If you were injured in a motorcycle crash in Sterling Heights, the insurance company may already be looking for ways to blame you. Riders often face unfair assumptions, even when another driver caused the crash by turning left, running a red light, merging unsafely, or failing to yield.
A Sterling Heights motorcycle accident lawyer at Goodman Acker can protect your claim, investigate fault, and pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and long-term recovery.
From our office at 13854 Lakeside Circle, we represent injured riders throughout Macomb County, including crashes on M-59, Mound Road, and other busy Sterling Heights roads.
Michigan motorcycle accident claims involve unique No-Fault, PIP, and liability issues. Our attorneys know how insurers use rider bias to reduce payouts, and we push back from day one.
Call Goodman Acker at 248-483-5000 before giving a recorded statement or accepting a settlement.
Goodman Acker’s Record Representing Injured Riders in Michigan
Goodman Acker has handled motorcycle accident claims across Michigan for over 30 years, and our attorneys understand the specific tactics insurers use against riders.
The adjuster’s playbook is predictable: question the rider’s speed, challenge their visibility, and downplay their injuries. We have seen that approach hundreds of times, and we know how to counter it with evidence.
Motorcycle Accident Results in Michigan Courts
Our attorneys recovered a $1.9 million settlement for an injured motorcyclist in Wayne County and a $525,000 recovery from a Macomb County motorcycle crash.
Although past results do not guarantee future outcomes, those recoveries came from cases where insurers initially tried to shift blame to the rider.
The evidence told a different story, and we made sure the insurance company heard it.
Why Motorcycle Claims Require a Different Legal Strategy
Motorcycle accident claims differ from car accident claims in several practical ways. Riders absorb the full force of impact with no steel frame, airbags, or seatbelt to soften it.
Insurance companies use that vulnerability against riders by arguing they were speeding, weaving, or riding recklessly, even when the crash evidence points to the other driver.
We build motorcycle cases around the other driver’s conduct, not around the rider’s choice of vehicle. Witness statements, traffic camera footage, accident reconstruction, and the police report all play a role in proving what actually happened on the road.
One Attorney, One Team, Direct Phone Numbers
When you hire Goodman Acker, we assign one attorney, one paralegal, and one assistant to your motorcycle accident case. That team stays with you through resolution.
You get their direct phone numbers and speak with the same people every time you call. We take motorcycle cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Do Motorcycle Riders Get No-Fault Benefits in Michigan?
Michigan’s No-Fault insurance system treats motorcycles differently from cars and trucks. Motorcyclists are not required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage under MCL 500.3101(1), and standard motorcycle insurance policies do not include PIP benefits.
That gap in coverage creates a real problem for injured riders. If a car hits you while you are on your motorcycle, your access to No-Fault medical benefits depends on whether you have a separate auto insurance policy with PIP coverage, or whether someone in your household does.
The PIP Priority Order for Motorcyclists
Michigan law provides a specific priority order for determining which insurance policy covers a motorcyclist’s No-Fault benefits under MCL 500.3114. The typical priority for an injured rider follows this order:
- The rider’s own auto insurance policy with PIP coverage, if one exists
- A policy held by a spouse or resident relative in the same household
- The auto insurance policy of the driver who caused the crash
- The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan, which serves as a last resort when no other coverage applies
Many riders do not realize until after a crash that their motorcycle policy alone does not cover their medical bills. The availability and level of PIP coverage affects the total compensation picture significantly.
Filing a Third-Party Claim Against the At-Fault Driver
Beyond No-Fault benefits, an injured motorcyclist may file a third-party liability claim against the driver who caused the crash.
Michigan law allows this claim when the rider’s injuries meet the serious impairment of body function threshold under MCL 500.3135. Given the severity of most motorcycle injuries, many riders meet this threshold.
That third-party claim is where compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and long-term disability enters the picture. Call 248-483-5000 to discuss how both sides of the insurance equation apply to your motorcycle crash.
Why Are Motorcycle Crash Injuries So Much More Severe?
Motorcycle accidents produce more severe injuries than most car collisions because riders absorb the full force of impact with their body. Even crashes at moderate speeds may result in injuries that require surgery, extended rehabilitation, or permanent lifestyle changes.
The motorcycle crash injuries we most commonly see in Macomb County cases include:
- Road rash ranging from surface abrasions to deep tissue damage requiring skin grafts
- Fractures to the legs, arms, wrists, and pelvis from impact with the road or another vehicle
- Traumatic brain injuries, even when the rider wore a helmet at the time of the crash
- Spinal cord damage resulting in partial or complete paralysis
- Internal organ injuries from blunt force trauma to the chest or abdomen
The long recovery timeline for these injuries drives up both the medical costs and the non-economic damages in a motorcycle accident claim.
Insurers know that, and they often push for early settlements before the rider understands the full scope of their condition.
What Does a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Sterling Heights Actually Recover?
Compensation in a Michigan motorcycle accident case comes from two potential sources: No-Fault benefits (if available) and a third-party claim against the at-fault driver.
The total amount depends on injury severity, available coverage, and the strength of the liability evidence.
| Source of Compensation | What It Covers |
| PIP Medical Benefits (if available) | Hospital bills, surgeries, rehabilitation, prescriptions |
| PIP Wage Loss Benefits | Up to 85% of lost gross income for up to 3 years |
| Third-Party Pain and Suffering | Physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life |
| Third-Party Economic Damages | Medical costs and lost wages beyond PIP limits |
| Third-Party Loss of Earning Capacity | Reduced future income due to permanent impairment |
Because many motorcycle riders lack PIP coverage through a separate auto policy, the third-party claim against the at-fault driver often represents the primary source of recovery.
