Underinsured or Uninsured Accident Claims in PA
Every driver in Pennsylvania is required to carry specific car insurance coverage minimums, and drivers who fail to do so make our roadways that much riskier for everyone on them. If you were injured by the negligence of an uninsured or underinsured motorist, it puts you in a difficult position, but our experienced personal injury lawyers in Pennsylvania can help.
Pennsylvania’s No-Fault Approach
Pennsylvania is known as a no-fault state in relation to car accidents. As such, all motorists are required to carry coverage for personal injury protection (PIP). This coverage applies if you are injured in a car accident – regardless of who is at fault. The compensation, however, is not as comprehensive as it would be in a car accident claim against an at-fault driver.
The PIP process is intended to make the claims process more efficient. If you are seriously injured by another driver’s negligence, however, you can proceed by filing a car accident claim for more robust compensation with their insurance provider. If the driver doesn’t have coverage or does not have enough coverage, you can turn to your own underinsured or uninsured coverage to address your full range of physical, financial, and emotional losses.
Carrying Underinsured Motorist Coverage
When you purchase car insurance in Pennsylvania, the insurance provider you work with is required to offer you uninsured or underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, and the only way to refuse the coverage is in writing. In other words, chances are good that you have UIM coverage.
Additionally, this form of insurance can be stacked, which means that the UIM coverage you have for separate vehicles on the same policy can be added together and that the UIM coverage you have from separate policies within the same household can be combined. This can amount to considerably more coverage.
Fair Coverage
While your PIP policy addresses only your medical expenses and a specific percentage of your lost earnings – up to a set limit – you can look to your UIM coverage to address each of the following:
- Current and ongoing healthcare expenses, including those related medical procedures you’re likely to need in the future
- Lost wages, which could include losses related to your career and your earning power
- Your physical and emotional pain and suffering, which can outpace your other losses combined
If another driver’s negligence leaves you injured, your UIM coverage can help make up for their negligence behind the wheel and for their negligence in relation to Pennsylvania’s car insurance requirements.
Discuss Your Claim with Our Experienced Car Accident Lawyers Today
Our car accident attorneys in Pennsylvania are well-prepared and confident about helping you obtain the compensation you deserve through your UIM coverage – in support of your fullest recovery. We care about you and your claim, so please don’t wait to reach out. Contact us online or call today.