Being involved in a car accident is stressful enough, but when you find out the at-fault driver is also uninsured, you may wonder what options you have for financial recovery. Your insurance company may offer some vague answers, but with the help of a Pennsylvania uninsured motorist lawyer, you can rest assured you'll get the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.
If you were involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver, call a car accident lawyer at Munley Law for a free, no-obligation consultation.
How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help Me With My Claim?
While you never have to hire a personal injury lawyer for an uninsured motorist claim, there are benefits to doing so.
From dealing with the insurance company, guiding you through a civil case against the driver directly, or navigating your uninsured motorist coverage, we can handle all the red tape so you can focus on your health.
Quicker Resolution
Even though you may be paying for liability insurance, the insurance adjuster will not rush to settle with you. By working with a car accident attorney, you know we won't back off the insurance company until a settlement check is in your hands.
Investigation of Your Claim and Gathering of Evidence
When a motor vehicle accident involves an uninsured motorist or is a hit-and-run, there will be much more evidence to build a claim showing you are not at fault.
With a law firm by your side, your claim will be thoroughly investigated to ensure the at-fault party is held accountable. We collect critical evidence such as:
- Police reports
- Medical records
- Witness statements
- Expert testimony, including accident reconstructionists
- Proof of physical damages, such as repair estimates for your vehicle
We won't rest until you have the strongest claim to hold the at-fault driver accountable.
Evaluation of Your Claim and Review Your Options
With the evidence gathered, we can calculate your claim's value. We'll consider the severity of your injuries, time away from work, and property damage to ensure you get the most compensation.
We can determine where to go once we have assembled the puzzle pieces. In many cases, drivers without insurance may feel stuck and flee the scene. When there is no liable party to bring damages against, you have no choice but to see what options you have under your insurance coverage.
We'll help you review your insurance policy to see if you have uninsured motorist coverage.
If the driver does not flee but lacks insurance, we'll help you file a personal injury claim to recover damages.
Representation in Negotiations and Court
No two car accident claims are the same, and when they involve an uninsured or underinsured motorist accident, they have even more challenges. Munley Law has worked with victims of all kinds of accidents, including those with uninsured drivers.
We use that experience to represent you in negotiations with insurance adjusters or to defend you in court.
Uninsured accidents can be stressful, but an experienced car accident lawyer can help alleviate your worries.
How Does Car Insurance Work?
Under Pennsylvania law, all motor vehicle owners must hold vehicle liability insurance on any currently registered
vehicle. Liability coverage is used for compensation for any property damage or injuries you may sustain in a crash.
To comply with the law, all cars, vans, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, trucks, and buses must have liability insurance.
If you do not have auto insurance, your vehicle registration may be suspended for three months or you may be fined $500.
What Are the Insurance Coverage Minimums in Pennsylvania?
While all drivers must have auto insurance, there are various amounts of coverage you may opt into holding. However, Pennsylvania law forces drivers to hold the minimum forms of auto insurance coverage.
- Bodily injury liability coverage: $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident
- Property damage liability coverage: $5,000
- First-party benefits: $5,000
Drivers do have the option of adding an auto insurance policy for uninsured or underinsured motorists. These limits include:
- Uninsured motorist coverage: $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident
- Underinsured motorist coverage: $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident
In Pennsylvania, you also have the option to pick between full-tort and limited tort coverage.
Full tort allows you to sue without restrictions if you are involved in an accident, while limited tort policies are cheaper. However, you cannot sue for damages unless your injuries are severe enough.
To learn what types of coverage you have and if minimum coverage is enough for your accident, call Munley Law. We'll guide you through your legal options and help you file an insurance claim.
Won't My Normal Insurance Policy Cover Me If I'm Involved in an Accident?
Unfortunately, if you're involved in an accident with an uninsured driver and do not have uninsured motorist coverage, your auto policy will not cover you.
Instead, you must file a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver to get compensation for injuries.
This is why it is critical to understand your motor vehicle insurance coverage and what additional coverage you can add to your policy to increase coverage limits and best protect yourself on the roadways.
Why You Should Have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
While you may have the minimum mandatory auto insurance coverage required by the state, adding an uninsured or underinsured motorist policy is the only way to know you have sufficient insurance if you are involved in a wreck with a driver or are a victim of a hit-and-run.
While these policies are more money, the costs they save you when you need it is huge.
Without this coverage, you may sacrifice your right to maximum compensation when needed.
What Do I Do If an Uninsured or Underinsured Driver Hits Me?
If you are in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, the first step you need to take after getting to safety, calling the police, and seeking medical attention is to review your auto insurance policy. If you only have the minimum policy, you may not have uninsured motorist coverage (UM) or underinsured motorist coverage (UIM), which limits your options for financial recovery. In that case, you must file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver to recover compensation for the accident.
But, if you do have UM or UIM coverage, you can begin the process of filing an auto insurance claim. These claims can be tricky because the insurance adjusters know the other driver has nothing to offer them.
If you find yourself in this situation or in any car accident, call Munley Law.
What Do I Do If I Was a Victim of a Hit And Run?
If you were involved in a hit-and-run accident, you first need to call the police and keep a record of everything. The license plate number of the at-fault driver can tell a lot, but even the car's make, model, and color are helpful.
You then need to report the accident to your insurance company. Your insurance policy will determine the type of compensation you may receive. In general, uninsured motorist coverage provides compensation in hit-and-run cases. But you may be limited on what you can do if you do not have uninsured motorist coverage.
Call an uninsured motorist accident attorney from Munley Law to learn how we can help you in a hit-and-run case.
Car Accident Cases Need Experienced Attorneys
If you or a loved one were involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver and suffered serious injury, know that there are options for you to recover compensation. At Munley Law, we've helped car accident victims and their families navigate the complexities of hit-and-run accidents, uninsured driver collisions, and other challenging auto accidents.
During your initial consultation, we'll walk you through your best options for financial compensation. From there, we can calculate the value of your claim, including damages related to the following:
- Medical expenses, including future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
A Pennsylvania uninsured or underinsured motorist claim can be challenging to comprehend with so much legal jargon. Your insurance company will try to minimize your policy limits, but we know what you're entitled to.
Call the Pennsylvania uninsured motorist attorneys of Munley Law today for a no-obligation, free consultation.
