Filing an Uninsured Motorist Claim For Personal Injuries

Although Wisconsin law requires drivers to carry liability insurance, there are those who disregard this and drive without insurance. People who receive personal injuries in accidents with uninsured or underinsured Wisconsin drivers or in a hit-and-run accident may not have financial recourse through the responsible party, but they can turn to their own auto insurance coverage to help pay for the injuries or damages suffered via an uninsured motorist claim.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Requirements

Wisconsin requires drivers to carry a minimum of $25,000 in Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage per person and $25,000 per accident Bodily Injury coverage. Your Uninsured Motorist coverage protects you from uninsured/underinsured drivers. If you want to file an uninsured motorist claim, you file it with your own insurance company who will pay your claim. Uninsured Motorist claims can include:

• Present and future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering

Your policy coverage will pay for personal injuries sustained by you and/or your passengers if you are injured by an uninsured driver or a hit-and-run driver provided you have sufficient coverage. Your coverage even protects you as a pedestrian or bicyclist who is hit by another driver. The one thing this coverage does not provide compensation for is property damage. However, this may be provided by your policy’s Collision Coverage.

Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage is another option. It is not required by Wisconsin, but it is available to policyholders as an additional coverage option. UIM provides increased Bodily Injury benefits for those injured by a driver who  does not have enough insurance.

If the at-fault driver has coverage but is underinsured, you can file an initial claim against his or her policy to recover some damages and then file a claim against your own policy to obtain supplemental damages.

Safety Responsibility Law

Wisconsin’s Safety Responsibility Law was created to protect those who were harmed by uninsured motorists. Accidents that cause injury, death, or property damage of more than $1,000 must be reported to the police. If the uninsured driver was determined to be at-fault, the DMV could suspend his or her license and vehicle registration if the driver does not take any action to rectify the situation.

Filing a Claim for Personal Injuries and Damages

Filing an uninsured motorist claim for personal injuries and/or damages can be complex and confusing, especially if the other driver has some coverage but not enough coverage to pay for your losses. The Eisenberg Law Offices car accident attorneys can help you file claims against your own auto insurance policy or pursue personal injury claims against the other driver to ensure you receive the coverage you need to recover after the accident. We can represent you in all insurance communications to ensure you obtain the coverage to which you are entitled.

We offer free consultations so you can learn about your options and what to expect from the process. We work on a contingency basis, which means we do not get paid unless you recover compensation through your claim.

Arrange your free, no-risk consultation by calling Eisenberg Law Offices at 608-256-8356 or emailing us at info@eisenberglaw.org.