Port St. Lucie Uninsured Motorist Lawyer
Few issues are as confusing after a car accident as determining which insurance applies. In Florida, motorists generally only need to purchase personal injury protection insurance, called PIP, along with property damage liability coverage. After an accident, injured motorists look to their PIP insurance to pay for immediate medical care. The insurance can also replace lost wages. But what happens if you have large medical expenses or substantial lost income? Your PIP insurance will be exhausted, and the injured motorist will look for other sources of compensation.
Please contact Smith, Ball & Baez today to discuss your options. In Florida, bodily injury liability coverage is usually optional. That means that the motorist who struck you could be uninsured for purposes of paying for your medical care. Our Port St. Lucie uninsured motorist lawyer can help you determine whether you can seek additional compensation in addition to PIP benefits.
Understanding Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Florida drivers are not required to carry uninsured motorist insurance, called UM coverage. However, you might have bought it if you also purchased a bodily injury liability policy.
UM coverage kicks in when someone else is responsible for your accident but they don’t have enough liability coverage—or any bodily injury liability coverage at all. In that situation, you can tap your UM insurance benefits to pay for medical care, lost income, and pain and suffering.
A key consideration is fault. Unlike PIP, uninsured motorist coverage is fault-based. You can’t use it if you were responsible for the wreck. But if another driver is to blame, you can probably make a claim on your UM coverage.
Many injured pedestrians can also use their UM coverage, which is a terrific benefit. Pedestrians often struggle to find enough sources of compensation, and UM coverage fills this gap. You should go through your insurance paperwork to see if you purchased UM insurance.
Although you pay your UM premiums, don’t be surprised if your insurer rejects your claim. They might argue:
- You are really at fault, so you can’t use UM benefits.
- You weren’t injured in a car accident, so the policy doesn’t apply.
- Your injuries are pre-existing, so they weren’t caused by a car accident.
- You are not actually injured, so you do not deserve any compensation.
Our legal team will negotiate on your behalf with your insurer. Never simply accept your insurer’s claim that you can’t receive benefits, and never agree to a skimpy settlement offer. We can collect enough information to show that another person was at fault for the accident and drive a hard bargain for a fair settlement.
Learn about Your Rights after a Crash
When available, uninsured motorist coverage can help those suffering from painful injuries pay for medical care and support themselves. Please call us today to check whether you can make a claim on this insurance. Smith, Ball & Báez has helped injured motorists and pedestrians for decades. One of our Port St. Lucie uninsured motorist lawyers is standing by to take your call.
