One component of a Texas automobile insurance policy is Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage, commonly referred to as UM/UIM coverage. When considering an auto insurance policy, you may want to make sure that you have UM/UIM coverage as a part your auto policy. This extra coverage could protect you and your passengers in the car, in the event that you are in an accident and the at fault party does not have insurance or does not have enough liability insurance to cover your property damages, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages.
A few states require drivers to have this coverage as a part of their auto insurance policy, however Texas is not one of them. You should review your current insurance policy to see what is covered. The minimum liability limits that a driver in Texas is required to carry are currently what is called a 30/60/25 liability policy. This means if the person who hits you and causes the accident has a minimum policy the most the policy will pay per person for bodily injuries is $30,000.00 and the most the policy will pay per accident is $60,000.00. Regarding damages to your vehicle, the most a minimum policy in Texas will pay is $25,000.00. In handling personal injury cases though Tyler and East Texas I have represented individuals who were severely injured in an auto accident and their damages clearly exceeded the minimum limits. However, several of those cases the injured party did not have UM/UIM coverage.
There are also some auto policies in Texas that have exclusions for certain drivers or have unusual terms that can end up not allowing coverage for certain drivers. In a case where the driver is an excluded driver, if the excluded driver causes the auto accident then the insurance will not cover the driver, which means if you are injured you may have to look to your own UM policy to recover your damages.
I handle all aspects of auto accident related claims including UM/UIM claims. If you or a loved one have been injured in an auto accident call me for a free consultation concerning all of your available options for recovery.
Before filling a personal injury claim with an insurance company I recommend speaking with a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. For a free consultation contact me at (903) 525-9869.
Figuring the value of your UM/UIM claim is a critical requirement in any UM/UIM claim. The dollar amount varies depending on your individual circumstances.
Evaluating A UM/UIM Claim or Auto Accident Claim
Before determining what your UM/UIM claim is valued at, an injured individual must first be aware of the types of damages for which a person may be compensated.
- Reasonable medical expenses related to the personal injury claim
- Property Damage
- Work related income lost due to the personal injury claim.
- Permanent physical disfigurement
- Mental anguish from the personal injury
- Pain and suffering relating to the injury claim
- Physical Impairment
Calculating A Personal Injury Claim Or Car Accident Claim
Many people would think that the less severe the injury, the easier it should be to resolve your UM/UIM Claim. However, that is not always the case. Many liability insurance companies are refusing to be fair in settling Uninsured Motorist Claims and Underinsured Motorist Claims, knowing that injured victims will have to seek a personal injury attorney to resolve their claim. The important thing to remember when hiring an accident attorney, make sure that you are hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer who deals with UM/UIM claims.
When determining injury compensation, the easy part is to total up the medical expenses and lost wages, but there is no precise way to put an amount on pain and suffering. That’s where an insurance company’s damages formula comes in.
When Personal Injury Claim negotiations first start, an insurance liability adjuster adds up the total medical expenses related to the injury. That’s the base figure the insurance company uses to figure out how much to pay the injured person for pain and suffering.
The personal insurance adjuster then adds on any income lost as a result of the injuries.Percentage of Fault will also play a factor when determining the value of a claim.
It is important to have a qualified Tyler Personal Injury Lawyer review your case. For a free case evaluation please contact us at 903-525-9869.
