If you were injured in a car accident with an uninsured driver, and are concerned about being compensated for your lost wages, medical bills and other damages, at Springer & Lyle, we can help you collect from the uninsured motorist provision of your own automobile insurance policy if you have that coverage.
Texas Law and Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Texas law requires every driver to have automobile insurance. Even so, in 2015, the most recent year for which there are statistics, more than 14 percent of Texas drivers were on the road without having any insurance coverage.
Fortunately, Texas law also requires insurance companies to include uninsured motorist (UM) coverage with all policies. The only way you are not covered under your own policy is if you have rejected the coverage in writing.
Your uninsured motorist coverage will act as a substitute liability policy for the uninsured, at fault driver. It can compensate you for your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain & suffering and permanent impairment. The limits are usually equal to the amount of liability coverage you opted to carry for yourself.
The minimum liability insurance coverage required in the state of Texas as of January 1, 2018, is $30,000 for bodily injury. You will also have $2,500 for personal injury protection (PIP) coverage unless you reject that in writing. PIP coverage compensates you for your medical bills and 80% of lost earnings up to your policy limits. You can increase these coverage limits by paying a higher premium which is always something to discuss with your insurance agent. We can review your policy to determine how much coverage you have.
Uninsured Driver Coverage in a Hit-and-Run Accident.
If you are involved in an accident caused by a hit-and-run driver, your uninsured motorist policy may cover you if, and only if, the other car made actual physical contact with your car or you. If you are jogging and are hit by a car, your uninsured coverage can apply. Unfortunately, if the driver cuts you off, swerves in front of you, or in any way causes you to have an accident, maybe hit another car or a tree or a telephone pole or roll your car over, if the other car did not have actual physical contact with your car, your uninsured motorist coverage will not cover you.
You should report the accident as soon as possible to both the police and to your own automobile insurance company. They will make an effort to locate the driver who will hopefully be held criminally and civilly liable for your damages.
The personal injury attorneys at Springer & Lyle can help you obtain fair and reasonable compensation for your injuries, lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other physical damage. Contact us at 940.387.0404 for a free consultation.
Source
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.