Hit by an Uninsured Motorist
Having car insurance is mandatory under the laws of the state of New Jersey. Nevertheless, your chances of being involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver are disconcertingly great. According to research by the Insurance Information Institute, one in ten drivers in New Jersey does not carry car insurance. Even when a driver does have insurance, it may be insufficient to cover the full value of your claims if you’re seriously hurt in a crash on New Jersey’s roads. Fortunately, there are ways to recover compensation when hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver, and the personal injury car accident attorneys at Massood Law Group can help.
Filing a claim when you’re hit by an uninsured driver
After you’re hit by an uninsured driver, you may be wondering how you’ll recover for your expenses relating to the accident. Your first option will likely be to make a claim on your own policy. If you carry a “standard” insurance policy, you’re covered by uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Your uninsured motorist policy will always offer coverage equal to the amount of coverage you carry in liability coverage, and will pay for the expenses you incur in medical bills and property damage in an accident with an uninsured driver. If the driver carries some insurance, but not enough to cover your damages, then you will need to file one claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance, and then another with your own insurer, with your underinsured driver coverage bridging the gap. Of course, this doubles the number of insurers with whom you’ll need to fight to obtain the money you need to heal after an accident, leading many accident victims to obtain legal counsel to handle these claims on their behalf.
If you carry what’s known in New Jersey as a “basic” car insurance policy, then coverage for accidents with uninsured motorists is not included as part of your insurance policy. However, this does not mean that you have no way to recover damages after an accident with an uninsured driver. You may qualify to receive a settlement from the Unsatisfied Claim & Judgment Fund (UCJF), a fund maintained by the New Jersey Property-Liability Insurance Guaranty Association. There are strict time constraints and limits on who can qualify as a claimant, all of which a personal injury attorney can help you navigate. Failing that, an experienced attorney can help you look for sources of recovery for your damages from the at-fault driver through a lawsuit filed against that driver.
An attorney will ensure you get the money you need from your insurer
Although you pay premiums to your insurer each month, and therefore assume that your insurance company will be on your side when you’re hit by an uninsured motorist, this isn’t always the case. Insurance companies profit by paying as little as possible on claims filed by their customers, and have trained their claims adjusters to look for ways to reduce the amount you get for your claims. Having an attorney represent you through the claims process will greatly improve your chances of receiving the full value of your claim, and will save you from endless haggling with adjusters while you take time to heal after an accident.
Call Massood Law Group in Wayne for Help with New Jersey Uninsured Driver Accident Claims
Receiving compensation when you’re hit by an uninsured or underinsured motorist can be exceedingly complex. As soon as you’re hurt in an accident with a driver who doesn’t carry insurance, contact the skilled personal injury attorneys at Massood Law Group for a consultation on your claims and help getting the money you need for your medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. Contact Wayne car crash law firm Massood Law Group today for a free consultation on your case, at 973-696-1900.
