When you are injured in an accident caused by an uninsured motorist, turn to OEB Law, PLLC. We can advise you of the legal options available for recovering compensation when a driver without valid auto insurance causes an accident.
You may believe that you must shoulder the financial burden for the uninsured motorist accident. However, you may be able to file a claim with your own auto insurance company to recover damages for your financial losses from the car wreck.
To find out about your legal options, call our uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Corryton today at 865-546-1111 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Using Your Uninsured Motorist Insurance
If you carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, you can pursue compensatory damages with your own auto insurer. UM insurance protects you when a driver causes an accident and does not have bodily liability insurance.
Tennessee requires all vehicle owners to carry a minimum of $25,000 in bodily liability insurance for one injury or death per accident, and $50,000 for all injuries or deaths per accident. Failure to carry auto insurance is a violation of state law.
UM insurance allows you to recover damages that include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
UM insurance pays up to the limits of your auto insurances bodily liability policy.
Using Your UM Insurance in Hit-and-Run Accidents
UM insurance also covers you in hit-and-run accidents where you cannot identify the driver. Sometimes, drivers leave the accident scene because they may not have auto insurance and do not want to exchange personal information with the accident victim.
In these cases, your uninsured motorist coverage may cover your damages.
Using Your Underinsured Motorist Coverage
If you carry UM coverage, you may also have purchased underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. UIM helps when an insured driver causes an accident but does not have enough auto insurance to cover all the accident-related damages.
In the case of an underinsured driver, you can recover a portion of your damages from the at-fault driver’s insurance, and the remaining amount of damages from your UIM policy.
UM/UIM Are Optional Insurance Coverages
It is important to note that Tennessee requires all auto insurance companies to offer UM/UIM coverage. However, policyholders can reject UM/UIM coverage in writing or choose to have lower limits of coverage.
We Can Help You Determine Which Insurance Coverage Applies to Your Accident
We have years of experience with accident cases, which means we understand how your insurance policies apply to your uninsured motorist accident.
We handle the paperwork, communicate with insurance adjusters, and protect your interests during the process. While we do the legal work, you can spend your time recovering from your injuries. If you do not have UM/UIM coverage, we can discuss other options for recovering compensation for your damages.
Contact an uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Corryton today at 865-546-1111 to pursue the compensation you deserve.
Collecting Evidence for Your Uninsured Motorist Claim
Filing a claim with your own auto insurance company is no different from filing a claim with another insurer—you must still provide proof of your injury.
This may be a difficult task, particularly in hit-and-run accidents or when the driver refuses to exchange personal information with you. However, we can build your claim by gathering solid evidence, such as:
- Photographs of the damage to your car
- Photographs of your injuries
- Any details about the model, make, color, or license plate of the vehicle that hit your vehicle
- Eyewitness statements
- Traffic camera or surveillance video that captured the accident
Medical Records and a Police Report Strengthen Your Claim
Two of the most critical pieces of evidence to have in an uninsured motorist accident are a police report and your medical records.
By reporting your uninsured motorist accident to police, you have an official record of the crash—even if you do not know the at-fault driver’s identity. The police report provides the date, location, time, your statement about the accident, and other accident-related information.
Your medical records provide proof of the physical injuries you suffered because of the crash. The records may show the nature and extent of your injuries.
Proving Negligence in Your Uninsured Motorist Accident
To recover compensation for your case, we must prove the uninsured driver’s negligence caused your injuries.
According to Tennessee’s negligence laws, the uninsured driver had a duty to drive safely and not cause you harm. But, the driver breached that duty by causing an accident which resulted in you suffering damages.
The evidence we present will show how the uninsured motorist violated the state’s negligence laws.
We Handle Negotiations for Your Uninsured Motorist Claim
After filing your injury claim, we also negotiate a settlement with your auto insurer. Our lawyers have years of experience negotiating settlements with insurers, and we know the tactics they use to reduce, delay, or deny a claim. We are prepared to counter challenges that may arise during negotiations.
We will negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf for your damages, such as medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Although we prefer to settle claims out of court, there are times when an insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement. In these cases, we do not hesitate to file a personal injury lawsuit in court.
Help is Available for Your Uninsured Motorist Accident
OEB Law, PLLC can help you pursue damages caused by an uninsured motorist accident.
We work on contingency, which means we do not collect attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation in your case.
Call 865-546-1111 now to schedule a free consultation with our uninsured motorist lawyer in Corryton.