We recently prosecuted a horrific case involving personal injuries and multiple wrongful deaths from an automobile accident. Unfortunately, the responsible driver only carried the minimum limits of coverage. This is a problem that we see too often. Fortunately we were able to make claims with our client’s insurance carriers for Underinsured/Uninsured Motorist Coverage and Medical Payments Coverage.
Underinsured Motorist coverage is insurance you can purchase from your agent to protect you and persons riding in your vehicle in the event you are injured by a negligent driver who does not have enough coverage to compensate you for your injuries. This coverage is so important that Alabama law requires insurance agents to offer it to customers. This coverage can be waived, but it is not a good idea to decline this coverage. In fact, we recommend that you increase this coverage to the maximum that you can afford. Underinsured Motorist Coverage will pay for personal injury and lost wages if the responsible driver does not have enough coverage. Uninsured Motorist Coverage works in a similar manner and will come into play when the other party does not have any liability insurance.
Another type of insurance coverage that can help if you are involved in an automobile accident is Medical Payments coverage. (Also referred to as Personal Injury Protection or PIP) This coverage will pay for medical expenses incurred after a wreck. Medical Payments coverage is typically offered in amounts of $1,000, $2,000, $5,000 or $25,000. In many cases, we are able to make these claims for persons injured in automobile wrecks to help them pay for out of pocket costs or co-payments necessary to receive medical treatment.
We encourage you to meet with your insurance agent and review your automobile insurance policy to find out the type and limits of your current policy and the cost of increasing your coverage to provide greater protection for you and your loved ones when traveling in your vehicles. Higher coverage limits are often not as expensive as people might think, especially when considering the outcome when the responsible driver is uninsured or underinsured. If you are seriously injured in an automobile wreck, the last thing that you want to learn is that there is not insurance coverage because you wanted to reduce your premiums.
Automobile wrecks are the most common type of personal injury case. We represent many innocent victims are hurt through no fault of their own and due to the actions or indifference of others. In these instances, you can protect yourself and your family by purchasing the right type of insurance coverage and having a legal team on your side to help maximize your recovery for your injuries.