Category : Car Insurance Coverage

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Injured in Car Accident while in Uber Car

Uber is a ride sharing service that connects riders to drivers through the use of an app. Uber is not a taxi. The service is praised by users due to its low cost (nearly half the price of taxis) and its convenience.

Uber is available in over 200 cities, including the Toledo area. Since it is a rather new concept for many, it may cause confusion as to what someone is to do if they are involved in a car accident while using the service.

Injured in Accident While Taking Uber

If you were the passenger in an uber car when it was involved in an accident, then you would be covered under uber’s insurance policy. As the uber website states, from the time that a driver accepts a trip request from a rider within the uber app, through the completion of the ride, the driver has $1 million of coverage for driver liability.

Uber also provides $1 million of coverage for uninsured and underinsured motorists. This means that if another driver causes the accident with the uber car and that driver does not have insurance to cover the injuries sustained, the passenger will be able to seek compensation through uber’s coverage.

The easiest way to protect yourself is to have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. While it is great to know that the ridesharing company has the insurance coverage to help injured passengers in the event of an accident, the best advice that we can still give to an injured car accident victim is to always contact a personal injury lawyer. Before speaking to an insurance adjuster about the accident or starting the claim process, it is imperative to receive the guidance of a lawyer. A personal injury lawyer will work on your behalf to ensure that you ultimately receive the most favorable settlement for the injuries sustained in the uber car accident.

Only time will tell if uber insurance company deals with claims in a timely manner and gives injured victims the compensation that they deserve. Our personal injury lawyers advise that the single safety way to protect yourself is to have your own personal uninsured/underinsured motorist cover in the highest amount you can afford.

To speak to a personal injury lawyer regarding an uber car accident in the Toledo area, call Contrada & Associates at 419.841.4400. Our car accident lawyers can explain the steps that you should take in receiving compensation for the injuries that you’ve sustained in an uber car.

 

14 Oct 2014 Continue Reading

Sharing Information with Your Personal Injury Lawyer

After being involved in a car accident, there are many confusing and overwhelming things that must be dealt with, including the legal side of your accident (property damages, injuries, etc.).

Some people don’t believe that there should be compensation for something that is considered to be an accident. However, the injury is defined as an “injury that was caused by the fault of another.”

The personal injury lawyers at Contrada & Associates have handled thousands of car accident cases. The clients that we have represented have sustained a variety of injuries from car accidents. Through our experience handling such cases, we would like to share the list of things that every car accident victim should share with their lawyer.

Communicating with your Personal Injury Lawyer

Once you contact a personal injury lawyer following your car accident, be sure to bring the following information with you.

  • Copy of the Police Accident Report, or ask the lawyer if they’re able to retrieve
  • Photos taken at the scene of the accident
  • Contact information (phone number, name, business car, etc.) of others involved/present at the scene (driver, witness, injured passenger, etc.), if available.
  • List of medical professionals/doctors visited following the accident, Follow-Up Care Sheet from the hospital
  • Photos of injuries following the accident
  • Medical bills received following accident
  • Name of claim adjuster, claim number, phone number

Contacting a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have been involved in a car accident, contacting a personal injury lawyer sooner rather than later will make the legal process much easier. A personal injury lawyer with experience handling car accident cases similar to yours can help guide you through the legal process.

To speak to a personal injury lawyer about your car accident, call Contrada & Associates at 419.841.4400. When calling our office, you are able to speak directly with a lawyer about your car accident and the legal options that you have. You will also enjoy personal attention and face-to-face meetings with your lawyer throughout the entire legal process.

18 Sep 2014 Continue Reading

Does Health Insurance Cover Injuries from a Car Accident?

A question that car accident victims may have is whether or not they have coverage for injuries in the event that they are in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver.

Health insurance should cover medical expenses that are related to your car accident, but the insurance company will normally expect to be reimbursed. Since the injuries are caused by another individual, the health insurance company would expect to receive a portion of the settlement that is given for the car accident, which is referred to as subrogation.

There are also instances in which your health insurance would pay for your medical expenses once your car insurance coverage has been exhausted.

Don’t Give Car Insurance Info to Medical Providers

There is an unfortunate trend of medical providers asking car accident victims for their car insurance information. Our car accident attorneys consider this to be unfortunate because hospitals ask car accident victims for this information sometimes as they are being wheeled into the emergency room on a backboard – they are not in the right state of mind and are not fully aware of why they are being asked this question, but they often answer anyway.

