All motorists in Tennessee need to carry a minimum amount of automobile insurance. While purchasing car insurance allows you to cover the costs in case of an accident, the amount of insurance each driver holds can significantly impact how much a victim can collect after a crash.
In Tennessee, if someone is found guilty of causing an accident, they are legally responsible for paying for damages. Since most people cannot afford to pay for accident expenses out of pocket, victims claim the at-fault driver's insurance company.
However, every insurance policy has a limit that sets the maximum amount of money the insurer will pay. Therefore, the amount you receive for your injuries and damages may not be enough if two people are injured; the nature of your injuries is severe, and you also have minimum coverage.
How to cover the cost of accident insurance?
Even if the insurance limits are high, there is no assurance that you will issue the maximum amount. Insurance companies will try to reduce the amount of coverage in many ways, forcing victims to fight for the urgent need for compensation for medical and material damages.
To fight for your rights, you will need to hire a competent Nashville car accident lawyer who is well versed with the law, has hands-on experience of successfully winning cases much like yours. Another thing to gauge the capabilities of a competent lawyer is their client base that is happy to vouch for the lawyer's services. In addition, your lawyer will suggest you other ways to seek compensation if the faulty driver's insurance isn't apt to cover your losses, like:
Auto insurance policy: If your accident costs exceed the other driver's limit, your auto insurance can be used. However, in Tennessee, the law requires you to exhaust the other driver's policy before you can claim yours.
Extended coverage: If you have additional insurance, such as car damage insurance or MedPay, these supplements can be used to cover accidental losses.
Uninsured motor driver coverage: While this is illegal, some drivers do not have the minimum required auto insurance coverage. If you have bought uninsured Motor Driver coverage, you can recover the total amount of coverage available under your policy. If the other driver has insurance, but it was not enough to cover all of your losses, your uninsured motorist coverage can be used to bridge the gap.
General Insurance: Some policies offer "general" insurance that begins when the policy limit for an event is used up.
Third-Party Defendants: In many cases, more than one party may be legally responsible for the accident. For example, a bar that served alcohol to a driver or an employer whose employee caused the accident in the company's or a malfunctioning car can be named in an injury lawsuit. Each defendant will have their insurance coverage to allow the victim to receive payment up to those policy limits.