vehicle (thus avoiding constructive ownership), then he will be able to make a claim under your own no fault policy for no fault insurance benefits as a resident relative. Even if he does not live...

The good news is you fit within one of the few narrow exceptions of the $500 cap to the Michigan mini tort law (you may actually fit under both exceptions if the drunk driver has no insurance, which I see quite often). And more good news is you don't need a lawyer to help you with this, you can recover the full value of the vehicle damage on your own, as long as your car was legally parked. Here is a link to a video that Jeff Bussell from my office did that explains what happens under the...

I want to make sure I understand your question. It sounds like a judgment was entered against an uninsured driver who struck a pedestrian, and your question is how can he make payments and resolve the judgment that has been entered against him? If so, then a lawyer was retained by the pedestrian who already filed the lawsuit, and brought a motion before the court that led to a judgment being entered against the uninsured driver. The answer would be to contact the lawyer who filed the motion...

Yes, you can also sue for damages and compensation for your injuries and pain and suffering. It is hard to say more since it has only been a week and Michigan does have a threshold law that requires you show your injuries constitute a serious impairment of body function. I'm sorry to hear about your accident and would be happy to answer your questions and offer advise on how to qualify under Michigan law. I also have explained all 3 cases on my website www.michiganautolaw.com so you can...

From my experience of doing this for almost 20 years, and never less than 70 automobile accident cases at any one time, I can tell you it is completely random. As best I can determine, there is no direct correlation. It probably has more to do with computer algorithms of profits/losses at any given time. I've also helped people who receive attendant care and medicals ran into the catastrophic fund - for car accidents they caused - and the premiums were never raised. But the thing I would...

Here is Michigan's order of priorities: http://www.michiganautolaw.com/no-fault-benefits.php You've had a busy day. Hope your son is ok.

Michigan is very different from most other states. While I am really happy that you are ok, if there was not any period of impairment or disability from your injuries, then you likely will not have any case in Michigan. However, it isn't clear from your question if you were always ok, or if there was a period of several months where you were injured and now you are thankfully ok. But not being able to work because you do not have transportation to get there is very different from not being...

In most instances, the parties will need a separate lawyer as there will likely be a conflict of interest if one lawyer represents multiple decedent estates if the wrongdoer driver (driver D) has a limited insurance policy. It does not matter where C resides (with one exception under Michigan's venue law). What matters most is where the motor vehicle accident took place, as that will be the county that a wrongful death lawsuit is filed. Michigan's wrongful death act can be complicated, and...

I'm very Sorry to hear about your roommate's death. You will not have any legally viable claim under Michigan's wrongful death act, even though I know that is not what you are asking. I've answered your question in quite a bit of detail, along with frequently asked questions and probate procedures on my website www.michiganautolaw.com. If you type wrongful death in the search box, will find six or seven pages answering your question.

Sorry to hear about your husband's accident. I might be reading into your question too much, but it sounds like from what you've written that your husband is an owner/operator, and does not have workers compensation insurance or load/freight insurance?