Uninsured Motorist Lawyer
Every motorist needs to know that California legislation strictly requires them to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance. This car insurance is needed to guarantee that motorists can cover the losses of victims if they cause a crash. Despite the law, a considerable number of motorists in our state fail to carry insurance. Let our uninsured motorist accidents law firm explain:
Often, motorists get the insurance they initially have to have for licensing reasons. They then allow the policy to expire due to higher insurance premiums charged in California compared to other states. Even if somebody can not afford their insurance, they often take the chance and drive anyway. Driving without insurance can cause serious problems if they cause damage to others while driving.
If you did not cause a crash, you should never have to pay for your losses out-of-pocket. Especially if it's just because another person broke the law! A lot of people find themselves in this particular situation when they are in a collision with an uninsured motorist.
Thankfully, if this happens to you, a seasoned attorney can help you. A firm experienced in filing an uninsured motorist accident claim with your own insurance company to seek coverage of your losses.
Uninsured Motorist Claims In California
If you get injured by a driver without insurance, you may breathe a sigh of relief when you know that you have UM coverage. But, your insurance company does not immediately send you a check in this instance. Quite the opposite, actually, as these claims can be remarkably difficult.
You might understand that insurance companies are first and foremost corporations that mainly care about their bottom lines. To maximize their profits, they try to limit the amount they pay on every claim. You might believe that since you pay your own provider premiums each month, they will be more cooperative and forthcoming with your UM or UIM payment. This is not the case in most circumstances.
The harsh truth is that insurance companies are equally as challenging to work with when it involves their own policyholders. Every dollar they pay on your claim is a dollar out of the insurance company's pockets, so you can expect them to require you to prove your claim fully and that they will challenge your claim any opportunity they get. It is essential to have a highly skilled UM attorney form First Law Group handling your claim.
In order to prove your UM claim, you will need to demonstrate the following:
- The other motorist acted negligently and caused your accident and injuries
- The other motorist had no insurance or insufficient insurance to cover your damages
- The value of your uncovered losses
You have to prove the negligence of the other driver just like any other kind of car insurance claim.
This means you must prove:
- The motorist had a duty of care (which is to drive in a reasonably safe manner).
- The driver breached that duty by some means, which might consist of distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, or violating other traffic laws.
- The driver's breach of the duty led to the crash and your injuries.
You need to also give evidence of the value of your claim. This may include providing medical bills, pay statements, statements from medical or occupational experts, and more. Proving responsibility for the collision and the amount of your losses can be more challenging than you think. Our law firm knows how to collect and present the necessary evidence to support your UM or UIM claim.
How Insurance Companies Challenge UM/UIM Claims
Even if you think you have a completely valid claim, you may be surprised when you receive an incredibly low settlement offer or a straight up denial. Insurance adjusters have several tactics to challenge these claims, including the following:
- Denying that you have uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance coverage under your policy.
- Challenging that the other motorist was negligent and responsible for the collision.
- Challenging whether a hit and run driver actually physically contacted your vehicle or claim you were responsible for the collision.
- Attempting to lower your recovery by asserting you were partly responsible for the crash.
- Trying to lower your settlement by challenging the seriousness of your injuries, the necessity of your medical treatment, or whether you needed to miss work.
- Claiming you could have received less expensive medical treatment elsewhere.
- Questioning whether you need future medical care or time off work.
- Suspecting the pain and suffering you experienced as a result of your injuries.
- Questioning whether all of your injuries resulted from the accident in question.
When your insurance company puts up a fight and makes a lowball offer or refutes your claim, you need a serious supporter who will not back down. At First Law Group, we frequently take on big insurance companies to bargain the offers our clients deserve, and we will not think twice to file a lawsuit against your insurance company if needed.
At First Law Group, we really care about our community and we are driven by our passion for clients. Our personal injury lawyers in Fontana, California are always available to take your call. For a Free Consultation, call us at (626) 888-8264, or visit our website: FirstLG.com