When the motorist who hit your vehicle does not have auto insurance, you may be worried about having to shoulder the financial responsibility for the crash. After all, you cannot file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
The Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC can provide you with options for getting compensated for your physical injury and financial losses. You do not have to go it alone. We can help you pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call an uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Tennessee today at 865-546-1111 for a free, no-obligation case review.
Recovering Compensation From Your Own Insurer
We can help you pursue compensation from your own auto insurance company if you have Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage or Underinsured Motorist coverage (UIM). UM and UIM pay up to the limit of your insurance policy’s bodily liability coverage.
Tennessee requires all vehicle owners to have a bodily liability minimum of $25,000 per injury or death per crash and $50,000 for all injuries or death. So, if you have the $25,000 minimum amount, your UM and UIM coverage limit is $25,000.
UM covers you when a driver who does not have bodily injury liability coverage causes an injury accident. UM coverage also applies to hit-and-run accidents.
UIM protects you when a driver has bodily injury liability but the driver’s policy does not cover all of your damages. Your UIM policy should pay for the remaining amount of your expenses.
Other Available Recovery Options
UM and UIM are optional insurance coverages. However, this does not mean that you cannot pursue damages if you do not have these optional policies.
You have other options for getting reimbursed for your financial losses, including filing a personal lawsuit against the uninsured driver.
To discuss options for recovering compensation in an uninsured motorist accident, call the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC at 865-546-1111.
Investigating Your Uninsured Motorist Accident
To help you receive compensation for your damages and physical injury, our legal team will build a solid case based on our investigation of your uninsured motorist accident.
Our investigation includes obtaining important evidence related to your accident. The evidence we secure may include:
Your Medical Records
Your medical records will show the nature and severity of the injury you suffered in the accident.
Police Report
The police report contains a narrative of the accident. If the uninsured motorist refuses to exchange personal information with you or wait until police arrive at the accident scene, the report will contain your version of the crash.
Eyewitness Statements
Other witnesses, including your passengers, may be willing to provide statements about the accident.
Video Footage of the Accident
A traffic camera or nearby surveillance camera may have captured the accident.
Reports from Professional Experts
In certain cases, we enlist the help of accident reconstruction specialists, medical experts, and other professionals who can help determine cause and fault for a crash.
We use our resources to prepare strong cases that will stand up against the claims from insurance companies and other opposing parties.
Recoverable Damages in a UM/UIM Accident
After estimating the amount of damages you sustained in your uninsured motorist accident, an uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Tennessee can calculate the value of your case.
You may be able to recover damages for:
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses include your doctor’s office visits, hospitalization, surgeries, occupational or physical therapy, inpatient rehabilitation, medical mobility services, prescription drug costs, and more.
Lost Wages
Lost wages include pay, bonuses, commissions, or other income you lost because your injuries prevented you from working.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering involves the physical, emotional distress, and mental pain and anguish you suffered because of the accident.
To learn more about the compensation you may be able to recover in an uninsured motorist accident, call us at 865-546-1111 to schedule a free consultation.
Filing an Insurance Claim
At the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC, we manage all aspects of the insurance claims process. We file claims and negotiate settlements with insurance companies. We also communicate on behalf of our clients with claims adjusters and any other parties involved in the accident.
When an insurance company makes demands, we ensure that the company does not infringe upon your rights to pursue compensation for your injuries and other damages.
We protect your rights and will advise you on what to do if we find that you must personally respond to an insurer’s request.
If you were injured in an UM/UIM accident or a hit-and-run accident, and want to file a claim for your losses, call 865-546-1111 for a free consultation.
Negotiating Your Insurance Claim
Although you may be a policyholder, your auto insurer will not automatically award you compensation without investigating your accident claim.
Your insurer—like other insurance companies—will investigate the uninsured accident to determine whether you share liability in the crash. If you do, the insurer will not want to pay you full compensation for your damages.
We use the evidence we secure to make the case that an uninsured motorist’s negligence caused an accident and you suffered damages as a result.
Although we are usually successful in settling insurance claims, when an insurer rejects a claim or refuses to offer a fair settlement, we may litigate the issue in court. We take on challenges presented by insurance companies and protect our clients’ rights to recover compensation they are entitled to from an accident.
Tennessee’s Statute of Limitations
Tennessee’s Statute of Limitations gives you one year from the date of your accident to file a claim or lawsuit. So, the sooner you decide to pursue compensation, the sooner we can start working on your case. If you miss the deadline you will not be able to seek damages.
Call Us Today for a Free Case Review
You should not have to pay for damages from an accident caused by a motorist without insurance. We can help you pursue compensation for your losses.
Call an uninsured motorist accident lawyer in Tennessee today at 865-546-1111 for a free evaluation.