A brain injury is one of the most serious harms a person can suffer, and one of the easiest for an insurance company to undervalue. Our Michigan brain injury lawyers exist to close that gap.
At Christensen Law, we have helped clients across the state turn quiet, life-altering symptoms into powerful legal cases. From our offices in Southfield, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Troy, we will listen to your story, protect your rights, and fight for every dollar your future will require.
We are ready to hear what happened and tell you honestly how we can help. Call 248-600-4591 today for a free consultation.
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How Our Michigan Brain Injury Lawyer Can Help You
Brain injuries are often invisible, and that makes them especially difficult to prove in a personal injury claim. In our years of handling TBI cases across Michigan, the hardest part is often proving the injury that doesn’t show on a scan.
Insurance companies frequently downplay symptoms like memory loss, mood changes, or trouble concentrating, even when those changes are devastating to the person living with them.
At Christensen Law, we know how to document these injuries with neurologists, life care planners, and accident reconstructionists who can tell your full story to a jury. Our team has recovered significant results for clients with traumatic brain injuries, including a $17.8 million motor vehicle accident verdict and a $9.5 million motorcycle accident result.
We treat every case with the same care, whether the injury is a mild concussion that still affects daily life or a catastrophic injury that requires lifelong support.
When you work with our firm, you get a true trial team behind you. Founder David Christensen is a member of the Michigan Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame, and our attorneys have been recognized by U.S. News and Best Lawyers as a First-Tier firm in Detroit for personal injury litigation.
That reputation matters when insurance carriers know we are willing to take a case all the way to a verdict.
What Counts as a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is any damage to the brain caused by a sudden blow, jolt, or penetrating injury to the head. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes TBIs as a leading cause of long-term disability in the United States, and they range widely in severity. Some people recover within weeks, while others live with lasting effects for the rest of their lives.
Brain injuries are typically grouped into a few main categories:
- Concussion: A mild TBI that can still cause headaches, confusion, sleep problems, and lasting cognitive issues.
- Contusion: A bruise on the brain tissue, often from a direct impact to the skull.
- Diffuse axonal injury: Widespread tearing of nerve fibers, common in high-speed crashes and rotational impacts.
- Penetrating injury: When an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue.
- Anoxic or hypoxic injury: Brain damage caused by loss of oxygen, sometimes after a near-drowning, electrocution, or cardiac event during a crash.
Even a single concussion can have lasting consequences, so any head injury after an accident deserves a full medical evaluation. The sooner symptoms are documented, the stronger your case will be later on.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries in Michigan
We see brain injuries arise from many kinds of preventable accidents on Michigan roads, worksites, and public spaces. Car accidents on busy corridors like I-75, I-94, and I-696 are a leading source of head trauma, especially in rear-end collisions and rollovers. Truck accidents, where a passenger vehicle is hit by a fully loaded semi, often produce the most severe brain injuries we handle.
Motorcycle wrecks are also common, particularly in the warmer months when riders travel popular routes through northern Michigan and along Woodward Avenue. We also represent people hurt in pedestrian and bicycle crashes, slip and fall events, construction accidents, electrocution injuries, and recreational accidents involving boats, snowmobiles, or ATVs.
No matter how your brain injury happened, the legal process for proving fault and damages follows similar steps. We will investigate the cause, identify every responsible party, and build a case designed to cover the true cost of your recovery.
Long-Term Effects of a Traumatic Brain Injury
The effects of a serious brain injury often reach far beyond the hospital stay, and many of our clients are surprised by how much their daily lives change.
Cognitive symptoms like memory loss, slowed thinking, and trouble focusing can make returning to school or work feel impossible. Emotional changes such as depression, anxiety, irritability, and mood swings often put strain on marriages, friendships, and family routines.
Physical symptoms are common as well. Many TBI survivors live with chronic headaches, dizziness, balance problems, sensitivity to light and sound, and ongoing fatigue. Sleep disorders, seizures, and vision changes can also persist for months or years after the original injury, sometimes requiring continued care at hospitals like Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor or the Detroit Medical Center.
For many people, the financial impact is just as serious as the medical one. A brain injury can mean lost income, reduced earning capacity, the cost of hiring help around the house, and ongoing therapy that insurance does not always cover.
These long-term effects are real damages under Michigan law, and they deserve to be fully accounted for in your claim. We work closely with life care planners, treating physicians, and vocational professionals to map out the full picture of your future needs, so nothing is left off the table when we negotiate or try your case.
How Much Is a Brain Injury Case Worth in Michigan?
The value of a brain injury claim depends on the severity of the injury, the long-term medical care required, and the impact on your ability to work and enjoy life.
There is no fixed formula, but serious TBI cases often involve very significant settlements or verdicts because the future costs can be so high. Lost wages, in-home care, cognitive therapy, and adaptive equipment can add up quickly over a lifetime.