Giving your car insurance information to a medical provider can often result in them billing your car insurance company instead of your health insurance because they are able to get more money by going this route. However, this is not the best scenario for the individual who is being treated and may result in them experiencing a financial burden.

Healthcare Providers Billing Car Insurance

Oftentimes the medical providers refuse to bill the health insurance company in a car accident even though they are required to do so. Healthcare providers realize that they may be able to get more money billing the car insurance than by billing your health or medical insurance.

It is our personal injury attorney’s advice to never give any healthcare provider any information regarding car insurance. Give them your health insurance information only.

As we explained above, medical providers may ask for car insurance information right in the emergency room. If the medical provider does go through your car insurance for payment, they will get paid through the medical payments insurance of your policy that is meant for deductibles and copays. This can then result in you having to pay future medical bills out of your own pocket.

The situation explained above is yet another reason why hiring a car accident attorney is so important. They can help guide you through the legal process as it can become very complicated.

To speak to an experienced personal injury attorney about the accident that you were involved in and the options that you have regarding your personal injury claim, call Contrada & Associates at 419.841.4400.

 

15 Jul 2014 Continue Reading

Protect Yourself from Car Accident Medical Expenses

To protect yourself from medical expenses that result from a car accident, the best thing to do is to ensure that you have uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. This type of car insurance coverage will protect you in the event that you are in an accident with a motorist who has minimum liability coverage or no car insurance at all.

If you check the minimum automobile liability in your state, you can gain a better understanding of how important uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is. If the minimum liability is low, there is an even greater need to protect yourself by purchasing uninsured and underinsured motorists coverage.

Minimum Liability & Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

The minimum liability for car insurance in your area affects the need for uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. The lower the minimum liability, the greater the financial strain for someone who is injured by a motorist with minimum coverage.

For example, the popular advertisements that you hear on the radio for low car insurance that can be obtained in just 15 minutes or less can result in major headaches and financial issues. While minimum liability keeps a driver legal for the road, it does not do much in the event that a serious car accident actually occurs.

When a motorist with minimum liability causes a car accident that injures another individual, it is likely that they do not have the insurance to cover the injured individual’s medical expenses. This is why it is very important for car insurance policies to include coverage above the minimum, including uninsured and underinsured coverage, along with other car insurance policy add-ons.

Purchasing Car Insurance 

Attorney Charlie Contrada stresses the importance of meeting face-to-face with your insurance agent when purchasing your car insurance policy. It is imperative to have the coverage that protects you and your family. The additional coverage is often a minimal cost per month but can make a significant difference if you are involved in an accident.

To learn more about the importance of a car insurance policy with full coverage, refer to our blog post that highlights the types of car insurance and the necessary components for your policy. As explained above, it is important to purchase car insurance under the guidance of your car insurance agent in a face-to-face setting so you can be sure that you are purchasing the policy that will protect you and your family.

10 Jul 2014 Continue Reading

Buying Motorcycle Insurance

Contrada & Associates has offered several pieces of advice when it comes to purchasing car insurance. Many motorists are not aware of the importance of purchasing insurance coverage that includes various policy components, protecting the driver and their family.

While car insurance coverage in general is a concern of attorney Charlie Contrada, as many motorists purchase policies based on price alone, motorcycle insurance coverage is also an important topic to inform readers about.

Unfortunately, many motorcyclists do not have the full amount of motorcycle insurance that they should. For the financial stability of the motorcyclist, it is imperative to ensure that the insurance coverage is good as we all know that motorcycle accidents occur all the time and oftentimes the injuries sustained can be very serious.

An issue that exists today when it comes to motorcycle insurance is that dealerships are offering insurance to individuals when they purchase their motorcycle. The motorcycle insurance coverage that is offered at the dealership is not guaranteed to actually be good coverage, so our motorcycle accident attorneys warn readers that they must look closely at the policy. You may want to contact your car insurance agent to ensure that you’re getting the coverage that you need.

