Car insurance is supposed to take care of us when we're involved in car accidents. The reality is many cases are often not that simple. If you've been involved in a crash caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, you know that firsthand.
You may think you're out of options if the driver who hit you doesn't have insurance - and that may feel like a nightmare. But an experienced car accident attorney can help you find other options. That's why you need to talk to Richard E. Lewis, P.S.
An uninsured motorist, as the name implies, is a driver who does not have insurance. Driving without insurance is a crime in Washington, but some motorists choose to break the law. Hit-and-run accidents are also uninsured motorist accidents when the driver cannot be found; after all, an unknown driver is uninsured by default.
An underinsured motorist is someone who has liability insurance, but not enough to pay for the full cost of the injuries inflicted. Under Washington law, the minimum liability insurance is called 25/50/10 coverage: $25,000 for injuries to any one person as a result of an accident, $50,000 for all injuries sustained in an accident, and $10,000 for property damage. Many accidents exceed those minimum limits, especially if multiple people are hurt and that $50,000 limit needs to be split between several victims.
If you have personal injury protection (PIP) on your insurance policy, that will cover some of your costs, but that limit is usually exhausted quickly. That's why we strongly recommend carrying uninsured and underinsured motorist protection. This is a type of insurance on your own policy that stands in for the other motorist's liability insurance if they do not have enough coverage. UM/UIM protection is quite inexpensive, especially compared to the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars you can receive in the event of an accident.
If you don't have UM or UIM coverage, your options are limited, but there still may be sources of compensation you aren't aware of. A driver who appears to be uninsured may actually be covered under a family member's or employer's policy. Your own insurance company may have failed to offer you coverage as required by law, opening them to a potential bad faith claim. That's why we want to hear from you.
In cases where the available coverage is limited, having an experienced attorney on your side can make a massive difference. Richard E. Lewis has the experience and dedication to negotiate with insurance companies and coordinate coverage to get the greatest possible take-home benefit for you. He knows how to negotiate with your medical providers to make sure your needs are taken care of, and he'll advocate for your interests even in a difficult situation.
Count on Richard to make your uninsured or underinsured motorist claim count. Contact us online or call 509-413-1278 to schedule your free consultation.
421 W Riverside Ave.
Suite 512
Spokane, WA 99201
(located in the Paulsen Center)