Have you ever wondered whether uninsured insurance coverage is necessary, or what you should do if you are in an accident? Understanding legal matters relating to car insurance and vehicle accidents can be confusing, but this article will help get some of your questions answered. Keep reading to discover:
- Why you need uninsured/underinsured coverage on your own vehicle, and in what situations you can use this coverage.
- The steps you should take at the scene of the accident to ensure your well-being and help your claim.
- When you should contact an attorney if you’ve been in a car accident.
How Important Is It To Have Uninsured/Underinsured Coverage In Montana?
Having uninsured/underinsured coverage on your own vehicle for yourself is one of the most important coverages that you can have as a driver in Montana. Underinsured/uninsured coverage is not expensive and is provided by your own insurance company. It gives you coverage if the party who caused the accident has no insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance.
It can also cover you as a pedestrian or a bike rider. You can file a claim with your insurance if you are hit by a driver who is uninsured or underinsured, or a driver who you cannot find. Your underinsured/uninsured coverage would cover you in these situations.
The liability limits in Montana are $25,000, which is almost nothing. Your medical bills — not to mention your pain and suffering — after a serious accident can be astronomical. $25,000 barely covers anything.
In Montana, there are a lot of drivers who are uninsured or underinsured. This is why it is so important that you carry your own insurance and your own underinsured/uninsured coverage to pay for what is not provided by other individuals.
Do I Have A Claim If I Am Injured In An Accident With A Semi-Truck As A Pedestrian?
If you’re a pedestrian and you are hit by a vehicle driven by someone else, whether it is a semi-truck or a car, you do have a claim against that individual if it is their fault. As a pedestrian, unfortunately, those injuries can be quite severe compared to an accident with multiple vehicles.
If you are struck in any way by another vehicle or a semi-truck as a pedestrian, it’s really important that an investigation is done right away so that you can find the individual who caused the wreck. Sometimes there are hit-and-run situations where an individual will hit someone and then drive away. Talking to witnesses and checking if there is video footage of exactly what happened is really important at the beginning stage of that process.
If you are hit as a pedestrian, even if you weren’t walking in a crosswalk, it’s important to look into whether the driver might have had a duty to watch out for you as a pedestrian, as opposed to you looking out for them. It is critical to review fault in that situation, even if you weren’t walking in the crosswalk when you were hit by a vehicle.
What Should I Do Right After An Accident That I Am Involved In?
At the scene of any accident that you are involved in, right after it happens, you should obtain the contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident. If you are injured but you have someone with you who is not injured, that person should try to get contact information from the individuals who witnessed the accident.
Often, people who witness the accident drive away, or they check in and then they drive away. If they actually saw the accident, those people can be extremely important later on in the process.
Of course, you should also call the police right away so they can issue a ticket if necessary, and investigate the accident to the best of their ability. In addition, you should get the insurance information of the other party that was involved.
Then, even if you feel like you’re not injured, you should get checked out by a medical provider. Injuries can often arise in your body much later after the accident has occurred. The adrenaline of the accident often causes people to think that they are fine and that they have no injuries.
Keep in mind that when you’re talking to the individuals at the scene, including police officers or the person who caused the accident, you should avoid saying that you’re perfectly fine or that you’re uninjured. Right after your accident, it can be hard to tell whether you are injured or not.
You should still see your medical provider just to check and make sure. You can also wait a week or two to see if other symptoms present themselves as signs of injuries from the accident.
When Should I Contact An Attorney After I Am Involved In An Accident?
If you’re involved in an accident, we recommend that you contact an attorney right after the accident. It does not have to be the same day, but ideally, you should reach out to an attorney within a week of your accident.
A lot of things happen at the beginning of the process, and it’s important that you have an attorney involved who can guide you through that process from the start. Accidents can be incredibly stressful, especially if you have been seriously injured. You deserve to have someone on your side to fight for a proper settlement so that you can focus on your recovery.
For more information on Having Uninsured/Underinsured Coverage In Montana, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (406) 259-9986 today.
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