Even though most states require car owners to buy automobile insurance, and for drivers to carry proof of insurance, not all motorists obey that law. Hence, every driver risks the chance of being hit by an uninsured motorist.

Car owners do have the ability to buy uninsured motorist coverage (UIM).

The amount of money offered by that UMI must be no more than promised by the policy holder’s liability coverage. Payments promised by UMI can cover damages, but those payments do not cover injuries or loss of income. Find a solution for that particular problem below.

A policy holder that has purchased UMI should make a claim as soon as possible, after getting hit by an uninsured motorist. Many insurance companies put a limit on the amount of time allowed for filing a claim, as stated in the provisions for coverage.

Car owners can add collision coverage to their automobile insurance policy.

This provides the owner of an automobile with a guarantee that the cost of repairs for damages will be covered. It does not help with covering the cost of any injuries, or with replacing any lost income.

Normally, the damages paid for by the collision coverage are those that have resulted from an accident for which the insured driver has been found at fault. Still, someone that has paid for such coverage can use it as a means for accessing insurance payments, after being hit by an uninsured driver.

What if the owner of an automobile cannot take advantage of the above options?

Someone that has been place in that circumstance ought to give serious thought to filing a lawsuit. That, of course, means hiring an Injury Lawyer in Ottawa, in order to increase the chances for winning that lawsuit.

Some people hesitate to pursue such legal action, especially if they feel that no one was injured in the accident. Lawyers can help a client to review the details, and to study more carefully the likelihood that someone, perhaps a passenger, might have been injured.

If the injured passenger was a child or teenager, then the legal system allows for placement of a hold on the statute of limitations. That statute gets held until the injured child or teen has reached the age of 18. After that the young adult has 2 years in which to take any legal action that he or she may desire.

Sometimes, too, the insurance company might try to reduce the amount of money available to the policy holder. It might claim that the policy holder’s actions, or lack of action, helped to increase the extent to which the insured vehicle was damaged. That possibility highlights another reason for filing a lawsuit and hiring a lawyer.