If you’re in a car accident in Michigan, state law requires you to file a report with the police if it resulted in injury, death, or damages exceeding $1,000. You can claim damages through your insurance provider or a personal injury lawsuit.

A car accident is never an easy experience to go through. Often, knowing the steps you have to take both practically and legally is the last thing on your mind. Save yourself the stress and learn about Michigan’s car accident laws before disaster strikes.

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has prepared this step-by-step guide on Michigan car accident laws. We’ll go over how to report an accident, options for personal injury lawsuits, and determining fault to make sure that you’re well prepared for whatever happens in the Great Lake State. We'll also help you find the

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What to do after a crash: Michigan car accident reporting laws

If you are in an accident, the first thing you should

do after a car accident

is to make sure that everyone involved is safe. From there,

Section 618

of Michigan law requires that drivers stop their vehicle and, if necessary, move it to a safer location.

According to

Section 619

of Michigan law, drivers involved in a car accident have a duty to:

Provide their name, address, license, and vehicle registration number to a police officer and the other party involved

Give reasonable assistance in securing medical aid to any injured individuals(s)

It’s also good to document the crash, preferably with photos of the scene and damage. You are also legally required to exchange insurance information with the other party before leaving the scene.

Finally, you will need to file an accident report with the nearest or “most convenient” police station if the accident resulted in:

Injury or death

Property damage costing $1,000 or more

MORE:

How long do you have to file a claim after a car accident?

Financial responsibility and coverage minimums: Michigan’s insurance laws

It’s good to be aware of Michigan’s minimum insurance coverage before disaster strikes. The state wants some demonstration of financial responsibility before drivers hit the road. In Michigan, drivers are required to carry:

$50,000 of

bodily injury liability

per person

$100,000 of bodily injury liability per accident

$15,000 of

property damage liability

per accident

$1,000,000 of property protection

$50,000 of

personal injury protection

(varies depending on Medicare)

Driving without the minimum required coverage could result in a misdemeanor with penalties that include:

A fine of $200 to $500

Up to one year in prison

Having your driver’s license suspended with a reinstatement fee of $125

Restriction of your car registration privileges

Financial liability in the event of an accident

Even though driving uninsured opens you up to a host of penalties, 25.5% of drivers in Michigan are uninsured. If you’re one of the 74.5% of drivers who are insured, you may want to consider adding

uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

to protect you in the case of an accident with an uninsured driver.

MORE:

What happens if you’re deemed at fault in an accident without car insurance?

Claiming damages after an accident: Michigan’s personal injury laws

Depending on the details of the accident, you may want to do more than just file an insurance claim and begin a personal injury lawsuit. In Michigan, you have the right to claim both economic and non-economic damages connected with a car accident:

Economic damages: Loss of property use, medical bills, lost employment or business opportunities, lost wages, burial expenses, etc

Non-economic damages: Mental suffering, pain and suffering, humiliation, inconvenience

Like most states, Michigan holds a statute of limitations for how long you can wait to file your personal injury claim. The deadline is three years after the injury or death in question.

Exceptions to Michigan’s personal injury laws

There are a few cases where the statute of limitations can be extended to allow a longer claim window. If any of these criteria apply to the injured party at the time of the car accident, they will be given extra considerations:

They are considered insane: The victim has one year after a sane diagnosis to file their claim

They are under the age of 18: The victim has until they turn 18 to file their claim

On the other hand, if you are trying to file a claim against someone and they leave the state, your statute of limitations may be extended until you can find the person in question.

MORE:

Hit and run insurance claims: Everything you need to know

Who’s to blame: Michigan’s modified comparative negligence law

One of the biggest questions following any car accident is: who is at fault? The answer isn’t always clear-cut, often with different levels of fault falling on different parties.

Because Michigan is a modified comparative negligence state, both parties can claim damages in an accident. That’s because comparative negligence allows anyone involved in a car accident to get compensation if they are 50% or less responsible for the accident.

Michigan’s

comparative fault statute

states that if you are more than 50% at fault, your share of economic damages will be reduced by the percentage of your fault. You will also be barred from claiming any non-economic damages.

Because there is no set way of determining fault, you’ll need to be prepared to negotiate.

Only 12 states follow the comparative negligence rule, so bear in mind that the rules may change if you’re involved in an accident across state borders.

MORE:

What happens if you’re deemed at fault in an accident without car insurance?

How to save money on car insurance in Michigan

Insurance premiums could go up

by an average of 43% after a car accident in Michigan. Finding a lower rate may feel next to impossible—but with help from

Jerry

, the

top-rated insurance app

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All you have to do is download the app, enter your information, and review

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The average Jerry user saves over $800 a year. Savings like that are sure to soften the blow of an accident and help cover repairs!

“
Jerry
was spot on. I’m young with one rear end on my record. Still, they dropped my monthly insurance rate from $468 to $250. This really saved me money.” —Jason M.