This guide compares 10 law firms that handle car accident cases for people injured in Detroit, Michigan and the rest of Wayne County. Each firm was evaluated on the depth of its motor vehicle and Michigan no-fault experience, the professional background and recognition of its attorneys, its trial experience in the courts that hear Detroit crash cases, and whether car accident work is a dedicated practice or one area among many. Firms that publish focused no-fault and third-party injury resources, or that list concrete Wayne County results, were weighed more heavily than firms that mention auto accidents only in passing.
Three practical questions help when comparing these options. Does the firm regularly try cases in Wayne County Circuit Court and the 36th District Court, where Detroit crash claims are heard? Does it handle the no-fault (PIP) benefits claim and the claim against the at-fault driver together, since each follows its own rules and deadlines? And does the firm have an office in or near downtown Detroit, or will you be traveling to Southfield or Livonia to meet your attorney? The list is not ranked and is not sponsored. Entry details come from each firm’s own website, with any specific figure attributed to the firm that reports it.
1. Wigod & Falzon, P.C.
- Attorneys: Gerald E. Wigod (personal injury), Lawrence Falzon (no-fault law), Joseph Falzon (personal injury)
- Headquarters: 25899 W 12 Mile Rd, Suite 200, Southfield, MI 48034 (additional office: 180 W Michigan Ave, Suite 906, Jackson, MI 49201)
- Phone: (995) 314-6957
- Website: falzonlaw.com
- Practice Areas: Car accidents, no-fault PIP benefits, semi truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, hit and run, slip and fall, wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, Social Security Disability, family law
- Firm Size: Boutique, with five attorneys listed and more than 25 years of experience in personal injury law
- Practice Area Page: Detroit car accident lawyer
- Social Profiles: Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, YouTube
Wigod & Falzon is a Southfield personal injury firm that serves the greater Detroit area and regularly practices in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb County courts. Gerald Wigod and Joseph Falzon handle injury claims, while Lawrence Falzon concentrates on no-fault law, and the firm publishes a dedicated page for PIP benefits disputes that covers coverage limits, denied benefits, and coordination among multiple insurers, Medicare, and health insurance. Its attorneys have worked through Michigan’s 2019 no-fault reforms, which matters for Detroit drivers whose benefits depend on the PIP level chosen on their policy.
What sets the firm apart on this topic is that it treats a crash as two claims at once. It pursues no-fault benefits for medical expenses, wage loss, and attendant care, then builds the third-party case against the at-fault driver for pain and suffering and excess economic loss, including cases that must clear Michigan’s serious impairment threshold. The firm works on contingency with no down payment or retainer, so clients pay only if there is a recovery.
2. Seva Law Firm
- Attorney/Key Figure: Pratheep Sevanthinathan, attorney
- Headquarters: 211 W Fort St, Suite 720, Detroit, MI 48226 (additional office: 100 W Big Beaver Rd, Suite 500, Troy, MI 48084)
- Phone: (248) 385-5704
- Website: sevafirm.com
- Practice Areas: Motor vehicle injury litigation, no-fault, catastrophic personal injury, insurance coverage and benefit litigation, medical provider litigation
- Firm Size: Boutique, with eight attorneys
- Practice Area Page: Detroit car accident lawyer
- Social Profiles: Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, X, Yelp
Seva Law Firm has its main office on West Fort Street in downtown Detroit and builds its practice around courtroom work. Attorney Pratheep Sevanthinathan is described by the firm as one of relatively few plaintiff trial attorneys to have argued before the Michigan Supreme Court, and the firm reports appellate work with published decisions. It states that it has tried cases in Oakland, Wayne, Washtenaw, and Macomb Counties and in federal court.
The firm reports more than $100 million in verdicts and settlements and Super Lawyers recognition in 2024 and 2025. Its focus is narrow and clear: motor vehicle injury cases, no-fault and insurance coverage disputes, and medical provider litigation. Its eight-attorney team is a smaller bench than the largest firms on this list.
Bernstein & Bernstein
- Attorneys: Joseph H. Howitt, Lisa M. Watkinson, and William W. Watkinson Sr.
