The New Michigan PIP Trap: After Call v. L & KJ Enterprises, a Lien Letter Is Not Enough

My recent article, which was in our May newsletter, discussed the Michigan Court of Appeals’ important decision in Call v. L & KJ Enterprises, LLC, which reopened a significant door for Michigan PIP carriers pursuing recovery against negligent non-motorist tortfeasors. However, subrogation professionals who handle Michigan are now faced with a new question: how does…

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The Use Of Aftermarket (Non-Oem) Crash Parts In The Repair Of Damaged Vehicles: A 50-State Guide for Claims Professionals

President Trump’s recent “Freedom to Fix” initiative has once again thrust the “Right to Repair” movement into the national spotlight. While the Administration’s June 29, 2026 Executive Order is aimed primarily at reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers surrounding vehicle emissions systems and repairs, it has reignited a much broader debate that has simmered for decades: Who…

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Distracted Driving, Evolving Laws, and Hidden Subrogation Opportunity

Nearly a decade ago, our firm examined the growing problem of texting while driving and the patchwork of laws attempting to address it. See HERE. Since that time, the problem has not improved. It has accelerated. The widespread adoption of smartphones, social media platforms, and ubiquitous app-based communication has fundamentally altered driver behavior, creating a…

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Michigan Court Creates New Pip Subrogation Opportunity: Call v. L & KJ Enterprises, LLC, ___ N.W.3d ___ (Mich. App. 2026) (Docket No. 366229)

For decades, Michigan no-fault carriers operated under a rigid, confusing, and often frustrating limitation: recovery of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits was largely confined to the narrow statutory framework of M.C.L.A. § 500.3116. That statute carefully circumscribes when a carrier may obtain reimbursement of a lien against its insured’s tort recovery, and Michigan courts historically…

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The Hidden Cost Of America’s Uninsured And Underinsured Motorist Pandemic

America is facing a rapidly worsening uninsured and underinsured motorist crisis, one that is exacting a heavy emotional, human, and financial toll on law-abiding drivers and the insurance system that serves them. Current estimates place the number of uninsured drivers at more than 30 million nationwide, meaning roughly one out of every ten vehicles on…

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New Jersey Decision Puts Another Nail In The Coffin Of Med Pay Subrogation

Progressive Garden State Insurance Company v. Allstate NJ Insurance Company, 2025 WL 2327776 (N.J. Super. August 13, 2025) The Longstanding Debate Over Med Pay Subrogation in New Jersey For years, New Jersey attorneys, insurers, and claims professionals have debated whether Medical Payments (“Med Pay”) benefits in auto insurance policies can be subrogated against third-party tortfeasors.…

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Wisconsin Court Upholds Minnesota PIP Subrogation Rights Despite Policy Waiver – Jaster v. Selective Insurance (2025)

Stephanie Jaster, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Selective Ins. Co. of S.C., Defendant-Respondent., 2025 WL 1379673 (Wis. App. May 13, 2025) In a recently released Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision, Stephanie Jaster v. Selective Insurance Co. of South Carolina, the court reaffirmed a key principle in the Minnesota PIP subrogation landscape: an insurer’s failure to expressly assert subrogation…

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ALABAMA COURT OF APPEALS EXTENDS LOSS OF USE RECOVERY TO BOTH REPAIRABLE AND UNREPAIRABLE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES Myers v. Alfa Mut. Ins. Co., 2024 WL 4522424 (Ala. App. Oct. 18, 2024)

Little by little, Alabama is letting out the line when it comes to who can recovery loss of use damages after an automobile has been in an accident. In addition to the other damages recoverable, loss of use (reasonable value of use or rental of a car while the owner is deprived of use of…

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