Auto accident insurance is mandatory in every state if you want to be on the road — but that doesn’t stop some people from driving without it.
If you end up being injured by an uninsured driver on the road, you may decide to file a lawsuit against your own insurance company.
For example, a New Jersey woman recently won a judgment of more than a million dollars against her own insurer, Allstate. She endured serious injuries in a car accident caused by an uninsured motorist. Her injuries included painful, permanent damage to her spine.
Uninsured motorist coverage is generally optional, which means that drivers pay extra for coverage from their own insurers in case something like this happens.
Unfortunately, insurance companies don’t always give victims the fair amount for their injuries when they’re required to pay claims. In this case, the woman’s insurance company only offered her $50,000, far less than the jury obviously felt she was due.
Although she was open to settling for less than the sum awarded by the jury, the insurance company forced her lawsuit to go to trial. When the woman rejected the paltry $50,000 offer, the insurance company then decided she wasn’t owed anything. Their reasoning wasn’t exactly clear, but uninsured motorist coverage generally only kicks in when the other driver is responsible for the accident. They may have suggested she was partially responsible for her own accident.
You simply cannot count on your own insurance company to play fair with you when it comes to serious injuries. Cases like these are all-too-familiar to many New Jersey personal injury attorneys.
Filing a car accident lawsuit against your own insurance company due to a devastating car accident can be difficult. It’s wise to get advice from an attorney early in the process. Our firm has experience handling these types of claims and may be able to help.