- Headquarters: 535 Griswold St., Suite 2040, Detroit, MI 48226 (additional offices: 18831 W. 12 Mile Road, Lathrup Village, MI 48076, plus Warren, Flint, and Downriver)
- Phone: 313-963-2340
- Website: lawfirmofbernstein.com
- Practice Areas: Auto accidents, slip and fall, dog bites, medical malpractice, Social Security disability, workers’ compensation
- Firm Size: Mid-size, with five Michigan offices and more than a century in practice
- Practice Area Page: Detroit car accident lawyer
- Social Profiles: Facebook
Bernstein & Bernstein has practiced for more than a century, dating to when Detroit was becoming the Motor City, and its Detroit office sits at 535 Griswold Street downtown. The firm reports more than $1 billion in judgments for its clients, and its car accident page is written for the metro Detroit area, with offices in Southfield, Warren, Flint, and Downriver as well.
The firm states that clients never pay an attorney fee unless it recovers money for them. It also cites insurance industry research showing that settlements for represented claimants run about 3.5 times larger than for claimants without a lawyer. Car accidents share the firm’s attention with Social Security and workers’ compensation matters, so the practice is broader than auto injury alone.
4. Michigan Auto Law
- Attorney/Key Figure: Steven M. Gursten, Founder and Managing Attorney
- Headquarters: 30101 Northwestern Hwy, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 (Detroit office at 615 Griswold St, Suite 402, Detroit, MI 48226; additional offices in Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Flint, and Traverse City)
- Phone: (313) 437-7877
- Website: michiganautolaw.com
- Practice Areas: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death, brain injury, catastrophic injury
- Firm Size: Large, multi-attorney firm that describes itself as Michigan’s largest firm devoted entirely to serious automobile accidents
- Practice Area Page: Detroit car accident lawyer
- Social Profiles: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube
Michigan Auto Law was founded by Steven Gursten, who authored the Guide to Michigan No-Fault Law and has led the firm in more than 500 seminars teaching attorneys in 29 states how to win auto accident cases. The firm lists Super Lawyers recognition for 14 consecutive years and a Michigan Lawyers Weekly “Go To Lawyer for Negligence Law” designation for Gursten. Its Detroit office is in the Ford Building on Griswold Street, one block south of Campus Martius Park, and its Detroit page explains that higher-value cases go to Wayne County Circuit Court while smaller claims go to the 36th District Court.
The firm takes only motor vehicle crash cases, and that narrow focus is the point: every attorney there works on the same kind of claim. Because the practice is limited to crashes, it is not the place to bring an unrelated premises or medical malpractice claim.
5. Christensen Law
- Attorneys: David E. Christensen, Founder; Sarah Stempky-Kime; Dustin Hoff; Jeremy Knox; Brandon Abro; Michael Laurila
- Headquarters: 25925 Telegraph Road, Suite 200, Southfield, MI 48034 (Detroit office: Ford Building, 615 Griswold Street, Suite 716, Detroit, MI 48226; additional offices: 3049 Miller Road, Ann Arbor; 401 Hall St SW, Suite 185L, Grand Rapids; 2328 Livernois Rd, Suite 1090, Troy)
- Phone: (313) 546-1091
- Website: davidchristensenlaw.com
- Practice Areas: Car accidents, personal injury, no-fault claims
- Firm Size: Boutique, with six attorneys listed and in practice since 1991
- Practice Area Page: Detroit car accident lawyer
- Social Profiles: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok
Christensen Law was founded by David Christensen, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates who is recognized as a Michigan Hall of Fame attorney, named to Best Lawyers in America, and holds a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating. Attorney Sarah Stempky-Kime is also an American Board of Trial Advocates member, and the firm has practiced since 1991.
Its Detroit office is in the Ford Building at 615 Griswold Street, and its Detroit page covers crashes along I-94, I-75, the Lodge Freeway, and Michigan Avenue. The firm holds a First-Tier ranking in Detroit for Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs, in the U.S. News Best Lawyers 2026 listing. Consultations are free, and clients pay nothing unless the firm wins.
