People that are injured in hit and run car accidents have a lot of rights if they have the insurance. Hit and run car accidents are illegal and some times there are ways to track down these defendants but more often then not they get away. If you do not have UIM insurance, uninsured or underinsured insurance, you may be out of luck.
Uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance is an automobile insurance policy that steps into the shoes of the defendant and compensates you for pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, and more. The policy is very inexpensive but provides a world of relief when you are hit by someone with little or no insurance.
Some statistics show that around 20% of people on the road today have no insurance and most people on the road have the bare minimum insurance. This means that the likelihood of being hit by someone with little or no insurance is probably around 50/50 so why not have UIM insurance which usually costs less than $10 per month for $250,000 worth of insurance – a great deal considering that collision coverage generally costs more than triple that to pay for the damage you cause to your own car. Isn’t your health and wellbeing worth more than the repair value of your car?
UIM insurance covers people injured in hit and run car accidents but they must follow certain things. If you have UIM insurance and are hit by a defendant that has fled the scene, your insurance policy may state that you must report the car accident to police within 48 hours of the collision or lose your rights to use the UIM insurance. Therefore, it is imperative to call a Seattle personal injury lawyer immediately following a car accident to make sure all of your rights are being preserved and you can maximize your rights and benefits.
Moreover, it is imperative to know that just because you have the UIM policy in place, you will want a Seattle car accident injury lawyer representing you in the case because the insurance company can and will use anything the defendant could have used as an argument against you for paying out any premiums. While you have the policy, the insurance company will fight hard to keep their money and offer you very little if they can to save money. They are a business and not your friend.