A bicycle ride should never end in a hospital room, yet for far too many riders across our state, one careless driver changes everything in a single moment.
The Michigan bicycle accident lawyers at Christensen Law understand the fear, pain, and uncertainty that follow a serious crash, and we are here to carry that weight with you. Since 1991, our trial attorneys have stood beside injured cyclists and grieving families, treating each person we serve like a member of our own family.
When you have been hit by a vehicle while riding, you should not have to fight the insurance companies alone. We listen to your story, protect your rights, and work relentlessly to win the recovery you and your family deserve. Call Christensen Law 24/7 at (248) 213-4900 for a free, no-risk consultation.
CHRISTENSEN LAW HAS A 24 HOUR RAPID RESPONSE SERVICE
How Can Our Michigan Bicycle Accident Lawyers Help You?
Our Michigan bicycle accident lawyers help you by handling every part of your claim, from the first phone call to the final settlement or verdict, so you can put your energy into healing. A serious bike crash brings a flood of questions about medical bills, lost income, and what comes next.
We answer those questions in plain language, with no empty promises and no confusing legal jargon. From our Southfield headquarters and our offices in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Troy, we investigate the crash, gather evidence, and build a case strong enough for trial.
We also deal directly with the insurance company on your behalf, so the calls and the pressure stop coming to you. That single step alone can lift a heavy burden off an injured rider and their loved ones.
Along the way, we keep you informed at every stage and account for the full picture of your losses, from emergency treatment to the care you will still need months from now. You make the decisions, and we give you the honest information you need to make them with confidence.
Our founder, David Christensen, is a Michigan Hall of Fame attorney, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and holds AV Preeminent status from Martindale-Hubbell. Managing partner Sarah Stempky-Kime is a recognized Leader in the Law and an ABOTA member, and together they lead a team that prepares every case as if a jury will decide it.
Understanding Michigan’s No-Fault System After a Bicycle Crash
Michigan’s No-Fault auto insurance system can pay for your medical care and lost wages after a bicycle crash, even though you were riding a bike rather than driving a car. This surprises many riders, but it is one of the most important protections you have.
Under Michigan’s No-Fault law, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits cover your reasonable medical expenses and a portion of your lost income, regardless of who caused the crash. These first-party benefits, paid through an auto insurance policy, can also cover attendant care when you need help with daily tasks during your recovery.
First-Party Benefits vs. Third-Party Claims
There are two paths to recovery, and they often work together. First-party PIP benefits handle medical bills and wage loss, while a third-party lawsuit against the at-fault driver seeks money for pain, suffering, and other losses that PIP does not pay.
PIP can reach further than many riders expect. Beyond hospital and rehabilitation costs, it may cover attendant care for help with daily activities and replacement services for tasks you can no longer do, and in some situations a family member who provides that care can be paid for it.
To bring that third-party claim, Michigan law requires that your injury meet a legal threshold, such as a serious impairment of an important body function. We explain how that threshold applies to your situation, so you always know where your case stands.
Who Pays for Your Medical Bills After a Bike Accident?
In most cases, your own auto insurance, or that of a resident relative, pays your medical bills first through PIP benefits, even when you were on a bicycle. Michigan’s coordinated insurance rules decide the order in which policies pay, and the answer is not always obvious.
If you do not own a vehicle and do not live with someone who does, your benefits may come through another driver’s policy or through the state’s assigned claims plan. Sorting this out quickly matters, because medical providers want to be paid and benefit deadlines are strict.
We move fast to identify every available source of coverage, so your care is not interrupted while you focus on getting better. When a claim is wrongly denied, we are ready to challenge it and fight for the benefits you are owed.
What If You Were Partly at Fault for the Crash?
You can still recover compensation in Michigan even if you were partly at fault, as long as you were not more than 50 percent responsible for the crash. Michigan follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which reduces your recovery by your share of the fault and bars pain and suffering damages only when a rider is found more than half to blame.
Insurance companies know this rule well, and they often try to shift extra blame onto the cyclist to lower what they pay. They might claim you were not visible, were in the wrong place, or failed to react in time.
We push back with photographs, witness accounts, and a clear, evidence-based account of what really happened, so fault is assigned fairly. Being partly at fault does not mean you have no case, and it should never stop you from asking for help.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Bicycle Accident?
After a bicycle accident, you may be able to recover compensation for medical care, lost income, and the pain and disruption the crash has brought to your life. The exact mix depends on your injuries, your coverage, and the facts of the crash.
PIP benefits handle medical bills and a share of your lost wages without regard to fault, while a third-party claim against the at-fault driver can add money for pain and suffering and other harms that PIP does not reach. Together, these two sources can make a meaningful difference for your family’s future.
For catastrophic injuries such as a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury, what you will need tomorrow matters as much as the bills sitting on your table today. We work with your doctors and with life-care planners to account for long-term care, future wage loss, and the ongoing support your recovery will require, so nothing is left out of your claim.
