When someone is involved in a serious Alabama car accident, the chances are they have to deal not just with the physical injuries and property damage caused by the accident, but also with the mounting medical expenses and the loss of income due to time spent away from work. Additionally, an accident victim’s life may not ever be the same, even post-recovery.After a car accident, an accident victim may be able to seek compensation for the injuries they sustained in the accident through an insurance claim. In Alabama, all drivers must maintain a base level of liability insurance to cover the costs of injuries caused by that driver’s negligence If the at-fault party has an insurance policy, the claim will initially be through the at-fault driver’s policy.
Some drivers, however, fail to obtain insurance despite the legal requirement they do so. In other situations, a driver has insurance, but the injuries sustained in the accident are very serious, warranting compensation above the limits of the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. In the event of an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, an accident victim may be able to file a claim with their own insurance company.
Under Alabama law, all insurance companies are required to offer uninsured/underinsured motorist protection with every insurance policy. A motorist has the right to reject this coverage, but that is generally not a good idea because this coverage can come in handy in many Alabama car accidents. For example, in the case of a hit-and-run accident, a driver’s insurance policy will not cover the accident unless uninsured motorist protection is added to that driver’s policy.
Similarly, if an Alabama car accident results in damages of approximately $200,000, but the at-fault driver’s policy has a limit of $50,000, the policy will only cover the first $50,000 of the accident victim’s injuries. However, if the accident victim has underinsured motorist protection, the accident victim’s own insurance policy can cover the additional expenses not covered by the at-fault driver’s policy.
Additionally, an Alabama motorist may be able to “stack” their coverage if their insurance policy covers multiple vehicles. This means that if an insurance policy provides for $50,000 of coverage, a motorist who has a multi-vehicle policy can stack the $50,000 in coverage from each of the covered vehicles, up to three vehicles per contract of insurance. Thus, in this situation, the motorist could be covered for up to $150,000.
Have You Been Involved in an Alabama Car Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. At the Reeves Law Firm, Attorney Greg Reeves provides accident victims with experienced, diligent, and effective representation in all types of Alabama car accident claims. Attorney Reeves has decades of experience as a trial attorney, so if an insurance company is unwilling to offer a fair settlement offer, he will be prepared to take your case to trial. For more information, and to schedule a free consultation with Attorney Reeves, call 256-355-3311 today.