Hurt riding Up North?

If a motor vehicle (a car or truck) was involved, you can usually claim no-fault PIP benefits — but not through your own motorcycle policy. Michigan sets an order of priority under MCL 500.3114: benefits generally come first from the insurer of the owner of the involved vehicle, then its operator's insurer, then any auto policy covering you, and finally the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan. If no motor vehicle was involved, no-fault PIP usually does not apply, and you may rely on health insurance or optional coverage.

Yes, and most riders never see it coming. Since Michigan's 2019 reform, drivers choose their PIP medical limit instead of everyone carrying unlimited coverage. When a car's insurer is first in priority for your benefits, you can be capped at whatever limit that driver chose — even $250,000, $50,000, or a small limit — no matter how catastrophic your injuries are. Finding every layer of available coverage is one of the most valuable things a lawyer does in a rider's case.

Often, yes. Beyond no-fault benefits, an injured motorcyclist can bring a third-party (negligence) claim against the at-fault driver. If your injury meets the threshold in MCL 500.3135 — serious impairment of body function, permanent serious disfigurement, or death — you can recover for pain and suffering. Riders can also pursue "excess" economic damages, such as wage loss beyond the three-year PIP period and medical costs above the applicable PIP limit.

In Michigan, riders 21 and older may legally ride without a helmet if they've held a motorcycle endorsement for at least two years or passed an approved safety course and carry at least $20,000 in first-party medical benefits (MCL 257.658). Riders under 21 must always wear one. Even when a helmet was optional, insurers often argue that not wearing one increased your injuries in order to reduce what they pay — but that argument can be met with evidence and expert testimony and does not automatically defeat a claim.

Generally, one year from the crash to claim no-fault PIP benefits and three years to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver (MCL 600.5805). Much shorter notice deadlines — sometimes as little as 120 days — apply when a government vehicle or a road defect is involved. Because evidence disappears quickly and the priority insurer must be notified in time, it's best to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.

Often, yes. Northern Michigan has many drivers carrying only the state minimum, or nothing at all. When the at-fault driver can't cover your injuries, your own uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage frequently can. Identifying and stacking every available layer of coverage is one of the most valuable things a lawyer does after a serious crash.