Were you or a loved one injured by an uninsured driver in the Buffalo, NY area? Even though it may initially appear like your chances of compensation are slim, our Buffalo car accident attorneys can help you recover the full damages you are owed.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
In every automobile insurance policy in New York State, an insurance company has to offer what is called SUM coverage which is an acronym for Supplementary Uninsured Motorists protection. In most cases, it is what we call unified endorsement and covers people who are uninsured or under-insured. Essentially what that means is if I’m involved in a motor vehicle accident and the vehicle that is at fault and strikes me does not have insurance, I’m able to go to my own insurance company and that insurance company will step in and pay benefits to me, not only for my wage loss and medical, but for my personal injuries as well. Essentially what they do is step into the shoes of the other insurance company to cover my injuries.
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What If I Am Injured by an Under-Insured Driver?
Also, in that same endorsement, there is a thing called under-insurance. Let’s say that you’re involved in a motor vehicle accident and you have under-insurance benefits of $500,000. If you get into an accident with someone who only has $25,000 of coverage, you should first go to the insurance company of the defendant or at fault vehicle and get the $25,000 policy from that insurance company. At that point, you would then be able to go to your own insurance company and would be eligible to receive an additional $475,000 from them. That number is calculated by taking your insurance coverage, your SUM coverage which is $500,000, and subtracting from that what the other insurance company had, which is $25,000.
Contact Our Office if You Have Been Injured by an Uninsured Driver in Buffalo
If you have been injured by an uninsured driver in Buffalo, do not hesitate to contact Andrews, Bernstein & Maranto, PLLC today. Call our office today to schedule a free consultation and case evaluation with our experienced Buffalo car accident lawyers.