Mercer County Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Accident Lawyer
Request a Free ConsultationEven at low speeds, impacts from car accidents can cause harsh personal injuries that could permanently affect a person’s quality of life. In many cases, the at-fault driver has an insurance policy that will pay for most of the costs associated with the accident. However, New Jersey law does not require this clause to be in any car insurance policy. This means that many drivers utilize basic insurance policies that cover only their own injuries and some property damage. When this is the case, you must pursue compensation through other means.
A Mercer County uninsured/underinsured motorist accident lawyer can pursue compensation both from your own insurance policy and from the defendant driver to make you whole again. Car accidents claims are complicated, but a well-versed attorney can handle the intricacies so you can focus on your recovery.
How Drivers may be Uninsured or Underinsured
Drivers in New Jersey who do not have car insurance are breaking the law. Sadly, this does not stop these people from getting behind the wheel. If someone without insurance is involved in an accident, he or she is solely responsible for any damage he or she causes, both to themselves and to others.
However, drivers may still be personally liable even if they have insurance. New Jersey law requires only a minimal level of car insurance to drive legally. This insurance may not provide protection for any physical injury that they inflict upon others.
In other cases, a defendant driver may have bodily injury protection, but the upper limit of the policy is too low to cover the damage caused. In any of these scenarios, plaintiffs injured due to the negligence of defendants must seek alternative means to collect compensation.
Filing a Claim with Your Insurance Company in Mercer County
Many auto insurance policies carry protection from injuries inflicted by underinsured or uninsured drivers. These clauses only go into effect in the cases explained above. If a defendant driver does not have bodily injury protection in their policy, and the injured driver does, the injured driver may make a claim with his or her own insurance company.
Just like making a claim with the defendant’s insurance company, you must convince the insurance group that the defendant was at fault in the accident. As a result, uninsured or underinsured claims can still be complex matters that require the aid of an attorney. A Mercer County uninsured/underinsured motorist accident lawyer could help you see if your own insurance policy will pay for your injuries.
What if Nobody has Adequate Insurance?
New Jersey law creates a potential situation where neither party’s insurance company will pay for the medical, economic, and emotional costs associated with the accident. When this applies, your only recourse may be to file a lawsuit naming the at-fault driver as the defendant.
This lawsuit will typically allege that the defendant was negligent and that this negligence resulted in their injuries. Evidence of this negligence can typically include a police report indicating that the defendant broke a rule of the road that resulted in the accident.
All cases that go to court must meet New Jersey’s statute of limitations. This law, located in New Jersey Statute 2A:14-2 (a), states that all cases alleging personal injury must be filed in court within two years of the date of injury. Because of this, time is of the essence.
A Mercer County Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Accident Attorney is Here to Help
Uninsured or underinsured drivers are an always present potential danger on New Jersey’s roads. These drivers are following the law but do not have insurance policies that will reimburse an injured driver if they cause an accident. Because of this, you may have to seek alternative ways to collect your deserved compensation.
This can involve filing a claim with your own insurance company or even taking the defendant driver directly to court. No matter the path you must take, a Mercer County uninsured/underinsured motorist accident lawyer can help. They are dedicated to investigating every accident that results in a personal injury and pursuing at-fault individuals for every dollar of damage that they cause. Contact an attorney today to schedule a consultation.