Building a strong liability case is not just a legal preference in motorcycle cases. It is often a financial necessity.
How Do Insurers Use Rider Bias to Reduce Motorcycle Payouts?
Insurance companies use rider bias as a negotiation tactic to reduce payouts. Adjusters know that juries sometimes hold motorcyclists to a higher standard than car drivers, and they use that knowledge to pressure riders into accepting low settlements.
The specific bias-based arguments that insurers raise in Macomb County motorcycle cases include:
- Claiming the rider was speeding even when the police report does not support that conclusion
- Arguing the rider was lane-splitting or riding aggressively without physical evidence
- Suggesting the rider’s injuries are less severe because they chose not to wear full protective gear
- Pointing to the rider’s experience level or licensing status as a contributing factor
- Blaming the motorcycle’s visibility rather than the other driver’s failure to check blind spots
Michigan’s modified comparative negligence rule (MCL 600.2959) means that any fault assigned to the rider directly reduces their compensation.
If the rider’s fault exceeds 50%, they lose access to non-economic damages entirely. That makes early evidence collection and a clear liability narrative especially important in motorcycle cases.
What Strengthens a Motorcycle Accident Claim After the Crash?
Taking specific steps after a motorcycle crash limits the arguments the insurance company may raise against you later. Once you are home and receiving medical care, several actions help preserve the value of your claim.
Steps that protect a Sterling Heights motorcycle accident claim include:
- Following through with all recommended medical treatment, including follow-up imaging and physical therapy
- Keeping your damaged helmet, riding gear, and any broken motorcycle parts as physical evidence
- Saving the police report number and requesting a copy as soon as it becomes available
- Photographing your injuries at multiple points during recovery to document their progression
- Avoiding any recorded statements to the other driver’s insurance adjuster without attorney guidance
Motorcycle cases live or die on the quality of early evidence. What you preserve in the first days and weeks after a crash directly shapes what your attorney has to work with at the negotiation table or in a courtroom.
FAQ for Sterling Heights Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
What if I only carry a motorcycle insurance policy with no separate car insurance?
You may still have access to No-Fault PIP benefits through another source, such as a spouse’s or household member’s auto policy, the at-fault driver’s policy, or the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.
Without a personal auto policy carrying PIP, your medical coverage after a crash depends on these alternative sources. We review your full insurance picture during the initial consultation to identify every available source of benefits.
What is the filing deadline for a motorcycle accident lawsuit in Michigan?
Michigan’s statute of limitations (MCL 600.5805) gives you three years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. Missing that deadline almost certainly bars your claim.
Starting the legal process well before the three-year mark gives your attorney time to collect evidence, consult with medical providers, and build the strongest possible case.
What happens if the driver who hit me has no insurance?
You may still have options for recovery if an uninsured driver caused your motorcycle accident. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your own auto or motorcycle policy may apply, depending on what coverage you carry.
If no UM coverage exists, your attorney may explore whether another party shares liability for the crash, such as a vehicle owner who lent the car to the uninsured driver.
My motorcycle crash happened on M-59. Does location affect my case?
The location of the crash affects which police agency responds, which court has jurisdiction, and what physical evidence may be available.
M-59 crashes in Sterling Heights fall within Macomb County Circuit Court jurisdiction and are typically reported by the Sterling Heights Police Department or Michigan State Police.
Crashes at intersections along M-59 may also involve traffic camera footage that supports your version of events.
Does Michigan law require motorcycle riders to wear helmets?
Michigan’s helmet law (MCL 257.658) allows riders over age 21 to ride without a helmet if they meet certain conditions, including carrying at least $20,000 in first-party medical benefits and passing a motorcycle safety course.
Riders under 21 must wear a helmet at all times. Whether you wore a helmet does not determine fault for the crash, but the insurance company may try to argue that a helmet would have reduced your injuries.
The other driver says they never saw my motorcycle. Does that matter legally?
Failing to see a motorcycle is not a legal excuse for causing a crash. Every driver has a duty to check their mirrors, blind spots, and surroundings before turning, merging, or changing lanes.
If the other driver violated that duty and hit you, they may be liable for your injuries regardless of whether they claim they did not notice your motorcycle.
We use traffic camera footage, witness testimony, and accident reconstruction to establish what the other driver failed to do.
Are motorcycle accident cases handled on a contingency fee?
Yes, Goodman Acker takes motorcycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fees up front, and our fee comes only from the compensation we recover for you.
If the case does not produce a recovery, you owe nothing for our time. We also cover case-related expenses during the litigation process.
Talk to a Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Sterling Heights Before the Insurer Sets the Terms
The insurance company is already assembling its version of your crash. Every day that passes without an attorney reviewing the evidence gives the adjuster more room to frame the narrative around rider fault rather than driver negligence.
Goodman Acker represents motorcycle riders from our Sterling Heights office and takes these cases without any upfront cost to you. We review the police report, identify your insurance options, and give you a straight answer about the strength of your claim.
Call 248-483-5000 and speak with an attorney who handles motorcycle accident cases in Macomb County.
LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN
Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]
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