Minnesota Uninsured Motorist Claim
What if the person who caused my Minnesota car accident doesn’t have any auto accident insurance?
If the person who caused your car accident does not have any auto accident insurance, you will be able to make a claim against your insurance company if you have uninsured motorist coverage, which pays for many (but not all) of the things that the other person’s insurance would have paid if it existed. Check your policy. If you are not sure if you have uninsured motorist coverage, contact a Minnesota car accident lawyer at our law firm: 612-338-0202, 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or free consultation form.
Uninsured motorist insurance often covers the following:
- Medical bills and wage loss
- Pain, suffering and disfigurement
- Emotional distress
- Loss of future earning capacity.
There are some things that uninsured motorist coverage may not cover, including:
- Damage to your car (but you may also have collision coverage that does pay for property damage, less your deductible)
- Punitive damages.
Uninsured motorist coverage is not a gift or present from your insurance company. You already paid a premium for it, so don’t think you’re taking “advantage” of your insurance company because you have to make an uninsured motorist claim. You also don’t have to worry that your premium will go up if you make an uninsured motorist claim; Minnesota prohibits premium increases if the accident wasn’t your fault.
What happens if I don’t agree with the insurance company’s estimate of my car value?
If your car has been totaled in an accident, your insurance company should pay you the replacement value of your car. If you don’t agree with your insurance company’s estimate of your car’s value, you are not stuck with whatever the insurance company offers you. It’s best to get a few written estimates from auto dealers or appraisers regarding what they think your car was worth before it was totaled in the accident. If the estimates are higher than what you’re being offered by the insurance company, let the company know. If they still won’t offer you what the car is worth, contact our law firm, PritzkerOlsen, P.A, at 612-338-0202 or 1-888-377-8900. You may also submit our free consultation form.
For more information, please see our 10 tips for getting fair car value.
Fatal Accident Involving Flying Ice and Minnesota Uninsured Motorist Benefits
A Minnesota motorist, Bob Brobst, was killed on December 26, 2008 near Rochester, Minnesota. A 4-foot chunk of ice flew off the top of a trailer attached to a pickup truck that was headed in the opposite direction on a two lane county road. It hit his windshield, activated his airbags, and sent his car into an electrical pole on the opposite side of the road. He never regained consciousness and died from the injuries two weeks later.
Minnesota statute 169.42 and forbids any person to “throw, deposit, place, or dump” any of an extensive list of items onto public road. The list includes snow, ice, and trash.
Even in situations such as this where the other driver is unidentified, an injured person or surviving family members likely have a legal claim for money damages against their own insurer for what are known as uninsured motorist benefits. This portion of an insurance policy is in place to protect injured persons and their family members where an unidentified motorist causes injuries.
If you or a family member has suffered injuries from flying ice or other debris from another vehicle, please contact us for a free consultation: 612-338-0202, 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or free consultation form.
Reference: Jim Foti, “The rare but deadly danger of flying ice,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, Jan. 16, 2009.
Keywords: Minnesota fatal accident, flying ice, wrongful death, Minnesota uninsured motorist benefits, car accident claim, Minnesota car accident lawyer, flying debris accident, pickup truck accident.
