Terre Haute Hit and Run Lawyer

Indiana law makes it a crime to either leave the scene of an accident without exchanging insurance information or rendering assistance. Further, all drivers in Indiana are required to carry auto liability insurance. What happens when they don’t? Drivers who carry underinsured/uninsured motorist policies can file claims on their own policy to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and more. The Terre Haute hit and run accident lawyers at our firm can help ensure that your insurance company pays out when you need them.

Understanding Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Since an estimated 18% of drivers do not carry auto insurance, Indiana roads are needlessly dangerous. The State of Indiana now requires insurance companies to offer every driver uninsured/underinsured policies. Individual drivers must reject the offer outright but are cautioned not to do so. While it’s possible to sue a driver who flees the scene of an accident, the fact that they’ve been caught at all indicates that they will have major expenses related to their criminal defense. They also probably don’t have significant assets to sue against making it unlikely that an injured victim would be able to do more than drive them into bankruptcy. For that reason, uninsured motorist coverage is an absolute necessity.

While hit and run accidents are not quite the same as uninsured motorist claims, they operate on the same policy. If a driver causes an accident and then flees the scene and cannot be found, you would file a claim on your own uninsured motorist policy.

Understanding Uninsured Motorist Policies

In Indiana, all drivers are required to carry $25,000 of personal injury liability per person, $25,000 of liability insurance for damage to the car, and $50,000 worth of coverage per a single accident (when multiple victims are involved). When a driver gets into an accident without carrying the required insurance, they are held accountable by the law. But you as an injury victim can file a claim on your own uninsured/underinsured motorist policy.

There are different types of uninsured/underinsured motorist policies. These pay out when:

1. A driver flees the scene of a crash and cannot be found
2. A driver causes an accident but does not have auto insurance
3. A driver does not carry enough auto insurance to fully compensate the victim for their total damages

Uninsured policies offer $10,000 in auto repairs and $25,000 in personal injury expenses. Underinsured policies operate differently.

Why Hire an Attorney to File a Claim on My Own Policy?

There are several reasons you may want to hire an attorney to litigate a claim on your own policy. If the insurance company claims that you are exaggerating your injuries or attempting to embellish the amount of harm, they may refuse to pay all of your damages. In that case, a skilled Terre Haute hit and run accident attorney can help. Call Keffer Hirschauer LLP today to learn more.