What Happens if an Uninsured or Underinsured Driver Causes an Accident? Georgia Personal Injury Attorney Explains
More often than not, claims involving automobile accidents can be resolved through filing claims with an at-fault driver's insurer. However, in situations where a driver does not have insurance, or not enough insurance, the issue can become more complicated. Suffering injuries in an automobile accident can be horrific, and when the person at fault fails to have any automobile insurance, it can be much more difficult for the injured person to receive adequate compensation. Most automobile insurance policies have at least some form of coverage to assist the insured in the event he or she suffers injuries at the expense of an uninsured or underinsured driver.
Filing a Claim Against Your Own Insurance Policy
If you have been injured as a result of an automobile accident caused by an uninsured driver, you most certainly will need some kind of support to help you recover from your injuries. You could find yourself slammed with thousands of dollars in medical expenses, as well as a chance that you will be out of work until you fully recover. When such costs can be attributable to the conduct of either an uninsured or underinsured driver, your uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage can provide you with an avenue of recovery.
Unless you have been involved in an accident where a driver was uninsured, you might not even be aware that you have UM/UIM coverage. The costs associated with injuries can be astronomical, and some people can be stuck with tens of thousands (if not more) in medical bills alone when injured in an accident caused by another person or party. In Georgia, UM/UIM coverage, depending on the facts and circumstances of a given case as well as the type of insurance policy, can also potentially cover damages incurred by a person who suffers injuries as the result of an at-fault driver who either has no insurance or not enough coverage.
Nevertheless, it is unfair for an injured person to continue to suffer without any kind of financial help, and when a person drives either entirely without insurance or without enough insurance, and that person subsequently causes an accident, justice cannot always be served by seeking to hold the driver accountable without investigating possible avenues of recovery through the injured person's own insurance policy.
Why You Should Speak with an Attorney
In Georgia, UM/UIM coverage can certainly be helpful under certain circumstances when you have been injured in an accident. However, many insurance policies are different, and some provide more coverage than others. Moreover, many injured individuals become frustrated when they learn they will not receive sufficient coverage under the at-fault driver's insurance policy, and rightfully so.
Consequently, it is always a good idea to discuss your situation with an attorney immediately after an automobile accident in which you have suffered injuries. An attorney can help you to better understand the coverage available under your insurance policy and while also taking the steps necessary to preserve your rights.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years of Legal Experience to Work For Your Case!
Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law, has spent more than thirty years representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state.
No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.