While most drivers in Michigan are insured, the unfortunate reality is that the insurance companies have the strongest business and financial incentive to pay an injured cyclist as little as possible, or nothing at all, IF the injured cyclist is NOT represented by an attorney. This negative incentive manifests in many ways and at various stages of the insurance claim process. In some cases an insurance company may start out by being very reasonable and by accepting liability and agreeing to pay the cyclist’s medical bills. Later, the very same insurer may state that some of the bills were unreasonable or unnecessary. The insurer will often later state that the cyclist should not receive any “pain and suffering” compensation, even though the cyclist may have had to suffer from a temporary, or even permanent, disability as a result of the collision.

The insurer may also state that it was later determined that the cyclist was in fact partially to blame for the accident, and that therefore the costs of medical treatment and lost wages should be paid for equally by the cyclist and the driver’s insurance company. The insurer will then only be willing to offer the cyclist 50% of what the cyclist is actually entitled to receive.

Fortunately, the skilled and experienced bicycle-accident attorneys at Bay Area Bicycle Law can prevent the insurance company from making these dishonest arguments.

Please be aware that these case results do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. Every case is different and case values turn on small facts and differences. Thus, the results achieved on one case do not necessarily mean the attorney will achieve the same result, or a similar result, even for a case which may have some similarities.