4 Things to Know About Uninsured Motorists Laws in Tennessee
Getting in a car accident can be both frightening and frustrating, and those feelings escalate more once you realize the other driver does not have car insurance. The thoughts begin to pile up, as you wonder how you are going to pay for the damage to your vehicle and your medical bills resulting from the accident. Luckily, there are some ways to deal with these difficult situations. Here are 4 things to know about uninsured motorists laws in Tennessee:
1. The Legal Requirements
It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle on the roadways in Tennessee without having the vehicle covered by auto insurance. However, as you probably know, drivers decide to drive all the time with expired insurance or no insurance at all. Another problem that people run into is that some drivers only carry the state minimum of $25,000 per person. As a result, there are many times when drivers are severely underinsured. For example, if you are injured as the result of a car accident, that money is supposed to go for both property damage and medical bills. As you can imagine, many times the cost exceeds the state minimum, leaving the injured party to deal with the bills.
2. What to Do?
If you are ever involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, it is important to know the steps that you should take. As with any crash, you should immediately call the police so they can survey the scene and write up a police report. During this time, you should also collect your own evidence, including taking photos of the vehicles and collecting information from the other driver and any witnesses that saw the accident occur. Once the authorities arrive, they will check you for possible injuries and get your statement of what took place. You should also contact our experienced team of lawyers if the other party was not properly insured.
3. How We Can Help
Our law office is experienced in dealing with automobile accidents, including those with uninsured motorists. The important thing to remember is that you should not make a recorded statement with any insurance company, including your own, before first speaking to a personal injury attorney. If the other driver carried limited motor insurance, the insurance company will try to offer you a settlement. Again, do not take any type of deal with an insurance agency before speaking to your lawyer because once you agree to the settlement, you are closing the door on getting any more money for the accident.
4. How to Avoid the Headache
While it makes sense that every person should have to carry a sufficient amount of auto insurance to deal with injuries and damage, the state law doesn’t require it. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, drivers normally carry the minimum amount of insurance because they can not afford any more. Therefore, even if you try to file a claim against the other party for additional funds, it can be hard to receive them. That is why we recommend all our clients purchase insurance that covers at least $100,000 per person, making sure you have the amount to cover any bills.
Unfortunately, people are injured by uninsured motorists on the road every day. If you or someone you know is trying to get the compensation you need, contact our team of Tennessee personal injury lawyers today.
