February 08, 2023 | Publications

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What is Underinsured or Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

If you are hurt in a motor vehicle accident that another driver caused, you could be entitled to file a claim against that driver. Their liability insurance could pay damages for you to cover your medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering and other losses.

Unfortunately, some drivers carry no insurance or not enough to cover all of your damages. The driver may have purchased only the minimum liability coverage, which is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in New York. If your losses exceed $25,000, then you will not be able to obtain full compensation from the other driver’s insurer. In this case, you could make a claim through your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. If the other driver had no insurance at all, or if you were in a hit-and-run crash, then your claim could be made through your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage.

What Do UM and UIM Cover?

UM and UIM cover bodily injury resulting from car accidents in New York State, whether the policyholder was in a car or was a pedestrian struck by a car. New York Insurance Law § 5102 defines serious injuries to include:

  • Death
  • Dismemberment
  • Significant disfigurement
  • Loss of a fetus
  • Fractures
  • Permanent loss or impairment of a limb or organ
  • Any injury that impairs someone’s ability to perform daily tasks for at least 90 days

If a person has suffered serious injury, basic UM coverage will pay for non-economic losses as well. Non-economic losses include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional trauma, and other losses that are harder to quantify than medical bills or lost wages.

How Can a New York Car Accident Attorney Help?

If you or a loved have been seriously injured in a car accident, Karasik Law Group will fight for your family’s right to compensation for every dollar you are entitled to under the law.  Call us to today at (718) 502-9112 to schedule a Free Consultation. And be sure to visit our website at www.karasiklawyers.com. At Top-Rated Law Firm Karasik Law Group, winning matters. Win with us! We speak for the injured; our results speak for themselves.