As a personal injury and accident lawyer for the last 17+ years, it is extremely important to know the laws governing insurance to get the best possible result for accident victims. Often, a more detailed understanding of insurance law can mean the difference in receiving full compensation for your injuries.
Take, for example, the case of a 25-year-old day laborer named Rick who was seriously injured as a passenger on his way to the beach with a few of his friends. Rick’s injuries were severe and permanent, rendering him unable to work anymore. The other driver (the defendant) was clearly at fault, since he crossed the center line and hit the vehicle Rick was riding in head-on.
The defendant driver’s liability insurance carrier said there was a total of just $25,000 on his policy, so Rick would not be able to recover any more compensation than this for his significant injuries. Rick’s medical bills alone exceeded $100,000.
Rick had consulted several lawyers in Seattle who declined his case, saying there was limited coverage (the $25,000) and his bills already exceeded $100,000.
Then Rick spoke to a friend who referred him to Davis Law Group. We determined that while the vehicle Rick was riding in did not have underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, the trailer it was pulling did have coverage though his friend’s father, a small business owner with a commercial insurance policy.
I was convinced that there was UIM coverage through this policy, which would allow Rick to collect the full amount of his injuries. We negotiated and “worked” the case for over a year, finally convincing the insurance carrier that Rick should collect on $500,000 in additional insurance coverage.
Rick ultimately found additional coverage from the limits of the trailer’s commercial policy. These additional settlement proceeds were placed in a special needs trust, which allowed Rick to keep receiving Medicaid. Rick was able to spend his settlement proceeds on other necessities. By fully investigating the case and understanding insurance law, Rick was able to recover much more compensation and provide for his future medical and financial needs.
Although Rick’s case turned out successful, I cannot help but think of all of the other accident victims who decided not to consult with a lawyer before accepting a “final” settlement offer from the defendant’s insurance company. For every case like Rick’s, I bet there are at least a few hundred similar cases where the accident victim likely recovered much less compensation than what was possible because they did not elect to consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Please, if you have been seriously hurt in an accident caused by someone else, you should at the very least consult with experienced counsel to make sure you are getting the best result possible.
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