While the majority of Americans drive responsibly with the proper amount of insurance, there are still hundreds of thousands of motorists who drive with only the most basic coverage allowed by law. There are ways to protect your family with your own car insurance policies. If you, or a family member, have recently suffered an injury in a car accident, speak with a Missouri car accident attorney before speaking with any insurance adjusters. It is extremely important that you are aware of all of your options before making any decisions regarding compensation.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is mandatory for all Missouri car insurance policy holders. This is designed to protect drivers from having to bear the brunt of medical expenses alone if involved in a collision with a person who is unable to pay. While we like to think that nothing detrimental will ever happen to ourselves or someone we love, it is estimated that close to 18,000 car accidents occur every day in the United States.How do you protect yourself?
The best way is by having adequate insurance coverage. Assume that most drivers’ who are reckless enough to cause an accident, are also careless enough to have inadequate insurance, if any. For uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage stack your policy as high as you can afford to. Medical bills compound quickly, the small amount you may have to pay monthly in premiums is nothing when compared with a hospital bill for catastrophic injuries.Take this case of a Missouri teenager as an example. The young man was severely injured when he was hit head on by a drunk driver. Clearly, being intoxicated and high on drugs, the other motorist was at fault. With no assets to pursue, the family had to settle with accepting the policy limit for her extremely inadequate liability coverage. Their own underinsured motorist coverage was also pursued and awarded for policy limits, but even with the two insurance pay-outs there was still a large balance for the cost of the teenager’s medical care.
A car accident lawyer will fight hard and investigate scenarios in order to help their clients receive enough compensation for the damages caused by an accident. If they are able to prove negligence on behalf of a 3rd party, they will pursue that avenue as well. In the above mentioned case, there simply was no other extenuating circumstance that would have allowed for another person or entity to be held at fault.
St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
While you may feel it is unjust that you inevitably are paying for someone else’s negligence with your insurance, it is a small price when compared with the alternative. The best defense against underinsured motorists is to have a strong offense with your own insurance policy. In any car accident claim, it is always advised that the injured party speak with an experienced car accident attorney before anyone else. Having to file against your insurance carrier is going to be tricky, and you want to make sure that it is done properly so that you receive the full amount of compensation you are entitled to.If you have been involved in a car accident contact The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. today to schedule a free consultation.
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