A Redford father was driving with two other people in his car. They were turning left at the intersection of 7 Mile and Beech Daly on June 1 when a car T-boned their vehicle, causing an accident that involved nine people.
"As I was going into the turn – boom, there it was," said Tyrone Smith, 62, the driver of the vehicle that was hit. "I didn't even see what hit me. The car just came out of nowhere."
Smith said that he, his girlfriend and her daughter were all cut out of the vehicle in Redford Township. Smith was transported to the hospital, leaving the scene with three broken ribs, a broken shoulder, a fractured hip bone, and a sprained arm.
Smith's girlfriend and her daughter were unconscious at the time and were transported to another hospital, discharged two days after the accident with minor injuries, said Smith.
There was no car insurance involved, and the family said they now are facing mounting debts. If Smith would have had catastrophic coverage through his auto insurance, his care would have been covered for life under current Michigan law.
In July, Michigan motorists for the first time will be allowed to choose how much medical coverage to buy with their auto insurance. Overall, the new system is expected to lower insurance premiums for many drivers.
Smith's case is one example of the impact that personal injury protection (PIP) insurance can make when it comes to accidents.
And early regulatory filings by some insurance companies — plus some anecdotes from customers — suggest that a subset of Detroit residents could see their rates go up, not down.
Of those Detroit drivers, the biggest rate hikes would hit people who chose to continue buying PIP coverage instead of dropping it completely. Under the new system, drivers with Medicare or a health insurance plan that covers auto accidents are allowed to opt out entirely of PIP; others can pick lower coverage amounts between $500,000 and $50,000.
Smth does have medical insurance under UnitedHealthcare, and it will cover most of his bills, but rehabilitation programs and accessibility needs are excluded.
Smith is now at Lakeland Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and will be working to walk on one side.
"It's very tough and hard for me to do, but I have to do what I have to do," said Smith. "From a scale of one to 10, it was really a 10, but I have come down to an eight. The feeling is kind of coming back and it's a tingling sensation."
Smith says his hospital bills have become a burden, but it is not the only thing that the family is facing.
They lost their new home after paying thousands in taxes. The home was still under the landlord's ownership and was refinanced. The bank received possession of the home with his belongings in it. He lost his mother's urn and tools in the process.
Smith now has a goal to get a house where he will be able to operate his wheelchair throughout and safely use a shower while in recovery. He also wants to house his family, including his brother, who is homeless.
So his daughter, Tyronnica Smith, 17, created a GoFundMe page to help. They have a $5,000 goal because Tyrone's insurance will not pay for all of his hospital bills. Tyrone also works part-time at a pizzeria, but his doctors say he is unable to return to work, said Tyronnica.
"I always try to prepare for me and my family but now I can't do it," said Tyrone Smith. "It's going to be a matter of time before I can get myself back together."
More: The Henry Ford is reopening in July with new precautions. Here's what you need to know
More: New Michigan State norm: Joyful air hugs, elbow bumps and COVID-19 testing
The car accident caused Tyrone to miss a milestone in Tyronnica's life. She graduated from Renaissance High School on June 7 and their family was supposed to get together to celebrate.
"I was throwing myself a graduation party and I was still going to set up for prom, even though I wasn't having prom," said Tyronnica. "I have to delay all of that.
"It was really devastating because I already lost one parent 10 years ago and that was really emotional. It's just been devastating, and now seeing my dad in that position, him in the hospital and not being able to do anything for me – it's devastating."
Instead of celebrating her graduation, Tyronnica is now working extra shifts at her job to contribute to her father's hospital bills. She says that her dad has always been there for her, so she wants to be there for him.
"When I visit him, it just brings me to tears to see him in tears because he's going through so much," said Tyronnica. "He is a very strong man and has never cried in front of me. To see that really brought me to tears."
"car" - Google News
June 17, 2020 at 01:17AM
https://ift.tt/3fwlVKp
Redford man's car wreck shows impact of upcoming auto insurance changes - Detroit Free Press
"car" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2SUDZWE
https://ift.tt/3aT1Mvb
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Redford man's car wreck shows impact of upcoming auto insurance changes - Detroit Free Press"
Post a Comment