6. Neumann Law Group
- Attorneys: Kelly M. Neumann, Principal Attorney; Steven A. Lee, Senior Litigation Attorney; Warren L. Wahl and Brian Roche, Attorneys
- Headquarters: 400 Renaissance Center, Suite 2600, Detroit, MI 48243 (additional Michigan offices in Grand Rapids and Traverse City; additional offices in Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and Denver)
- Phone: (248) 216-1660
- Website: neumannlawgroup.com
- Practice Areas: Car accidents, motor vehicle injury, personal injury
- Firm Size: Large, multi-office firm with seven locations and more than 200 years of combined experience reported
- Practice Area Page: Detroit car accident lawyers
- Social Profiles: Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram
Neumann Law Group keeps its Detroit office in the Renaissance Center and is led by principal attorney Kelly Neumann alongside Senior Litigation Attorney Steven Lee. The firm lists Super Lawyers, American Association for Justice, and National Top 100 Trial Lawyers affiliations, takes cases on contingency with no payment unless it wins, and offers consultations around the clock. Its Detroit page addresses Michigan comparative fault rules and serves Detroit and Wayne County residents.
Neumann is a national firm with offices in seven cities, so its Detroit attorneys draw on a wider network than a local practice would. That national footprint also means Michigan is one market among several rather than the firm’s only focus.
7. Ratton Law Group PC
- Attorneys: Michael Ratton, Marian V. Ratton, and Rachel Ratton, Attorneys and Counselors
- Headquarters: 1300 Broadway Street, 7th Floor, Detroit, MI 48226
- Phone: (313) 631-0502
- Website: rattonlaw.com
- Practice Areas: Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, bicycle and pedestrian accidents, premises liability, dog bites, nursing home abuse, construction accidents, brain and spinal injuries, medical malpractice, family law, professional licensing defense
- Firm Size: Boutique, with three attorneys listed
- Practice Area Page: Detroit Car Accident Lawyer
- Social Profiles: Facebook, LinkedIn
Ratton Law Group is a Detroit firm on Broadway Street led by attorneys Michael Ratton, Marian V. Ratton, and Rachel Ratton. The firm states that its attorneys have education and training in the medical field, a combination of medical and legal training that sets it apart from most injury practices.
Its injury work covers car, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents along with premises liability, dog bites, nursing home abuse, construction accidents, and brain and spinal injuries. The firm also handles medical malpractice, family law, and professional licensing defense, and with three attorneys it has a smaller bench than the larger firms on this list.
8. TopDog Law
- Attorney/Key Figure: Vadim Sigal, Michigan-licensed attorney
- Headquarters: 645 Griswold Street, Suite 1309, Detroit, MI 48226 (the firm’s single Michigan office)
- Phone: (313) 751-9628
- Website: topdoglaw.com
- Practice Areas: Car accidents, no-fault PIP claims, personal injury
- Firm Size: Large, national firm reporting 145,000+ clients helped and $1 billion in recoveries
- Practice Area Page: Car Accident
- Social Profiles: Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn
TopDog Law keeps its Detroit office at 645 Griswold Street and serves Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. Its Detroit car accident page covers PIP claims and their one-year filing deadlines, serious impairment litigation for pain and suffering claims, and Michigan’s modified comparative fault rule. It names local crash corridors including Joy Road at M-39, 7 Mile Road at I-75, and Gratiot Avenue, and references Detroit Receiving Hospital and Sinai-Grace.
The firm reports more than 8,000 five-star reviews with a 4.8 Google rating and takes cases on a no-fee-unless-we-win basis. As a national firm with a single Michigan office, it places Detroit clients inside a much larger organization than a local practice would.
