When you suffer injuries in an accident through no fault of your own, you expect to be able to receive compensation by filing a claim with the insurance company that covers the other driver. If the at-fault driver has no insurance, however, or doesn’t have enough insurance coverage to completely cover your losses, you may have to look elsewhere for compensation. Fortunately, an Akron uninsured car accident lawyer can present your options and help you work toward obtaining any compensation for which you might be eligible.
Severe injuries can leave you facing thousands in medical bills, lost wages, and even permanent impairments. All too often, uninsured drivers try to evade responsibility and leave you to bear these costs alone. The attorneys of Ben Crump Law, PLLC know what alternatives are available to you to get you compensation for your losses. Call (844) 730-0233 today and learn more about getting compensation following a car accident with an uninsured driver.
Uninsured Drivers and Car Accidents
Researchers at the Insurance Research Council found in 2015 that about one in eight drivers in America are uninsured. Statistics from the state of Ohio indicated that about 12.4% of residents were driving without insurance. Therefore, you are at risk of being involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver.
A lack of access to an insurance policy for the driver responsible for your accident can arise in two different ways. First, a driver who is uninsured has an outstanding arrest warrant, or who is simply afraid of being responsible for an accident may flee the accident scene, resulting in a hit and run accident. If police are unable to identify the driver, you will have no way to file an insurance claim. Even if the police later do identify a hit and run driver, the driver may not have any insurance coverage.
Likewise, some drivers who do remain at the scene also may have no insurance coverage. They likely will face consequences for driving without insurance under state law, but that still does not compensate you for injuries and property damages suffered in the accident. When no insurance coverage is available from the driver who caused your accident, you may need to look to alternatives for getting compensation for your injuries. An Akron uninsured car accident lawyer can help you determine and evaluate those options so that you make the choice that is right for you and your situation.
For a free legal consultation with a uninsured car accidents lawyer serving Akron, call (844) 730-0233
Minimum Insurance Coverage Under Ohio Law
Like most states, Ohio law requires that all drivers carry minimum amounts of liability insurance coverage. This type of insurance covers the costs of injuries and property damages to other parties if you cause an accident. Specifically, you must carry the following amounts of liability insurance:
- $25,000 bodily injury coverage per person in a single accident
- $50,000 bodily injury coverage for all persons involved in a single accident
- $25,000 property damage coverage for a single accident
Drivers who fail to carry liability insurance altogether are uninsured drivers. However, drivers also may be underinsured. This situation happens when drivers carry liability insurance that is lower than the minimum amounts or they cause injuries or property damage in an accident that is greater than their policy limits. A very severe accident with injuries to multiple people, for instance, could easily exceed the $50,000 total bodily injury coverage for people in a single accident.
Akron Uninsured Car Accident Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Insurance
Although uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance (UIM) coverage is not mandatory in Ohio, it can protect you in this situation. If you suffer injuries or property damage in a car accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, you would file a UIM claim with your own insurance company. You then would receive compensation for all your losses in the case of an uninsured driver or compensation for any accident-related losses that were greater than the insurance coverage that the at-fault driver had in place at the time of the accident.
Your UIM coverage also is subject to limits based on the amount of the policy that you have purchased. Ohio Revised Code (ORC) § 3937.18 allows drivers to purchase UIM coverage in the same amount as the liability coverage that they have purchased. The UIM policy also covers expenses for injuries that the liability insurance policy for the underinsured driver did not fully cover.
Unlike liability claims following an accident, making a claim against your UIM coverage does not result in an increase in the insurance premiums that you pay for coverage. However, your insurance company may attempt to recover the costs that it paid to you under your UIM coverage by suing the driver who was responsible for the accident, if the insurance company can identify and locate the driver. In a hit and run accident situation, this action by your insurance company may be impossible.
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Get Help with Your Car Accident Claim Today
Whether you are making a claim against your own insurance policy or that of another driver, getting compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle damage following an accident is not always an easy task. Insurance companies are businesses trying to make a profit, so they may be reluctant to pay your claim, even if you have submitted a fair and reasonable claim along with the necessary documentation. Enlisting the help of an Akron uninsured car accident lawyer can be the first step toward collecting fair compensation for your losses related to your accident.
The attorneys at Ben Crump Law, PLLC know how financially crushing accident-related expenses can be. As a result, we take car accident claim cases on a contingency basis, meaning that we receive no payment unless you receive payment. We get our fees only after you get compensation, whether through your own insurance policy or that of the at-fault driver. Call (844) 730-0233 to learn how to get started with your car accident claim today.
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