Motorcycle insurance policies that are offered at a dealership could possibly be a stripped down policy that only includes liability coverage. The key thing about purchasing motorcycle insurance is to protect yourself, more so than in a car accident because the resulting injuries are so much more severe in a motorcycle accident. Some of the extra policy components that may not be included in policies offered by dealerships or quickly purchased online include the following:

Purchasing Motorcycle Insurance Coverage

As an attorney who has helped countless motorcycle accident victims after they have been involved in serious accidents, attorney Charlie Contrada cannot stress how important it is to discuss your motorcycle insurance coverage with an insurance agent. While there are many options available today to quickly purchase insurance online, you do not receive the necessary guidance and policy explanations. It is important to protect yourself when it comes to purchasing motorcycle insurance coverage, so discussing your policy face-to-face with an insurance agent is highly recommended.

If you have questions regarding your motorcycle insurance coverage, or would like to speak to a motorcycle accident attorney to discuss the options that you have after being involved in an accident, call 419.841.4400. Attorney Charlie Contrada will be able to give the guidance and legal advice that you need, ensuring that you take the proper steps to protect you and your family.

1 Jul 2014 Continue Reading

Michigan Car Insurance Laws Every Ohio Driver Should Know

Residents of Northwest Ohio should know certain facts regarding Michigan’s “no-fault” insurance laws. Since Northwest Ohio provides many opportunities for people to travel to or work in Michigan, it is imperative to be aware of the insurance laws that can significantly affect their car accident claims.

Michigan is a “No-Fault” State

Michigan has one of the most inclusive no-fault systems in the country. This means that a driver in a Michigan accident must use their own insurance company to pay the claims and settle any disputes related to their accident. This differs from Ohio in that an accident that occurs within Ohio results in the injured individual filing a claim or lawsuit against the other driver if they are at-fault.

If an Ohio driver is involved in a car accident in Michigan, they may have the opportunity to make a Michigan no-fault insurance claim and receive no-fault insurance benefits. Some of these benefits include those that an Ohio driver might claim against an at-fault driver if the accident had occurred in Ohio, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering resulting from the accident. But, to do so it is essential to have an experienced car accident attorney working on your behalf.

Car Accident Lawyer for Ohio Driver in Michigan Accident

As if being involved in a vehicle accident isn’t confusing enough, this type of situation makes it even more overwhelming. Attorney Charlie Contrada advises any Ohio driver that finds themselves in an accident in the state of Michigan to contact an experienced car accident attorney to help them.

The likelihood of an accident occurring under the above circumstances is higher for those in the Toledo area due to the geographic region in which we live. There are many residents of this area who travel to Michigan on a daily basis for their jobs alone, increasing the chances of being involved in an accident in the no-fault state of Michigan.

Ohio Car Insurance Policy Includes Michigan Rider

If you are an Ohio resident who travels to Michigan daily for a job, family, or recreational reasons, our car accident attorneys recommend asking your agent whether your car insurance policy will cover you in full for Michigan no-fault benefits if involved in a Michigan car accident. Explain your situation to your car insurance agent and they will be able to guide you in making the best choice regarding your policy coverage. If your car insurance agent is aware that you travel to Michigan on a regular basis and does not recommend providing coverage, you may later suffer financial consequences for not having this coverage, so know your options. If you were involved in a Michigan accident and are denied coverage, you could possibly take legal action against your car insurance agent.

To speak to attorney Charlie Contrada about a car accident in Michigan as an Ohio-insured driver, call 419.841.4400. Charlie has helped thousands of individuals with car accident claims and will explain the legal options that are available to you. Call Contrada & Associates for comprehensive legal guidance that will help you to receive the most favorable outcome.

15 May 2014 Continue Reading

What is the difference between Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage?

Attorney Charlie Contrada has more than 35 years of experience handling car accident lawsuits. He has handled nearly every type of accident you could imagine and has helped thousands of car accident victims receive the justice and compensation that they deserve.

As an experienced car accident lawyer, attorney Contrada knows a great deal of information regarding car insurance coverage and how it comes into play after an accident. With this extensive knowledge, his biggest piece of advice to motorists when it comes to buying car insurance policies is to make sure that they have Uninsured and Underinsured coverage as this is the most important coverage to protect you and your family. It is usually the least expensive part of the policy, yet it gives you and your family the most protection.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

According to the Insurance Research Council (IRC), even though it is required by law in many states, one in seven drivers do not have car insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage protects you and your family in the event that you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist. This coverage helps to pay your bills after a vehicle accident if the person at-fault does not have insurance to cover the damages.

