Michigan injury rights, deadlines, and help

If you were hurt in Michigan, you probably want to know one thing first: how long do I have to act? This page gives you Michigan's main injury deadlines, what to do right now, and where free help is.

We are the injured person's advocate. Our help is always free to you.

The deadline box: Michigan's key time limits

Personal injury lawsuit: 3 years. Under Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2), most injury and wrongful-death lawsuits must be filed within 3 years. This is the statute of limitations (the legal deadline to file a lawsuit). (Source)
Work injury, report to your employer: 90 days. Under Mich. Comp. Laws § 418.381(1), you must give notice within 90 days of the injury, or of when you knew or should have known about it. Late notice is excused unless the employer proves it was harmed by the delay. (Source)
Work injury, file the claim: 2 years. Under the same section, a workers compensation claim (the state system that pays for work injuries) must be made within 2 years of the injury. (Source)
Injury involving the state: 6 months. Under Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.6431(4), a personal injury claim against the State of Michigan requires a claim or notice filed with the Court of Claims within 6 months of the event. (Source)
Injury from a defective road: 120 days. Under Mich. Comp. Laws § 691.1404, a claim over a dangerous or defective highway requires notice within 120 days, and the notice must state the exact location, the defect, the injury, and known witnesses. (Source)

Two warnings. First, the government deadlines are the trap here. The 3-year lawsuit clock means nothing if the 6-month state notice or the 120-day highway notice already passed, and courts enforce the highway notice's content rules strictly. Second, Michigan's no-fault car insurance system has its own benefit deadlines that can be much shorter than 3 years, and medical claims can have different, often shorter deadlines. Deadlines vary by claim type, so check Michigan's official law site or ask early.

What to do first

Get medical care now. Your health comes first, and the records also document your injury.
If it happened at work, give your employer written notice today. Keep a copy.
Write down what happened while it is fresh: date, time, place, people, and conditions.
Take photos of the scene, your injuries, and anything involved (a vehicle, a pothole, a machine). For road defects, capture the exact location. The 120-day notice will need it.
Get names and contact information for witnesses. The highway notice must list known witnesses.
Report a crash to your own car insurer promptly. No-fault benefits have their own clocks.
Do not sign anything from an insurance company before you understand your full costs.

Common situations in Michigan

Hurt at work. Michigan's 90-day notice rule is more forgiving than most states, but do not lean on that. Report in writing the same day. Early written notice removes the employer's best argument and creates the record your claim will stand on. The 2-year claim clock still applies even when the notice was fine.

Hurt on the road. Michigan is a no-fault state, so your own insurer pays many benefits first, on its own deadlines. For a lawsuit against an at-fault driver, Michigan uses a hybrid comparative negligence rule. Under Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.2959, your damages are reduced by your share of fault, and if your share passes 50 percent you lose pain-and-suffering damages entirely, though reduced economic damages survive. (Source) If a bad road surface played a role, the 120-day notice clock is running.

Hurt on someone's property. Falls, dog bites, and unsafe conditions follow the same 3-year lawsuit clock. For dog bites, Michigan is a strict liability state. Under Mich. Comp. Laws § 287.351, the owner is liable for an unprovoked bite while you are on public property or lawfully on private property, with no need to prove the dog was known to be dangerous. (Source) Non-bite injuries, like being knocked down, fall under ordinary negligence rules.

A true story: the $1,000 phone call

In 2021, 18-year-old Rayza Dominguez was rear-ended in Frisco, Texas. Just hours after the crash, the other driver's insurance company called her. The rep offered $1,000 on the spot and warned that the offer might shrink if she waited. She said yes over the phone, with no advice and no idea what her damages really were. That spoken yes was binding. She then learned repairs alone would cost almost $2,400, and she needed care for her injuries. She could not go back for more. (Source: CBS Texas)

Her story is from Texas, but the same fast-settlement calls happen after Michigan crashes. The system is unforgiving to people who say yes before they know their full costs. That is not your fault. It is simply why you should never accept a quick offer before you understand your medical bills, your repairs, and your rights.

What we can help with

We are on your side, and our help is free to injured people. We can help you:

Understand which Michigan deadlines apply to your situation, including the short government notices
Put your work-injury notice in writing correctly, today
Gather the exact-location details a 120-day highway notice requires
Organize your records, photos, and timeline
Find the right next step: medical care, therapy, state benefits, or a licensed attorney when your case needs one
Prepare questions to ask before you hire any lawyer

We do not give legal advice, and we never take money from injured people. We explain your rights in plain language and connect you with licensed help when you need it.

Tell us what happened

If you or someone you love was hurt in Michigan, you do not have to sort this out alone. Tell us what happened. It is free, private, and there is no pressure.

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-08-16

This is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines can change or vary with the facts. A licensed attorney can confirm the rule for your situation.