Suffering injuries in a crash caused by an uninsured motorist can pose especially vexing problems to persons. Although persons who operate motor vehicles on public roadways in North Carolina are required to carry liability insurance coverage that will pay for damage in the event that they cause a crash, many irresponsible drivers operate motor vehicles while not carrying any applicable liability insurance.
If you or someone you love has been a victim of an uninsured or underinsured driver in Charlotte, you have likely dealt with the issue of how to pay for mounting medical bills. Even drivers who do carry liability insurance may not have enough coverage to pay for all of a person’s medical bills and other damages.
An alarming number of motorists do not even carry policies with the minimum amount of car insurance coverage required by North Carolina law, and those who carry the minimum coverage required often do not have enough coverage to pay for damages in the event of a crash.
The best thing you can do if you have been injured by an uninsured or underinsured motorist is to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer. The experienced professionals at Arnold & Smith, PLLC have helped many Charlotte area residents recover compensation after an uninsured motorist collision. Contact us today to schedule your free initial consultation and learn how we can advocate for you.
Attorneys Help Injured Persons Identify Sources Of Insurance Coverage And Make Claims
Drivers are required to carry minimum amounts of car insurance coverage in North Carolina. The minimum limits are $30,000.00 per person in an accident, and $60,000.00 total if multiple persons are injured in an accident.
Some drivers do not carry any insurance at all. It is important to explore all possible sources of insurance coverage after a car accident. When an at-fault driver does not have car insurance or does not have enough car insurance coverage to compensate victims of one’s negligence, injured persons may need to make claims against their own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage policies. Persons can also access coverage from underinsured motorist policies of members of their household or those related by blood.
North Carolina law allows injured persons to add together, or stack, coverages from multiple uninsured or underinsured car accident policies in incidents where the damages exceed the available liability coverage. Anyone who purchases auto insurance in North Carolina is required to purchase uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, with few exceptions. Claims made against uninsured and underinsured policies do not result in higher premiums or dropped coverage because these are “no fault” coverages. It is not the fault of an injured person that a negligent driver failed to carry an adequate amount of liability insurance.
In uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, an injured person’s own insurance carrier steps into the proverbial shoes of the at-fault driver and can fully defend against the claim. The carrier will likely try to pay an injured person the least amount possible. It may even claim that an injured person did not really suffer an injury or that one’s injuries were caused by pre-existing conditions.
It is important to contact an experienced car accident lawyer before speaking to one’s own insurance company. Insurance companies often begin contacting victims almost immediately after a car accident, hoping that they will unintentionally admit fault or claim that they are not injured after an accident. The professionals at Arnold & Smith, PLLC can help persons craft an accurate statement for one’s insurance company that will protect one’s right to file a claim in the future.
Attorneys can File Lawsuits to Advance Injured Persons’ InterestsMost persons who fail to carry liability insurance do not possess sufficient assets to pay for a judgment. That means that even if an injured person sues the at-fault driver and wins, the injured person still gets nothing, because the at-fault driver owns nothing worth seizing. However, every car accident case is different, and there are instances in which parties possess adequate funds to pay a claim. This occurs most often when a person is working for a company and operating a company vehicle and causes a crash.
If a commercial driver hits your car, you may be able to bring a lawsuit against the driver’s employee, even if the employee himself or herself does not have personal liability insurance. If an accident involved dangerous road conditions as a contributing factor, a person could bring a claim against the entity responsible for maintaining the roads.
The best thing an injured person can do is speak to an experienced car accident lawyer about the unique facts and circumstances of an accident. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation.