Many road accidents only cause damage to the vehicle and do not harm the people involved. A simple yet detailed demand letter to the insurance adjuster may be enough to prompt the sending of a check if the company so far has not been cooperative. However, if the people involved in the accident suffered any injuries, hiring an auto accident lawyer in Bowie, MD may be advisable; especially if the insurer seems to be stalling, is disputing the claim or is offering a settlement that seems too low.
Establishing Fault in an Accident
To persuade the negligent person’s insurance company to pay compensation, the individual dealing with property damage or who suffered an injury must establish proof that this other driver was at fault. Proving fault in a vehicle accident is a legal requirement in Maryland, unlike so-called no-fault states in which an injured person’s automotive insurance paid compensation even when someone else caused the accident.
Personal Injury Protection
Drivers in Maryland are required by law to carry personal injury protection, known as PIP, on their automotive policies. This coverage does pay some compensation if another driver was at fault. However, the amount is relatively low. Only a minimum of $2,500 is required, and that is all many policyholders choose. And the maximum allowed is only $10,000.
Medical Insurance
The person’s medical insurance should pay for outstanding bills beyond that, but many health insurance policies have large deductibles and co-pays. This can leave the injured person with overwhelming medical expenses in addition to lost income during recovery.
Proving Liability
If law enforcement reports do not explicitly name one driver as the responsible party, an auto accident lawyer in Bowie, MD must find other strategies to prove liability. Obtaining testimonies of eyewitnesses and expert witnesses is a possible way to show that the other driver caused the incident.
Medical expenses can be astronomical when a person has been hospitalized, has undergone surgery and needs ongoing therapy. They need legal representation from a firm such as The Valente Law Group if the insurer is uncooperative. Visit Domain Name to learn more about these particular lawyers.
