If you have injuries from an accident with an uninsured driver caused in Murfreesboro, you might think you have to carry the entire financial burden from the crash. The Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC can show you all of the legal options available to you to recover compensation.
Our legal team helps injury accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. We also offer a free, no-obligation consultation. Call the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC today at
865-546-1111 to discuss your concerns with an uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Getting Compensation from Your Auto Insurance Policy
Your auto insurance policy can compensate you if you have uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. UM coverage protects you when an uninsured motorist causes an injury or accident.
Tennessee requires all auto insurance companies to offer UM and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage which protects you when an at-fault driver’s liability limits are too low to cover all of the damages from an accident.
Policyholders can reject UM/UIM coverage in writing because the state does not require motorists to have this coverage. However, we always recommend purchasing UM/UIM coverage because you never know when you will need it.
Reviewing Your UM Coverage Amount
Our legal team can review your auto insurance policy to determine the amount of your UM coverage. Generally, your UM coverage amount equals your insurance policy’s liability limits.
Tennessee requires all vehicle owners to have minimum insurance coverage of:
- $25,000 to pay for one injury or death per crash
- $50,000 to cover all injuries or deaths per car accident
- $15,000 to pay for property damage per wreck
If the damages from your accident do not exceed the $25,000 minimum liability amount, your UM policy can cover your damages. Buying a higher amount of liability insurance will increase your UM coverage.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit against the At-Fault Lawsuit
You could also pursue compensation by filing a personal injury lawsuit against an uninsured motorist. However, if the driver did not purchase auto insurance, it is more than likely that the driver cannot afford to pay you should you win a judgment against the driver.
Besides the driver, you may be able to file an insurance claim or lawsuit against a third party. For instance, an uninsured driver may have been working for his or her employer at the time of the accident. In this case, the company may be held responsible for the actions of its employee.
We can determine whether a third-party claim or lawsuit is a viable option for you to pursue compensation.
Do Not Accept Cash from an Uninsured Motorist
Some uninsured drivers in Murfreesboro offer cash to accident victims at the scene to pay for damages. The uninsured drivers do not want the crash reported to police or an insurance company.
We do not recommend taking cash from an uninsured driver. For one, you do not know the extent of your physical injuries or damage to your vehicle immediately after an accident. So, the cash may not be enough to pay for your medical expenses or car repair bills. Also, accepting cash prevents you from making a legitimate insurance claim to pursue compensation for your injuries and property damage.
Proving Fault in Your Murfreesboro Accident
If you want to pursue compensation after an injury accident with an uninsured motorist, you may question why you need the assistance of an uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Murfreesboro.
Insurance companies, including your own, have specific requirements policyholders must fulfill before the company pays out a claim. Some insurers want a signed statement from the driver saying he or she is uninsured. A signed statement may be difficult to obtain, especially if the driver refuses to provide this statement or if you are involved in a hit-and-run crash.
We can help you sort this out and get the proof you need to file a solid insurance claim with your auto insurer.
Collecting Evidence for Your Insurance Claim
To prevail in an injury accident claim requires proof of negligence and causation. We may obtain this proof by securing such evidence as:
- Photos of the accident scene
- Traffic camera or surveillance video
- Eyewitness statements
- Your medical records to show evidence of your injuries
Our evidence could also include a police report of the accident. This report contains vital information that insurance companies want when processing claims because a police report is an official document of the crash. You leave yourself unprotected and without evidence if you accept cash from the uninsured driver and do not file a police report.
Proving Negligence in Your Personal Injury Accident
To be successful in recovering compensation in your accident claim requires us to prove the following four elements of negligence:
- The uninsured driver owed you a duty of care to avoid causing you harm
- The uninsured driver failed this duty
- The uninsured driver caused an accident
- You suffered damages because of the crash
Once we prove negligence, we can hold the uninsured driver legally responsible for your injuries and other accident-related damages.
Filing a Claim with Your Insurance Company
With the proof that we obtain, our law firm will file an insurance claim against your auto insurer and negotiate a settlement on your behalf. We deal with insurance companies on a routine basis, and we know the strategies they use to delay or deny claims.
We understand what it takes for a claim to succeed. So, we continue negotiations until we get the full and fair compensation that you deserve.
Call Today, Our Initial Legal Consultation is Free
If you suffered physical injuries and property damage in an accident caused by an uninsured motorist, do not lose hope. The Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC can help you pursue compensation for your monetary losses.
So, call us today at 865-546-1111 for a free consultation with an uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.