Portland Car Accident Attorneys
Oregon Personal Injury Law Questions and Answers
Q: What if the person who hit me has low insurance limits?
A: If you have been seriously injured in a car crash, and the total cost of damages to you exceeds the insurance limit of the person who hit you, there are other ways for you to collect the additional money you deserve.
Let's say that a jury decides that your injuries are worth $75,000, but the person who hit you only has $25,000 worth of insurance. You may still be able to collect the additional $50,000 through your UIM coverage, or by collecting from the person directly.
UIM stands for Underinsured Motorist; your automobile insurance should include UIM coverage. If you are hit by someone who does not have enough insurance to compensate you, your UIM coverage is supposed to step in and make up for the difference. We recommend that you have at least $250,000 of UIM coverage per person, and $500,000 per accident. This is known as 250/500 coverage. This coverage will protect you and your family in case you are hit by someone with inadequate (or no) insurance.
You may also be able to collect money from the individual person who hit you. This may or may not be a good idea, depending on the person's assets. If the person who hit you is flat broke, then attempting to collect money from him/her is a waste of time and money. On the other hand, if the person is quite wealthy, it can be worth it. A good car accident attorney will know how to investigate the financial standing of the person who hit you, and will be able to advise you on whether or not attempting to collect directly is a good idea.