Mid-Michigan resident says new auto insurance laws will negatively impact care for crash victims
By Rachel McCrary
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MICHIGAN (WNEM) — Later this week, Michigan will implement new rules for no fault auto insurance and medical coverage.
The new insurance law is set to lower insurance premiums for Michigan residents.
“I feel a connection to all the other catastrophic injuries I we’ve walked their walk. We’ve been down that road,” Christina Pheils said.
Pheils decided to set a wheelchair by the side of the road to hopefully get some attention.
The new No Fault Auto Insurance law is set to take full effect in less than a week. She believes it’s going to negatively impact care.
“His accident occurred in 1987. He was two years old. He was an unrestrained passenger in an automobile, that was driven by his father,” Pheils said.
Pheils said the car her son was in was hit by a man pulling out of a bar and a wrong way driver hit them the car head on. Leaving her son with severe injuries including a spinal cord injury.
The chair she set out by the side of the road has the words “we can’t wait” on it. The chair got the attention of a neighbor who called and asked why she left a wheelchair out in the rain.
Pheils said she got a chance to explain what was going on.
“He himself was like this isn’t right. You know how can they make the law retroactive? How can they change this? How can they take away what was for 40 years the law? And that’s what we’re all saying,” Pheils said.
Pheils, who is from Stockbridge, said that neighbor is now on her fighting side. Joining the “we can’t wait” Facebook page and saying he will now be contacting legislators and the governor to try to amend the new law.
The las is set to cut 45 percent of the funding care facilities get and the amount the care a family can provide. Pheils says even if it’s just one person they can add to this movement, this wheelchair is making a difference, one person at a time.
“It is that attendant care that they’ve made unattainable the most valuable part of your no-fault insurance. That’s the part that lets you come home with your family. That’s the part let’s you get back into society,” Pheils said.
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