Recent car accident statistics confirm what we already know. Car accidents are going to happen. There are about 6 million car accidents each year in the United States. About 3 million of the people involved in those accidents are injured as a result. And of those injured, about 2 million will experience permanent injuries.
Liability automobile insurance is required for drivers of motor vehicles in most states to ensure there will be funds available to compensate persons injured in accidents. But despite possible fines, license suspension, and even jail time, many of the nation’s drivers do not carry the required insurance.
Unfortunately, there is no way to know whether or not the driver of the other car has insurance before the crash occurs. So what happens when it’s time to exchange insurance information and the other driver comes up short?
The New Jersey personal injury lawyers at Deutchman & Drews represent persons injured in car accidents caused by uninsured and underinsured motorists.
The Problem of Uninsured Motorists
The Insurance Research Council reported that in 2019 12.6% of drivers were on the nation’s roads without insurance – roughly one driver out of every eight. Uninsured motorists increase the cost of insurance for insured motorists by billions of dollars every year. Things are less grim in New Jersey which had the lowest percentage of uninsured drivers in the United States with 3.1%.
What is Being Done About it?
In attempting to try and make more motorists comply with auto insurance requirements, states have passed laws to try and make insurance information more available so insured status can be more easily determined.
- Computer data laws – Auto insurers provide state motor vehicle departments with updated insurance policy information to help verify coverage.
- Online verification systems – Central database where individual insurance companies keep updated information and motor vehicle departments can access real-time information via a portal.
- No pay, no play laws – Ban uninsured drivers from suing insured at-fault drivers for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering.
New Jersey is one of only about 10 states that has a no pay, no play law. New Jersey’s law prohibits injured drivers from recovering both economic and non-economic damages if they were uninsured and were driving or were a passenger in their own vehicle at the time of the accident.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Insurance Coverage
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is first-party coverage that is available to an insured driver under his own auto policy when the at-fault driver does not have auto insurance. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage is first-party coverage that is available to an insured driver under his own auto policy when the at-fault driver has insufficient coverage to compensate the insured driver for their damages.
How to Collect for Injuries Caused by an Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist
At Deutchman & Drews, our Certified Civil Trial Attorneys successfully pursue claims with insurance companies to get clients the compensation they are entitled to under their uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. When you have been injured in a car accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist you want an experienced advocate enforcing your legal rights. Call Deutchman & Drews at 732-828-1300 to schedule a free consultation or contact us here.
