Episode 3: Jeff Roberts has over 25 years of experience helping clients involved in traffic accidents. Jeff handles cases all over the Western Kentucky region. As we emerge from the coronavirus lockdowns, we’re going to want to take advantage of summer driving opportunities. As more vehicles get on the road, the risk for a collision increases.
After an Accident – Check on the condition of you and your passengers. You may also want to check on the other vehicle. Immediately call 911 if there are injuries, so first responders can assist you. You’ll want to get a copy of the police report. The information will be important for your traffic accident claim.
Next, it’s generally a good idea to seek medical treatment. If the injuries aren’t life-threatening, you may decide to see your primary care doctor or even an urgent care clinic. It’s not uncommon for pain and tightness to show up over the next several days. You should have this documented, in a medical record, by a healthcare professional. Let your doctor know you were recently involved in a traffic accident.
Delays in Seeking Care – The insurance adjuster for the other driver will try to minimize any injuries. If there’s a delay in seeking medical treatment, they will try to blame part of all of your injury on something that you did after the wreck. They may also try to blame it on a pre-existing condition. The want to minimize the amount of any payments potentially made to you.
Paying for the Doctor Visit – Kentucky has Personal Injury Protection (PIP coverage, No-Fault Coverage) for the driver and passengers. Generally, this is up to $10,000 in medical coverage for the driver and each passenger. This can also cover lost wages. You need to report the accident to your insurance carrier. The company responsible for paying the no-fault coverage is the company that insures the automobile. Yes, this is usually your own insurance company. Your company will later seek reimbursement from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. The goal is to enable you to quickly seek medical attention, regardless of who is at fault.
Getting Your Car Repaired – The PIP coverage (no-fault) does not cover property damage. However, in Kentucky the minimum property damage coverage for any automobile insurance is $25,000. Unfortunately, this coverage does not cover the at-fault driver’s vehicle. There’s additional insurance a driver can carry to protect the his/her car, even if he/she is at-fault.
What If the At-Fault Driver Is Driving without Insurance? – People are required to have automobile insurance, but some people continue to drive without insurance. This can be a significant issue in a traffic accident. An important type of coverage is Uninsured Motorist Coverage. This protects you and your passengers if the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance (“UM” coverage). Another type of insurance is Under Insured Motorist Coverage (“UIM” coverage). This coverage is used to cover additional damages, if the other person’s insurance is not sufficient to cover all of your damages. Both UM and UIM have specific amounts of coverage, so how much is there depends on your own policy.
Due to the Coronavirus, people are concerned about expenses, especially if they are at risk for losing their jobs. One of the areas people may cut back on is automobile insurance. It may be a good time to review your own policy to make sure you have adequate UM/UIM insurance.
Avoid Insurance Coverage Mistakes – It’s important to review your policy. There may be specific adders that are costing you money. You may need to increase certain types of coverages to avoid some of the issues we mentioned earlier in this podcast.
For more information, visit www.JeffRobertsLaw.com. This podcast is meant to provide information and is not legal advice. Jeff’s principal office is located at 509 Main Street, Murray, Kentucky. Co-host Jim Ray is a non-attorney spokesperson. This is an advertisement.
