Question: At the time of my Michigan motorcycle accident, I did not have insurance on my motorcycle. Can I still sue the driver who hit me?
Answer: Yes. Michigan law treats motorcyclists differently than individuals driving their own cars without insurance. Thus, an injured motorcyclist, who did not have insurance on his or her bike, may bring a lawsuit against the careless driver who caused the Michigan motorcycle accident.
Question: What is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Answer: Uninsured Motorist Coverage is an insurance coverage option that may allow you to recover damages from your own insurance policy, when an at-fault driver did not have insurance or cannot be identified (i.e. hit and run driver). It is a wise idea to carry uninsured coverage, to protect yourself in case you are in this situation when you are in a Michigan motorcycle accident.
Question: Is there a difference between uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage?
Answer: Yes. Underinsured coverage provides an additional means of collecting damages, if you are seriously injured in an accident. It is different than uninsured coverage, which is available when there was no identifiable insurance on an at-fault vehicle. For example, if you carried a policy of $100,000 underinsured coverage and the at-fault driver had a $20,000 liability insurance policy, you could seek up to $80,000 in additional damages from your own insurance company. This applies only after your attorney secures a tender offer of the underlying policy of insurance. As you can see, these claims are complicated and must be handled carefully.
An uninsured endorsement on a policy does not necessarily include an underinsured endorsement. Premature acceptance of an underlying policy in full settlement of your Michigan motorcycle accident claim could deprive you of the right to collect uninsured coverage.
Question: The driver who caused the Michigan motorcycle accident did not have insurance. I did not carry uninsured motorist coverage on my motorcycle, but have it in my motorcycle insurance policy. Can I make a claim for damages I suffered in the Michigan motorcycle accident through my motorcycle insurance?
Answer: Maybe. Your eligibility for uninsured coverage may depend on the specific wording of your Michigan motorcycle insurance policy. You should contact a Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer for help determining what your insurance policy covers.
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a Michigan motorcycle accident, talk with an experienced Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer.
By: Marya Sieminski
Posts Tagged ‘Damages’
FAQ’s About Motorcycle Accidents and Answers from Michigan Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
January 27th, 2010Truck Accidents Explained
January 16th, 2010
Trucks are one of the biggest types of automobiles that you can see on the road and there have been lots of truck accidents reported in the past. You could easily imagine how much damage an accident involving a truck could cause. If your vehicle will get hit by a truck, you can expect that you will have to deal with a very serious issue. You will need good lawyers who will make sure that you will get what you should like the amount that will cover the cost of your car’s repair and medical treatments in case you got injured due to the accident.
Law firms have highly qualified lawyers who can deal with this kind of problem in an excellent way. The lawyers have acquired skills and knowledge from education, training, and from lots of experience in the past. The attorneys are more than just a law firm; they will be your friend who will look after your welfare and best interest. The lawyers will fight for your rights and make sure that you’ll get compensated for all the injuries and the damages.
In most cases, accidents involving trucks are caused by negligence on the truck driver’s part. They are well-trained and they know all the truck-driving rules but sometimes, they just become too reckless without ever thinking of the result or the consequences. They are also aware of the laws and regulations set by the government but they sometimes don’t give much importance to these due to a variety of reasons. Once a truck gets involved in an accident, the process of filing a claim for insurance is usually more difficult and complicated compared to a regular car or vehicle.
There are many factors that will affect the insurance coverage and if you are not very familiar with the terms and conditions of these insurance companies regarding truck accidents and the type of coverage they offer for trucks, you will find yourself in a very difficult situation. In case this ever happens to you or to a member of your family, the first thing you should do is to hire lawyers who can expertly handle truck accident cases.
The attorneys will pursue your case on your behalf and they will do their best to achieve results that will be in your favor. The lawyers will investigate the whole accident carefully to get the slightest details to the most important ones. This way, they could represent your case better and you will get what’s due. The lawyers are well-informed about the rules and regulations set by the state governing these accidents so they already know what to do. They will personally get in touch with you so you can talk to them about your concerns and they will do their best to resolve any issues.
