You may know the jingles or slogans for multiple different insurance companies, not just your own. All of those advertisements you see on television and hear over the radio help cultivate a positive perception of insurance companies, even though they frequently fail to adequately support people after car crashes.
Every driver in Kansas should have insurance on their vehicle, but not everyone keeps paying their insurance premium the way they should. Uninsured drivers sometimes cause crashes and then have no coverage to protect themselves and the other people involved.
Even if the other driver does have insurance, their policy may be quite low if their goal was just to cut their costs rather than to limit their liability. Will insurance be enough to cover your expenses after a motor vehicle collision?
Every driver in Kansas needs to carry two kinds of coverage. They need to carry liability insurance and no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. At the very least, you should be able to count on $4,500 from your own PIP coverage in a crash, regardless of what insurance the other driver has.
If all they carry is the minimum coverage required by law, then you should have $25,000 worth of property damage coverage and $25,000 worth of bodily injury liability coverage against which to make a claim. Other people in your vehicle also got hurt, the bodily injury coverage will increase to $50,000. If you suffer very serious injuries, if you have multiple injured passengers or if you miss multiple days of work because of a crash, a basic policy may leave a lot of uncovered expenses.
Some drivers do add extra coverage to their policies that will protect them in a crash where they are not at fault. Uninsured and underinsured motorist protection can help you regardless of fault for the wreck. Collision coverage could also help.
Some drivers would rather take action against the person to blame rather than try to make a claim against their own coverage. If someone broke the law or was quite negligent at the wheel, you may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit against them. Knowing your rights will help you reduce the lasting financial impact a car crash has on you and your family.
If given the choice, most people wouldn’t decide to spend money to hire an attorney if they’re able to make due without one. That said, when the situation truly does require the services of an attorney, it’s always in your best interest to seek out an experienced and reputable lawyer to help you with your case.
In Kansas, individuals who are involved in an auto accident or who suffer a personal injury may be able to seek financial compensation by filing a claim, regardless of the at-fault party. However, there are various statutes and rules guiding how to file injury claims and your options to recover damages after an accident or personal injury.
