How to Resolve Auto Accident Claim Involving Multiple Parties
If you have been injured in a car accident in Kentucky and there are multiple parties that were injured, limited insurance by the at fault party may make the resolution of the claim challenging. The first thing most people need to understand is that your claim is limited by the amount of insurance available to satisfy that claim. There is no magical fund to compensate you for the injuries caused by others. If the other party has no insurance and you do not have uninsured motorist coverage, you will receive nothing for your injuries. It is unfortunate, but true.
If the at fault party has liability insurance, the injured parties are limited to the insurance purchased by the at fault party. Some people may say that I can sue the person and obtain the full amount of my claim, but this thought is naïve. The reality is that you are limited to the insurance purchased by the at fault party. If you sue them, you can obtain a judgment against them, but you will be unable to collect it because they can file for bankruptcy protection and you will have expended a lot of effort and time to obtain only the insurance benefits you could have obtained prior to filing the lawsuit.
If you are fortunate enough that the party causing your injuries in a motor vehicle accident has insurance for your claim, what do you do if there are multiple parties that were injured and have claims competing with yours for the same insurance money? Recently, I had a case where I represented 6 people injured in the same accident and the total amount of insurance was $25,000.00. Fortunately, all of the people injured were part of the same family and easily agreed on how to split up the insurance money. If you cannot agree with the other parties on how to split up the insurance money, then you will have to litigate the matter and a jury will decide for you. Typically, when there are multiple parties and limited insurance, the limited insurance is split up based upon the value of each claim. The person with the more valuable claim will receive a greater percentage of the limited insurance.
Purchase Underinsured Motorist Coverage to Protect Yourself from Limited Liability Insurance in the Event of Multiple Claims.
The best way to protect yourself from a limited amount of liability insurance purchased by the at fault party is to purchase underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy. This insurance will allow you to make a second claim to obtain the full value of your claim or, at least, recover more of the value of your claim. This coverage is relatively cheap and it should be purchase in as high a limits as you can afford. It is simply the best way of protecting yourself against the motorists who have low levels of auto insurance liability coverage. The reality you must face is that most motorists have minimal liability limits.
Another beneficial aspect of underinsured motorist coverage is that it is considered personal coverage that goes with you wherever you go. For instance, if you are a passenger in someone else’s vehicle, you are covered. If you are a pedestrian hit by a car, you are covered. If you are in a bus or other public transportation, you are covered.
CONTACT THE TROUTMAN LAW OFFICE IN THE EVENT OF AN AUTO ACCIDENT
The auto accident with multiple injured innocent parties will require the services of an experienced Kentucky auto accident attorney to investigate and locate all available evidence to determine liability and to maximize all insurance benefits available to anyone injured or killed in this auto accident. Matthew Troutman, a Kentucky auto accident lawyer, of the Troutman Law Office has been handling auto accident claims, almost exclusively, since 1986 and has the experience and talent to obtain the best result for the victims in a car accident.
If you need legal assistance due to a motor vehicle accident, contact Kentucky auto accident attorney Matthew Troutman directly at 859-696-0001 or 502-648-9507 and he will meet with you in the hospital, your home or wherever is convenient for you. He will give you direct access through his cell phone and guide you through the difficult process necessary to obtain the best result possible for you in your car accident claim. To learn more about the Troutman Law Office, click here.