Personal Injury Law

Personal Injury and Wrongful Death

We represent individuals and the families of individuals who have been seriously injured or killed as a result of the negligent or wrongful conduct of others. We understand how insurance companies and lawyers on the other side think. Insurance companies are interested in minimizing their economic exposure when a serious injury or death has occurred. They hire attorneys whose job it is to aggressively undermine each aspect of the your claim. We know their tactics. We take each case on as if it will proceed to trial and we are not afraid to take a case all the way to jury verdict if that is what is necessary to produce the best possible result.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Serious car and other motor vehicle accidents require the guidance of an experienced attorney. Robert D. Paulbeck represents people who have suffered significant injuries in motor vehicle accidents. We work with physicians and other health care providers to assess and review all the short and long-term medical aspects of your case. It is important that you hire an attorney that not only knows the law but knows how to apply the law to your benefit.

Under the Michigan Auto and Truck Accident Laws there are usually two ways to recover monies for one's injuries: one is against your own insurance company which is called "First Party Benefits" and the other way is against the other driver which is called "Third Party Benefits." In order to recover benefits against the other driver you must have automobile insurance yourself.

First Party Benefits

(Your own insurance company) - A person who is injured as a result of a motor vehicle accident, must first look to his/her own insurance carrier for recovery of "economic losses" such as medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, loss of wages, and survivor loss benefits. The insurance carrier must pay all reasonable charges incurred for reasonably necessary products, service and accommodations, for the injured person's care, recovery and rehabilitation. The insurance carrier must pay wage loss benefits for a period of time not to exceed three years from the date of the accident.

Third Party Benefits

(The Other Fault Driver) - An injured party has the right to recover excess wage loss benefits, from the party whose bad driving or negligence caused the injuries, to the extent that such losses exceed the maximum amounts required to be paid by the no-fault carrier. An injured party also has the right to recover monies for "non-economic losses," (i.e. pain and suffering) from the driver or owner of the motor vehicle whose bad driving or negligence caused the injury, provided the injured party's injuries meet the no-fault threshold and the injured party was not more than 50% at fault in causing the accident. In order to satisfy the threshold or recover any damages or money the injured party must prove:

1. That the injured party has suffered a serious impairment of body function; or
2. That the injured party has suffered a permanent serious disfigurement; or
3. That the injured party died.

The Act defines serious impairment of a body function as "an objectively manifested impairment of an important body function that affects the person's general ability to lead his or her normal life." The Act does not define the phrase "important body function."

Key Factor For Third Party Benefits

It is imperative that you hire Robert D. Paulbeck, who can show the jury examples of how your injuries have affected your life at home, your ability to work, concentrate, walk, play games, take care of your personal hygiene, grocery shop, sleep, etc.

Dog Bite Cases -

A person who allows their dog to injure another person is strictly liable for that person's injuries.

Medical Malpractice, Workers' Compensation, Railroad Injuries, Death Cases, Head Injury, Burn Cases and Paraplegic/Quadriplegic Cases -

Robert D. Paulbeck and people that he works with represent individuals who have been seriously injured or killed as a result of the negligent or wrongful conduct of others such as an employer or person who provides an unsafe work area to a doctor who made a mistake. Mr. Paulbeck in conjunction with the best attorneys in metropolitan Detroit can assist you with workers' compensation, railroad injuries, death cases, head injury, burn cases, paraplegic/quadriplegic and medical malpractice.