Phoenix Uninsured Underinsured Motorist Lawyer

Phoenix Uninsured Underinsured Motorist Attorney

Every driver in the state is required to have auto insurance that meets basic coverage requirements. Under the fault system, the driver at fault for an accident is liable for the resulting damages, and personal auto insurance is meant to cover such losses, streamlining victims’ recoveries.

However, the state has a high rate of uninsured drivers. If you were hurt by such a driver, you need to speak with a Phoenix uninsured/underinsured motorist lawyer.

Legal Counsel for Victims of Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Accidents in Phoenix, AZ

The Bleaman Law Firm, PC, can provide comprehensive legal counsel for your recovery efforts following an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. Dealing with insurance companies can be very difficult, and if an at-fault driver has insurance, you are more likely to reach a positive outcome with your claim when you have representation. If they do not have insurance, your attorney can help you explore alternative avenues of recovery.

Our team has more than 20 years of professional experience handling all types of personal injury claims in Phoenix, and we know that you are likely to have many pressing legal questions in the aftermath of any vehicle accident caused by another driver. You have a relatively short window in which to file an insurance claim if you are able to do so, and you face the statute of limitations if you must file a personal injury suit against the at-fault driver.

Whatever your recovery requires in Phoenix, you can rely on the Bleaman Law Firm, PC, to provide guidance and support through every phase of your recovery process. We can help establish liability for your accident, determine whether filing an auto insurance claim is an option for your recovery, and assist you in building a comprehensive personal injury suit that aims for maximum compensation for your damages.

Proving Liability for a Car Accident

Arizona operates on the fault rule for resolving vehicle accidents. This means it is crucial to establish liability for a car accident before you will be able to recover compensation for your losses through an auto insurance claim and/or personal injury suit.

Accidents most commonly occur from driver negligence, such as speeding, distracted driving, or moving violations. Accidents can also happen due to intentional misconduct behind the wheel, such as intoxicated driving.

Your Phoenix uninsured/underinsured motorist lawyer can help gather whatever evidence you may need to establish liability for your recent accident. This may include traffic camera recordings, vehicle computer data, cell phone records, and testimony from witnesses who saw the accident happen. Once you have established fault for your accident, you can proceed with claiming compensation for your damages from the at-fault driver.

It is important to remember that the state is a pure comparative fault state. This means that if you are found to have been partially liable for causing your accident, this fact will diminish your recovery by the percentage of fault you bear for the accident. For example, 10% fault would result in you losing 10% of your final award.

Auto Insurance Requirements in the State

Every driver in the state is required to have personal auto insurance that includes liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage. At a minimum, an individual policy must include at least $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage for a single person, at least $50,000 in total accident liability coverage for bodily injuries to multiple persons, and at least $15,000 in property damage liability coverage.

While not strictly required, drivers are strongly encouraged to also purchase uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage option comes into play if a driver who does not have insurance causes an accident or if they do not have enough coverage to fully compensate you for your losses. You can claim against your own policy for compensation without incurring penalties, such as increased premium rates, in most cases.

If you do not have this coverage option and an uninsured or underinsured driver caused your recent accident, you would be compelled to file a personal injury claim against them to recover your losses. Success with this claim requires firmly proving they are at fault for the accident and proving the full extent of the damages they directly caused.

Your Phoenix uninsured/underinsured motorist lawyer can help navigate the insurance claim filing process after your accident. If you are able to file an insurance claim, filing it with the help of an experienced attorney significantly reduces the chances of encountering any bad-faith tactics from an insurance carrier. If insurance is not a viable avenue of recovery for you, your attorney can help build a personal injury suit against the driver who caused your accident.

Filing a Personal Injury Claim Against an Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

Whether the at-fault driver does not have insurance or does not have enough coverage to fully repay your damages, a personal injury claim will be your next most viable avenue of recovery in the aftermath of your accident.

The objective of any personal injury suit is to prove liability for the damages you sustained and to recover compensation for those damages. The average person is unlikely to uncover all the various forms of compensation available to them on their own.

When you have a Phoenix uninsured/underinsured motorist lawyer representing you, they can help you identify all the various forms of compensation you can seek with your personal injury suit.

In most personal injury cases, plaintiffs are entitled to claim compensation for economic and non-economic damages a defendant caused:

• You can seek compensation for all property damage the defendant caused in your accident, such as the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle. If they do not have auto insurance, they are entirely liable for all property losses you incurred because of their actions.
• If you were physically hurt in the accident the defendant caused, the defendant is liable for the entire scope of medical care you need to fully recover. This includes the cost of any future medical treatment you may need to reach maximum medical improvement from your injuries if you were seriously harmed in the accident.
• When you are unable to work because of your injuries, the defendant is liable for the income you are unable to earn during this period. This also applies to anticipated lost future income if you were permanently disabled, and it interferes with your ability to work and earn income in the future.
• Arizona law allows the plaintiff to claim pain and suffering compensation, reflecting the severity of the physical harm and psychological distress they suffered from the defendant’s actions. There is no cap on pain and suffering compensation in vehicle accident claims filed in Arizona, so this could amount to a sizeable recovery for any plaintiff seriously injured by a defendant.
• If the defendant broke the law in causing the accident, a judge has discretionary power to award a plaintiff punitive damages. These are meant to punish the defendant rather than repay a loss, and the amount a defendant must pay in punitive damages typically hinges on the severity of their actions and their overall financial status.

Ultimately, your case could be worth much more than you initially expected. While it may be frustrating to realize that the driver who hit you does not have insurance as required by law, in most cases, it means that an injured driver can simply proceed directly to filing a personal injury suit to recover their losses. The at-fault driver will also face legal penalties for their failure to have appropriate insurance coverage.

What to Expect From Your Phoenix Uninsured Motorist Lawyer

Any vehicle accident case has the potential to escalate into a complex series of proceedings that the average person will not be able to navigate effectively on their own. When you choose the team at the Bleaman Law Firm, PC, to represent your case, you will have a responsive legal advocate ready to provide guidance and support and answer your questions as they arise throughout every stage of your case.

Before you can recover compensation from an uninsured or underinsured driver, you will need to prove exactly how they caused your recent accident. Your legal team will know what evidence you will need and how to obtain it. Once fault is established, they can help navigate the insurance claim filing process if this is an option for you, and when insurance cannot fully cover your damages, they can help build your personal injury suit.

Do not make the mistake of assuming that legal representation is prohibitively expensive. The team at the Bleaman Law Firm, PC, offers contingency fee billing to ensure our counsel is accessible to those who need it most. With a contingency fee agreement, the client pays nothing unless and until their attorney wins their case, and the attorney’s fee is a percentage of the total compensation recovered from the defendant.

You have a relatively short time in which to file your case after an accident, and the sooner you connect with an attorney, the more likely you will be to succeed with your recovery efforts. Contact the Bleaman Law Firm, PC, today to schedule your free consultation with a Phoenix uninsured/underinsured motorist lawyer and learn more about the legal services we can provide that can help you recover from your accident.