Royal Oak Motorcycle Injury Attorneys

Direct Attorney Representation Across Royal Oak & the Detroit Metro Area

Since 2006, Garrison Law has represented Michigan families after serious injuries and losses. Our five-star-rated attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for clients and understand how assumptions about motorcyclists can shape an insurance company’s response to a claim. You’ll work directly with the attorney assigned to your case, while our support team keeps you informed throughout the legal process.

Motorcycle cases require an understanding of how Michigan law treats riders and a strategy built around the facts of the collision from the start.

Discuss your Royal Oak motorcycle accident during a free in-person or virtual consultation. Call (888) 455-2115 or use our contact form. We’re available to work on a contingency-fee basis with no upfront fees required.

Michigan Motorcycle No-Fault & Helmet Rules

Under Michigan’s no-fault law, motorcycles aren’t classified as motor vehicles. A motorcycle policy therefore doesn’t automatically include the personal injury protection (PIP) benefits that come standard with a car policy. Riders must purchase first-party medical coverage separately, and PIP benefits may not apply if no other vehicle was involved in the crash. Our attorneys review each policy to determine which benefits apply and in what order, rather than accepting an adjuster’s first answer.

The Order of No-Fault Benefits

When a motorcycle collision involves a car or truck, PIP benefits generally follow Michigan’s statutory priority order. The review begins with the insurers of the involved motor vehicle’s owner and operator, followed by applicable coverage connected to the motorcycle operator or owner. We examine the vehicles and policies before determining which insurer should receive the claim.

If no applicable auto policy exists, an injured rider may seek PIP medical benefits through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan as a last resort. Those benefits are subject to a $250,000 cap. A crash that doesn’t involve a motor vehicle may leave no PIP coverage, although riders can purchase optional first-party medical benefits in $5,000 increments.

Helmet Use & Insurer Fault Arguments

Helmet use adds another layer that many riders don’t expect. We often see insurers use the absence of a helmet to argue that a rider’s choices caused the injuries. We separate a driver’s negligence from a rider’s gear to keep the focus on who caused the crash.

Michigan requires riders younger than 21 to wear a crash helmet approved by the Michigan Department of State Police. A rider who is 21 or older must satisfy the applicable motorcycle endorsement or safety-course requirement and carry the required first-party medical coverage to ride without one. Meeting the helmet exception doesn’t give an insurer grounds to redirect attention from a negligent driver’s conduct.

Damages After a Royal Oak Motorcycle Accident

The compensation available after a motorcycle crash depends on the injuries, allocation of fault, damaged property, and applicable insurance coverage. Michigan permits an injured person to pursue noneconomic damages from an at-fault driver after death, permanent serious disfigurement, or a serious impairment of body function.

A serious impairment of body function must be objectively manifested, affect an important body function, and affect the injured person’s general ability to lead a normal life. Noneconomic damages address losses such as pain, suffering, disability, and reduced enjoyment of life. Whether an injury meets this threshold depends on its effect on the individual rider, not solely on the diagnosis.

Comparative fault also affects a motorcycle injury claim. A rider found partly responsible can have damages reduced by that percentage of fault. If the rider is found more than 50% responsible, Michigan law bars recovery of noneconomic damages from a third party.

Property damage follows separate rules. For crashes occurring after July 1, 2020, Michigan’s mini-tort law permits a claim of up to $3,000 for uninsured vehicle damage, with the amount adjusted according to comparative fault. We evaluate bodily injury, insurance benefits, and motorcycle damage separately because different legal and coverage rules apply to each part of the case.