Common Causes of Serious Bicycle Crashes in Michigan
Most serious bicycle crashes in Michigan trace back to driver inattention or a failure to share the road, not to anything the rider did wrong. Cyclists have the same right to the road as drivers, and Michigan law gives riders the rights and duties of any other vehicle on the roadway. When drivers forget that, the results can be life-changing.
In our years of advocating for injured riders, we see certain dangerous patterns again and again:
- Drivers turning left across a rider’s path, or turning right without checking for a cyclist beside them.
- Motorists passing too closely and ignoring Michigan’s three-foot passing law, which requires a safe gap when overtaking a bicycle.
- “Dooring,” when someone opens a car door directly into the path of an oncoming rider.
- Distracted, drowsy, or impaired drivers who never see the cyclist until it is too late.
Whatever caused your crash, our team digs into the details to prove how it happened and who should be held accountable. That careful work is often what separates a fair recovery from a lowball offer.
These crashes can happen anywhere riders and traffic mix, from busy Detroit and Grand Rapids streets to the student-filled roads around Ann Arbor and the suburban corridors of Troy and Southfield. No matter where you were riding when you were hit by a vehicle, we are ready to come to you and get to work.
How Insurance Companies Try to Reduce Your Bicycle Accident Claim
Insurance adjusters often work to minimize a bicycle accident claim by questioning your injuries, your conduct, and even your right to be on the road. Soon after a crash, an adjuster may call sounding friendly and helpful.
Behind that tone is a clear goal: paying as little as possible. Common tactics include asking for a recorded statement that can be used against you later, pushing a quick lowball offer before you know the full extent of your injuries, and requesting an independent medical exam designed to downplay your condition.
You are not required to handle any of these requests on your own. When we step in, the adjuster deals with us, not with you, and we hold the insurance company accountable for the full value of what you have lost.
Why Choose Christensen Law?
Injured riders across Michigan choose Christensen Law because we combine real compassion with the courtroom strength to take on any insurance company. Our philosophy has guided us since 1991, and it is simple: Listen, Protect, Win.
We listen to your story, protect you from aggressive insurance tactics, and fight for the strongest possible result. Here is what sets our firm apart for serious and catastrophic injury cases:
- We have advocated for injured clients for over 35 years and have built a robust record of major verdicts and settlements, including a $17.8 million personal injury and motor vehicle accident verdict and a $9.5 million motorcycle accident verdict.
- We focus on life-altering injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries, and wrongful death, instead of rushing through high volumes of small claims.
- We prepare every case for trial, so we are ready to go to court when an insurer refuses to offer fair value.
- We treat clients like family and stay in close contact, so you always know where your case stands.
- We serve riders from our Southfield headquarters and our Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Troy offices, and we travel to clients across the state.
When you are ready to talk, we are ready to listen, day or night, at no cost to you. Call Christensen Law 24/7 at (248) 213-4900 to speak with a member of our team about your bicycle accident.
FAQs: Michigan Bicycle Accident Lawyers
Below are answers to questions we often hear from injured cyclists and their families across Michigan.
Michigan sets firm deadlines for both No-Fault benefits and injury lawsuits, and they are not the same. Some No-Fault deadlines arrive within a year of the crash, while a lawsuit against an at-fault driver usually has a longer window. Because missing a deadline can cost you the right to recover, it is wise to speak with a lawyer soon after your crash.
You may still have a path to compensation even if the driver was uninsured. Your own coverage, a resident relative’s policy, or uninsured motorist coverage can sometimes step in, and we work to find every available source so your bills do not fall on you.
Yes. Michigan law allows certain surviving family members to bring a wrongful death claim when a loved one is killed in a crash caused by another driver’s negligence. These claims can address medical and funeral costs, lost financial support, and the loss of companionship, and we handle them with the care such a loss deserves.
No. We handle bicycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees up front and owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Your first consultation is always free, and it is available 24/7.
It is usually wise to speak with a lawyer first. Anything you say to an adjuster, even a comment that seems harmless, can be used to reduce your claim. We can communicate with the insurer for you, so your own words are never turned against your recovery.
You may still have a claim. Many serious bike crashes happen on shared paths, at crosswalks, and where trails meet streets, such as along Detroit’s RiverWalk or on the trail networks growing around Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. We look closely at where and how the crash occurred to determine who is responsible.
Talk With Our Michigan Bicycle Accident Lawyers Today
A serious bicycle crash can leave you facing pain, mounting bills, and an insurance company that does not have your interests at heart. You do not have to face any of it alone, and the sooner we begin, the more we can do to protect your rights.
Our Michigan bicycle accident lawyers are ready to listen to your story, protect you from aggressive insurance tactics, and win the justice you and your family deserve. Our team of bike accident lawyers in Michigan is trusted by injured riders throughout the state.
Call Christensen Law 24/7 at (248) 213-4900 for a free, no-risk consultation. Serving all of Michigan, from the D to the UP.
From the D to the UP | Proven Expertise | Powerful Results
