One of the most practical issues facing every injury case involves money. The amount of money available for an injured person can often limit the recovery no matter how severe the injuries may be. It is important to find an attorney who has the experience in discovering all possible sources of responsibility (and therefore recovery).
3 Possible Sources of Money
At-Fault Driver Insurance
In every motor vehicle accident, there are essentially three possible sources of recovery. The first, is the at-fault driver’s insurance. In every case involving a car collision, an injured person must look first to see if the at-fault driver has any insurance. If a police report is made, the insurance companies for all parties are often listed, though not always.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Insurance
If the at fault driver does not have any or does not have enough insurance, the injured party can then look to their own auto insurance through a certain type of coverage called Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage (UM/UIM). In California, this coverage may only be accessed if the at fault driver did not have any insurance or the injured party recovered the maximum limits of the at-fault driver’s policy. A more detailed discussion of UM/UIM Coverage can be found here.
Assets
The third possible source of recovery in a personal injury case is through the assets of an at-fault party. In some rare cases, the at-fault party was not properly insured and an injured party can attempt to recover the assets (homes, boats, cars…etc.) of the person that caused the injury.