As the Department of Motor Vehicles explains, the expenses that this coverage includes are as follows:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Loss of future earning capacity
  • Emotional distress
  • Pain and suffering

It is important that your Uninsured motorist coverage is as high as your liability coverage. Most policies only allow you to buy as much as your liability. Because this coverage is offered at a low cost, attorney Charlie Contrada recommends buying as much Uninsured motorist coverage as you can get.

If you have an umbrella policy above and beyond your underlying coverage, make sure your umbrella policy includes Uninsured and Underinsured coverage.

Uninsured motorist coverage is important because it protects you, your passengers, and authorized drivers on the policy. However, this does not protect you against someone who is underinsured with minimum state liability insurance, which still puts you and your family at a financial risk.

Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Underinsured motorist coverage protects you and your family in the event that you are in an accident and the at-fault driver has low liability limits. This type of insurance includes bodily injury and sometimes includes property damages.

If the at-fault driver’s insurance policy is too low to cover the injuries that you have sustained in the accident, Underinsured motorist coverage helps you. A situation in which this coverage would be utilized is if you were injured in an accident caused by a driver with insufficient insurance. If their policy limit is $25,000, yet your claim is worth $65,000, your Underinsured motorist coverage would cover the difference of $40,000.

Purchasing Underinsured & Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Many motorists are not fully informed when it comes to this portion of their car insurance policy. Attorney Charlie Contrada believes that if people knew all of the facts surrounding this type of car insurance, a great majority would purchase it for protection.

Before tort reform, the old Ohio law required insurance companies to have motorists sign a waiver explaining that Uninsured and Underinsured motorist coverage was explained to them in full, but they did not want to purchase it. This is not the case anymore, resulting in motorists carrying policies that do not fully protect them.

It is extremely important for motorists to review their car insurance policy with their agent to ensure that they have both Uninsured and Underinsured motorist coverage. If you do not purchase this type of car insurance, there is a possibility that you could potentially find yourself and your passengers in a financially troubling position.

Attorney Charlie Contrada reminds you to not shop car insurance solely based on price or catchy television advertisements. Sit down with your insurance agent and review your entire policy so you know your options and choose the coverage that suits you and your family’s needs. 

13 May 2014 Continue Reading

Why Gap Insurance is so Important to Have

Imagine this – you have finally reached the point where you are able to purchase a new car. After spending hours at the credit union looking over papers and getting your financial information in order, and signing on numerous dotted lines, you are approved for the amount you need. You go to the dealership, get the keys, and drive away in the car you’ve been dreaming of for the past few years. Then, just days later, you’re involved in an accident that ends up totaling your new car.

If the accident was caused by another driver and you were insured, you will of course expect to get compensation from your insurance company for the cost of your new vehicle. That’s what insurance is for, right? Having insurance coverage is meant to save your bank account when a series of unfortunate events happen.

If you think that as a motorist you will receive a check to cover the cost of your totaled vehicle, you’re right and you’re wrong at the same time.

Paying off a Car after an Accident

If the cost of your car is $20,000, but you have it financed through a loan, you will end up paying more than that amount in the end. The cost of your loan could be, for example, $26,000 including interest.

If you were involved in a car accident soon after you purchase your car, the insurance company would pay you the fair market value of your vehicle. This means that there is a very high probability that you would receive less than the purchase price for the totaled vehicle and the interest on your loan, leaving a gap of money that you’re expected to pay.

Gap Insurance Protects You

The purpose of gap insurance is to make up the difference between the cost of your loan and the fair market value of the vehicle. It protects you from finding yourself in a very difficult situation and ultimately gives you peace of mind.

Gap insurance also protects you in the event that your car is stolen and unrecovered. Instead of the insurance company giving you the actual value of the vehicle, they would cover the difference of the loan as well, so you’re not stuck with a substantial bill to pay and no car to drive.

It is always advised to thoroughly read through your insurance company’s gap insurance coverage so you are fully aware of the protection that you have.

Questions about Gap Insurance

Attorney Charlie Contrada believes that Gap insurance is very important to have if you have a newer vehicle, or if you have interest payments on your car loan. If you do not add this optional insurance coverage to your policy, you could potentially find yourself in a very troubling financial situation.

