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At NST Law, we are dedicated to helping injured individuals and their families get the justice and compensation they deserve.
Mr. Trotz has handled personal injury cases involving car accidents, trucking accidents, slip and fall, premises liability, and negligent security. Each and every day, Mr. Trotz represents those who have been injured through no fault of their own, and many of his clients have sustained traumatic, catastrophic and life-altering injuries.
How does uninsured motorist coverage work in Tennessee? Tennessee law requires drivers to carry minimum liability coverage in case they injure you or cause property damage in a car accident. This allows you to recover compensation for your injuries and property damage from the negligent driver’s insurance provider.
But what happens if an uninsured driver hits you in Tennessee? What if a driver does a hit-and-run, and you don’t have time to identify the car that hurt you? Can you still be compensated in such situations?
The answer is a resounding “yes.” You can still recover compensation if you had Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage at the time of the accident. In Tennessee, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is an optional car insurance policy component that provides coverage when you are in an accident with an uninsured driver. It pays for you and your passengers’ injuries and, in some cases, property damage.
However, pursuing an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company is just as trying as pursuing a claim with another driver’s provider. That’s why you should partner with NST Law’s Nashville car accident lawyers. As champions for the injured, we have recovered over $2 billion for victims of car crashes and other accidents.
Before exploring how to collect money from uninsured drivers, let’s go over the difference between uninsured and underinsured drivers.
An uninsured driver does not have auto insurance. As such, you can’t go after their insurance company if they hurt you. However, they will be fined and risk losing their vehicle registration if they can’t demonstrate proof of financial responsibility.
Meanwhile, an underinsured driver has insurance but doesn’t have enough coverage to cover your costs. Under Tennessee law, Tennessee drivers must carry proof of financial responsibility or liability insurance of at least:
As you can see, the minimum coverage amounts are incredibly low. Medical expenses for several nights in the hospital and diagnostic imaging tests such as MRIs can easily surpass these minimum levels of auto insurance coverage.
NST Law’s professional injury lawyers may be able to help you recover losses when you’ve been hurt by an uninsured or underinsured motorist. Our auto accident lawyers will analyze your case and guide you through filing a claim with your own insurance company or, if necessary, suing the at-fault driver.
The chances of getting hurt by an uninsured or underinsured driver in Nashville, Tennessee, are quite high.
Nashville is part of Davidson County, which has one of the highest rates of auto accident fatalities and traffic accidents. Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Google Search trends, the FBI, and the Insurance Research Council has also revealed that Tennessee has the third-highest percentage of uninsured drivers (27.3 percent). If you get hit by a car in Nashville, there’s a high chance that the at-fault driver may be uninsured or underinsured.
Tennessee is a modified comparative fault state regarding auto accidents. In other words, if an at-fault party is sued and found liable, they must pay for all personal injury damages caused by the car accident, as long as the other party is less than 50 percent at fault.
If the at-fault driver had no insurance or insufficient insurance, there are a few things you can do to recoup your losses.
The first thing you should do if you get hit by an uninsured, underinsured, or hit-and-run driver is to contact a skilled car accident lawyer. The right auto accident attorney will walk you through the process of filing a claim and advise you on the proper course of action. This will give you plenty of time to recover and focus on getting your life back together.
Can you sue an uninsured driver in Tennessee? Yes. Many Nashville car accident cases are filed in the Circuit Court of Davidson County, Tennessee, located at 1 Public Square, Nashville, TN 37201. If you can prove that the other driver’s negligence caused the crash, the court will probably rule in your favor.
Unfortunately, suing the uninsured or underinsured at-fault party may not be ideal since they probably lack the funds and assets to pay you. If this is the case, you should pursue an uninsured motorist claim with your provider to receive compensation for your losses.
If you have uninsured motorist coverage on your policy, you can pursue an uninsured motorist claim through your insurance provider for compensation up to your policy’s limits. However, your insurance provider may disagree with your position and deny your claim. A skilled Nashville uninsured car accident lawyer can defend your rights and get you the settlement you deserve.
You should also pursue an uninsured motorist claim if you’ve suffered losses due to a hit-and-run driver and you can’t identify the driver or the car. An uninsured motorist claim allows you to obtain compensation from your provider without doing the impossible — locating and suing the unknown driver.
Filing an underinsured or uninsured motorist claim is just like filing any other claim. The only difference is that you’ll be pursuing the claim with your own provider as if you were in a no-fault state.
It may take longer to file the claim because you need evidence of your medical bills and other expenses resulting from the collision, so file as soon as possible. Remember, all personal injury claims in Tennessee, including car accidents, have a statute of limitations of one year from the date of the initial accident. If you fail to properly file suit within the one-year time frame, you will not be able to make a case against the at-fault party or claim your benefits.
When you hire a personal injury lawyer from our law firm, you’ve enlisted the support of Nashville’s own champions for the injured. Well-connected and resourceful, we will analyze your case and help you get the justice you deserve. We will also help you follow relevant Nashville, Tennessee rules and regulations and protect your right to recover according to your uninsured motorist coverage.
Contact NST Law today at 615-903-8306 for your free consultation with our Nashville uninsured accident lawyers. You can also submit this form to learn more about your next steps.
Contact us for a free consultation now so that we can review your case and decide how we can best help you.
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