Grand Rapids auto accident attorney Tom Sinas presented at auto no-fault advocacy workshops in West Michigan

Over the past two weeks, Grand Rapids auto accident attorney Tom Sinas has been a featured presenter at workshops in West Michigan designed to help victims of auto accidents tell their stories to the public. The workshops, which were hosted by the Coalition Protecting Auto No-Fault (CPAN), are called “Let our Voices be Heard,” and have been taking place throughout Michigan this spring. Tom recently spoke at workshops in Grand Rapids and Traverse City. The purpose of the workshops is to help victims of auto accidents learn to tell the stories of their injuries and how Michigan’s no-fault system has helped them piece their lives back together after tragedy.  The workshops are being held in response to recently introduced legislation that seeks to drastically cut benefits to Michigan citizens under the state’s comprehensive no-fault insurance system.  For a summary of the no-fault “reform” legislation, click here.

As Tom explained to the individuals and families at the workshops, Michigan’s auto law is unique in that it gives citizens two sets of rights. The first is the right to recover no-fault benefits, such as medical expenses, for victims of automobile accidents regardless of fault. The second is the right to pursue claims against negligent drivers. Yet, as Tom explained, that second right is limited and can only be exercised in certain situations. Namely, the right to pursue a claim against a negligent driver is limited to those situations where someone sustains a certain kind of injury. Because of this, Michigan’s auto law is a grand compromise between a limited right to pursue claims against negligent drivers and a more expansive right to recover certain benefits regardless of fault. But, as we recently posted, the current no-fault “reform” legislation would impose sweeping limitations on no-fault benefits, while giving Michigan families nearly nothing in return. Sinas Dramis lawyer George Sinas recently said on a Traverse City radio program that the current proposal is the insurance industry’s “wish list.” That is why these workshop are so important: they help empower those Michigan citizens whose lives have been improved by our no-fault system to tell their stories effectively so legislators hear more than just the powerful voice of the insurance industry.

For a list of upcoming  Let our Voices be Heard workshops, or if you have a story to tell about how no-fault has helped you or family, contact CPAN (www.cpan.us.; 517-882-1096). If you have a question about Michigan’s no-fault law, please contact one of our Michigan auto no-fault attorneys.