Despite the fact Nevada has minimum insurance requirements in place, about 10.4 percent of all motorists in the state are uninsured. With 2.3 million registered drivers in the state, that puts roughly 239,200 uninsured drivers on the road.
Don’t panic if you are involved in an accident with one of these uninsured drivers. You have options for financial recovery – including the potential option of filing a claim for benefits through your uninsured motorist coverage.
At Battle Born Injury Lawyers, we’ve been helping crash victims navigate uninsured motorist claims in Las Vegas and throughout the State of Nevada since 2010. Collectively, our award-winning Las Vegas uninsured motorist claims attorneys have 80+ years of experience, and we’ve helped our clients achieve over $100 million in life-changing compensation.
Call our Las Vegas, Nevada law office for help at (702) 570-9000 after a car accident involving an uninsured or underinsured driver. We can help you understand your legal options and put together a plan to maximize your recovery. Your first consultation is free, so contact us for help today.
How Battle Born Injury Lawyers Can Help With Your Las Vegas Uninsured Motorist Claim
Any car accident can be stressful. Things can become much more overwhelming when a crash involves a driver without car insurance.
Fortunately, you do not have to deal with the repercussions of a crash with an uninsured driver on your own. Our car accident attorneys in Las Vegas, NV are ready to help you prepare and file a claim for benefits under your uninsured motorist policy, as well as exhaust any other options for your financial recovery.
When you turn to our Las Vegas car accident law firm for help, you’ll take the burden of a legal claim for damages off of your shoulders. This will give you the freedom to concentrate all of your energy on getting better and moving forward with your life.
As we provide assistance with your uninsured motorist claim, our legal team will:
- Investigate your car accident and gather evidence that can be used to build a strong claim for damages
- Secure proof that the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured
- Identify all potential options for compensation – including benefits through your uninsured motorist policy and/or damages in a civil lawsuit
- Notify your insurance company of the crash and your intent to submit a claim for benefits
- Prepare a formal demand for benefits and submit it to your insurance carrier
- Handle settlement negotiations with the insurer on your behalf
If your insurance company refuses to pay your UM benefits without a valid reason, our experienced Las Vegas car accident attorneys will be more than ready to bring your case to a jury in Clark County.
Do not hesitate to reach out to our legal team for help right after your crash with an uninsured driver. We can help you take the necessary steps to safeguard your financial future. We offer a free consultation, so call now.
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
In Nevada, all drivers are legally required to purchase minimum amounts of car insurance coverage before they can register and drive a motor vehicle.
Minimum insurance coverage includes liability protection of:
- $25,000 bodily injury coverage per person
- $50,000 bodily injury coverage per accident, and
- $20,000 property damage coverage per accident.
All car insurance companies in Nevada are required to offer policies with at least “25/50/20” coverage.
Car insurance companies are also required to offer uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage to drivers in Nevada.
Essentially, uninsured motorist coverage (UM) takes the place of the insurance policy that the uninsured (and at-fault) driver should have had at the time of an accident.
When a driver causes an accident and is uninsured, you submit a claim to your insurance company and request benefits from your uninsured motorist coverage.
Uninsured motorist benefits are equivalent to the state’s 25/50/20 coverage unless you opted to purchase higher policy limits.
You’re not legally required to add uninsured motorist coverage to your car insurance policy. However, you must formally decline benefits in writing.
What’s the Difference Between Uninsured Motorist Coverage and Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured motorist coverage takes the place of benefits that should have been available to you after an accident with another driver.
On the other hand, uninsured motorist coverage (UIM) is helpful when you’re in an accident with a driver who has insurance, but their policy limits aren’t enough to cover the full extent of your car accident injuries. Underinsured motorist coverage will make up the difference between what the at-fault party’s insurance paid for your medical treatment and your remaining costs (up to your policy limits).
What Compensation Can I Get If I File an Uninsured Motorist Claim in Las Vegas?
At a minimum, you must add $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident, and $20,000 in property damage coverage when you add UM to your car insurance policy.
In Nevada, bodily injury liability benefits can cover any economic and non-damages related to physical injuries or death, including:
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitation
- Physical therapy
- Nursing care
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Lost future earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
Your property damage coverage will take care of the costs related to replacing or repairing damage to your vehicle and other property.
Who’s Covered by an Uninsured Motorist Policy in Nevada?
You can file an uninsured motorist claim in Las Vegas when you are injured in an accident that’s caused by another driver without insurance.
Your policy will cover you as well as any passengers in your car at the time of your accident.
Unlike other states, UM/UIM coverage won’t cover you if you are hit by an uninsured driver as a pedestrian.
How Do I File a Claim For Uninsured Motorist Benefits in Las Vegas?
Before you formally file a claim, you’re legally required to notify your insurance company that you’ve been in an accident. For accidents involving property damage, injury, or death, you’re also required to report the crash to the state.
Once you’ve reported your accident, you can turn to a claim for UM benefits.
First, you have to prove that another driver caused your Las Vegas car accident. This typically involves establishing that another driver was negligent. Negligence refers to another motorist’s failure to exercise reasonable care while driving, which, in turn, caused you to get hurt. Common examples of driver negligence include distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, and tailgating.
Once you’ve established that another driver is at fault for your crash, you’ll have to demonstrate that they do not have car insurance. Your attorney can typically secure the necessary documentation from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.
You’ll need to include all of this information in your claim and, as part of your demand letter, outline the injuries and suffering you’ve experienced as a result of the accident. Your car accident attorney in Las Vegas will include evidence to help substantiate your claim and persuade the insurance company to issue payment.
The insurance company will review the claim and (a) reject it, (b) pay your claim in full, or (c) offer to settle your case for a lower sum of money.
Just because it’s your insurance company doesn’t mean that the claims process will be easy or straightforward. After all, it’s still a profit-driven corporation that’s going to put its financial future ahead of your needs. They’ll likely search for any reason to decline your request or minimize your payout.
For that reason, it can be critically important to enlist the help of a qualified and respected personal injury attorney near you in Las Vegas. At Battle Born Injury Lawyers, our attorneys have been going head-to-head with insurance companies in Nevada for decades. We understand their tactics and can anticipate the strategies they’ll employ in an effort to stand between you and the benefits you deserve.
How Long Do I Have To File a Claim For Uninsured Motorist Benefits in Nevada?
You’ll have two years from the date of your car accident with an uninsured driver to submit a claim to your insurance company for UM benefits.
Once two years go by, you’ll give up the right to secure benefits from your car insurance policy.
We Handle All Auto Accident Claims in Las Vegas, NV
- Head-on collisions
- Highway collisions
- Hit-and-run collisions
- Intersection collisions
- Multi-vehicle collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- Single vehicle collisions
Trusted Car Accident Attorneys in Las Vegas, NV Ready To Help You Make the Most of Your Uninsured Motorist Claim
Don’t let the fact that the driver who caused your Las Vegas car accident was uninsured stand between you and your monetary recovery. Call Battle Born Injury Lawyers and discover how we can help you file a successful claim for uninsured motorist benefits in Las Vegas.
Our Las Vegas uninsured motorist claims lawyers offer a free consultation and work on contingency Ffee. You pay nothing unless we win your case – and our fee comes directly out of your financial award.
Contact our Las Vegas, NV, law office to learn more. We’re always available to take your call and provide the assistance you need.
