Posted on Monday, October 12th, 2020 at 3:53 pm
Car accidents happen. Even the most cautious driver can make a mistake that results in a car wreck. California requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance to protect accident victims in the event of a car crash. Unfortunately, some people do not obey the law. For that reason, it is important to have sufficient uninsured motorist insurance coverage to protect yourself if an uninsured driver causes your car accident.
What is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
There are many reasons why a person might ignore the insurance requirements for California drivers. They might not have a valid driver’s license or might not have the money to pay the insurance premiums
When an uninsured driver causes an accident, the victim could sue the driver for damages. However, the driver might not have the resources or assets to pay a judgment for damages. Uninsured motorist coverage can help.
Your uninsured motorist insurance stands in the place of the at-fault driver’s liability insurance. You can file a claim against your uninsured coverage for financial losses and damages. If the other driver caused the crash, your insurance company should pay the claim as if it was the insurance company for the at-fault driver.
You could receive compensation for your:
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future loss of income
- Decreases in earning potential because of a disabling condition
- Disabilities and permanent impairments
- Physical pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life or quality of life
Your insurance company is only liable for a claim up to your policy limits. Therefore, it can be wise to purchase higher policy limits for uninsured motorist coverage as your budget permits.
What Happens if the Driver Leaves the Scene of an Accident?
Your insurance company should treat a hit-and-run accident as an uninsured motorist claim. You file an injury claim with your insurance company under your uninsured motorist coverage. However, you must prove that the other driver caused the accident. That could be difficult without the other vehicle, a video of the accident, or eyewitness testimony.
Even though you are filing a claim with your insurance company, it can help consult with a Sacramento car accident attorney about your claim. An attorney investigates the cause of the crash to gather evidence proving how the crash occurred.
Your lawyer also protects you from bad faith insurance tactics used by your insurance provider to undervalue or deny your uninsured motorist claim. When you file an insurance claim, your insurance agent does not handle the claim. An insurance adjuster handles your claim. Therefore, the adjuster’s goal is the same as it is in all other cases. The adjuster seeks to pay as little as possible to close your car accident claim if the adjuster cannot find a valid reason to deny the claim.
Hit-and-run cases can be complicated. Having an experienced legal team working to get you the money you deserve can give you the best chance of receiving a fair settlement for your uninsured motorist insurance claim.
