EXPERIENCED ST. LOUIS UNINSURED DRIVER CLAIMS ATTORNEYS
In a perfect world, everyone driving on the roads would carry insurance for their vehicle. In fact, Missouri law does require operators and owners of motor vehicles to carry liability insurance. Unfortunately, not all drivers comply with the law in carrying liability insurance. If you or your loved one are struck and injured by someone who is uninsured, contact attorney Robert A. Strauss for a free consultation.
WHAT IS LIABILITY INSURANCE?
Among other things, liability insurance provides protection to drivers and occupants of cars who are injured in accidents that are the result of another driver’s negligence. The liability insurance company for the vehicle driver who causes an accident will usually pay the damages the at-fault driver is legally required to pay up to the limits of the insurance policy.
THE FACTS
Notwithstanding Missouri’s law requiring owners and operators of cars to have liability insurance, many drivers in St. Louis and throughout Missouri drive uninsured. One national insurance journal estimated that 12% of all Missouri motor vehicle operators were uninsured in 2004. Across the United States, if someone is injured in an automobile accident the chances are about 1 in 7 that the at-fault driver will be uninsured. (For more information on uninsured statistics see www.insurancejournal.com.)
INSURANCE FOR YOUR PROTECTION
In order to protect yourself from the negative financial effects of injuries caused by uninsured motor vehicle drivers, you should have uninsured motor vehicle insurance coverage. Missouri law requires insurance companies who sell automobile liability insurance in Missouri to also provide a certain amount of uninsured motorist coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage usually applies to bodily injury claims only. The compensation you would usually seek from the at-fault uninsured driver (for example, compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering and wage loss) can be sought from the insurance company or companies providing uninsured motor vehicle coverage.
Missouri law requires insurance carriers to provide their insured with at least $25,000 in uninsured motor vehicle coverage per person. However, purchasing more than $25,000 in coverage is usually not very expensive relative to the cost of liability insurance. For this reason, many drivers will purchase uninsured motor vehicle coverage in excess of the minimum amount required by Missouri law. This extra coverage can prove very helpful when you or a loved one sustains more serious bodily injuries due to the negligence of an uninsured driver.
FINDING MULTIPLE INSURANCE POLICIES
Any time that St. Louis insurance attorney Robert A. Strauss represents someone who has been seriously injured in a car accident or truck accident, he will take the necessary steps to locate all of the insurance policies available. If you or someone close to you are involved in a Missouri car crash with a driver who is uninsured, you may have an uninsured motorist claim against one or more companies providing uninsured coverage. For example, you may have a claim against the insurance company providing the coverage on the vehicle you are driving or riding in. Additionally, you may also have a claim against your own automobile insurance carrier even if you were not in your insured vehicle. The automobile insurance policies of other persons in your household might also apply even though their vehicles had nothing to do with the automobile accident. Sometimes it is possible to “stack’ or combine uninsured motor vehicle insurance policies. The stacking or combining of uninsured motor vehicle policies can provide the injured victim of a car accident with more insurance coverage and, therefore more compensation for your injuries.
EXPERIENCE COUNTS
As you may sense, uninsured motorist claims are complex and involve issues not present in most injury claims. Uninsured claims may involve contract law issues, stacking issues, subrogation issues, etc. Due to the complex nature of these claims, you will want to consult with a St. Louis uninsured motor vehicle claim attorney like Robert A. Strauss, as he has nearly 25 years of experience in handling these types of claims.
NO FEE IF NO RECOVERY
If you have been injured in a car, truck or bus accident involving an uninsured motor vehicle contact attorney Robert A. Strauss for a free consultation. Your claim will be handled on a No Fee if No Recovery basis. If you would like to discuss your claim with Mr. Strauss, please email or call toll free at (800) 991-8688. He handles cases in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson County, St. Francois County, Franklin County, Washington County, Lincoln County, Madison County, Kansas City, Jackson County, Greene County and any other county or city within the State of Missouri.