San Antonio Uninsured Driver Accident Lawyer
Texas drivers are required to carry liability insurance or proof of financial responsibility to cover personal injury and property damage expenses if they get into a wreck and are found to be at fault. Having liability insurance is critical because it provides a way for injury victims to pay for medical care, make up for lost income, and receive some level of compensation for the harm done to them. Yet despite how important it is and that it’s required by law, more than eight percent of Texas drivers are uninsured. For every 100 cars you see on the street or highway, over eight of them don’t have insurance. What happens if the driver of the car that hits you is uninsured? Are you left to pay your bills on your own with no way to recover for the injuries you’ve suffered? Thankfully, you do have options if you get hit by an uninsured driver, and the Law Office of Israel Garcia can help. Contact our experienced San Antonio uninsured driver accident lawyer today.
Uninsured Motorist Insurance Can Pay for Your Injuries
Just because a negligent driver is uninsured, that doesn’t mean they aren’t liable to you for causing your accident. You can still file a claim against them personally and make them pay out of their own pocket. The difficulty is that most people who drive without insurance don’t have a lot of money to settle a serious car accident case. If they had money, they would have purchased insurance in the first place. This isn’t always the case, however, and it’s worth having an attorney look at their financial picture to see if a claim or lawsuit is worth pursuing. Even if they don’t have money now, getting a civil court judgment against them can be satisfied if they later come into money, whether through inheritance, lottery winnings, or other means. The problem is that you are hurt now, and you need financial help now, not at some speculative point in the future.
This is where your uninsured motorist coverage can come into play. When you buy auto liability insurance, the insurance company is required by law to offer you uninsured motorist (UM) coverage as well. They must offer you at least the same UM coverage as the minimum liability coverage required in Texas, which is 30/60/25 ($30,000 for personal injury per person, $60,000 for personal injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage). While you are not required to opt for UM protection, it comes included unless you specifically reject it in writing.
Uninsured motorist coverage also comes paired with Underinsured Motorist (UIM). UIM coverage comes into play when the negligent driver carries the minimum 30/60/25 coverage but your damages exceed their policy limits. In those cases, your UIM coverage can apply and cover the rest of your damages up to your UIM policy limits.
The cost for UM/UIM coverage is only a fraction of your auto insurance bill and can be invaluable if you ever need it, so it’s wise to accept this coverage as part of your package. If you rejected this coverage without understanding what you were signing, or if the insurance company can’t produce a copy of your signed rejection, we might still be able to help you get coverage.
Our San Antonio Car Accident Law Firm Helps With Uninsured Motorist Insurance Claims
A common mistake people make is trying to handle their UM claim on their own. They assume that since they are working with their own insurer with whom they have a relationship, the insurance company is their friend and on their side. This isn’t necessarily so. Insurance companies are in business to maximize profits for their shareholders, and the job of insurance claims adjusters is to value a claim as cheaply as possible to save the insurance company money. It is not uncommon for insurers to offer payments to unrepresented policyholders that are less than what an attorney could recover, or fight over issues like liability and damages, even when the claim involves UM coverage. You are better off having an experienced car accident attorney represent you and settle with the insurance company on your behalf, or take them to court if necessary. You’ll get more money in the end, and you can focus on your recovery and getting your life back in order rather than having all your time consumed with a frustrating insurance claim.
Call the Law Office of Israel Garcia Today
Insurance companies make it hard to get the compensation you need and deserve. They shouldn’t. Insurance companies are after profits; you are after medical care and justice. Which is more important? At the Law Office of Israel Garcia, we think the answer is easy, and we pour decades of knowledge, skill, experience and dedication into getting the best results we can for car accident injury victims. Contact our San Antonio uninsured driver car accident lawyer today for a free consultation.
