Lins Law Group Blog

The Importance of Uninsured Motorist Coverage

This week I had a client come into the office with horrendous injuries. Her medical bills are already in excess of $60,000 and her auto accident just happened two weeks ago. By the time all of her treatment and recovery are finished, she could easily have bills in excess of $100,000. Add to this her lost wages and pain and suffering and she has a substantial case. Unfortunately, the person who hit her had only a small liability policy. This means that the client likely will not recover enough to pay her medical bills, much less recover anything for herself.

In some cases, this would not be so catastrophic if the client had her own unisured motorist ("UM")coverage. With that type of insurance, if the "at fault" party does not have any or enough liability coverage, then the UM coverage would kick in and pay for the client's damages, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. However, in a effort to save money, many people decline UM coverage. In order to do so, they actually have to sign a form saying they decline the coverage. If the insuarnce agent does not obtain the signed waiver form, the client may be able to establish a right to the coverage. If there is no UM insurance, the badly injured client will have a great case but no one against whom to collect. As a result, she will likely end up facing a dire financial and personal situation since she will have huge unpaid medical bills, she may be unable to work and will suffer in pain in the future. 

In order to protect yourself and your family, you should talk with your insurance agent about securing the most UM coverage you can reasonably afford.

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Avoiding the "Slam" in an Auto Accident

If you've ever been in a car crash, you know that the "smack" of another vehicle can really shake you up. Initially, you are stunned; then you check to see if you've been hurt. If someone is with you, you check on them as well. Nonetheless, you are rattled and probably are not thinking straight. As a result, it helps to know ahead of time what to do in case of an accident. Then, if you get into one, at least you will have it in your mind what steps to take and hopefully those thoughts will keep you on track.

First, immediately make provision for your safety and health. If you are injured, make sure that emergency medical services (“EMS”) and law enforcement are called. Have EMS examine you and if appropriate, have them transport you to an emergency room for treatment. If you are able, try to obtain the following information:

• the name, address and driver’s license number of all drivers involved in the accident;
• the name, address and policy number for all insurance companies of all drivers involved in the accident;
• the name and address of all passengers in any vehicle;
• the name and address of all witnesses to the accident;
• the name and badge number of the attending law enforcement officer;
• the report number for the accident report (obtain a copy of the report if possible).

After the immediate medical and other needs are attended to, talk to an attorney experienced in injury law. He or she can guide you through the steps that will follow. For example, almost immediately you will have representatives of your insurance company and the other driver's insurance company contacting you. While they may seem friendly, neither are really your friend. Their goal is to investigate your claim and if possible to find a way to deny paying it. An experienced lawyer can advise you so that they do not take advantage of you.

For more information, visit www.linslawgroup.com