Introduction
If you have been in an accident with a driver who was uninsured or underinsured and you suffered personal bodily injury, you may qualify for a settlement. Dealing with courts and insurance companies after a traumatizing accident can be a difficult and arduous process, but it becomes much easier when you are aware of the laws and guidelines surrounding an uninsured motorist insurance claim. Here are the most important things you need to know in the case of an uninsured motorist bodily injury settlement.
Uninsured Motorist Statistics
Reports and statistics released by the Insurance Resource Council (IRC) estimate that there are more uninsured motorists on the road today than there have ever been before and the numbers are rising. While it differs from state-to-state, the IRC says the figure could be as high as one out of every 6 drivers being uninsured or underinsured.
Personal Injury Protection
Personal Injury Protection is the first line of defense, so to speak against an accident with an uninsured motorist. If you were in an accident and suffered personal injury, it is important to have good PIP coverage that ensures you have the means to pay for the treatment you need to recover. PIP can be a great help in the case of an accident where the other driver is uninsured and at fault.
Even if his insurance is ineffective or nonexistent, your insurance could potentially cover all your medical costs. If it does not, however, you may want to seek the legal guidance of a car accident lawyer in Phoenix.
Uninsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage
In contrast to PIP coverage, uninsured motorist coverage (UIM) can help cover all the costs associated with an accident where the other driver is at fault and/or uninsured. Even if you are in a hit and run, for example, and you are not able to process a claim with the other driver’s insurance company, UIM will ensure you are not left with the bills raised by an accident that was not your fault.
Although the actual amount of UIM coverage you need can vary wildly because of the differences in economic tax bracket and geographical location, the car insurance industry standard is at least $100k per person and up to $300k per accident. Talk to your policy provider today to ensure you have UIM coverage and it is sufficient to cover your costs in the event of an accident.
What to Do Immediately After the Accident
Just being in an accident alone can be an annoying experience at best and a terrible experience at worst, but being in an accident with an uninsured motorist can be a special nightmare if you don’t know exactly what to do.
In the case of an accident, the first thing to do after calling a police officer is to determine that both parties are legal, have registered their cars and are adequately insured. If any of these three requirements is not fulfilled by either party, it is their responsibility to speak with the police officer about it. At this point you should also be thinking about hiring a car accident attorney.
Once you assess the damage to your car and you yourself (and if nothing too serious has happened), take down all of the other driver’s information and make copies of their documents if possible. Do not move your car from the scene of the accident or leave the area until a police officer arrives. While you wait for an officer, take pictures of the accident; i.e., photos of all the cars associated in the accident and take close-up pictures of the damage as best as you can.
If you feel up to it, you can even take video of the scene. Talk to the police officer and make sure that you get a copy of all the reports they fill out as well as all the documentation relating to the incident. This evidence will be invaluable in the future if you need to provide evidence of the accident to your insurance company or file a car accident lawsuit in a court of law to start the process for an uninsured motorist bodily injury settlement.
Dealing With Personal Injury
If you suffered mild to serious personal injury in a car accident, collecting evidence and exchanging documentation may become irrelevant. Make sure that an ambulance is called to your location in addition to the cops if you need urgent medical care. If your injuries are not too severe, stay calm and report your injuries to the police officer when they arrive.
You will also want to make sure that you are represented by a skilled personal injury attorney. To get in contact with a personal injury attorney, please give us a call at (480) 467-4349 or fill out a form online. We offer a free consultation and if end up representing you, we guarantee that we will win your case or you don’t pay!
How a JacksonWhite Personal Injury Lawyer can Help
Interacting with the court and insurance companies can be quite a hassle, but it’s certainly possible to do so without a law degree. If you feel like your case isn’t too serious or you don’t feel like paying fees to get a lawyer to file paperwork on your behalf, then managing the case yourself is a good idea.
However, the costs of hiring a personal injury lawyer will seem quite minor when you realize the significant difference they will make in your case. Personal injury lawyers deal with these types of cases on a day-to-day basis and understand injury law better than anyone. They will not only make sure that you receive the settlement that you deserve, but make sure that the entire recovery process of your personal injury is easier on you.
Call our Personal Injury team at (480) 467-4392 to discuss your case today.