Learn About Your Rights After An Accident With An Uninsured Motorist
One in six motorists is uninsured. Mississippi has a higher-than-average proportion of uninsured motorists, with an estimated 30% of drivers in the state remaining uninsured. That means that close to one out of every three drivers on the road in Mississippi is driving without liability insurance to pay for any damage they cause to you, your passengers or your car.
To make matters even worse, over half of the drivers who do have the required automobile insurance only have the minimum amount as required by Mississippi law. This means that the most their insurance is obligated to pay to an accident victim is $25,000. This is often not enough for serious injury cases that include high medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, let alone a wrongful death claim.
Unfortunately, this means that insured, law-abiding motorists are far more likely to get into an accident with an uninsured motorist than drivers in other parts of the country. If you get into an accident with an uninsured motorist, what will you do?
Find out more about your rights after an accident by calling a Mississippi car accident lawyer from Kilpatrick & Philley at 601-707-4669.
Uninsured/Underinsured (UIM) Motorist Auto Accidents
In Mississippi, drivers are required by law to carry auto insurance. Many drivers buy the mandatory coverage auto insurance just to register their cars, and then let their policies lapse due to nonpayment. If you get into an auto collision with one of these uninsured /underinsured motorists, they have no insurance to pay your medical bills or damages.
This is where uninsured auto accidents and crashes can get complicated. If you carry an uninsured motorist policy (UIM coverage), you can make a claim against your own auto insurance company to get reimbursed for your damages.
Most uninsured motorist policies have fairly low limits, and some insurance companies may try to avoid paying on one of these claims. Just because you carry an uninsured motorists policy doesn’t mean your own insurance company is going to treat you fairly. Insurance companies are in the business of making money and the more they pay out in claims, the less money they make. Simply put, it’s a cruel reality of business.
What If You Don’t Have UIM Coverage?
If you don’t have uninsured motorist auto insurance, you’ll need to pursue the driver directly for compensation. This may mean suing the driver directly or examining potential avenues to explore creative options for liability.
Uninsured motorist claims are never easy to resolve. The good news is that Kilpatrick & Philley handles uninsured motorist claims in Jackson, Ridgeland, Madison, Canton, Brandon, Pearl, and all over Mississippi. The team has experience with uninsured and underinsured motorist claims and has obtained proper compensation for our clients who have suffered head injuries, spinal cord injuries or other serious injuries.
Trust Your Case To The Team At Kilpatrick & Philley
If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision with an uninsured motorist, email us or call Kilpatrick & Philley for a free consultation. Our experienced Mississippi car accident attorneys can advise you on how to deal with your own insurance company or potential avenues for a creative financial recovery in the case of an uninsured driver.
Call 601-707-4669 today to get your case reviewed for free!