Michigan is a no-fault insurance state, which means your own auto insurer pays for medical care and wage loss up front, regardless of who caused the crash.
Under Michigan’s no-fault law, you can also pursue a separate claim against an at-fault driver for pain, suffering, and other non-economic damages when your injury meets the legal threshold set out in MCL 500.3135. A traumatic brain injury almost always meets that threshold because it amounts to a serious impairment of body function.
Our attorneys work closely with your medical team to fully document both the present and future cost of your injury. We bring in life care planners, vocational economists, and treating physicians to put a real number on what your recovery will require.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Brain Injury Claim?
In most cases, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Michigan. This deadline comes from MCL 600.5805, and missing it usually means losing your right to compensation forever. There are some narrow exceptions for minors and people whose injuries were not immediately discovered, but those exceptions are limited.
No-fault benefits have an even shorter timeline. You generally must file a written application for benefits within one year of the crash, and you can only recover medical expenses and wage loss going back one year from the date you file suit.
Because brain injury symptoms sometimes appear days or weeks after a crash, it is important to talk with a lawyer as soon as possible to avoid losing valuable benefits.
If you are unsure whether your case is still within the deadline, we encourage you to call us right away. A short conversation can give you the clarity you need.
Why Choose Our Michigan Brain Injury Attorneys?
We have been advocating for injured Michiganders since 1991, and during that time we have built a reputation as one of the most respected trial firms in the state. Brain injury cases require deep medical knowledge, financial resources, and the willingness to go to trial when an insurance company refuses to pay fairly. We bring all three to every case we accept.
Founder David Christensen is a Michigan Hall of Fame attorney, a member of ABOTA (American Board of Trial Advocates), and holds AV Preeminent status by Martindale Hubbell. Managing Partner Sarah Stempky-Kime is a recognized “Leader in the Law” and also an American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) member.
Here is what sets our firm apart:
- A true trial team. As members of ABOTA, we have a record of seven and eight-figure verdicts in catastrophic injury cases.
- No up front costs to you. We handle your case on a contingency basis, so you pay nothing unless we win.
- Personalized attention. You will work directly with the attorneys handling your case, not just paralegals or call center staff.
- Statewide presence. With offices in Southfield, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Troy, we are never far from where you live or where you receive treatment.
Most of all, we listen. We know that no two brain injuries are alike, and we take the time to understand how your injury has affected your work, your family, and your daily life. Call us today at 248-600-4591 to speak with a member of our team about your case.
FAQs Answered by Our Michigan Brain Injury Lawyers
Below are answers to some of the questions we hear most often from people who have suffered brain injuries in Michigan.
Yes. Many traumatic brain injuries occur without a loss of consciousness, especially milder concussions and diffuse injuries. Symptoms like headaches, light sensitivity, mood changes, trouble sleeping, and difficulty concentrating can all point to a TBI, even if you walked away from the crash.
If you notice any of these signs after an accident, see a doctor right away and have your symptoms documented in your medical records.
Proving causation in a TBI case usually requires a combination of medical records, imaging studies, neuropsychological testing, and qualified witness testimony from your treating doctors. We work with neurologists, neuropsychologists, and life care planners who understand how to connect specific symptoms to a specific event.
Detailed witness statements from family members and coworkers can also be powerful evidence of how your function changed after the injury.
You may still have options through your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Michigan no-fault benefits will also cover your medical care and wage loss in most cases, even if the at-fault driver had no insurance. We will look at every available source of recovery, so no avenue is missed.
Every case is different, but serious TBI cases often take longer than routine accident claims because the medical picture takes time to develop. We do not rush to settle while your treatment is ongoing because doing so usually leaves money on the table. Most cases resolve within one to three years, depending on whether the case settles or goes to trial.
Most personal injury cases settle before trial, but we prepare every case as if it will go before a jury. Insurance companies often offer more when they know the firm on the other side is willing and able to try the case. If a fair settlement is not on the table, we will not hesitate to take your case to court.
No. We offer free consultations by phone, video, and in person, and if you are unable to travel because of your injury, we will come to you. Whether you live in Detroit, Lansing, Traverse City, or anywhere in between, we can help.
Talk to Our Michigan Brain Injury Lawyers Today
A traumatic brain injury can affect every part of your life, but you do not have to face the road ahead alone. Our team at Christensen Law is ready to listen to what happened, explain your options in plain language, and fight for the compensation you and your family need to move forward. There is no cost to talk with us, and no fee unless we win your case.
Call us today at 248-600-4591 or reach out online to schedule your free consultation with a Michigan brain injury lawyer. Time matters in brain injury cases, both for preserving evidence and for protecting your right to no-fault benefits. The sooner we hear from you, the more we can do to build a strong case for your future.
