Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog
Charlotte Injury Lawyer Matt Arnold answers the question: “What is uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and how may it apply to my case?
When an individual incurs personal injury due to another driver’s negligence, the results can be traumatic and life-changing. Between medical care and subsequent bills, finding a qualified personal injury attorney, and navigating the world of insurance coverage and claims, the prospect of recovering compensation for a victim’s damages can seem less and less promising with each passing day.
As taught in driver’s education courses across the nation, often the first step to take following an accident is to contact your insurance provider and exchange insurance information with the other drivers involved in the accident. However, what happens if the negligent driver who caused your personal injury does not have the proper insurance?
The Insurance Information Institute has estimated that approximately 7.4% of North Carolina drivers do not have auto insurance. Therefore, if you are in an accident in North Carolina (especially a metropolitan area such as Charlotte), there is a chance that the other driver may not have insurance. If you incur personal injury due to that driver’s negligence, it can make recovering compensation for damages that much more complicated.
While working with a trusted personal injury attorney in your area is always the best way to go in uninsured motorists cases, there are some general points of information that every North Carolina resident should know. Here is a primer on how to deal with accidents involving uninsured motorists in North Carolina.
Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage
Although some may find the term confusing, uninsured motorist insurance coverage is actually required by North Carolina law. This type of liability coverage will help with reimbursement if the other driver cannot pay. Insurance companies in North Carolina are required to offer this type of coverage along with more standard kinds of auto liability coverage. In terms of coverage amounts, uninsured motorist coverage must be offered up to the same level as the standard liability coverage offered by your provider.
Options for Claims
When individuals suffer personal injury due to an uninsured driver’s negligence, the victims are likely going to want to pursue compensation for damages of many different kinds. When it comes to claiming losses, items such as medical expenses, income lost due to time away from work, and other damages such as pain and suffering can all be submitted to the claims department for review.
In many cases involving claims for damages incurred due to uninsured motorists’ negligence, the insurance provider will be your primary contact. However, in cases in which the personal injury you received is severe and your quality of life is suffering greatly as a result, contact a qualified personal injury attorney in your area to explore your options for pursuing additional compensation through civil litigation.
The Benefit of Professional Counsel
When injuries received due to another driver’s negligence are severe, victims can pursue further legal action to recover compensation for damages. This endeavor is hard to do without professional legal counsel. For years, the attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC have been working with victims in Charlotte and throughout North Carolina to fight for their rights to fair compensation. Call (704) 370-2828 to receive a video, phone or in-person consultation with our lawyers to explore your legal options or fill out our contact form. Now taking cases throughout North Carolina with offices in Uptown Charlotte, Mooresville and Monroe.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
Source:
https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists
https://codes.findlaw.com/nc/chapter-20-motor-vehicles/nc-gen-st-sect-20-279-21.html
Image Credit:
https://www.freeimages.com/photo/car-crash-1-1512737
See Our Related Video from our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ArnoldSmithPLLC/videos
See Our Related Blog Posts:
Workers’ Compensation Lawyers and Attorneys in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina :: Injured Workers in North Carolina Sometimes Left Destitute Thanks to Uninsured Bosses