Downtown Birmingham, Michigan packs boutiques, restaurant patios and parking decks into a few blocks, and Woodward Avenue runs right alongside them at highway speed. That mix produces a steady stream of collisions. The 2024 Michigan Traffic Crash Facts data counted 651 crashes within Birmingham city limits. Ninety-five of them injured at least one person, 116 people were hurt in total, and 8 had suspected serious injuries.
If you are searching for a Birmingham MI car accident lawyer, Khamo Law is close by. Our main office sits in Troy, which shares a border with Birmingham, and we also have an office in Sterling Heights. We represent drivers, passengers, walkers and cyclists hurt in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township and nearby Oakland County towns. Our work covers No-Fault benefit fights, injury claims against careless drivers, and cases where the other motorist was uninsured or drove away. Reach us at (248) 466-0606. The first conversation is free, and our fee is owed only if money is recovered for you.
Crash law in Michigan works the same in every county. Our Michigan car accident lawyer hub walks through those statewide rules in more depth.
Legally reviewed by Attorney Koro E. Khamo
Founder & Managing Attorney at Khamo Law
Michigan Bar No. P80994
How a Birmingham Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
Most Birmingham crash victims end up juggling two separate claims: benefits from their own insurer, and a damages claim against the at-fault motorist. Hiring a car accident attorney in Birmingham, MI puts one team in charge of both. At Khamo Law, we:
- Open your personal injury protection (PIP) claim and keep after the adjuster until treatment bills and paychecks are covered
- Challenge an insurer that stalls, refuses or abruptly stops your benefits
- Order the Birmingham Police report and ask shops and parking decks along Old Woodward for camera footage while it still exists
- Gather the medical proof that shows whether your injury clears the bar for a pain and suffering case
- Hunt down every available policy, including your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
- Bargain with the insurance companies, and file suit in Oakland County and try the case when a fair offer never comes
REPRESENTATIVE RESULTS
Results That Reflect the Cases We Handle
Khamo Law has obtained millions of dollars in recoveries for injured clients.
Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. Every case depends on its individual facts, injuries, liability, insurance coverage, and applicable law.
Birmingham, MI Crash Statistics for 2024
Here is what the state’s 2024 Oakland County crash report from Michigan Traffic Crash Facts lists for Birmingham:
- 651 reported crashes across the city
- 95 that left someone hurt
- 116 injured people, 8 of whom had suspected serious injuries
Spread over a city of roughly 4.8 square miles, that works out to nearly two crashes every day. No one died in a Birmingham crash that year, but one injury collision can still bring months of therapy, lost work and a drawn-out dispute with an adjuster.
Which Police Agency Handles a Birmingham Collision?
The Birmingham Police Department investigates crashes inside the city, Woodward Avenue included. Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township and Troy run separate departments, so a wreck on a boundary street could be worked by one of those agencies instead. Whoever responds prepares the official report, and adjusters on both sides will request it early.
Birmingham Roads and Intersections Where Crashes Cluster
Woodward Avenue Through Birmingham
Woodward, also known as M-1, is a broad state trunkline separating downtown Birmingham from the residential streets to its east. As a state road, its speed limits, signal timing and lane design are controlled by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), not City Hall. According to the Birmingham Police Department, officers step up Woodward patrols every year as volume grows, writing tickets for speeding, drag racing and other offenses. Fast through traffic beside a crowded shopping district puts turning drivers and people on foot at real risk.
The Median U-Turn at Woodward and Maple
Woodward and Maple Road is the main entrance to downtown. The Federal Highway Administration reports that this junction once saw frequent left-turn crashes, so MDOT converted it to a median U-turn layout. Left turns now happen 600 to 700 feet beyond the signal, which cuts down conflict points and gives walkers extra crossing time. Motorists who do not know the pattern still swerve between lanes or brake without warning.
Maple and Eaton Under the Railroad Bridge
Just east of downtown, Maple dips beneath a rail bridge at Eaton Street. In January 2025, Birmingham’s City Commission accepted an MDOT-funded road safety audit of the Maple and Eaton intersection. The audit flagged hazards for people walking and biking and for trucks squeezing under the low bridge. Its proposed fixes, such as new signs and signal adjustments, went to the city’s multimodal transportation board for study.
Old Woodward, Maple and the Downtown Parking Decks
Old Woodward, Maple and the blocks around them draw crowds on foot, curbside parkers and lines of cars waiting to enter the parking structures. A driver reversing out of a space, hunting for an open spot or rolling through a turn is far more likely to strike a pedestrian or cyclist here than on a quiet subdivision street. Struck while on foot? Our pedestrian accident page explains your options.
14 Mile, Adams, Lincoln and Southfield Roads
Commuters rely on 14 Mile along Birmingham’s southern edge, Adams heading toward Troy and Bloomfield Hills, plus Lincoln and Southfield. These routes mix neighborhood streets with busy signals, and rear-end and left-turn wrecks happen often.
