Liss & Andrews, a Bloomfield Hills law firm of automotive No-Fault attorneys representing individuals with severe brain and spinal cord injuries, has emerged victorious in an insurance case against State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance, receiving more than $1 million for their client in a recent jury decision.
The case involved 43-year-old Shawn Wieland, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a devastating crash at age 17 in 1997. His life-altering traumatic brain injury left him with severe cognitive and physical limitations, leading to his parents assuming the full-time role as attendant care providers. During his 26-year rehabilitation journey, Weiland’s parents faced financial hardship navigating the complexities of their son’s care and were eventually met with a reduction of benefits and medical reimbursement payments from State Farm, which prompted the lawsuit in October 2022.
“Our client faced unnecessary financial hardship, in addition to the physical and emotional hardship they were already facing after Shawn’s accident. They were entitled to insurance payments that State Farm wrongfully denied,” says Nicholas Andrews, partner at Liss & Andrews.
“We are committed to continuing to fight for the rights of individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries, ensuring that they receive the justice and compensation they deserve,” Andrews said. “Consumer protection is needed in Michigan, which is why our firm is pushing to pass the Insurance Policyholder Bill of Rights, which would implement financial penalties for insurance companies that refuse to engage in good faith practices, like denying and delaying payment of claims without a reasonable basis.”
Michigan's no-fault auto insurance law, enacted in 1973, was intended to streamline the claims process and provide prompt compensation to accident victims regardless of fault. However, over time, the law has become riddled with complex issues, leaving consumers vulnerable to unfair practices and inadequate compensation, according to Andrews.
Michigan is among a handful of states that lack comprehensive bad faith laws, he said. Andrews says the current laws require reform, because insurance companies face no meaningful consequences for “improper delay, deny, and defend tactics and for putting their own profits ahead of the people they claim to insure.”
This case is one of more than 25 throughout 2023 successfully resulting in more than $1 million in compensation for Liss & Andrews clients, Andrews indicated.
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