Generally, the most pressing issue following an accident, aside from physical injuries, is damage to the vehicle. In Nevada, a vehicle is considered a total loss if the cost to repair the vehicle exceeds 65% of the value of the vehicle. On an older vehicle, it does not take a lot of property damage to create a total loss.

Often times on older vehicles, insurance companies are quick to call a total loss because they do not want to pay for repairs to an older vehicle. If your vehicle is determined to be a total loss, you are entitled to the amount that you could’ve sold the vehicle for on the date of the accident prior to the collision. My office has handled thousands of property damage claims. We will make sure that you get the most for your vehicle and we do not charge for this service when you are injured in the accident. If you have sustained property damage, please contact my office today to assist you in resolving the property damage. There are also issues when they fix the vehicle regarding warranty of repairs that an attorney can make sure you benefit from.

At the Law Offices of Laura Payne,Esq. we work with top body shops that focus on client and customer satisfaction and not insurance company work. Many body shops perform at work directly for the insurance companies at a reduced rate and often will not make all the repairs that an independent body shop would make. It is important to get your car fixed properly right from the start. At the Law Offices of Laura Payne,Esq. we will make sure your vehicle is fixed by independent body shop that offers a lifetime guarantee on the repairs.

Following an accident, most people will need alternative transportation until their vehicle is fixed or they receive a total loss settlement. If you maintain rental coverage on your policy, your insurance company will put you in a rental car immediately and easily. If you do not have rental car coverage, you will have to rely on the other side to provide a rental car or obtain one at your own expense, to be reimbursed later. Often, it may take some time for the adverse insurance company to complete their investigation and even with that there are many experts like this car accident lawyer in michigan who advices to get legal representation wherever you are because there is a big chance they will come out with an small amount for compensation.

If you are not at fault for the accident, the adverse driver’s insurance company is liable for a rental car and you can rent one at your own expense during their investigation. You will want to discuss this with the adjuster and use an approved rental car facility so that you are not responsible for any overages on the rental car.

Rental car coverage on your policy is often less than $10 per six months. This is a coverage that can save you a great deal of headache in the event of an accident. It is always important to remember that the adverse driver’s insurance company is not on your side following an accident. This is why it is critical to contact an attorney to protect your rights and make sure you receive all compensation and benefits that you are legally entitled to receive.

After a motor vehicle accident, medical bills will come in and payment will be due within 30 days. Many believe that the person at fault will have to pay these medical bills in a timely manner. Unfortunately, that is not true. The “at fault” driver’s insurance company will pay the settlement once all of the treatment and all of the damages have been realized. But the time during treatment and final settlement can be lengthy, sometimes even years depending upon the severity of the injuries.

The best way to protect yourself from having medical bills submitted to collections during this time is to have medical payments coverage on your own insurance policy and to retain an attorney immediately. This coverage is often referred to as med-pay. This is a coverage that is generally relatively inexpensive. Medical payments coverage pays medical bills that you incur up to the amount of the limit immediately. Most med-pay policies range between $2,000 and $10,000. The higher your limit, the better you will protect yourself. Medical payments coverage will cover co-pays from health insurance or medical bills in their entirety if you do not have health insurance. This will protect you and your family from having medical bills referred to collections in the event of an accident. I highly recommend to all of my clients, if possible, to add medical payments coverage to their own policy. If you’re involved in an accident and do not have health insurance and do not have medical payments coverage you will want to seek the help of an attorney immediately to protect yourself from possible adverse effects to your credit rating.

Coverage for your medical needs in the event you are hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver is called UM/UIM coverage on your insurance policy.

These coverages are sold together. UM insurance stands for uninsured motorist coverage. This coverage applies if the driver that hit you has no insurance at all. Unfortunately in the state of Nevada over 30% of all drivers on the road are not insured. The chances that you will be in a collision with a driver without insurance are three out of 10. It is important to protect yourself and your family from uninsured drivers. By purchasing uninsured motorist coverage, you will have peace of mind that if you are struck by one of the many uninsured drivers in the state of Nevada, that you and your passengers will be covered by your own insurance

UIM coverage stands for under insured motorist coverage. This coverage is always sold together with uninsured motorist coverage. That is why you will see it delineated as UM/UIM on your insurance policy that you received in the mail. In Nevada, the state only requires that a driver carry policy limits of $15,000 per person and $30,000 for total coverage per traffic accident. Nevada is one of the five lowest required minimum states in the United States. With such a low limit, $15,000 will not begin to cover any serious injury sustained in an auto accident. UIM coverage protects you when the other drivers insurance is not enough to cover your injuries. For example, if you are struck by a drunk driver and your emergency room bill is $25,000, and that driver has a $15,000 insurance policy, your underinsured motorist coverage will cover you for the additional injuries as well as the mental anguish and pain and suffering that you have gone through. I recommend that all my clients purchase UM/UIM insurance coverage to protect themselves and their love ones from uninsured and underinsured drivers in the state of Nevada.

When purchasing insurance, it is very important to understand the different coverages available and how they can protect you. Many clients come to my office and state they have “full coverage”. When insurance companies use the term “full coverage,” they are simply referring to the fact that you carry liability and collision. This means that your vehicle damage is also covered, less your deductible, in an accident. The term “full coverage” has nothing to do with coverage for injury to yourself or your passengers. There are many coverages available to you, some at a very low cost, that can significantly protect your interests if you are involved in an accident. As many as one third of Nevada drivers are uninsured at any given time on the roadway. It is imperative that you protect yourself in the event that you are struck by one of these uninsured drivers.

Coverages available to protect you include medical payments coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, rental coverage, towing coverage, and underinsured coverage. When purchasing insurance, whether online or with an agent, it is important to review these types of coverages and the cost involved. A small increase in your insurance can save you and your family from extreme financial hardship in the event that you are injured or sustain property damage caused by an uninsured driver. Please do not hesitate to call my office if you have any questions regarding your insurance coverage.