Despite laws requiring motorists to carry minimum levels of liability insurance, many people continue to drive without insurance. This practice puts these individuals at risk of financial losses, but when they cause accidents that lead to others suffering injuries and property damages, they also put others at risk. A Frisco uninsured car accident lawyer may be able to advise you of your options for recovering much-needed compensation for your losses.
Even when drivers do carry the minimum requirements for motor vehicle liability insurance by law, they still may not have adequate coverage for all the expenses that an accident involving catastrophic injuries may require. This can lead to personal injury claims over and above and what insurance coverage is available. A car wreck lawyer may be able to present your alternatives and help you decide the best course of actions for your situation.
Texas law requires individuals to purchase minimal motor vehicle liability insurance to protect others. If individuals are at fault for causing an accident, the liability insurance helps compensate other parties who suffer bodily injuries or property damage as a result of the crash. The state minimum levels of liability insurance, known as 30/60/25, are $30,000 for personal injury, $60,000 for the accident, and $25,000 for property damage.
Although drivers who maintain this minimum coverage are complying with the law, this level of insurance coverage does not protect others whom they may cause injuries to in an accident. A single devastating crash that results in severe injuries easily may exceed these minimum levels of insurance coverage. When insurance coverage is insufficient to cover a personal injury claim, individuals may be able to sue drivers for their expenses beyond those that the insurance policy covers.
As a result, drivers may wish to carry uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance coverage (UIM). Although UIM policies can be costly, these policies can provide much-needed supplemental coverage when individuals sustain catastrophic injuries in a crash with uninsured or underinsured drivers or in hit-and-run accidents. As an uninsured car accident lawyer in Frisco may attest, these insurance policies cover not only drivers, but anyone authorized to drive their vehicles, as well as family members and passengers in their cars.
Individuals should take essential steps to protect their rights to compensation following car accidents when they involve uninsured or underinsured drivers. As quickly as practicable, persons in these crashes should:
Following these steps, individuals strongly should consider contacting an uninsured car accident attorney in Frisco for advice. All too often, insurance companies deny even their policyholders from coverage under UIM policies. Although there is no requirement that injury victims exhaust the insurance policies of others before making claims under their policies, insurance companies often are still reluctant to pay out more than they absolutely must, regardless of the circumstances.
Delaying and denying payouts on claims, even for their customers, is precisely what insurance companies are likely to try to do, no matter how legally appropriate claims may be. They often work hard to avoid paying minimal levels to protect their bottom line. As a result, individuals may need aggressive legal representation to obtain the full amount of compensation to which they are entitled.
You may have various options available to you if you are injured or suffer property damage in a car accident with uninsured or underinsured motorists. From claiming benefits under your insurance policy to suing the uninsured driver or attempting to hold third parties liable for their fault in the accident, you still may be able to collect the full amount of compensation for your losses. A Frisco uninsured car accident lawyer may be able to provide you with the guidance that you need in this situation.
McCraw Law Group