Lufkin Uninsured Motorist Accident Lawyer

How do underinsured and uninsured motorist claims work?

What to do if you are the victim of an underinsured or uninsured motorist accident:

Insurance agents work for insurance companies and make money for their employers, but they do not necessarily protect you. That means even though you may purchase a “full coverage” car insurance policy, it may not cover as much as you think. Unfortunately, many people do not find this out until too late. This can leave victims and their families on the hook for property damage and medical bills, they cannot afford following car accidents, such as hit-and-run crashes or wrecks involving uninsured or underinsured motorists.

Accident lawyer Mike Love and the legal team at Mike Love & Associates, LLC offer a wide array of services to help people ensure they have full coverage auto insurance and assist people who are the victims of underinsured motorists.

Our East Texas law firm offers drivers free car insurance policy reviews statewide before they get into an accident. Having an independent third party review your auto insurance coverage is one of the best decisions you can make for you and your family’s future. It will help you ensure that if you are ever in a car accident, you and your family will not be left to cover expenses, such as hospital bills and vehicle repairs or replacement, because your coverage will be full coverage.

Is Texas a no-fault state for car accident insurance?

Generally, a no-fault state is where your insurance company covers your financial losses due to a car accident, regardless of who was at fault for the wreck. Texas is not a no-fault state. Instead, in Texas, drivers must adhere to a fault system, which requires fault to be assigned in an auto accident and that the at-fault driver compensates victims for property damage and medical expenses.

What is uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance?

Uninsured and Underinsured motorist insurance (UM/UIM) provides compensation for your medical expenses and any vehicle/property damage you suffer as the result of a car accident caused by a driver without insurance or whose insurance coverage is not enough to cover your medical bills and other accident-related expenses. In many cases, medical costs and vehicle repairs can far exceed the compensation that minimum car insurance coverage provides to victims. Suppose you do not have UM/UIM coverage. In that case, you and your family can be left without a way to afford the expensive medical treatments that you need if you suffer a severe injury, such as a spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Do I need uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage?

Most people need the financial assistance that car insurance provides to pay for vehicle damage and medical expenses following a wreck. If you have UM/UIM coverage, recovering compensation from your insurance company following a wreck involving an underinsured or uninsured driver may be possible.

It is illegal for insurance companies to sell you a policy that only includes UM/UIM if you agree to reject the coverage. The car insurance market is competitive, and insurance agents often look for any way they can gain an edge, which generally means offering lower premiums than their competitors. As such, even though you may request full coverage to get your business, insurance agents will sometimes gloss over the fact that they had you waive your UIM and PIP coverage to make the premium slightly lower than the competition.

Can I sue the uninsured driver?

While it is possible to file a personal injury lawsuit against an uninsured driver and secure a judgment against them, it is worthless if the person you sue cannot afford to pay the judgment. Even if you sue someone who is a high earner, the judgment may still be uncollectable if they only own exempt assets (house, car, 401K). Unless you are suing someone with non-exempt assets, such as vacation homes, rental property, boats, and the like, you may not be able to recover compensation if you receive a favorable judgment against them. The reality is that people who have non-exempt assets typically carry car insurance.

Does uninsured motorist cover hit and run?

Yes. Suppose you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident. In that case, your UIM insurance should generally cover your injuries and any vehicle and property damage related to the incident. However, your UM/UIM insurance will not pay your medical bills as they are incurred; in other words, you must find your means of paying for your medical treatment and then request that the insurance company reimburse you once your treatment is complete.

Will I need a Lufkin uninsured motorist lawyer for a claim in Texas?

Most likely, yes! Once you make a UM/UIM claim, your insurance company will act as the at-fault driver’s insurance. If they can come up with a reason that the accident was your fault or an argument that the accident did not hurt you, then they will refuse to pay for your damages and medical bills. This means your insurance company has a financial motive to start working against you when you contact them about making an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim. It would be best to speak to an experienced accident lawyer before ever contacting your insurance company.

Contact a Lufkin under/uninsured motorist accident attorney today.

Mike Love & Associates, LLC's Lufkin personal injury attorneys represent injury victims and families throughout Texas. We offer free auto insurance policy reviews so you can know what coverage is available if you are an accident victim. In addition, if you or someone you love has been the victim of a car accident, you can speak to an experienced accident lawyer at our law firm for free. We will answer your questions, tell you whether you have a viable case, and provide information about the best options for you and your family.

If you would like to set up a free consultation, please call now or submit your information to us through the online contact form on this page.

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