When a worst-case scenario occurs and you find yourself the victim of an auto accident, quickly taking the correct next steps can make a world of difference in how the following weeks and months treat you. In the state of Texas, when you get into an accident with another driver and it is the other driver’s fault, he or she is financially responsible for your injuries. In some states, known as no-fault states, the insurance coverage of an individual driver covers their damages and injuries even if they were at no fault in the accident. Texas, however, is not one of those states. What this means for Texas drivers is that auto accidents with uninsured or underinsured drivers are particularly worrisome. Typically, the drivers who choose not to insure their vehicles also have limited or no assets from which to pay your damages. Even when a driver has some coverage, the insurance company will do everything in their power to minimize how much they must pay out on the policy.

The Importance of Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney

Whenever you are seriously injured because of someone else’s carelessness or mistake, you should always seek out the trusted legal advice of an attorney who practices in the specialized field of personal injury law. However, almost never is this more important than when you find yourself in an auto accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. That’s because in these situations, an attorney needs to move fast to determine alternate ways that you might be able to recover the money you deserve for the damage done to your vehicle and your body. Even in instances where a driver has inadequate insurance, a qualified attorney knows where to look to find additional insurance policies or assets against which a personal injury judgment can collect. By hiring an attorney as soon as possible after the accident, you increase the chances that additional policies and sources of payment are identified.

Attorneys Know Where to Look

An experienced attorney knows where to find sources that can reimburse you for your losses. Even if the driver of the other vehicle was not insured, the car he or she was driving might be covered under someone else’s policy. Occasionally, other people in the driver’s family or household have insurance policies that cover all vehicles or all drivers in that household. Other times, parents retain their adult children on their insurance policies, sometimes even without their knowledge. These potential alternate insurance policies must be tracked down, because the family members and their insurance companies are never going to come to you to volunteer their money. And, if the driver happened to be driving in the course of his or her work, which is not always apparent to a non-lawyer, it might be that their employer is legally liable for the accident.

Arm Yourself with Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

You may be a responsible driver, but you know that not everyone else on the road takes the same precautions you do. The absolute best way to protect yourself in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver is to defend yourself ahead of time by adding uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage to your personal auto policy. Nationally, about one in eight drivers are uninsured or underinsured. In Texas, that number is closer to one in seven. Without this added layer of protection, you may find yourself stuck with medical bills and repair bills that set your finances back years. Many states, such as Texas, only require a low minimum amount of insurance coverage. Even a moderate auto accident can easily result in damages that are double, triple, or quadruple the minimum level of insurance that Texas drivers must purchase to legally be on the road.

Mejias Lindsay PLLC Has the Experience You Need

The attorneys at Mejias Lindsay PLLC can guide you through what to do after a car accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. Our attorneys know exactly where to look for alternate sources of reimbursement for your injuries and damages, whether it be additional insurance policies, recoverable assets, or employer liability. When you are in an auto accident, every hour counts. Medical bills can grow quickly, and uninsured drivers are the most likely to prove difficult to track down for fair reimbursement. Let the attorneys at our office explore every nook and exhaust every remedy to find you the compensation you deserve from a difficult situation.