It’s every driver’s worst nightmare: a serious accident with an uninsured motorist. That may not be so bad if you have Supplementary Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists (SUM) coverage, but if you do not have this coverage or your limits are insufficient to pay your damages, then it’s time to call a personal-injury attorney to discuss your options.
As your accident lawyer will explain, there are usually two options for recovering compensation after a crash with an uninsured driver:
- You can make a claim under your own uninsured motorists coverage;
- Or you can file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
If you were injured by an uninsured or underinsured motorist, contact Antin, Ehrlich & Epstein, LLP. An accident lawyer in New York City will evaluate your case and help you pursue t/motor-vehicle-accidents/underinsured-uninsured-motorists/he maximum compensation for lost income, health-care bills and noneconomic damages. Call 917-730-7151 today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Let’s take a closer look at your options after a car accident with an uninsured driver:
Uninsured Motorists Coverage Is Mandatory in New York
According to the Department of Financial Services, all auto insurance policies must provide uninsured motorists (UM) coverage for bodily injury. If you have UM coverage, then you can make a claim under your own insurance policy.
Drivers should also consider purchasing Supplementary Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists coverage. The law requires that insurers offer SUM limits of $250,000 per person per accident and $500,000 per accident if the policyholder has bodily injury limits of those amounts or higher.
What If My Uninsured Motorist Coverage Is Insufficient?
If your UM or SUM coverage does not pay for your medical bills, lost wages and other damages, then you should consider filing a personal-injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. Unfortunately, most motorists who do not carry insurance do not have the assets to cover a person’s losses after a wreck. Your accident lawyer can evaluate your case and recommend whether or not you should take legal action.
How Many Drivers in New York are Uninsured?
According to the most recent data from the Insurance Information Institute, approximately 5.3 percent of drivers in New York were uninsured in 2012. That number might seem low – until you realize that there were more than 11 million licensed drivers in New York in 2014, according to Statista. That means there are at least 583,000 uninsured drivers in The Empire State.
If you were injured by one of these drivers, turn to Antin, Ehrlich & Epstein, LLP. Our attorneys have been litigating personal-injury claims for more than 75 combined years. We will help you avoid mistakes such as overlooking certain damages or accepting a low settlement.
Don’t let the insurance company push you around. Call our office today at 917-730-7151 to schedule a free initial consultation with an accident lawyer in New York City.