Tennessee Uninsured Motorist Accident Attorney

It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle upon the roadways of Tennessee without having the vehicle covered by car insurance. However, the fact is that many Tennessee drivers carry no insurance whatsoever. In addition, many more who have insurance carry only the state minimum limits of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident, and as a result are grossly under-insured for many accidents. Getting injured by another driver is traumatic enough, but when that driver has no or little insurance you can find yourself burdened with lost wages, medical expenses and property damage with no real way to force the other party to cover. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, drivers often don’t have insurance because they can’t afford it. That makes sense–a driver may think he has nothing else to lose. That makes it virtually impossible to go after their assets in a personal injury case, as they are effectively judgment-proof. When faced with this situation, you need experienced legal representation. This is no ordinary claim between financially responsible parties. Give one of our Uninsured Motorist Accident Attorneys a call at Law Office of Stephen A. Burroughs at 865-525-3773.

I was injured in a car accident and the driver had no insurance. What should I do?

If you or a loved one has been injured in any car accident, you should do the following:

• Call the police or law enforcement and have them make a report. This will serve as a record of the accident.
• Exchange information with the other driver, if you can. Do not engage or quarrel with the driver. Just get the facts. Sometimes drivers don’t have insurance because they don’t have a license.
• Take as many photos as possible and write down the names and numbers of any witnesses.
• Do NOT make a recorded statement to any insurance company, including your own, without first consulting a personal injury attorney.
• And of course, get medical help if it’s required.
• If you suspect the responsible driver has no insurance, you need help from an experienced personal injury attorney.

What is the law in Tennessee for uninsured motorist (UM) & under-insured motorist (UIM) insurance policies?

The state of Tennessee requires all drivers to carry auto insurance. Unfortunately, the insurance requirement is quite low. Drivers are required to carry the minimum of $25,000 for Bodily Injury Liability of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per occurrence. Anyone who has been injured in an auto accident knows that $25,000 doesn’t go far when paying for a moderate or severe injury, but unfortunately that’s our law. This means if you break your leg and the medical bills are $40,000, the under-insured driver’s policy will pay for $25,000 and you will be personally responsible for the remaining $15,000 in your unpaid medical bills. This type of scenario is why we urge all our clients to purchase additional auto insurance coverage for uninsured motorists and under-insured motorists (UM). We always recommend purchasing a minimum of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident.

An experienced personal injury attorney can assist in a claim against a driver, even if he or she appears to have little or no assets. Give us a call at the Law Office of Stephen A. Burroughs at 865-525-3773 and we will help you determine your options.

What’s the difference between an uninsured motorist claim and under-insured motorist claim?

An uninsured motorist claim is filed when a negligent driver is illegally driving without insurance. An under-insured claim is filed when a motorist has a minimal amount of insurance and the policy does not sufficiently cover the injuries or physical damages of the accident.

The insurance company is stating that their client is only insured for a limited amount. Should I take the settlement?

You should NEVER agree to an insurance company settlement offer for an injury without first consulting with a personal injury attorney. Once you agree to take the settlement, you are closing the door on getting any more money for this accident. Often, we find that people take a settlement even before they understand the full extent of their injuries.  There may also be other policies you can recover from but may not be aware of at the time.

Don’t shut the door on possible compensation by taking a settlement without talking to us at Law Office of Stephen A. Burroughs. Give us a call at 865-525-3773 today. We will give you an honest assessment of your case and it won’t cost you a penny.

I have uninsured/under-insured coverage. Do I need an attorney if my own insurance company can cover me?

Absolutely! When you make a UM claim, your UM policy simply stands in place of the other person’s non-existent or insufficient policy. This means that your UM company has the same ability to assert that the accident was your fault, deny you were even injured, insist that not all of your medical treatment was necessary and claim that the value of case is non-existent or well below the actual fair value of your claim. Your UM company is obligated to its shareholders to maximize profits, and to make the most profit possible, they have to pay out the least they can get away with on all claims, including your UM claim. They have teams of lawyers prepared to help them deny or reduce all UM claims, so you should have your own team of experienced lawyers to protect your interests.

At the Law Office of Stephen A. Burroughs, we have aggressive lawyers with years of experience handling UM cases. When you have been injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver, you do not have to go it alone. Call 865-525-3773 right now and get the lawyers at the Law Office of Stephen A. Burroughs to fight for your rights. They will get started on your case immediately and work tirelessly to help you get your life back on track, after being injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver.