What Michiganders Need to Know About Pain and Suffering Damages

In Michigan, pain and suffering damages compensate injury victims for physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of quality of life… but they are only available if specific legal thresholds are met. Most auto accident victims must prove a serious impairment of body function or permanent serious disfigurement to recover these damages.

This article explains how pain and suffering damages work in Michigan, how they’re evaluated, and what actually strengthens a claim based on what we at Mike Morse Law Firm see every day handling real cases.

What Are Pain and Suffering Damages?

Pain and suffering damages are non-economic damages meant to compensate for the human impact of an injury — not financial losses.

They address how an accident affects your body, mind, and daily life, including:

• Ongoing physical pain or discomfort
• Emotional distress such as anxiety, depression, or trauma
• Loss of enjoyment of normal activities
• Sleep disruption and fatigue
• Changes to relationships and independence

Because these losses don’t come with invoices, they require careful documentation and clear explanation.

When Can You Recover Pain and Suffering in Michigan?

Michigan’s no-fault system limits when pain and suffering damages are available after a car accident.

To pursue these damages, an injured person must show:

• A serious impairment of body function
• Permanent serious disfigurement, or
• Death (in wrongful death cases)

What Counts as a Serious Impairment?

A serious impairment is an objectively documented injury that affects your general ability to live your normal life.

Courts look at whether the injury can be medically observed, involves an important body function, and meaningfully disrupts how you lived before the accident. Total disability is not required — what matters is real, measurable change.

How Are Pain and Suffering Damages Evaluated?

There is no formula for calculating pain and suffering damages in Michigan.

Instead, insurers and juries evaluate the full picture, including:

• Severity and duration of the injury
• Whether symptoms are permanent or long-term
• Impact on work, mobility, and daily routines
• Consistency and credibility of medical records

A common myth is that pain and suffering is calculated by multiplying medical bills. This may be repeated online, but it’s not how Michigan cases are decided. We’ve seen cases with relatively low medical bills result in meaningful pain and suffering recovery and others with high bills fall flat. The deciding factor is how clearly the injury changed the person’s life.

Physical Pain vs. Emotional Pain

Michigan law recognizes both physical and emotional pain and suffering, but emotional harm must be clearly supported.

Physical pain is often proven through imaging, treatment records, and physician opinions. Emotional pain such as PTSD, anxiety, or depression is strengthened by therapy records, behavioral changes, and testimony from the injured person and those close to them.

In our experience, claims that address both aspects are taken more seriously than those that focus on physical pain alone.

Past and Future Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering damages are not limited to what you’ve already experienced.

They can also include anticipated future pain, limitations, or emotional challenges. Claims that explain what life will look like months or years down the road — supported by medical opinions — tend to carry more weight than those focused only on the initial injury.

What Strengthens a Pain and Suffering Claim?

Strong claims tell a clear, consistent story supported by evidence.

The most effective cases typically include:

• Prompt and continuous medical treatment
• Objective findings where available
• Clear descriptions of daily limitations
• Mental health documentation when appropriate

From our internal case reviews, early documentation of how an injury affects everyday life often leads to smoother negotiations and better outcomes.

How Insurance Companies Push Back

Insurance companies rarely argue that pain exists—they argue that it doesn’t matter.

Common strategies include minimizing limitations, pointing to treatment gaps, or using social media activity to suggest normalcy. Knowing this early helps injured people avoid mistakes that can quietly weaken a claim.

Do You Need a Lawyer for Pain and Suffering Claims in Michigan?

You can pursue a claim on your own, but Michigan law leaves little room for error.

Pain and suffering cases depend on meeting legal thresholds and presenting evidence the right way. We’ve seen valid injuries undervalued—or dismissed entirely—because the impact on daily life wasn’t clearly tied to the medical facts.

The Bottom Line

Pain and suffering damages in Michigan are less about numbers and more about clarity. The key question isn’t how much pain you feel—it’s whether you can clearly show how your life changed because of the injury.

Talk to Mike Morse Law Firm

If you’ve been injured in a car, pedestrian, or serious accident and are unsure whether your pain and suffering qualifies under Michigan law, Mike Morse Law Firm is here to help.

Our team has decades of experience evaluating serious injury claims and explaining options clearly — before you make decisions that could affect your case.

Call Mike Morse Law Firm today at 855-374- 2808 to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney or contact us online.

Get answers. Understand your rights. Protect your future.