Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident in St. Louis, MO can leave you frustrated. The situation gets more complicated if the other driver has no insurance coverage. You may be wondering whether you will be stuck paying for all your own car repairs and medical bills.
Insurance industry data shows that roughly 16% of Missouri drivers do not have auto insurance. The odds are fairly high that you could get into an accident with someone who does not have insurance. If that happens, you need an experienced attorney who can help you understand your uninsured motorist coverage and help you get the compensation you are entitled to.
The team at Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers has over 30 years of combined experience helping accident victims. Let us put our experience to work for you. Contact us today at (636) 519-0085 to schedule a free consultation with a St. Louis uninsured motorist claims lawyer.
How Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in St. Louis
If you are injured in an accident in St. Louis, Missouri that was someone else’s fault, you have a right to be compensated for your injuries. However, things can get a little more complicated when that person does not have insurance.
Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers can help you navigate the sometimes complex waters of uninsured motorist coverage. Some of the ways our St. Louis car accident attorneys can help you include:
- Investigating the accident to determine who was at fault
- Assessing the details of your uninsured motorist coverage
- Handling all communications with the insurance company
- Negotiating a full and fair settlement for your claim
We have helped recover hundreds of millions of dollars for injury victims and are ready to help you. Just because the at-fault driver did not have insurance does not mean that you are completely out of luck. Call us today to speak with a St. Louis personal injury lawyer.
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage helps protect you if someone without insurance hits you. UM coverage is coverage that you would purchase and carry out according to your own policy. Missouri law does not allow drivers to opt out of UM coverage, so it will be part of your policy unless you reject coverage for underinsured motorists (UIM), which is a separate type of coverage.
The minimum coverage limits set by Missouri law are:
- $25,000 per person for bodily injury
- $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
If you are injured in an accident by someone without insurance, you must file a claim with your own insurance company. Your UM coverage can compensate you for your injuries up to your policy limits.
What is My Uninsured Motorist Claim Worth?
The value of your uninsured motorist claim depends on the severity of your injuries and the limits on your policy. The more severe your injuries, the more your claim is likely to be worth. The average claim with minor injuries is usually worth anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000.
However, many UM policies limit bodily injury to $25,000 per person. In that situation, you may only be able to recover your policy limits, even though your damages might exceed that amount.
If your accident resulted in severe or catastrophic injuries, you may be able to “stack” (as part of your insurance policy) your UM coverage to recover more compensation. Stacking UM coverage allows you to combine the policy limits from multiple vehicles or multiple policies to more fully compensate you for your injuries.
For example, imagine you were seriously injured by an uninsured driver and sustained $100,000 in damages. However, your UM coverage has a policy limit of $25,000. If you have four vehicles in your household covered by this policy, you can “stack” that coverage to recover the full $100,000 for your damages.
What Kind of Damages Are Available to Accident Victims?
You can recover economic and non-economic damages from your UM coverage. Economic damages have a direct financial impact, typically accompanied by bills, receipts, or other documentation proving their value. Some common examples of economic damages include:
- Medical bills (current and future)
- Lost wages (current and future)
- Physical therapy
- Rehab expenses
- Home health care
Non-economic damages are often more difficult to prove since they tend to be more subjective. These damages are designed to compensate you for the physical and emotional pain and suffering you endured because of the accident. Common examples of these damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of quality of life
Non-economic damages often have a higher value than your economic damages. The value of these damages can be anywhere from 1.5 to 5 times the value of the economic damages in your case.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation For All Of Your Uninsured Motorist Claim Injuries
Uninsured motorist claims can include the same types of injuries as typical insurance claims against the at-fault driver. The type of accident often has an effect on the specific injuries seen in the case. Some common injuries present in these claims include:
- Broken bones
- Brain injuries
- Lacerations
- Back and spine injuries
- Soft tissue damage
Regardless of your type of injury, you have a right to be fully compensated. The team at Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers can help assess your medical records and get you compensated for all your injuries. Just because the other driver had no insurance does not mean that you should get shortchanged. Contact us today to let us help.
Contact Our St. Louis Car Accident Law Firm For a Free Consultation
If you have been hit by someone without insurance in St. Louis, Missouri, give us a call today at (636) 519-0085. Our experienced team can verify the details of your uninsured motorist coverage and help you get compensated for your injuries. Contact Roach Law Car Accident Lawyers now to speak with a St. Louis uninsured motorist claims lawyer who can help you.
