Uninsured Motorist Attorneys

Trying to find an attorney that will represent you in an Uninsured Motorist claim and fight for the most money possible?

Many of us have experienced the hassle of being involved in a car accident and having to go through the sometimes months-long process of negotiating with insurance companies to settle a claim. At best, a car accident can be a headache. At worst, it can be a highly traumatic, life-altering, and very costly event. Regardless of the severity of the wreck, a car accident can go from being bad to worse if the other driver is uninsured. While you probably already feel startled and in shock about the accident, you are then left to worry about whether you will have to bear the financial burden of the damage to your vehicle and any injuries that you might have suffered.

Being prepared with an idea of what actions you should take in case of a car accident with an uninsured motorist can go far in easing some of the stress and emotions you might feel in the hours and days following the accident. Here’s how you can protect yourself in case you are ever in an accident with an uninsured motorist, including what your options may be following such an incident.

Call My Rights Law’s Uninsured Motorist Lawyer If You Have Sustained Injuries

The skilled car accident lawyers at My Rights Law are all about helping clients in car accident lawsuits and insurance claims. We will carefully evaluate your situation, review any applicable uninsured motorist coverage or other insurance policies for claim validation purposes, and aggressively negotiate a resolution on your behalf. Most cases are taken on a contingency fee basis. This means that we do not assess attorney’s fees unless you prevail in your case. Do not go with just any law firm to resolve your UM or UIM case. Should you want to consult with My Rights Law’s auto accident attorneys, call (888) 702-8882, or leave us your name, phone number, and a message through our secure web form and we will contact you for a free consultation.

What Is The Car Insurance Law?

In some states, it is illegal to drive without car insurance. If you get into a collision and do not have insurance coverage, you could face the consequences even if you did not cause the crash. The state can revoke or suspend your driver’s license for driving without insurance.

In addition to risking losing your license, you may also risk being financially responsible for any injuries that may result from the accident. If you were to get into an accident that caused injuries to another motorist, you could end up having to pay out of pocket for their losses, or they might not be able to get compensation at all for their injuries.

Essentially, if an uninsured driver causes injuries, they may shift the burden of the damages to the victim. The law aims to prevent this from happening, but there are also ways that drivers can protect themselves from the consequences of a crash with an uninsured motorist.

What Happens When An Uninsured Driver Causes My Injuries?

One of the most important things to consider when an uninsured driver causes an accident in which you are injured is your own insurance policy. If you carry coverage, your policy may be able to help cover your medical bills if the other driver lacks car insurance coverage, regardless of whether you are at fault.

If you have uninsured motorist coverage as part of your insurance policy, your policy may also provide you with a way of seeking compensation for your injuries. You may have to prove your damages and the other driver’s liability to collect from your insurance company the compensation that you deserve.

In some instances, it might be sensible to file a claim against the uninsured driver. Suppose a driver does not carry car insurance but does have assets, such as bank accounts, vehicles, a home, or other items of value. In that case, you might be able to recover your damages directly from that individual. Car insurance is a way of protecting both parties, and an uninsured driver puts their own assets at risk by failing to carry insurance. Of course, many drivers who fail to carry insurance do so because they do not have the income to afford that coverage, so it may be unlikely that they would have assets available to compensate you for your injuries.

If you get into a car accident with an uninsured motorist, you may want to speak with an experienced uninsured motorist claims attorney to discuss what steps you should take. The best course of action may vary depending on the facts of the case.

What About Unknown Drivers And Uninsured Driver Coverage?

In some automobile accidents, the other driver will stop, and you may later learn that they do not carry car insurance or that their policy had lapsed. Other times, however, the driver may simply flee the scene to avoid facing the consequences for their role in a collision. Unfortunately, you might never be able to identify the person involved in the crash.

If the driver who caused your injuries is unknown, you might still be able to rely on uninsured motorist coverage to collect compensation. Your insurance provider would treat the unknown driver as if they were an uninsured motorist.

What Steps Should I Take Following A Crash With An Uninsured Driver?

Call The Police

If you suffer injuries in a crash with an uninsured driver, you should still report the crash to the police. It is vital to call the police even after a minor collision. Many times, drivers do not even realize the severity of their injuries until days after the crash, if not longer. Failing to report a car accident to the police can lead to complications if you later seek to file a claim with your insurance company or against the other driver.

Seek Medical Attention

It may be a good idea to seek medical attention after an accident even if you feel that your injuries are minor or do not think you have any injuries. The adrenaline and shock people often experience in the aftermath of a collision can mask the signs of injuries. If you do not go to the doctor right away but later file a claim against the other driver, then the other driver might use that information to argue that your injuries were not severe.

Call Your Insurance Company

You should report the crash to your insurance provider as soon as possible. Insurers often require that you inform them of collisions within a specific period of time.

Call An Attorney

You may also want to reach out to an attorney. A lawyer with experience with uninsured motorist claims can help you to investigate the accident and navigate interactions with your insurance company. They can explain what options you have for pursuing compensation from the other driver, your own insurance company, or any other potential sources.

Once your insurer learns that you might file an uninsured motorist claim, they may start to investigate the accident and try to limit the amount that they have to pay you. You will want to ensure that you have an advocate who can prevent that company from pressuring you into taking an unfair settlement.

Be Careful About What You Say

Following any car accident, you should not make statements admitting fault or apologizing for causing an accident. Although many people apologize even when something is not their fault, apologizing following an accident might be misconstrued as an admission of fault and could hurt any claims you may have against the other driver or your insurance company.

Should I File A Claim Against My Insurance Provider?

If you and your lawyer choose to file an uninsured motorist claim, your insurance company may request that you provide evidence of the harm that you suffered. You may have to gather your medical bills, documentation of the damage to your vehicle and any associated expenses, and evidence of any lost wages related to the accident. Your attorney might also help you to come up with an amount to demand from your insurance company to compensate you for the harm, including your pain and suffering. When you file an uninsured motorist claim, you have the right to seek any damages that you would have sought had you filed a claim against the other motorist directly.

In some cases, your attorney and the insurance company may manage to settle your claim. Other times, the insurance company might fail to provide a settlement that meets your demands. In cases where settlement negotiations are not showing progress, you can demand that you take your case to arbitration. The arbitration process can be similar to a lawsuit in that the arbitrators are supposed to come to a binding decision related to your claim. Your attorney can help you to prepare for the arbitration hearing and represent you during the proceedings. They may present your evidence and argue in favor of recovering damages for your injuries.

What Happens If The Insurance Companies Do Not Cooperate?

Some states do not require insurance companies to provide uninsured motorist coverage. If you carry this coverage, you likely agreed to pay additional premiums in exchange for this protection when you set up your policy. If you have the coverage, but your insurance provider wrongfully denies your claim for damages, you might be able to file additional claims against that company.

You may be able to file a claim for breach of contract against the insurance company if they deny your claim even though you have uninsured motorist coverage. You might also have a bad faith claim against the company. Your state’s laws might require that insurance companies act in good faith when they review insurance claims. If a company does not complete a reasonable investigation or make realistic attempts to reach a fair settlement, you might be able to file a bad faith claim and recover damages beyond those that would be available in a regular uninsured motorist claim. The amount that you might be able to recover from a bad faith claim may far exceed what you would have collected if the insurance company had reached a fair settlement with you from the outset.

Insurance companies understand that if they fail to cooperate, they can face a bad faith claim. For this reason, your attorney may have some leverage when working with insurance companies to reach a reasonable settlement. However, if the company does refuse to cooperate or offers extremely low settlement figures, you may have another course of action that you could take. You should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer about all of the legal remedies that might be available in your case.

What Is The Statute Of Limitations For Car Crash Claims?

When it comes to filing lawsuits, you should keep in mind that each state has a statute of limitations, which serves as a deadline that can prevent you from filing a claim if you wait too long. In most cases, you must file an uninsured motorist claim within a couple of years of the accident. However, the statute of limitations may vary depending on the facts of your case. Also, if you plan to file a bad faith claim or breach of contract claim against your insurance company, a different statute of limitations may apply that could affect when you need to file your case.

If you do not file your claim by the time that the statute of limitations runs out, the court may prevent you from pursuing that legal action. Therefore, your best course of action would be to contact an attorney and begin pursuing potential remedies long before the deadline approaches. Your lawyer would need time to investigate the case and build their litigation strategy, and often witnesses and evidence can be more challenging to track down as time goes by. Allowing an attorney to get started on your case as soon as possible after the accident may make it easier on everyone and make it more likely that you receive compensation for your injuries in a timely manner.

Uninsured Motorist Lawyer

If you were involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist, contacting a lawyer with experience in uninsured motorist claims could be the smartest course of action. Whether you decide to file a claim with your insurance company or pursue a lawsuit against the driver directly, the process can be complicated and challenging to navigate. Fortunately, an experienced attorney – one who is well-versed on uninsured motorist claims, can guide you and advocate for your best interests throughout the process.