When someone causes a motor vehicle accident that results in injuries to you or your family members, you expect that their insurance company will pay most or all of your claim. However, when the driver who is responsible for your accident has no insurance coverage, you may wonder where to turn for help.
You never expected that you might have to bear the costs of an accident caused by others on your own. With the help of a Long Beach uninsured accident lawyer, you still may be able to get compensation to cover some or all of your accident-related losses.
At Ben Crump Law, PLLC, we know how severe financial pressures may be following an accident in which you have suffered injuries. You may be unable to work and rapidly accruing more and more medical bills, as well as property damage to your vehicle. As a result, you may not believe that you have the funds necessary to get legal help.
We represent clients in your position on a contingency fee basis. This means that you pay nothing out of pocket or upfront for us to start representing you. You pay legal fees only when you receive compensation for injuries. Call (844) 730-0233 and learn how to get started on your car accident claim today.
Uninsured Drivers in California
California Insurance Code (INS) §11580.19(b) provides that liability policies for motor vehicles must maintain minimum limits. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) states that these limits include the following:
- $15,000 for injury or death to one person
- $30,000 for injury or death to multiple people
- $5,000 for property damage
Drivers may and often do opt to maintain higher amounts of coverage on their liability policies, but these are the minimum amounts that drivers should have for their motor vehicles. Unfortunately, not all motorists follow the law concerning vehicle liability insurance.
According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), although California has made improvements in its number of uninsured drivers, 2015 data shows that over 15% of California drivers fail to maintain insurance for their vehicles. This statistic places California as the 14th state in the nation for the percentage of its drivers who are uninsured.
As a result of these figures, you likely may find yourself the victim of an uninsured driver at some point in your life. You need to be aware of your options after you have suffered injuries and property damage due to a crash with an uninsured driver.
Consulting a Long Beach uninsured accident lawyer as quickly as possible following your accident can be the most effective means of exploring your alternatives for seeking compensation.
For a free legal consultation with a uninsured car accidents lawyer serving Long Beach, call (844) 730-0233
How Uninsured Motorist Insurance Policies Can Help
When an uninsured driver causes an accident in which you suffer injuries and property damage, that driver is legally responsible for the costs of your losses. As a practical matter, however, suing the driver, getting a judgment against the driver, and collecting that judgment can be a challenging, if not impossible task. If a driver hasn’t paid for insurance, it is also likely that the driver has no assets to pay off a judgment.
Likewise, if you suffer catastrophic injuries in an accident, and the responsible driver has only the minimum liability coverage, you can seek a maximum of $15,000 for your injuries. If the medical bills and other costs of your injuries total more than $15,000, you again are in the position of being unable to collect any costs from the driver that are above that minimum amount unless you can file a lawsuit against them.
In either of these situations, uninsured motorist insurance can be invaluable. Although state law does not require that drivers carry uninsured motorist insurance, it likely is to your advantage to do so. Insurance companies must offer you uninsured motorist insurance, and you must decline the coverage in writing. This type of insurance covers you as a driver and anyone you allow to drive your vehicle.
As long as you are not at fault for the accident, your uninsured motorist coverage can pay you the difference between the minimum $15,000 of bodily injury liability insurance and the total costs of your injuries. If the responsible driver is uninsured altogether, then your uninsured motorist insurance could pay you the costs of your injuries, subject to the limits of your insurance policy.
Long Beach Uninsured Car Accident Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
Types of Compensation in Uninsured Car Accidents
Bodily injury liability policies, as well as uninsured motorist policies, cover injury-related expenses that you sustain in an accident. This type of compensation includes your medical bills and your loss of income if your injuries make you unable to work, either temporarily or permanently. Surgical costs, rehabilitation expenses, and medical assistive devices are all examples of injury-related medical bills.
Some forms of compensation are non-economic. These damages include compensation for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of companionship to your spouse and dependent children.
Property damage provisions also exist in both liability and uninsured motorist policies. This form of compensation typically relates to damage to your motor vehicle that occurred during the accident. However, it also could include coverage for the loss of replacement value of valuable items of personal property due to your accident, such as laptop computers or jewelry.
Click to contact our Long Beach Car Accident Lawyers today
Hire an Uninsured Motorist Attorney for Help
Dealing with accidents that involve uninsured drivers can be challenging. Due to the complexity of the issues that these accidents often raise, you may want to retain the services of a Long Beach uninsured accident lawyer. You may need to file claims with various insurance companies and personal injury claims against the responsible parties, which is not always an easy task.
These tasks can be easier if you enlist the help of the attorneys at Ben Crump Law, PLLC. We can guide you through every step of the processes needed to collect compensation for your injuries, no matter your circumstance. Call (844) 730-0233 to learn more about our services, explore your options, and find out how we can help.
Call or text (844) 730-0233 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