Why Birmingham Crashes Happen
- Fast driving and street racing on Woodward, the behavior Birmingham Police patrols are aimed at
- Confusion at the U-turn crossovers along Woodward
- Walkers and bike riders struck downtown or at tight spots like Maple and Eaton
- Reversing and low-speed impacts at curbside spaces and inside parking decks
- Following too closely during rush-hour backups
- Phones and alcohol, including patrons driving home from downtown bars and dining rooms
- Drivers who flee instead of stopping after a collision
Parties Who Can Be Liable for Your Birmingham Injuries
- The careless motorist, plus the person or company that owns the car
- A business whose employee was driving for work, for example making deliveries or carrying rideshare passengers
- A bar or restaurant that served alcohol to someone already visibly intoxicated, a narrow claim allowed by Michigan’s dram shop law
- A public road agency, only in limited cases where a defect in the roadway contributed
How Michigan No-Fault Pays Birmingham Crash Victims
Under Michigan’s No-Fault law, the auto policy in your own household is the first source of payment after a crash, and fault does not change that. PIP benefits typically include:
- Medical treatment that is reasonable and needed, capped at the PIP medical limit you selected
- Lost income for a maximum of 3 years from the crash date, with a monthly ceiling
- Replacement services, as much as $20 a day, for chores your injuries keep you from doing
- Mileage for trips to appointments and therapy
- Attendant care if you need hands-on help getting through the day
Since July 2, 2020, Michigan motorists have chosen among several PIP medical limits, so what your care is worth under the policy depends on the option selected. A pedestrian or bicyclist struck by a vehicle is generally entitled to No-Fault benefits as well. With no policy to turn to, you may still qualify through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan. If payments have been refused, our denied PIP benefits page can help, and the Michigan No-Fault insurance lawyer page covers the system in full.
Pain and Suffering and Other Damages From the At-Fault Driver
PIP covers bills and wages, not the physical pain or the loss of the life you had. Collecting those damages from the driver who hit you requires an injury that caused death, a serious impairment of body function, or permanent serious disfigurement, as set out in MCL 500.3135. Michigan courts treat an impairment as serious when it is objectively manifested, involves an important body function, and affects your general ability to lead your normal life.
That same lawsuit can also recover:
- Income you lose beyond the PIP wage benefit, including earnings after the 3-year PIP window closes
- Treatment costs that run past your PIP medical limit
- As much as $3,000 for car repairs your insurance does not pay, known as the mini-tort
When the Road Itself Contributed to Your Crash
A deep pothole, a downed sign or a signal that stopped working can play a role in a wreck. Government agencies usually cannot be sued in Michigan, but the highway exception in MCL 691.1402 permits certain claims when an agency neglects to keep the travel lanes reasonably repaired. In Birmingham, MDOT is responsible for Woodward, while the Road Commission for Oakland County or the City of Birmingham maintains the remaining streets. That duty reaches the pavement used by vehicles, but not sidewalks or crosswalks.
Road claims come with a short fuse. MCL 691.1404 generally requires written notice describing the defect and your injuries within 120 days. Photograph the spot as soon as you can and get legal advice quickly.
Shared Blame Under Michigan’s Comparative Fault Rule
Michigan reduces what you can collect from the other driver by whatever percentage of the crash is blamed on you. Once your share goes past 50%, the pain and suffering claim is barred entirely. Your No-Fault benefits do not depend on fault and keep coming either way. After downtown pedestrian crashes, adjusters like to say the walker stepped out mid-block or was looking at a phone, which is why camera footage and witness accounts carry so much weight.
If the Other Driver Was Uninsured, Underinsured or Fled
A driver with no coverage, too little coverage, or who left the scene does not end your case. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy may step in. Michigan does not require drivers to buy it, and each policy sets its own notice rules, so check yours and get a hit-and-run on record with police without delay. Read more about uninsured and underinsured motorist claims and hit-and-run accidents in Michigan.
Proof to Preserve After a Birmingham Collision
- The Birmingham Police report, with the officer’s sketch and any tickets issued
- Camera recordings from storefronts and parking decks, many of which overwrite within days
- Signal timing data when the crash happened at a Woodward intersection
- Dashcam or cell phone clips from you, other motorists or bystanders
- Pictures of both cars, the crosswalk, the signals and the pavement
- Treatment records linking each injury to the collision
Injuries We See After Birmingham Car Crashes
- Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries
- Whiplash, herniated discs and other neck or back damage
- Damage to the spinal cord
- Fractures
- Torn shoulders and knees
- Internal organ injuries
- Permanent scars and disfigurement
Concussions and soft tissue damage often stay quiet for hours or even days. Seeing a doctor right away protects your recovery and creates the medical record your claim will rely on. For catastrophic harm, visit our Troy brain injury attorney and Troy spinal cord injury attorney pages.
Your Checklist After a Birmingham Crash
- Dial 911 so Birmingham Police can respond and write it up. For non-emergencies, the number is 248-530-1870.
- See a doctor the same day, at an emergency room or urgent care, and mention every ache.