9. Buckfire Law (Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C.)
- Attorneys: Lawrence J. Buckfire, Name Partner; Daniel Buckfire, Robert J. Lantzy, and Dondi R. Vesprini
- Headquarters: 28411 Northwestern Highway, Suite 300, Southfield, MI 48034 (Detroit offices at 19 Clifford St, Suite 805, and 1001 Woodward Ave, Suite 505; additional offices in Shelby Township, Ann Arbor, and Flint)
- Phone: (313) 777-8482
- Website: buckfirelaw.com
- Practice Areas: Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bus accidents, personal injury, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, dog bites, wrongful death, product liability
- Firm Size: Mid-size, established in 1969, with six Michigan offices
- Practice Area Page: Car accidents
- Social Profiles: Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube
Buckfire & Buckfire has practiced in Michigan since 1969, and Lawrence Buckfire is described on the firm’s Detroit page as its lead trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience. The firm keeps two downtown Detroit offices, on Clifford Street and on Woodward Avenue, and lists Detroit results that include a $9.5 million settlement against the City of Detroit for a motorcyclist injured in a bus accident, a $4.5 million settlement for a passenger run over by a bus, and a $4 million-plus jury verdict in Wayne County Circuit Court over a school bus that made an improper turn at a Detroit intersection.
The firm operates under a “No-Fee Promise” under which clients owe no legal fees unless a settlement is achieved. Buckfire is a broad injury practice rather than an auto-only firm, so car accidents share attention with malpractice, nursing home, and product liability matters.
10. Lee Steinberg Law Firm, P.C.
- Attorney/Key Figure: Lee Steinberg
- Headquarters: 29777 Telegraph Road, Suite 1555, Southfield, MI 48034 (Detroit office at 615 Griswold, Suite 700, Detroit, MI 48226; offices also in Flint, Saginaw, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City)
- Phone: 1-800-LEE-FREE (1-800-533-3733); Detroit office: (313) 513-7230
- Website: 1800leefree.com
- Practice Areas: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian and bicycle accidents, no-fault claims, slip and fall, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, wrongful death, Social Security Disability
- Firm Size: Large, with multiple licensed attorneys across six Michigan offices
- Practice Area Page: Car accident lawyer Detroit
- Social Profiles: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn
Lee Steinberg Law Firm is a Michigan-wide personal injury practice with a Detroit office on Griswold Street and a Detroit page that lists local emergency services, police headquarters, and area hospitals, including Detroit Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, and Henry Ford Hospital. Its published guide to Michigan car accident law covers PIP coverage tiers, claim deadlines, the serious impairment threshold, and the mini-tort rule.
The firm states a one-third contingency fee and says the percentage does not rise when a lawsuit is filed or a case goes to trial. As a large firm with six offices, a case is typically worked by a team rather than by a single attorney.
Detroit Car Accident Resources
Navigating a car accident claim requires reliable legal information, insurance guidance, and procedural support. Key resources available to individuals injured in a car accident in Detroit include:
- Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS): Answers auto insurance questions and investigates consumer complaints, with a consumer hotline at 877-999-6442 and an online complaint form.
- Michigan Assigned Claims Plan: Administered by the Michigan Automobile Insurance Placement Facility, it provides no-fault PIP benefits to crash victims who have no coverage of their own, and a claim must be filed within one year of the accident.
- Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA): A nonprofit reinsurer that funds lifetime benefits for people catastrophically injured in auto accidents, although it does not handle individual claims.
- Michigan Traffic Crash Purchasing System: Sells UD-10 traffic crash reports online for $15.00 each through a MiLogin account, while the Detroit Police Department issues reports in person at the 3rd Precinct, 2875 W. Grand Blvd, for $10.00 in cash or money order.
- 36th District Court and Third Judicial Circuit Court: The 36th District Court at 421 Madison Street hears civil cases up to $25,000, and the Third Judicial Circuit Court in Wayne County hears higher-value injury lawsuits.
- State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral and Information Service: Matches people who want to hire an attorney with lawyers in their practice area, by phone at (800) 968-0738 or online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Michigan no-fault insurance work after a car accident in Detroit?
