How To Protect Yourself Against Uninsured Drivers
Have you been in an accident with an uninsured driver? The best way to protect yourself and your property is to have car accident coverage to help cover the damage that can occur in these situations. You can opt in to add UIM, uninsured motorist, coverage to your policy to cover your losses. There are two different types of insurance coverage you can obtain to help cover your medical bills and car damages if you’re ever in an accident with an uninsured driver. UIM mostly pertains to your medical bills that come as a result of this accident. If you would like to have coverage to protect against car damages, you will want to add Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage to your policy. When you purchase UIM or Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage, you should note that the amount you could receive with UIM cannot exceed your standard liability coverage. For example, if your standard coverage covers up to $80,000, your UIM cannot exceed this amount.What To Do If You’re in An Accident With An Uninsured Driver
If you are ever in an accident with an uninsured driver, the steps are the same as any other accident. You need to call the police and wait for them to arrive to file an official report. As you’re waiting for law enforcement to arrive, you need to obtain the other party’s information. Clearly, you will not be able to get insurance information if they do not have it, but you do need to write down their name and contact information. Florida is a no-fault state. That means that in any type of car accident, insured or uninsured, the parties are required to seek their own insurance coverage to help with paying the bills. Therefore, even if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist and the accident is their fault, you still have to file a claim with your own insurance. Once you’re involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist, you need to act quickly and tell your insurance company immediately. Most uninsured motorist coverage requires you to inform them of the claim you’d like to make within 30 days. If your insurance policy does not cover all the expenses after the wreck, there are legal options you can take. Just because you were unfortunately involved in a wreck with an uninsured motorist does not mean all hope is lost.Legal Actions You Can Take in This Scenario
The best course of action you can take in protecting yourself against this unforeseen situation is to have uninsured motorist coverage, especially since car accidents are common and you never know who the other party is. Once you start to file a claim to seek extra compensation, you should consider hiring a West Palm Beach car accident lawyer. Filing your claim means that you will start negotiating a settlement to cover the out-of-pocket expenses you are going to have to pay. Since you are dealing with an uninsured motorist, you have the option to file a lawsuit against them. However, there’s no guarantee you will win a settlement or come out with a helpful sum because if the driver doesn’t have insurance, they likely do not have many assets. There are other legal options you can take to seek extra compensation with the help of a legal professional. Your attorney will look at the wreck from all angles, especially your car, to determine if there’s a potential lawsuit to file against the manufacturer for contributing to the wreck. Your lawyer can also negotiate with your insurance company to get an additional sum out of your settlement to go towards expenses. Working with an attorney in the West Palm Beach, Florida area means you will have a legal professional who can take a thorough look at your accident and find ways to seek extra compensation that you may not be aware of.What Hiring an Attorney Can Do For Your Case
You have the possibility to handle your claim on your own with your insurance policy, but you may not like the outcome of speaking to your insurer yourself. Lawyers and attorneys possess the necessary skills a client needs to build a case that gives the plaintiff a favorable chance of having the outcome they legally deserve. Hiring an experienced West Palm Beach car accident lawyer to do the work for you can significantly reduce pressure off you in your case. They will do most, if not all, of the work for you in communicating with your insurance company and anyone else involved in your case. For example, when you hire an experienced car accident attorney, here is a small preview of what you can expect your attorney to do for you:- Communicate with your insurer and health care providers
- Gather evidence of your case
- Present the evidence to your insurer to prove your claim
- File lawsuits against the vehicle manufacturer, mechanics, or anyone else
- Negotiate a settlement