Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage in Las Vegas
Getting into a car accident can ruin your day. Even worse is if the driver is underinsured or uninsured. This is especially true if there are significant injuries and property damage involved.
Often, an uninsured motorist claim can be the answer to your problems. Sometimes filing these claims can be challenging, especially if the insurance company is looking for reasons not to pay. In situations like these, a personal injury lawyer with a deep understanding of insurance law can help you recover the damages you and your family need.
If you follow the law, you have at least the minimum coverage required to own a vehicle in Las Vegas. There are many situations where even non-minimum insurance coverage is not enough to support your needs. This can happen regardless of who is at fault for an accident. In these events, uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage can help.
Las Vegas Insurance Requirements
Like the rest of Nevada, Las Vegas requires drivers to carry liability insurance. This insurance should cover up to $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries. It should also cover up to $20,000 for property damage. People often refer to this as the “25/50/20” insurance rule, which has been in place since 2018.
Optional Insurance in Las Vegas
You can purchase extra coverage, although it is not required. Liability insurance only protects you if you are responsible for an accident. You use it to pay for the damages or injuries you caused to others, but it does not cover your passengers, you, or your property.
Other types of related insurance you can purchase include the following:
- Property damage coverage
- Comprehensive coverage
- Collision coverage.
These insurance options can offer additional protection to your property in the case of an accident or other risks, such as theft or acts of God.
If you are concerned with protecting yourself and your passengers in the case of injuries, then uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) insurance is the answer. This coverage can protect you and your passengers in the following situations:
- An uninsured driver causes an accident that results in injuries to you or your passengers.
- An underinsured driver causes an accident that results in more injuries than their insurance can cover.
- An uninsured or underinsured driver causes an accident that results in more property damage than they can cover.
Why Choose Leverty & Associates Law?
Leverty & Associates has a combined experience of more than 50 years. Our attorneys are skilled and highly competent in matters concerning:
- Insurance law
- Insurance-related litigation
- Negotiation
- Complex coverage issues
- Nationwide class action lawsuits.
Our highly motivated and compassionate lawyers are always ready to fight for justice when you need it most. We have been involved in numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts for our clients.
Gene Leverty and our attorneys have received considerable impressive awards and recognitions, such as:
- The top rating from Martindale-Hubbell for 25 years
- Membership in the Million Dollar Advocate Forum
- Membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Forum
- Medal of Justice Award from the State Bar of Nevada
- Special Recognition and Tribute Award from the Nevada Bar Foundation
- Special Recognition Award from the State Bar of Nevada
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers — Nevada
- Top 10 Insurance Bad Faith Trial Lawyers Association
- America’s Top 100 Attorneys
- Legal Elite
- Named to the American Law Institute
- Named Mountain States Super Lawyers
- Academic recognitions in law school, such as cum laude.
Our talented team members have worked as the Chief Deputy Insurance Commissioner for the State of Nevada, as President of the State Bar of Nevada, as President of the Nevada Justice Association, and as Chairman of the State Bar of Nevada Insurance Standing Committee.
Our insurance attorneys are well-respected and renowned throughout Las Vegas and the rest of Nevada. We have represented clients in local and class action lawsuits involving insurance companies such as:
- Farmers Insurance
- Country Life Insurance
- State Farm
- Safeco Insurance Company of America
- Alliance Insurance
- Hartford Life and Accident Insurance.
ow We Can Help
No insurance company is too big for us to tackle. If a big insurance company has wronged you, you deserve big representation to balance the playing field.
Our legal team is uniquely selected to maximize your case’s strengths throughout the legal process. Whether your case goes to trial or negotiations, we have attorneys who are particularly skilled in these areas. If your case requires detailed research of complex insurance law processes, we have a lawyer for that, too. If you need a real fighter in the courtroom to advocate for justice, we have just the attorney.
Our team is a well-oiled machine, we understand each other’s strengths, and we are savvy enough to know when to call in one of our outstanding legal whizzes to accomplish the job at hand — and we have done exactly that for countless satisfied clients.
Our primary focus is on the success of your case. We will relentlessly pursue the damages you deserve from your insurance company. Regardless of whether that is obtaining a UM/UIM claim or fighting a bad faith insurance claim which the company is unethically refusing to pay.
You can trust the legal team at Leverty & Associates to help you secure the damages you deserve.
Why Might I Need Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
The law in Nevada requires everyone who owns a vehicle in Las Vegas to carry liability insurance. However, some people ignore this law and continue driving without insurance. Unfortunately, if one of these drivers causes an accident that results in damage or injury, they may be unable to cover the related expenses. This can leave you with outstanding bills for property damage or medical treatment.
Likewise, when a driver has only the minimum legal coverage, they can sometimes cause more damage than their insurance can cover. If they cause an accident that results in serious injuries to one or more parties, they may max out their insurance within days.
Being hit by an uninsured driver, underinsured driver, or hit-and-run driver can be stressful. It can leave you wondering how to pay for necessary yet expensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and mechanic bills. If you or your passengers need life-saving medical treatment, you never want to be left wondering where to find the funds for these critical necessities.
Having UM/UIM insurance is the first step. Receiving the proper payout from the insurance company is the second. If the insurance company is refusing to pay the full amount you deserve, an experienced attorney can help.
What Is an Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Claim?
