Uninsured and Underinsured Drivers

You’ve been hurt in an accident. Our Cleveland auto accident attorneys can help.

Ohio is a "fault" state when it comes to auto insurance. That means when you are involved in a car accident caused by another driver, their insurance company is responsible for paying the costs related to any injuries and property damage. But the car accident attorneys at Merriman Legal, LLC have handled many cases in which a person was injured by a driver who was either uninsured or underinsured.

All auto insurance policy holders in the state are required to carry minimum amounts of liability coverage: $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. However, those amounts are sometimes not enough to cover the costs of an accident. And some drivers don’t carry any insurance at all.

Some drivers may choose to carry minimal or no insurance because they feel they can’t afford it. Others may have let their insurance lapse because their license was suspended, and they shouldn’t be driving at all.  Either way, it can create a hardship for the victims of accidents they cause.

So what happens if you are in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver? The outcome depends on your insurance policy.

When you buy car insurance, you have the option of adding uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage. This provides added protection. If the driver that caused your crash is uninsured, your own insurance company would pay the claim. If the driver that caused your crash is underinsured, your insurance company would pay the amount of the claim above that driver’s liability limits.

If you don’t have UM/UIM coverage and are hurt in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, your options are limited. If the driver is underinsured, you may seek damages only up to the amount of their liability limits. If the driver is uninsured, no insurance money is available to you.

We fight for your rights

If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, our attorneys will aggressively pursue your claim. We’ll conduct our own investigation of the accident to look for evidence that will demonstrate that other driver was clearly at fault. Our team will build the strongest case possible to advocate for your rights.

Next, we’ll determine the amount of damages and fight to get you the maximum compensation possible. In cases involving uninsured or underinsured drivers, this can be challenging. We’ll explore every insurance option available to you. We can also help you pursue a case against the negligent driver. While it may be difficult to collect compensation, we will explore ways to hold that person responsible and discuss the available options.

If you’ve been injured in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, call us at 866-823-3332 to schedule a no cost consultation. We’ll go over the details of your case and explain your legal options to you. We work on a contingency fee, which means you owe us nothing until we recover damages for you.