The stress and frustration of being involved in a Boston car accident are amplified if you learn that the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance coverage. Massachusetts state law requires all drivers to carry liability insurance that covers minimum amounts for property and medical expenses. Unfortunately, some drivers ignore this law, leaving victims to figure out how to pay for damages themselves.
An experienced Boston, MA, car accident lawyer may be able to help you recover compensation in this unjust situation. At Jason Stone Injury Lawyers, we provide skilled legal representation to clients injured in car accidents. We can investigate your accident, inform you of your legal rights, and help you pursue all possible means of compensation.
If you were injured in a car accident involving an uninsured, underinsured, or hit-and-run driver, please contact our law office today. The Boston auto accident lawyers at our law firm have decades of combined experience and have helped clients obtain millions of dollars in compensation. Better Phone Stone® today. Contact us 24/7 at 800-577-5188 or fill out the online form to schedule a free case consultation.
What is an Uninsured Motorist Accident?
An uninsured driver is someone who operates a motor vehicle without the minimum liability insurance coverage that is legally required. In the event of an accident, a Boston, MA, driver can normally collect damages from the at-fault driver’s liability insurance. However, when an uninsured driver hits you, recovering compensation from that person can be difficult.
Most insurance companies offer drivers the option of purchasing uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. In Massachusetts, all drivers are legally required to hold uninsured motorist coverage (UM). This is to cover medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering for the driver and passengers involved in the accident.
Massachusetts legally requires the following minimum insurance coverage for those operating a motor vehicle:
- $20,000/$40,000 bodily liability coverage
- $5,000 property damage coverage
- $20,000/$40,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage
- $8,000 personal injury protection
Do You Need a Boston Car Accident Attorney If You Have UM Coverage?
After being involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist, you cannot just assume that your insurance company is going to cover all your losses. Some insurance companies act in bad faith; even if you have UM coverage, they may deny, delay, or underpay your claim. The Boston car accident attorneys at our law firm are familiar with the tactics that greedy insurance companies use. We know how to negotiate with them and ensure our clients get the full amount of compensation they are due.
It is not in the best interests of an insurance company to pay out the full amount of your claim. The lower the amount they settle the claim for, the more money they have in their pockets. The following are some common bad faith tactics that insurance companies use:
- Outright denial of a claim. If your insurer denies your claim, they must provide you with a justifiable and clear explanation for the denial. An insurance company that denies a valid claim for unfair or unclear reasons is acting in bad faith.
- Failure to properly investigate the claim. Insurance companies have a duty to investigate claims promptly and thoroughly. A delay or denial of a claim without a thorough investigation can be considered a bad faith practice.
- Delaying payout of a claim. After an accident, the insurance company is aware that you need money to pay for medical bills, vehicle repairs, and other damages. When they unreasonably delay your claim, it causes financial stress and could be considered an act of bad faith.
- Unreasonably low settlement offers. It is a common practice for the insurance company to start low when the negotiation process begins. This usually begins a back-and-forth conversation between you and the insurance company that ends in a mutually acceptable offer for both parties. However, if the insurance company makes a low offer and then refuses to budge, this is another bad faith practice.
- Misinterpreting UM policy coverage. Insurance policy contracts are full of complicated legal terminology that most people can’t easily decipher. Some insurance companies use this to their advantage by misleading policyholders about what is and isn’t covered in their policies.
You can be sure that your insurance company has attorneys on retainer protecting their assets. It’s important that you have someone working on your behalf. When your insurance company knows that you have a car accident lawyer on your side, they may be less likely to engage in bad faith practices.
When you have the attorneys at Jason Stone Injury Lawyers on your side, you have a legal team behind you that won’t back down. When we take on your case, we aggressively negotiate with the insurance company to get you maximum compensation.
Can You File a Lawsuit Against an Uninsured Driver in Boston, Massachusetts?
In most situations in Massachusetts, there is a mandatory arbitration clause inside the standard motor vehicle policy. This portion of the policy states that should the insurance company not offer a sufficient amount of money to compensate the injured person for everything that was taken through no fault of their own, the parties must arbitrate the matter. Sometimes insurance companies will investigate losses and unilaterally conclude that the UM portion of the policy does not apply. Only an experienced personal injury attorney can navigate the landmine of traps for the unwary.
In some situations involving an uninsured driver, you and your personal injury lawyer may decide to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party to recover compensation for your injuries. However, keep in mind you have a limited time to do so: the Massachusetts statute of limitations to file a lawsuit for damages is three years. This means that if you want to sue an uninsured driver for damages, you must file the lawsuit within 3 years of the date of the accident.
If you wait too long to file the lawsuit, you’ll be barred from being able to recover damages for your injuries. Three years may seem like a long time, but it will take time for your lawyer to gather evidence and build a strong case for you. It’s best to gather evidence while it’s still fresh, if you wait too long it may be destroyed over time.
It is your right to file a lawsuit against the people or insurance companies that caused damage to you, your family, and your property. Sometimes you have to push to get what is rightfully yours, and we can help you do that.
Contact our aggressive Boston uninsured accident attorneys today to schedule a free case consultation. Our lawyers will be able to inform you of the best course of action to protect you and your family.
Contact a Boston Uninsured Motorist Accident Attorney
If you or someone you love was involved in an accident with an under-insured, uninsured motorist, or hit-and-run driver, our law firm has the resources and experience to make a difference for you. If you did not cause the car accident, you shouldn’t have to pay out-of-pocket for your losses. Our personal injury lawyers regularly go up against large insurance companies and negotiate claims for our clients. We will not be intimidated; rather, we will not hesitate to file a lawsuit against them if the step becomes necessary.
The dedicated and compassionate lawyers at Jason Stone Injury Lawyers are dedicated to customer satisfaction. We strive to make the process of recovering compensation for your injuries as easy as it possibly can be. We also promise that you’ll pay no out-of-pocket legal fees.
This is part of our Stone Cold Guarantee®.
Schedule your No Obligation, Just Information® free case consultation with us by calling 800-577-5188, starting a live chat, or filling out the online form. As per your preference, you can request an over-the-phone or video call conversation – or we can even come to you.