Cordisco & Saile is a supporter of the PSEA Mideastern Union in Philadelphia. We are the longtime approved partner for legal matters by PSEA Mideastern leadership and we strive to be your resource for important legal news that may affect you and for legal representation should you ever need it.
For Philadelphia teachers and other staff members of the PSEA Mideastern District, there is nothing worse than suffering injuries in a car accident due to another driver’s negligence. You may end up with a huge pile of medical bills, car repairs, and lots of time away from your teaching job. Your classes might even suffer or lag behind due to your absence. We are on the road a lot, to and from work and getting around for normal daily tasks, and the likelihood of being involved in an auto accident is almost inevitable unfortunately.
Things could get even worse if the driver at fault is underinsured or doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your losses. What if the driver didn’t have any insurance at all? This may seem like a very unlikely scenario but the truth is that these cases are more common than you think.
Statistics show that there has been a steady increase in the number of drivers on the road without auto insurance since the 2008 economic downturn in the US. The economy has improved since then but the number of uninsured and underinsured drivers is still higher than it was prior to 2008.
The good news is that you can protect yourself from the unlikely but possible predicament with Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UM).
What is UM Insurance Cover?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage is a unique type of insurance cover that comes into play when the driver responsible for the accident and your injury doesn’t have any form of liability insurance coverage.
If, unfortunately, you find yourself in an auto accident caused by a driver who doesn’t have a car insurance policy or is underinsured, you could end up suffering significant financial losses besides your injuries.
You can, however, protect yourself from such losses by getting an uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance coverage.
Types of Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
There are different uninsured motorist coverage options in Philadelphia but the three most common types of protection include the following:
- Uninsured Motorist Insurance also called Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI) cover. This type of insurance pays your medical bills if another driver who is uninsured caused the accident. The coverage also reimburses lost wages for you and the people that were with you. It also applies if you happen to be involved in a hit and run accident.
- Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage (UMPD). This type of protection covers vehicle or property damages. It covers damages to your house, fence, and much more.
- Underinsured Motorist protection (UIM). There are cases when the driver at-fault has liability insurance but the policy’s limit cannot cover the full extent of damage to you or your vehicle. This type of insurance helps to compensate for the shortfall due to the underinsured driver’s limited policy.
How About Tort Insurance? Does It Help?
You may have the required car insurance cover but do you know that there are laws regulating your responsibility if you are found to be at-fault in an auto accident?
In the US, you are either an at-fault or no-fault state. In at-fault states, you’ll be more financially responsible if you cause an accident than in a no-fault state.
The tort system states that in a vehicle collision, the driver at fault carries the liability of paying for the victim’s medical bills, damages, property damages costs, lost wages, and even pain and suffering caused by the accident. However, if you are not at fault, you could get full compensation under the tort system.
Full Tort and Limited Tort Auto Insurance
States that follow the tort system provide either full or limited tort car insurance options. In the full tort option, if you sustain injuries or damages in an accident that you were found not to be at fault, you can sue the guilty party for compensation without restrictions. You can sue the other driver for everything from medical bills and damages to lost wages and for the pain and suffering you’ve endured due to the accident.
In limited tort, if you suffer injuries in an accident that you were not at fault, you’ll be limited in the compensation that you can seek from the guilty party. You may not sue for additional damages beyond personal injury and property damages. Your best protection, therefore, is to get full tort coverage.
Cordisco & Saile LLC Helps You to Get the Best Possible Results After a Car Accident
The process of suing and receiving the right amount of compensation Philadelphia after an accident can be complicated but at Cordisco & Saile, we’ll help you piece together everything you need to get maximum compensation for your injuries and losses. We are the leading Bucks County personal injury lawyers.
If you are a Philadelphia teacher that needs assistance and you’re a part of the PSEA teachers union, contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation.
