Underinsured Motorist Claims

00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:05.200 I am shocked every day with how many drivers are on the road that do not have 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:08.600 insurance, or that don't have enough insurance. 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:14.600 If you're involved in a motor vehicle accident and the driver that hit you does 00:00:14.680 --> 00:00:18.520 not have insurance, or doesn't have enough, 00:00:18.680 --> 00:00:21.920 first and foremost you're going to treat it like every other car accident. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:23.420 You're going to call the police. 00:00:23.445 --> 00:00:26.720 You're going to create a trail of documents. 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:31.480 You're going to receive the medical care that you need, because that's what's most 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.080 important: it's your health and well-being, first and foremost. 00:00:35.720 --> 00:00:40.360 Then after that, it's important to make sure that you have underinsured or 00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:44.720 uninsured motorist coverage on your own personal auto policy, 00:00:45.160 --> 00:00:48.880 because don't forget that you can make a claim for your damages 00:00:49.360 --> 00:00:53.360 through your own insurance if you're hit by someone who's underinsured or 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:58.360 uninsured, so you will still have an avenue to receive compensation for your 00:00:58.400 --> 00:01:01.720 damages, even if the person that hit you didn't have insurance 00:01:01.960 --> 00:01:02.920 or didn't have enough. 00:01:03.400 --> 00:01:07.400 Your insurance policy will step in the shoes of that 00:01:07.880 --> 00:01:12.200 underinsured or uninsured driver and provide or afford you the same 00:01:12.440 --> 00:01:17.600 benefits as if the driver that hit you had that insurance his or herself. 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:22.760 You're still allowed to compensate, and there's still an avenue of 00:01:22.880 --> 00:01:26.560 compensation available to you, even if that other driver didn't 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:28.600 have insurance or didn't have enough. 00:01:28.760 --> 00:01:33.680 Remember that the longer an insurance company can keep a payout invested, 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:37.280 the longer they are going to be able to make money off the funds 00:01:37.360 --> 00:01:38.815 that they have invested. 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:42.640 It does not benefit them to pay out claims. 00:01:43.240 --> 00:01:46.040 That is why it's incredibly important to have a lawyer. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:48.040 A lawyer knows that. 00:01:48.160 --> 00:01:52.240 I know that because I used to be those carriers' attorney for years before 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:55.720 joining Cochran Douglas, and so it is incredibly 00:01:56.440 --> 00:02:00.760 important to hire counsel as soon as you can, because counsel knows 00:02:00.880 --> 00:02:02.480 how to navigate those tactics.