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Auto accident survivors rally at Capitol

A crane is used to lift a vehicle driven by golfer Tiger Woods following a rollover accident in February in the Rancho Palos Verdes suburb of Los Angeles.
A crane is used to lift a vehicle driven by golfer Tiger Woods following a rollover accident in February in the Rancho Palos Verdes suburb of Los Angeles.

Survivors of catastrophic car accidents and their advocates crowded the halls of the state Capitol on Wednesday.

They're once again pleading with state legislators to fix the new auto no-fault law.

22 year old Braxton Wood has a spinal cord injury from an accident and needs 24/7 care.

But his home care agency had to stop his care last summer. That's because the new law cuts payments to health care providers for survivors by nearly half.

His family is now solely responsible for his care - and he says they haven't received a payment for seven months.

“And it's absolutely criminal, I have emptied my savings in order to just to have gas money to go places, trying to survive and trying to make it to my appointments.”

Republican State Representative Phil Green plans to introduce a bill next week that he says would restore reasonable payments for care providers.

Survivors and advocates are urging other state representatives from both sides of the aisle to sign on as co-sponsors.

Tracy Samilton covers energy and transportation, including the auto industry and the business response to climate change for Michigan Public. She began her career at Michigan Radio as an intern, where she was promptly “bitten by the radio bug,” and never recovered.