Under Michigan’s no-fault system, your own auto insurer pays personal injury protection (PIP) benefits for medical expenses, wage loss, and attendant care regardless of who caused the crash. Following the 2019 reforms, drivers choose a level of PIP medical coverage: unlimited, $500,000, $250,000, $250,000 with exclusions, $50,000 for Medicaid enrollees, or a full opt-out for some drivers with qualifying Medicare coverage, with unlimited as the default if no choice was made. Because the tier on your policy determines how much medical care is covered, checking it is the first step after a crash. Firms such as Wigod & Falzon, which has a dedicated no-fault law attorney, Seva Law Firm, which litigates no-fault and insurance coverage disputes, and TopDog Law, whose Detroit page walks through PIP claims and their one-year filing deadlines, focus heavily on these benefits.
What deadlines apply to a Michigan car accident claim?
Two clocks run at once. To preserve a PIP claim you generally must give written notice of the injury to your insurer within one year of the crash, and under the one-year-back rule you cannot recover PIP benefits for losses more than one year before the date a lawsuit is filed. A separate three-year statute of limitations under MCL 600.5805 applies to lawsuits against the at-fault driver for pain and suffering. TopDog Law’s Detroit page and Lee Steinberg Law Firm’s guide both lay out these deadlines, and asking any firm which deadline applies first to your case is a useful test of its no-fault knowledge.
When can I sue the other driver for pain and suffering?
Michigan limits noneconomic damages to cases that meet a threshold. Your injury must be objectively manifested, affect an important body function, and affect your general ability to lead your normal life, the definition of a serious impairment of body function under MCL 500.3135. If you are found more than 50 percent at fault, you cannot recover noneconomic damages. Property damage to your vehicle not covered by insurance can be recovered from the at-fault driver through the mini-tort claim, up to $3,000 for crashes after July 1, 2020. Firms that handle both no-fault and third-party claims, such as Wigod & Falzon and TopDog Law, or that address comparative fault directly, such as Neumann Law Group, are set up to build the serious impairment case with medical experts and, where needed, accident reconstruction.
How much does a car accident lawyer in Detroit cost?
Car accident lawyers in Michigan typically work on contingency, meaning no fee is owed unless there is a recovery. Wigod & Falzon advertises no down payment or retainer, Christensen Law offers free consultations and charges nothing unless it wins, TopDog Law takes cases on a no-fee-unless-we-win basis, Neumann Law Group states you do not pay unless it wins, and Buckfire & Buckfire offers a “No-Fee Promise.” Lee Steinberg Law Firm states a one-third contingency fee that does not increase if a lawsuit is filed or a case goes to trial. The percentage and how case costs are handled vary by firm, so it is worth asking for the fee terms in writing during the initial consultation.
Where are Detroit car accident cases heard?
Michigan Auto Law’s Detroit page explains that higher-value personal injury cases go to Wayne County Circuit Court, the Third Judicial Circuit, while smaller claims with limited damages go to the 36th District Court. Firms with Wayne County trial records make that experience visible: Buckfire & Buckfire lists a $4 million-plus jury verdict from a week-long trial in Wayne County Circuit Court, Ven Johnson Law reports more than 30 verdicts above $1 million, and Seva Law Firm reports trying cases in Wayne, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Macomb Counties. Asking a firm about its recent trials in the court where your case would be filed is a direct way to compare them.
What if a city bus or a road defect caused my crash?
Claims against a city or other government body follow different rules from ordinary car accident claims. Goodman Acker’s Detroit page lists a 120-day notice deadline for defective highway claims and a six-month notice requirement for other government claims, both much shorter than the three-year window for a claim against a private driver. Buckfire & Buckfire’s Detroit page shows the firm handling bus cases, including a $9.5 million settlement against the City of Detroit for a motorcyclist injured in a bus accident and a $4.5 million settlement for a passenger run over by a bus. If a bus, a city vehicle, or road conditions were involved, contact a firm with that experience quickly, because these notice deadlines are counted in days and months rather than years.
Disclaimer: This guide about Detroit car accident lawyers is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an attorney referral. It is not a ranked or sponsored list, and inclusion does not imply an endorsement by, or affiliation with, any named firm beyond what is stated. Attorney credentials, case results, and contact details change over time; confirm current information directly with each firm before making a hiring decision. Past results described here do not guarantee similar outcomes in any other case.
