Davis Law Group received a call this week from a distraught mother about her 15-year-old son who was hit by a car while crossing the street. The boy received life-threatening injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, collapsed lung, shattered pelvis, shattered leg, broken arm, and internal injuries. The boy’s medical expenses to date are more than $300,000.
The driver was a 22-year-old young woman. She had no insurance, and worked as a waitress. She was allegedly using her cell phone at the time of the accident.
I had to decline the case.
The reason? The parents of the 15-year-old did not purchase Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage under their own auto policy.
In Washington State, auto insurance companies have to offer UM coverage unless it is rejected in writing by the insured.
The parents had rejected UM coverage five years ago as a way to save money. That decision proved tragic, and in the end deprived their son with the opportunity to obtain full compensation for his medical treatment and injuries.
Relatively speaking, the cost of UM coverage is very cheap. Right now I pay about $150.00 per year for $1 Million in UM coverage on two separate vehicles.
Statistically, most accidents are caused by uninsured and underinsured motorists. These are individuals that are more likely to be irresponsible on our roadways. Most of us have to protect ourselves from irresponsible drivers. Adequate UM coverage is one way to do this.
The mother of that 15-year-old boy told me that she and her husband will likely have to declare bankruptcy because they won’t be able to pay for their son’s medical bills. Understandably, she and her husband are angry that this could happen. Through no fault of their own, they may be ruined financially.
My message to parents is to carry adequate auto coverage, including coverage for uninsured motorists. This coverage can prevent financial ruin if one of your family members becomes the victim of an accident.
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