Columbia Uninsured Motorist Accident Lawyer
Uninsured motorist insurance is terrific coverage to have. According to the Insurance Information Institute, about 12% of South Carolina drivers are uninsured. That means about 1 in 8 drivers have no insurance coverage to use if they cause an accident. As a result, victims and their families might struggle to get medical bills paid or lost wages covered after a crash with an uninsured driver. Call The Stanley Law Group. We can negotiate with your uninsured motorist insurer for a settlement to cover the losses associated with a car crash. A Columbia uninsured motorist accident lawyer at our firm will explain the claims process in detail.
Do You Have Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage?
When most people think of insurance, they think of liability coverage. This is insurance which pays compensation to anyone you hurt in a crash. South Carolina requires that motorists purchase liability insurance to register a vehicle.
Few people realize the state also requires that your insurer include uninsured motorist insurance along with it. Uninsured motorist coverage goes by the name “UM.”
UM coverage is an excellent benefit. If you are hit by an uninsured motorist, or if you’re hurt in a hit and run, you can make a claim on your UM policy. It should pay for:
- Medical care
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Lost wages or income
This is insurance you pay for, but it’ll cover an accident where the at-fault motorist lacks coverage. Sadly, we see many drivers letting their insurance coverage lapse because expenses are skyrocketing. If you have a UM policy, you can sleep easy knowing you’re covered.
Although you pay UM insurance premiums, it’s still fault-based coverage. That means you can’t make a claim if you are at fault for the accident. Some insurers will reject your claim if they think you are mostly to blame for the crash. As an example: you might have crashed into a car in front of you on the road. Your UM insurer believes you were tailgating when, in reality, the car in front cut you off.
We can negotiate with your UM insurer for a settlement. In many ways, this is like negotiating with another driver’s insurance company. We need to prove fault for the accident, which means showing what happened. We will show how another driver’s negligence was the real cause of the wreck, or we can establish you were struck by a hit-and-run driver who fled. We also must prove your damages, including the cost of medical treatment.
Let’s Get Started
Car accidents cost our friends and neighbors millions of dollars each year. Without insurance, few people can recover financially. Instead, they might lose their home or file for bankruptcy to deal with the financial stress. There has to be a better way. Call our law firm for help with your case. A Columbia uninsured motorist accident lawyer can check that you have UM coverage and get to work negotiating a settlement. But first, we’ll answer any questions you have in a no-strings, free consultation with an attorney at our firm.
