A serious injury reaches every corner of your life, from your job to your family to your peace of mind. You did not choose this, and you should not have to carry the financial weight of someone else’s mistake.
At Christensen Law, our Detroit pedestrian accident lawyer team stands beside people who were hurt crossing the street, walking to work, or simply moving through their own neighborhood.
We built our practice on three simple ideas: we listen to your story, we protect you from insurance pressure, and we win the compensation Michigan law allows. For more than 35 years, we have fought for injured people across Detroit and the rest of the state, and we bring that same care to every pedestrian case.
We know that Michigan’s rules for pedestrian crashes differ from the rules for a Detroit car accident claim in important ways, so working with a lawyer who understands both truly matters. If a careless driver left you or someone you love seriously hurt, we are ready to help any hour of the day, at no cost to you unless we win.
Call Christensen Law today at (313) 546-1091 for a free, no-risk consultation.
CHRISTENSEN LAW HAS A 24 HOUR RAPID RESPONSE SERVICE
Who Pays When a Pedestrian Is Hit by a Car in Detroit?
Even though you were not inside a vehicle, you can still collect No-Fault benefits after being struck by a car as a pedestrian in Detroit. If you have wondered who pays after a pedestrian is hit by a car in Detroit, the short answer is Michigan’s No-Fault system, through Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits.
Michigan pedestrian accident claims run through the same No-Fault framework that covers drivers, so an injured pedestrian can receive PIP benefits for medical care and lost income, no matter who caused the crash. These Michigan No-Fault benefits belong to you as a person on foot, not only to drivers behind the wheel.
Which insurance company pays depends on a set of priority rules. Specifically, you first look to your own auto policy, then to a spouse’s policy, and then to the policy of a relative who lives in your home.
If none of those policies exist, your claim moves to the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan, which assigns an insurer to cover your benefits. Sorting out this order of priority can get confusing fast, so an experienced Detroit pedestrian accident lawyer can identify the right insurer quickly and keep your benefits from stalling.
The vehicle that struck you can still matter a great deal, especially when it comes to holding the driver accountable through a separate claim. We handle both sides of your case at once, so nothing important falls through the cracks.
PIP Benefits Available After a Pedestrian Crash
PIP benefits can cover far more than a single hospital bill. Under Michigan’s No-Fault law, an injured pedestrian may receive several forms of support during recovery.
Depending on your situation, your benefits may include:
- Medical expenses, meaning reasonable and necessary treatment, from the ambulance ride and emergency surgery to physical therapy and long-term rehabilitation.
- Wage loss, meaning a portion of the income you lose when your injuries keep you off the job, payable for up to three years.
- Attendant care, meaning payment for the help you need with daily activities, whether that help comes from a professional or a family member.
- Replacement services, meaning money for the household tasks you can no longer do yourself, such as cleaning, cooking, or shoveling snow.
- Survivor’s loss benefits, meaning financial support for a family that has lost a loved one in a fatal pedestrian crash.
These benefits exist to keep your household stable while you heal, and we make certain that no category of loss gets left off your claim. When an adjuster tries to cut a benefit short, we push back with the medical proof that supports it.
Many pedestrians do not realize this support is available to them, so they pay out of pocket or fall behind on bills while they wait. We step in early to open your PIP claim, so help reaches you when you need it most.
Can You Sue the Driver Who Hit You?
Yes, in many pedestrian cases, you can pursue a separate claim against the at-fault driver. PIP benefits cover your economic losses regardless of fault, and a third-party lawsuit lets you seek money for pain and suffering when your injuries are serious.
Michigan allows this kind of claim only when an injury meets the serious impairment of body function standard. In plain terms, that means an injury a doctor can objectively observe, and one that changes how you live your daily life.
Pedestrian injuries are often severe, so many of our clients clear this threshold without difficulty. Broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord damage frequently qualify.
Michigan also follows a modified comparative fault rule. Even if you were partly to blame, you can still recover, as long as you were not more than 50% at fault, so we build your case carefully to protect every dollar you are owed.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Detroit Pedestrian Accident?
Your compensation depends on the nature of your injuries and on how the crash has changed your life. A strong pedestrian claim pursues two kinds of recovery, and we work to capture both.
The damages in a pedestrian case generally fall into these categories:
- Economic damages, which cover medical bills, lost income, future medical care, and the cost of help around the home.
- Non-economic damages, which cover the physical pain, emotional strain, and loss of enjoyment that a serious injury brings.
We look beyond today’s bills to the care you may need for years to come, because a fair result has to account for your whole future. When a child or an entire family faces lifelong effects, that long view matters even more.
Serious pedestrian injuries can call for surgeries, therapy, and daily support long after the first hospital stay. We bring in the right professionals to document those future needs, so the value of your claim reflects the road ahead, not just the day of the crash.
