Do You Need a Lawyer for a UM UIM Claim?

The Montana Department of Justice notes that Montana Code § 61-6-103 requires all drivers in the state to carry automobile insurance with minimum liability coverage amounts of $25,000 for bodily injury to or death to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury to or death to two or more persons, and $20,000 for property damage. The Montana Insurance Verification System (MTIVS), instituted under Montana Code § 61-6-157, is a motor vehicle insurance verification system that can confirm vehicle owners and operators are in compliance with these vehicle liability policy requirements. 

Despite the state laws, there are still a number of drivers in Montana or even out-of-state visitors who are driving without insurance or might be carrying policies that do not provide suitable coverage. If you think that you might have an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim to file, you will want to contact a Billings personal injury attorney for help making sure you are approaching your claim properly.

Contact an Underinsured / Uninsured Motorist Insurance Lawyer

If you suffered serious injuries or your loved one was killed in an automobile accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, you are going to want to be sure that you retain legal counsel. Scheveck & Salminen Law helps people throughout Montana with uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, and we know how to make sure that victims are appropriately compensated for their losses.

Our firm will know the most beneficial way to approach your case and can fight to see to it that you get every dollar you need and deserve. Call our firm at (406) 894-2121 or contact us online to receive a free consultation so we can take an exhaustive look at your case and tell you what we can do for you.

Understanding What Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Does

In March 2021, the Insurance Research Council (IRC) reported that one in eight drivers in 2019 was driving without insurance. According to IRC, approximately 8.5 percent of drivers in Montana were uninsured, which was tied with Delaware for the 13th-lowest on the list.

Uninsured and underinsured are not the same thing. An uninsured driver means a motorist who was operating without any kind of automobile insurance, while an underinsured driver reflects one who had automobile insurance but whose limits are too low to adequately cover all of the damages sought by an injury victim.

Many insurance companies in Montana offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, but these policies can be rejected. In general, uninsured and underinsured motorist policies may also involve bodily injury or property damage protection if so specified.

Recovering Under Your Underinsured / Uninsured Motorist Insurance

People who carry uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage can be entitled to numerous kinds of damages, depending on the specifics of their policies. Some of the damages you could receive may include, but are not limited to:

• Past and future medical bills
• Past and future lost wages 
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering 
• Funeral expenses

When you file an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim, you will probably expect to be compensated up to the limits of your policy, which can be as high as $300,000 in some cases. Insurance companies, however, are reluctant to issue these kinds of payouts, and an insurer will typically find one or more reasons to minimize a payout or deny a claim altogether. 

Common reasons insurers deny uninsured or underinsured motorist claims include victims failing to file claims within specified time limits, insurers claiming uninsured or underinsured motorist policies lapsed because of missed payments, or insurers claiming that an uninsured or underinsured motorist policy does not cover the damages in your case. You could also be told that the insurance company does not believe your damages exceed the limits of the other party’s policy or that you did not present sufficient evidence to support the amount you are seeking.

Attorney for Underinsured / Uninsured Motorist Insurance Claims

Did you sustain severe injuries, or was your loved one killed in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured motorist in Montana? You will want to be sure you speak with Scheveck & Salminen Law as soon as possible.

Our firm has vast experience dealing with insurance companies and will know how to fight, so you are able to recover everything you are entitled to. We invite you to call us at (406) 894-2121 or contact us online, so you can arrange a free consultation that will let our lawyers take a closer look at your case and help outline what can be done in your case.