- Photograph everything: both cars, the crosswalk, the signals and your injuries.
- Look around for cameras on storefronts and parking decks pointed at the street.
- Collect contact and insurance details from the other driver, plus witness names and numbers.
- Report the crash to your insurer so your No-Fault file gets opened.
- Turn down recorded interviews requested by the other motorist’s insurance company until a lawyer has advised you.
- Talk to an auto accident lawyer in Birmingham, MI before key deadlines pass.
Getting Your Birmingham Police Crash Report
You can buy a Birmingham Police crash report online for $13 through the Courts and Law Enforcement Management Information System (CLEMIS). A $5 copy is also available in person at the department’s clerical counter, open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Have the complaint number, location and date ready. Questions go to 248-530-1873, and the Birmingham Police services page lists current details.
Skip that errand if you hire us. Khamo Law requests your crash report as soon as intake begins and studies it as part of our investigation, leaving you free to concentrate on healing.
Time Limits for Birmingham Car Accident Claims
- PIP notice: MCL 500.3145 generally gives you 1 year from the crash to notify your insurer in writing, and a benefits lawsuit can typically recover only charges from the 12 months before it was filed.
- Assigned Claims Plan: when no policy covers you, apply within 1 year as required by MCL 500.3174.
- Defective road claims: written notice is usually due within 120 days, per MCL 691.1404.
- Injury lawsuit against the driver: typically must be started within 3 years, per MCL 600.5805.
Let one of these dates slip and benefits you earned can be lost for good, so get advice early.
Courts for Birmingham Crash Lawsuits
Birmingham crash cases go to Oakland County courts. Claims worth $25,000 or less can be heard at the 48th District Court, 4280 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills, which handles cases from Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield and neighboring communities. Bigger cases belong in the Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac.
More Ways We Help Injured Birmingham Residents
- Semi-truck crashes
- Motorcycle wrecks
- Cyclists hit by cars
- Rideshare crashes involving Uber or Lyft
- Fatal crashes and wrongful death
Hurt just across the city line? Visit our Troy car accident lawyer or Royal Oak car accident lawyer pages.
What Birmingham Clients Get With Khamo Law
- A neighbor in Troy: our main office is in the city bordering Birmingham, and Oakland County courtrooms are familiar ground.
- Crash cases every day: fighting No-Fault denials and pursuing negligent drivers sits at the center of our practice.
- Contingency fee: no recovery means no attorney fee.
- Free consultation over the phone, by video, or in person in Troy.
- Three languages: our attorneys and staff speak Arabic, Chaldean and English, so nothing gets lost in translation.
Over $40 million has been recovered for Khamo Law clients, backed by more than 40 years of combined experience on our team. More than 230 Google reviewers have rated us 5.0 stars. Koro E. Khamo, who founded the firm, is recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star and was selected for The National Trial Lawyers’ Top 40 Under 40.
Birmingham, MI Car Accident Questions
Is a car accident attorney in Birmingham, MI worth calling after a small fender bender?
For a scrape with no injuries, maybe not. A lawyer becomes much more useful once someone is hurt, the other side disputes who caused it, your insurer drags its feet on benefits, or the at-fault motorist had no coverage or drove off.
Whose insurance covers my hospital bills after a Birmingham crash?
Usually your own. Michigan PIP pays medical bills through the policy in your household no matter who caused the collision, up to the medical limit you chose.
A car hit me in a downtown Birmingham crosswalk. What can I recover?
People on foot generally qualify for No-Fault benefits, through a household auto policy or, failing that, the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan. If your injuries are serious enough to meet Michigan’s threshold, you can also pursue the driver.
Where do I buy a copy of a Birmingham Police accident report?
Online through CLEMIS for $13, or at the department’s clerical counter for $5. If Khamo Law represents you, we pull the report during intake so you do not have to.
My injury still hurts months later. Can I sue for that?
Possibly. A pain and suffering claim requires death, a serious impairment of body function or permanent serious disfigurement, and it is barred if you are found more than 50% responsible for the crash.
What deadlines apply after a crash on Woodward or Maple?
Written No-Fault notice to your insurer is generally due within 1 year, and a lawsuit against the at-fault motorist typically must be filed within 3 years. A claim against a government agency over a road defect needs notice in just 120 days.
Can an auto accident lawyer in Birmingham, MI help if the driver drove away?
Yes. Your PIP benefits still pay for treatment and lost wages, and if you carry uninsured motorist coverage, it may pay pain and suffering damages the missing driver never will. Report the hit-and-run to police right away.
What will Khamo Law charge me?
Nothing upfront. Car crash cases are handled on contingency, so our fee comes only from money we collect for you, and there is no fee at all if we collect nothing.
Speak With a Birmingham MI Car Accident Lawyer Today
Injured in a crash in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills or elsewhere in Oakland County? Reach out to Khamo Law soon. Phone (248) 466-0606 or message us online to schedule your free consultation.
The information on this page is general in nature and is not legal advice about your specific case. Results in earlier matters do not predict or ensure the result in yours.