If you have UM/UIM insurance and an uninsured or underinsured driver causes an accident with you, your UM/UIM insurance can help you out of a difficult situation. If the liable driver’s insurance is non-existent or insufficient to cover the damages of the wreck, you still have options. You or your car insurance lawyer can file a claim to receive coverage from your insurance.
Examples of UM/UIM Claims
Many events can lead to filing an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim. Examples of when you may need to file a UM/UIM claim include:
- A driver from a state like Florida is responsible for causing an accident with you. They have the minimum liability insurance required by their state, but it is significantly less than what Nevada requires. It does not sufficiently cover the total damages they caused. You can file a UM/UIM claim to cover the difference.
- A driver from Las Vegas is driving without insurance. They cause an accident that causes damage that they cannot cover. You can file a UM/UIM claim to cover the damages.
- A local driver with more than minimum coverage wrecks into you, causing catastrophic injuries with damages that exceed their healthy insurance coverages. You can file a UM/UIM claim to help cover the difference.
- A hit-and-run driver smashes into your high-end car while you are shopping, causing extensive damage. You may never know if they have adequate insurance if you cannot locate them. In this case, you can file a UM/UIM claim to cover the cost of your vehicle repairs.
- An uninsured driver causes an accident and injures you, causing you to be out of work for several months due to medical treatment and rehabilitation. You can file a UM/UIM claim to cover not only the cost of your medical bills but also your lost wages.
A Hypothetical UM/UIM Claim
To illustrate how UM/UIM could work with a serious accident, consider the following hypothetical scenario. An at-fault Las Vegas driver with the minimum 25/50/20 insurance hits John and Sarah. Unfortunately, the accident results in serious medical concerns for John, which cause him to be out of work for nearly an entire year. Their damages include:
- John’s medical bills: $95,000
- Sarah’s medical bills: $1,800
- John’s lost wages: 40,000
- Vehicle Damage: $18,000
The driver’s insurance will only cover the following:
- John’s medical bills: $25,000 — leaving $70,000 outstanding
- Sarah’s medical bills: $1,800 — $0 outstanding
- John’s lost wages: $0 — $40,000 outstanding
- Vehicle damage: $18,000 — $0 outstanding
Despite the driver’s having 25/50/20 insurance, which could cover up to a maximum of $95,000 in certain situations, John and Sarah’s expenses are eligible for only $46,800 in coverage.
The “50” in the 25/50/20 is for multiple parties’ injuries. John and Sarah could each receive up to $25,000 for their personal injuries. However, in this scenario, Sarah was relatively uninjured and had minimal medical bills. They cannot “share” the $50,000 between them.
After the responsible driver’s insurance pays out, John and Sarah still have $110,000 in outstanding damages. If they have UM/UIM, they can file a claim to recover the remaining damages.
However, if the UM/UIM insurance company is being difficult or refusing to pay out the claim, it might be time to speak with an auto insurance lawyer.
Contact Leverty & Associates for Your Uninsured Motorist Claim
If an uninsured or underinsured driver hurt you or a loved one in a car accident or a hit-and-run accident, we can help. At Leverty & Associates, our car accident and insurance lawyers fight for your rights. We will work tirelessly to help you regain the compensation you deserve.
Call Leverty & Associates today at (702) 507-0201 or contact us online to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation where you can get your questions answered by an experienced Las Vegas uninsured motorist claims lawyer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Las Vegas Uninsured Motorist Claims
If an uninsured or underinsured driver has recently impacted you or your loved ones, it is normal to have questions about uninsured/underinsured motorist claims. We have gathered some of the most common questions and their answers to help you understand UM/UIM coverage and claims.
A confidential, free consultation with Leverty & Associates allows you the opportunity to ask personalized questions directly to an uninsured motorist claim lawyer and determine your legal options.
If an uninsured at-fault driver causes personal or property damage, their non-existent insurance will not cover your losses. UM/UIM insurance can help cover your losses, such as your car repair and the medical bills of you and your passengers.
According to Nevada law, insurers in Las Vegas must offer UM/UIM coverage, but the law does not force drivers to accept it. Many people accept uninsured motorist coverage, but many do not. If you are unsure whether you have it, you can call your insurance agent and ask.
There is no requirement for an insurance lawyer to file your uninsured or underinsured motorist claim. However, sometimes filing claims can be challenging. Additionally, your insurance company may try to get out of paying you. Having a knowledgeable attorney on your side can help the process move more quickly and reduce stress.
If an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you, there are some steps you should take to ensure your UM/UIM claim is processed smoothly by your insurance company. These include:
- Call the police to file a police report.
- Do not accept money from the driver.
- Exchange contact information with the driver.
- Collect the contact information of any witnesses.
- Note details like the make and model of the driver’s vehicle, the responding officer, the location and time of the accident, and any other relevant details.
- Take pictures of property damage, license plates, and the accident in general.
- Get a full medical inspection to discover any latent personal injuries.
Call Leverty & Associates today at (702) 507-0201 or contact us online to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation where you can get your questions answered by an experienced Las Vegas uninsured motorist claims lawyer.
Attorney Patrick Leverty
With his master’s in insurance law, Patrick routinely helps individuals and businesses who are having issues with their insurance company. He also has extensive experience with personal injury actions, complex tort actions, product liability matters, and class actions. Patrick Leverty is rated AV by Martindale Hubbell (the highest rating) and has been granted membership in the Million Dollar Advocate Forum, and Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Forum. Patrick Leverty has been certified as a Personal Injury Specialist by the State Bar of Nevada. [ Attorney Bio ]