After helping numerous clients through car accident claims and seeing the problems they face with their insurance coverage, attorney Contrada’s goal is to inform motorists of the options they have when it comes to car insurance coverage. For more information on the different types of car insurance, read this article highlighting the options. If you have a specific question about car insurance coverage after being involved in a car accident, call our office at 419.841.4400 and attorney Contrada will help you understand your options.  

10 Apr 2014 Continue Reading

What type of car insurance coverage should I have?

After spending over 35 years helping car accident victims after accidents to seek compensation for their injuries, attorney Charlie Contrada has seen some unfortunate outcomes for individuals simply because of the car insurance coverage they had. The outcome of certain injury cases was significantly affected by one simple line item on a car insurance policy, so in an attempt to prevent future car accident victims from suffering financially, Contrada & Associates is providing a comprehensive review of the different components included in a car insurance policy, from a car accident attorney’s point of view.

Different Types of Car Insurance Coverage

Below you will find a list of the general components of a car insurance policy. Attorney Charlie Contrada hopes that by sharing insight into the importance of having full coverage, including the various auto insurance components, will help drivers and passengers to be more prepared in the event of a car accident.

  • Liability Coverage – If you are the driver who is deemed at fault in an accident, liability coverage will cover the damages to the other person(s) involved in the crash. This is a basic type of insurance coverage and is mandated in every state. Liability coverage helps you to pay the damages that the injured individuals of the accident require as well as damages to property. There are, however, different limits set to each component of liability coverage, making it extremely important to review with your insurance agent to ensure that you will be financially able to pay damages in the event that you cause an accident. Liability coverage does not pay for damages to your own property or costs for your own injuries.
  • Medical Payments Coverage – This coverage, also referred to as medical expense coverage, can help you to cover medical expenses incurred by you, as well as your passengers or family members in an insured vehicle. Medical payments coverage does not depend on who is at fault in the accident. It can help you to cover your co-pays and deductibles, and can be extended to passengers when health insurance cannot cover it. This is also special in that it can cover you or a family member who is injured in another car or as a pedestrian.
  • Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage – If you’re in an accident and the other driver is at fault, but they don’t have car insurance, Uninsured motorist coverage will act as if they insured the at-fault driver. Underinsured motorist coverage can also be utilized if a driver does have insurance, but not enough to cover your claim. In attorney Charlie Contrada’s opinion, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage is the most important coverage to protect you and your family.
  • Collision Coverage – This type of car insurance coverage will cover the cost to fix or replace your car if it is damaged in an accident. It not only helps if you hit a moving or stationary object, but also if someone hits your car while it is parked. There is a deductible associated with collision coverage, requiring you to pay out a certain amount until it is covered by the insurance company. The older your vehicle, the less you may need collision coverage.
  • Comprehensive Coverage – Not all vehicle damages are from accidents. Comprehensive coverage protects you if your car is damaged due to severe weather, vandalism, falling objects, broken windows, and even damage from an animal. This coverage also comes with a deductible and the amount depends on how much your vehicle is worth, as well as how much you’re willing to spend for coverage.
  • Towing & Rental Coverage – This type of car insurance is unique in that it doesn’t help pay medical bills or property damage, but it does help you to transport your vehicle after an accident, as well as cover rental costs of another vehicle. This insurance can also be utilized during times of need, for example if the other individual’s insurance company has not moved forward with the process, but your need for a vehicle to drive is immediate. Towing insurance is on a “per incident” basis so you have an allotted amount of coverage for the times that it is needed. Rental car insurance usually has a limit of time or amount of money that is covered. It is important to review with your agent to understand your policy coverage.

Purchasing Car Insurance Coverage

As an attorney who has seen how many car accident victims must cover their own expenses, attorney Charlie Contrada finds it extremely important for motorists to review their car insurance policy face-to-face with an agent. Shopping by price is not recommended as it is likely that the coverage purchased will keep a driver legal, but not protected in the event that they are actually involved in an accident.

Attorney Charlie Contrada believes that the advertisements for car insurance on television are misleading. Too many drivers are shopping by price, making a few clicks online during the process, and not even discussing their options with an insurance agent. If you would like more guidance regarding the type of car insurance coverage you should purchase, call attorney Charlie Contrada at 419.841.4000 for advice that will protect you and your family.

 

27 Mar 2014 Continue Reading