Detroit Pedestrian Crashes We Handle
We represent people hurt in every kind of pedestrian crash, from busy downtown intersections to quiet residential blocks. Detroit’s mix of wide, fast corridors and heavy foot traffic creates real danger for anyone traveling on foot.
Crashes along Woodward Avenue, Gratiot Avenue, and Michigan Avenue account for a steady share of pedestrian injuries, and the crosswalks near Campus Martius, the riverfront, and Midtown carry their own risks. We know these streets, and we understand how local traffic, weather, and lighting can factor into a case.
Long winter nights, icy walkways, and construction detours can push people into the roadway, which raises the risk of a crash. We take those local conditions into account when we build your case, so the full story reaches the insurer.
The pedestrian cases we handle include:
- Crosswalk crashes, where drivers fail to yield to people crossing with the signal. As your Detroit crosswalk accident lawyer, we gather the signal timing, camera footage, and witness accounts that show you had the right of way.
- Hit-and-run crashes, where a driver flees the scene. We pursue every available source of coverage, even when the driver is never identified.
- Parking lot and backing crashes, where low-speed strikes in lots and driveways still cause serious harm.
- Child pedestrian crashes, where children are hit near schools, bus stops, or while playing, and where extra care and sensitivity are called for.
No matter where or how you were struck, we treat your case with the attention it deserves. We prepare each one as if it will go to trial, because that readiness is what moves insurance companies to pay full value.
How Can a Detroit Pedestrian Injury Attorney Strengthen Your Case?
A dedicated Detroit pedestrian injury attorney protects your claim from the very first day. Insurance companies move quickly to limit what they pay, so early action often decides the outcome.
We move fast to preserve evidence, including traffic camera footage, vehicle black box data, and witness statements, before any of it disappears. We also work closely with your doctors, so your medical records tell the full story of what you have been through.
Our approach keeps the focus where it belongs, on you. As managing partner Sarah Stempky-Kime puts it, we like to let the treatment team do the talking, and we love to have the defendants dig their own hole.
We also lift the weight of the insurance process off your shoulders. From filing your PIP application to answering the adjuster’s letters, we manage the paperwork and the deadlines, so a missed form never costs you a benefit.
Your recovery and the driver’s conduct drive the case, not courtroom theatrics. That steady, client-first strategy is how a Detroit pedestrian accident lawyer turns a painful situation into a strong claim.
Why Detroit Pedestrian Accident Victims Choose Christensen Law
People choose Christensen Law because we pair a proven trial record with genuine, personal care. We treat clients like family, and we treat insurance companies like the opponents they are.
A few things set our firm apart:
- Founder David Christensen is a Michigan Hall of Fame attorney, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and holder of AV Preeminent status from Martindale-Hubbell.
- Managing partner Sarah Stempky-Kime is a recognized Leader in the Law and a fellow ABOTA member.
- Our results include a $17.8 million motor vehicle verdict and a $9.5 million wrongful death recovery.
- Clients rate our offices 4.9 to 5.0 stars, and we answer the phone 24/7.
Our Listen Protect Win philosophy guides every case we take, and it costs you nothing unless we win. Call our Detroit pedestrian accident lawyer team today for a free consultation, and let us carry the legal burden while you focus on healing.
Detroit Pedestrian Accident Lawyer FAQs
Here are answers to questions we often hear from injured pedestrians and their families across Detroit.
Deadlines vary by the type of claim, and missing one can end your case before it starts. PIP benefit claims and third-party lawsuits follow different time limits, so it helps to understand the personal injury case timeline early. We review your key dates as soon as we take your case, so nothing important slips past you.
You may still have a clear path to benefits. If the driver was uninsured and you have no coverage of your own, your PIP claim can proceed through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan. We also search for every other policy that might apply, including coverage tied to the vehicle.
No, you are not required to give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurer. Adjusters often use these statements to find reasons to reduce or deny a claim. We handle that communication for you, so you can put your energy into recovery.
Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee, which means we only get paid when we recover money for you. Your first consultation is always free, and there is no risk in calling.
Often, yes. Michigan’s comparative fault rule lets you recover even when you share some of the blame, as long as you were not more than half at fault. We work to show the full picture of the driver’s responsibility for the crash.
Focus on your child’s medical care first, then reach out to us. Claims involving children carry special protections and timelines, and we handle them with added care and sensitivity. We can guide your family through each step at a pace that respects what you are going through.
Not always. Most pedestrian claims resolve through a settlement, yet we prepare every case as if it will be tried before a jury. That trial readiness is often what convinces an insurer to offer full value without a fight.
Talk With Our Detroit Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Today
You do not have to face this difficult time alone, and you do not have to fight the insurance company by yourself. Our team is ready to listen to your story, protect your rights, and pursue the justice you and your family deserve.
Call Christensen Law 24/7 at (313) 546-1091 for a free, no-risk consultation, or visit our Detroit office at 615 Griswold St, Suite 716. Serving all of Michigan, from the D to the UP, we stand ready to help you move forward.