By: Sanjana Antony
Car Accident Lawsuits – Ten Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Case
January 13th, 2010
When involved in an auto accident lawsuit, your day-to-day activities will be scrutinized by insurance adjusters and defense attorneys looking for proof that your injuries are not severe or life-altering enough to recover damages. The following are ten common mistakes victims make that can harm their car accident case.
1. Underestimating insurance companies:
Expect that your auto insurance company and at-fault driver’s insurance company will conduct surveillance and hire investigators to take photos and videos of you at some point during your case. If you have tried to do a task, admit you’ve tried it. Most people will understand if you had a good day, and attempted to do something. But no one understands when an auto accident victim denies something that is later caught on surveillance video.
2. Signing away your rights:
Do NOT sign ANYTHING until you check with your auto accident lawyer. Even seemingly innocent papers such as car damage (mini-tort) releases sometimes have fine print waiving future injury claims or allowing an at-fault insurance company to access your medical records and violate your privacy. Always check with your car accident lawyer first.
3. Talking about your case:
Insurance adjusters, defense lawyers, and sometimes jurors may try one day to contact you. Do NOT talk about your case with ANYONE hired by the at-fault driver or insurance company. If an adjuster wants to ask about your case, have them call your car accident lawyer.
4. Divulging information on Facebook, Twitter and other online forums:
Defense attorneys and insurance adjusters will investigate your MySpace, Facebook and related Web pages, blogs or Twitter accounts – even when set as ‘Private’ – and look for things that can help their case against you. The purpose of this Internet research is to attempt to show that you are not as injured as you claim. So be careful about postings and photos of your activities. Avoid posting new items and remove any items that can be used to discredit you. One example is a truck accident victim who posted pictures of himself skiing on Facebook. Even though the activity occurred before the accident, the mere accusation of fraud by defense lawyers can have an affect on suspicious jurors.
5. Missing doctor appointments:
Do not miss doctor’s appointments. Not going to the doctor may be interpreted as a sign that you are not hurt, or don’t take your case seriously. Listen to your doctors, and follow their advice. It’s very important for you to show that you’re working hard to recover, and keeping appointments is an important part of that.
6. Disposing of important evidence of your injuries:
Save all pill bottles, casts, braces, prescriptions and any other items from your doctors. These will be used to prove you are truly injured.
7. Forgetting to document your injuries:
Anytime you have a surgery or a visible injury, take pictures. Or contact your auto accident lawyer and he will send a photographer to document your injuries before it’s too late. Videos are also great tools to show a jury or an insurance company adjuster just how difficult things have been in the days and weeks following your personal injury or after a surgery. In addition, take pictures of car damage. Crash repair estimates are often misleading and don’t reflect the full amount of vehicle damage.
8. Renewing licenses:
Defense attorneys and their investigators can easily obtain access to commercial driver license (CDL) information from the secretary of state, as well as hunting and fishing license information from the Department of Natural Resources. If you have serious injuries that prevent you from driving a commercial vehicle and/or participating in outdoor activities, do not renew those licenses until you speak with your lawyer first. Evidence showing that you renewed one of these licenses while recovering from your accident may convince a jury your injuries are not as severe as stated.
9. Failing to notify your attorney about job changes and moving:
Anything after your auto accident regarding changes in your job, job duties and salary is very important to discuss with your attorney. Notify your attorney if you are moving, if you have been put on further restrictions at work or have to miss more work due to your personal injuries. The more informed your lawyer is about how your injuries are affecting your job and your life, the better he can work towards obtaining fair compensation for you.
10. Poor communication:
The best way to avoid mistakes in a lawsuit is to maintain excellent communication with your car accident lawyer. There are so many confusing laws that can wreak havoc on an automobile accident case, even when people are trying to be truthful, honest and do the right thing.
The best advice remains the simplest: Call your car accident lawyer if you have a question, and certainly before doing something that can have an important impact on your case.
By: Steve Gursten