Why Care?

It could happen to you.

It happens to all sorts of people. One second life is wonderful, the next moment everything changes. Three-point two seconds in the case of our son, Sam. The Sheriff came to OUR door. It was Valentine’s night at 7:23 PM.

Sam was premed at MSU and was working at Harvard Medical with a specialist who had heard of his work. When he was 15, he discovered a cause for a disease, LyP, his sister had developed. He won the International Science Fair for his discovery. They called him “the brightest Bio-chem student in the world” that year. He was also an Eagle Scout. And was voted the biggest flirt in his graduating class. Handsome and kind and beloved by all who knew him.

But it didn’t matter; none of it. He crashed.

He crushed his skull and lungs and broke his neck. He suffered a very severe brain injury. His chance of survival in the ED was 3%.

My Sam. My youngest. My surprise kid, with a great sense of humor. Sam was in a coma for 3 months and in acute rehab for 7 months. As a Trauma-Manger-RN-BSN mom, I never left his side. After 10 months, his future was bleak. “He will never walk again, speak again or eat by mouth.” We began the long journey to recovery that has taken many years, a great deal of therapy and prayer, a strong will on his part and on ours…and Auto No-Fault.

It can happen to you or yours. It only takes a second or 3.2 seconds for some. Make sure you understand what has changes since 2019 with the Auto No-Fault (ANF) law and contact your legislators and Governor. Demand they repair the law.

It was Sam’s saving grace and offered up a miracle for him. Without fixing ANF, meaningful recovery is a thing of the past for those injured like Sam. And the miracles we received will be just out of reach for you.

The pictures below are pictures of a miracle made possible be Auto No-Fault. Sam still requires therapy and care and with ANF he can continue to improve and love his life. We want to correct the mistakes in our law to provide the chance of a miracle for all people of Michigan.

Under Michigan’s new auto insurance law, everyone loses, except big auto insurance companies.

Consumers

Drivers who purchase policies with PIP caps and sustain catastrophic injuries will spend their benefits within a few weeks, if not sooner. Yet many drivers will require care for the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, money saved through reduced PIP premiums will likely be offset by increases in liability premiums required under the new law as well as purchasing umbrella coverage.

Seniors

Seniors or others on Medicare who opt out of injury protections will lose access to long-term care, residential treatment programs, case management services, vehicle modifications, and more.

Pedestrians, Public Transportation, and Cyclists

The new law caps at $250,000 the amount of care you will receive if you’re a pedestrian, cyclist, senior who no longer drives, children riding in uninsured vehicles, people using public transportation, or anyone involved in a car crash who doesn’t have auto insurance coverage.

Medical Providers

The post-acute care industry, which provides rehabilitation services to victims after they leave the hospital, is being destroyed by the arbitrary fee schedule cut of 45% imposed by this law. It is forcing many care providers to close their doors and layoff thousands of employees, hurting Michigan’s economy.

Urban Residents

The reduction in PIP premiums is based on the statewide average. So, if you live in an area with historically high rates like Detroit, the reduction you’ll see will be significantly less than residents in other areas.

Motorcyclists

The new law eliminates guaranteed lifetime coverage for motorcyclists involved in car crashes—instead, if they are in an accident, their level of care will depend on the level of coverage carried by the car driver who caused the crash – regardless of the level of PIP coverage they purchased under their own auto policy.

Businesses

Michigan businesses renewing their fleet insurance are experiencing significant increases in their premiums due to the legal exposure the PIP choice options create. In addition, healthcare insurance will likely increase as health insurers will need to shoulder the costs of auto accident injuries.

Families

Many victims require around-the-clock care, and family members have often quit their jobs to care for them. The new law limits reimbursements for family members who care for accident victims to 56-hours per week. Now they are forced to hire outside agencies to care for their loved ones and allow strangers in their homes.  But the agencies have closed or no longer accept no-fault patients because of the 45% cut to reimbursements.  So they care for their loved one 24/7 while only being paid for 56-hours and cannot seek outside employment because they cannot leave their loved one unattended.  Families are losing their cars, homes and forced to move in with elderly parents or others.

Taxpayers

With fewer benefits available, more crash victims will be forced into medical bankruptcy and onto Medicaid, which is paid for by Michigan taxpayers. Still others declare bankruptcy and must place their loved one in a nursing home that is not equipped, trained or staffed to care for the disabled, catastrophic survivors.  Now the taxpayers are financing the care instead of the insurance companies under the policies families purchased to cover such injuries.

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