If an uninsured motorist in Hamilton County caused an accident that left you with injuries and expensive medical bills, the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC can offer options for getting reimbursed for your losses. We understand the financial burden you may be under because your injuries stop you from working and you may have limited income to pay your ongoing household expenses.
We can investigate your car accident and help you pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering in spite of the other driver not having auto insurance. To find out the options available to you. Call us today at 1-865-546-1111 for a free, no-risk consultation with an uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Hamilton County, TN.
Your Uninsured Motorist Coverage May Reimburse You for Your Damages
If you have Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage as part of your auto insurance policy, we can help you file a claim with your own insurance company. UM protects you when you are injured in an accident caused by a driver who does not have liability insurance. Your UM pays up to your insurance policy’s liability limits.
Tennessee requires vehicle owners to carry the following minimum levels of liability coverage:
- $25,000 for one injury or death per accident
- $50,000 for all injuries or deaths per accident
- $15,000 for property damage per accident
While Tennessee mandates that insurance companies offer UM coverage, vehicle owners can reject this optional coverage in writing. If you do not have UM coverage, we can speak with you about other options available for getting reimbursed for your damages.
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage
If you opted to purchase UM coverage, you may have also added similar coverage called, Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD). UMPD covers you when an uninsured motorist damages your vehicle. This coverage may also benefit you when a hit-and-run driver damages your car.
Your insurer may require you to pay a $200 deductible before your UMPD coverage pays the rest of the bill.
Filing A Personal Injury Lawsuit Against the Uninsured Driver
You have the option of filing a lawsuit against the uninsured driver if you know the driver’s identity and contact information. Sometimes uninsured drivers refuse to identify themselves and exchange personal information. In other instances, a driver may be cooperative at the accident scene, exchange information, and admit to not having auto insurance.
Even if you win a judgment against the uninsured motorist, you cannot be sure that the individual will actually pay the damages owed to you. Our uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Hamilton County, TN can speak with you about your legal options.
Handling a Hit-and-Run Accident
You may assume it is nearly impossible to collect damages from a hit-and-run driver that causes an accident. Fortunately, there is a possibility that the driver can be identified if the accident is caught on a surveillance or traffic camera. When hit-and-run accidents involve serious or fatal injuries, police may search for the driver.
Drivers flee an accident scene for many reasons, some of them being:
- The driver did not have state-mandated auto insurance or a valid driver’s license.
- The driver wanted to elude police because of an outstanding arrest warrant.
- The driver was driving a stolen car.
- The driver does not want his or her insurance company to find out about the accident.
- The driver may have been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
If the hit-and-run driver is identified, that person could face possible criminal charges for leaving the scene of an accident. Per Tennessee Code 55-10-101, leaving the scene of an injury accident is a Class A misdemeanor that carries a penalty of 11 months and 29 days in jail, and a maximum fine of $2,500.
Filing A Police Report Will Help to Support Your Hit-and-Run Accident Claim
If a police officer does not respond to the hit-and-run crash, you can go to the police department nearest the accident scene to file a report. The police report helps prove that an accident actually occurred. Your insurance company may want a police report if you file a claim for your damages.
Also, the police may eventually find the hit-and-run driver who caused your accident. If the driver has auto insurance, we can help you file a claim with the driver’s insurance company.
We Can Help You Build Your Personal Injury Case
To build a viable case and win compensation for you, we collect relevant evidence to support your injury claim. Your own insurance company requires evidence about a crash just as another at-fault driver’s insurer would want information about an injury accident.
Besides a police report, some of the other evidence that we collect include:
- Your medical records to show the type and severity of the injury you suffered
- Statements from eyewitnesses
- Photographs of the accident scene
- Photographs of your injuries (if available)
- The wages you lost because of your inability to work
- Vehicle repair bills
We may be able to locate traffic camera video or surveillance video of your accident if video footage is available.
We Handle All of the Legal Paperwork
We take the pressure off of you by handling all aspects of your insurance claim or lawsuit. An attorney in Hamilton County can help you file your claim and negotiate a fair settlement for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Let Us Help You Recover Compensation from Your Uninsured Motorist Accident
If you have been financially overwhelmed after an uninsured motorist accident, the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC will work hard to help you recover compensation for your damages. We work on a contingency basis which means you do not pay us unless we recover compensation in your case.
Call 1-865-546-1111 now to schedule a free consultation with an uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Hamilton County, TN.