A crash that is not your fault is a difficult situation, but obtaining just compensation from the at-fault party can help you get justice and financial recovery. If you’ve been injured by an uninsured driver, however, it’s an entirely different matter, and you may have no idea what to do or where to turn. If this is the situation you find yourself in, the most important step you can take – after seeking the medical attention that you need – is consulting with an experienced Windsor car accident attorney.
Your Insurance Coverage
You’ve been hit by a driver who doesn’t carry the required insurance, and it leaves you in a serious bind. Not only are you accumulating medical costs while your income dwindles, but you may also be suffering considerable emotional consequences that make moving forward challenging. Fortunately, in the State of Connecticut, you will have uninsured motorist coverage because it’s required.
This means you will turn to your own insurance provider to step into the role the uninsured at-fault driver’s insurance provider would have. You can receive compensation for:
- Your medical costs
- Your lost earnings
- Your pain and suffering
However, your settlement amount will not exceed the policy limit.
Your Insurance Company
Even though you pay your insurance company to cover you in the event that you are injured by a driver who has no insurance, obtaining the compensation to which you are entitled can still be a challenge.
Sure, you’re a policyholder, but limiting legitimate claims is more important for the insurance company than you are. Keeping that basic principle in mind, here are typical settlement-reducing tactics your insurance provider may use.
Claim Denial
If the insurance company denies your claim right from the beginning, don’t be surprised. There’s is not the final say. They are attempting to get rid of you because many claimants are easily intimidated. Just think of this as the beginning of negotiation.
Early Settlement Offer
If the insurance company makes an early settlement offer, you can assume it’s a lowball offer. The hope here is that you will accept the settlement out of desperation, before you injuries are fully healed and permanent loss and chronic issues are evaluated.
It is always a better choice to talk with a dedicated car accident attorney before accepting any offer. Accident attorneys understand the complexity of injury compensation.
Accepting an early/any settlement offer puts an end to your legal right to pursue greater compensation if you don’t fully recover.
Prolonged Claims Process
Dragging out and complicating the claims process (already a lengthy and complicated process) can frustrate you to the point of giving up – exactly what the insurance company is hoping for.
An Experienced South Windsor Car Accident Attorney Is on Your Side
At Berman & Russo in South Windsor, we take great pride in our Connecticut roots, our 30-plus years of impressive experience, and our ability to help clients like you recover fully from physical, financial, and emotional damages. Your claim is important to us, too, so please contact us online, or call 860-644-1548 to schedule a free consultation today.
