Potential Insurance Problems in Cases Involving Car Accidents in Fort Lauderdale

The victims of personal injuries sustained in car accidents may face a few challenges when seeking damages from the at-fault driver. If the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, it may become difficult for the victim to obtain suitable damages. Furthermore, if the at-fault driver’s insurance provider acts in bad faith, it can be a problem to obtain a fair compensation. Car accident attorneys in Fort Lauderdale can try to protect the rights of the victim in such cases. Their motivation and knowledge of this field may be the difference that can restore your financial position.

When the At-fault Driver is Uninsured

When the at-fault driver is uninsured, he may be liable to pay damages to the victim from his personal assets. However, the problem is compounded where the uninsured driver has insignificant personal assets. This may make it very difficult for the victim to recover a fair compensation for their personal injuries sustained because of this other driver.

One of the ways to cover this risk is to buy uninsured motorist coverage at the time of purchasing a car insurance policy. But this opportunity may be lost. The coverage should be reasonably sufficient to cover the risk of personal injury in an accident with an uninsured driver. In some cases, the uninsured driver may have insurance covered under a third person’s policy. For instance, if the driver is a dependent living in an insured driver’s household, he may have insurance coverage by virtue of his status. These minute details are not something you should be attempting to figure out on your own and launching a lawsuit against the at-fault driver can be incredibly simpler with Fort Lauderdale injury attorneys at your side.

When the Victim is Uninsured

When the personal injury victim in a car accident is uninsured, it may limit the victim’s right to claim damages for pain and suffering in some cases. Maintain proper and up to date insurance is required by law and the consequences of not being insured as a vehicle driver should be understood by the victim. In some cases the victim may be barred from claiming for non-economic damages for their suffering and pain. Victims in all such situations should acquire legal advice from Fort Lauderdale injury lawyers to protect their rights under the law and to insure they are not cheated by another person in these circumstance.

When the Driver is Underinsured

Many drivers tend to attain the minimum level of insurance coverage as required by the law. However, this insurance coverage may often be inadequate to compensate the victim(s) if they sustain personal injuries in an auto accident. In a situation where the insurance policy limit may be reasonably high, but the accident involves multiple claimants, it may end up being inadequate in terms of compensation for each claimant.

One of the safeguards available to people from some auto insurance companies is to obtain underinsured motorist coverage when purchasing their car insurance policy. This can help to protect the victim in an accident caused due to the fault of another driver who is underinsured. This is certainly something to remember and to know and you do not need Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys to explain this to you.

At-fault Driver’s Liability beyond Policy Limit

In some cases, the at-fault driver may have insufficient and nominal insurance coverage, but may possess valuable personal assets. In such a situation the liability of the at-fault driver may extend beyond the insurance coverage. It may be a sound idea for drivers with substantial personal assets to consider opting for a higher policy limit under their existing auto insurance policy. This would certainly be a kind thing to do in consideration of other drivers on the road, perhaps falling under the civic duty category.  

Another alternative may be to opt for an umbrella insurance policy that provides coverage in exceptional situations when the regular insurance policy proves to fall short. Fort Lauderdale injury attorneys should be consulted in such a situation to determine whether it is prudent to pursue a defendant’s personal assets beyond the policy limits.

Bad Faith from the Insurance Provider

Insurance companies are tough negotiators when it comes to personal injury claims involving auto accidents. Sometimes the insurer may display an unreasonable intransigence towards claim negotiation with the victim. Seeking and landing a fair compensation in cases of this sort may be difficult, particularly when the victim tries to engage in the negotiation independently without legal assistance. This could be like going to bat without a helmet on.  

Issues of bad faith from insurance companies may not be restricted only to the insurer of the defendant. In some situations, it may be extremely difficult to negotiate a claim for injury or damage of property with the victim’s own insurance company. An auto insurer may make negotiations rigorous in case of a car that may have been totalled in a collision for example. The insurer may impose difficult requirements upon the victim or delay the decision to a point where the victim may not be able to hold out any longer. The insurance company is not the one with the looming medical bills for example and most likely has deeper pockets to begin with. Fort Lauderdale injury attorneys should be consulted in situations of a similar nature to ensure that the victim’s rights, your rights, are protected legally in the most superlative manner.